Mulch Better-Part 2 The Backyard

<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">I hope you all enjoyed my <a href="http://beauxrevesamore.blogspot.com/2012/06/it-looks-mulch-better.html" target="_blank">Front yard tour</a>.</span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">  Well, the backyard was even more fun to mulch! </span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">It took twice as long to finish and it was probably three times as HOT outside last weekend.  But it's done now and looks so much better.  I'll give you a short tour around the property: </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3HJJaIzWjSYOuBItiNmXQpeVbOGTkaNcedtJhmX22XPjtMn6iiKdbWUo5YsWPacR8wo2BvnPKeRq-yg87c2yhO77DR9aDOYIoUPbgSjUye2CoScFu3OWIdtT_CzMwLL_982HDBZtQL1T/s1600/IMG_4431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3HJJaIzWjSYOuBItiNmXQpeVbOGTkaNcedtJhmX22XPjtMn6iiKdbWUo5YsWPacR8wo2BvnPKeRq-yg87c2yhO77DR9aDOYIoUPbgSjUye2CoScFu3OWIdtT_CzMwLL_982HDBZtQL1T/s640/IMG_4431.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">This is what the backyard looks like from the golf course.  I don't play golf but I like looking out onto the course.  We are surrounded by two ponds which are really pretty too.  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsl5ikwRPbFgNn1HSiK4XlTD9YN82eMH9oqlWc_QIbc6LfJzN0_Jf5Uz4HjK2JjsI5zhgwf123MrdNkr3AJ28YycdO0u0c3BthA39hXElFru0xcBCPAHYqMQuCt1PlMPlZEBOzwnMoQjR/s1600/IMG_4423-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsl5ikwRPbFgNn1HSiK4XlTD9YN82eMH9oqlWc_QIbc6LfJzN0_Jf5Uz4HjK2JjsI5zhgwf123MrdNkr3AJ28YycdO0u0c3BthA39hXElFru0xcBCPAHYqMQuCt1PlMPlZEBOzwnMoQjR/s640/IMG_4423-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Our lot is on a slope which allows us to have a walkout basement but our backyard would have been a small ski hill without building this retaining wall.  It's made out of local stone and is about 8 feet high in some places.  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORhVovAj6_R5vrSVcedUgLbMxOPPffrGXqpGkKM48ZUG26PWkmjai1cjcXrvJ2QPrOjnxgZeS2o-HhYEozCmvgYakPqbjbvHQrC4Cn5VUq1b-Ayzav2Oz8MLoCiKnsNMDhHi3gdduKOeV/s1600/IMG_4424-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORhVovAj6_R5vrSVcedUgLbMxOPPffrGXqpGkKM48ZUG26PWkmjai1cjcXrvJ2QPrOjnxgZeS2o-HhYEozCmvgYakPqbjbvHQrC4Cn5VUq1b-Ayzav2Oz8MLoCiKnsNMDhHi3gdduKOeV/s640/IMG_4424-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">We planted all of the beds ourselves 10 years ago.  Now the ornamental grasses are huge and the creeping junipers are a little too "creepy" for me.  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-9lBdVuSWSo6_13TDYmFmJWGp6dRgMU_RNjCuqZiSBvx05dlRA67q3_AcDM4D6lMP5qUMvY80JenJPjs8iUzsI9grkImsx2Tn6XnsL64lAkikAun2y3rfckQRed-bNsUtJ40zUjASFXv/s1600/IMG_4421-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-9lBdVuSWSo6_13TDYmFmJWGp6dRgMU_RNjCuqZiSBvx05dlRA67q3_AcDM4D6lMP5qUMvY80JenJPjs8iUzsI9grkImsx2Tn6XnsL64lAkikAun2y3rfckQRed-bNsUtJ40zUjASFXv/s640/IMG_4421-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">This is one of the ponds.  I love my daylilies around the small plum tree.  They never disappoint me and grow without much care.  I need kids like that!  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eGgCd22jnlm8qWyvfTJ-uB6e9jyrGCexYbIf88Exr9GRCOxAQQsoK0F6Y0WQRRw6eScTEg-3UKQuKvuf2y_-Y2QCa1DbaAFCZ2LQkFGjYIu0pi419Vp9-kQJrROH98Z6pZDILfEbF3g7/s1600/IMG_4428-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5eGgCd22jnlm8qWyvfTJ-uB6e9jyrGCexYbIf88Exr9GRCOxAQQsoK0F6Y0WQRRw6eScTEg-3UKQuKvuf2y_-Y2QCa1DbaAFCZ2LQkFGjYIu0pi419Vp9-kQJrROH98Z6pZDILfEbF3g7/s640/IMG_4428-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">And here is a view from the other side of the pond last night.  The neighbors make our house look small.  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnAk5ndHR88ZJX-iNCKZkoTxnyBE4i3eViBBv-9HjcvvcJ0DUDgfQ_ka5qxgk6AWfddzNOL9_ONP1T6ctxo_8FivveD8v5PCj9TsOp1znxQwLj3Cz32t4NpDD1zxmbwftiFt-5rFG_c1K/s1600/IMG_4436-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnAk5ndHR88ZJX-iNCKZkoTxnyBE4i3eViBBv-9HjcvvcJ0DUDgfQ_ka5qxgk6AWfddzNOL9_ONP1T6ctxo_8FivveD8v5PCj9TsOp1znxQwLj3Cz32t4NpDD1zxmbwftiFt-5rFG_c1K/s640/IMG_4436-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">This is my favorite part of the backyard, the stone patio.   Mr. Beaux built a firepit around the stone steps.  It's fun in the summer to build a fire and make smores.  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhferNDh0wiZqlDfh0KoIqUdqpUdoFgW-rYguQex1s7pCCQUtIZhj8zi4o_KYCrSHTge7UbGQAP4HVhnHVl5GDofe4dHevgj-sIPgJ2D8LU_MCnH_sD81lB-IWF7aYgE5I-j97Q3VDeB1ev/s1600/IMG_4446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhferNDh0wiZqlDfh0KoIqUdqpUdoFgW-rYguQex1s7pCCQUtIZhj8zi4o_KYCrSHTge7UbGQAP4HVhnHVl5GDofe4dHevgj-sIPgJ2D8LU_MCnH_sD81lB-IWF7aYgE5I-j97Q3VDeB1ev/s640/IMG_4446.jpg" width="466" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> My hydrangea bushes look so pretty against the stone wall.  I had a lilac bush that I just pulled out.  Everything was so crowded in there.  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1JURbq8khmZAWZD3RNddp99pj3nupCnIulgtzf8N0mRiS2DSmPy1g3626WV4de01yp2myldm87C7PIqyKMc3hKO2zhy_NIq_5Xp29ex7-DZAOk9yQkaSKZ0slfbN6FwVEHEOulebLv4n/s1600/IMG_4443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1JURbq8khmZAWZD3RNddp99pj3nupCnIulgtzf8N0mRiS2DSmPy1g3626WV4de01yp2myldm87C7PIqyKMc3hKO2zhy_NIq_5Xp29ex7-DZAOk9yQkaSKZ0slfbN6FwVEHEOulebLv4n/s640/IMG_4443.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">These were green and white last year and I stuck some rusty nails in the ground.  I have to work on the other ones this year.  I forget what else you can do to change the color. </span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> Hello Google!</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUKEF6j4mC3BEg2aYKhS4YJhX2mLfNVTc-UyoqPgbnR_mbmtjbEAJU0sFkAjVTjFNXFCFj8nNiJnquFFuEYYxSxbKyoPZ8fL-c4EmVpMkpdQeSVm-QSfGYdG5acrQrrdYlwsYT_D3cew4/s1600/IMG_4447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUKEF6j4mC3BEg2aYKhS4YJhX2mLfNVTc-UyoqPgbnR_mbmtjbEAJU0sFkAjVTjFNXFCFj8nNiJnquFFuEYYxSxbKyoPZ8fL-c4EmVpMkpdQeSVm-QSfGYdG5acrQrrdYlwsYT_D3cew4/s640/IMG_4447.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">And more hydrangeas against the house.  We planted creeping moss and Irish moss inbetween the stones.  It took a long time but it finally grew in nicely.</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsa0JgcWUVwBPjYp1avO7RX1u10XyOYRBXecSv9Oe7uQyoZmuHeW7smn8-QeTg5M4IFkwBXdGa48YCzqghdk-SCjm_s4ior_tTNQEEivAM9iHAcmA0K0MobVvftMVU_GGH_9nNnI8GADGX/s1600/IMG_4444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsa0JgcWUVwBPjYp1avO7RX1u10XyOYRBXecSv9Oe7uQyoZmuHeW7smn8-QeTg5M4IFkwBXdGa48YCzqghdk-SCjm_s4ior_tTNQEEivAM9iHAcmA0K0MobVvftMVU_GGH_9nNnI8GADGX/s640/IMG_4444.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">OK, anyone know what these are?  Some kind of variegated hydrangea?  Why are they only partially blooming? </span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> I've got a great green thumb I know!</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDSAxgP7JaoHX9M31tSbvDpekvrelPnd8wUG59thvO1ldp54Mx3yDyfpYsahZwoz2vo-Y2l4Tb0k9wnCUf06kfkL4qZews_cDM5lrunxQ6J9uFpclsg6H-LHi9Eg96uj6aleKTIagWjPj/s1600/IMG_4448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDSAxgP7JaoHX9M31tSbvDpekvrelPnd8wUG59thvO1ldp54Mx3yDyfpYsahZwoz2vo-Y2l4Tb0k9wnCUf06kfkL4qZews_cDM5lrunxQ6J9uFpclsg6H-LHi9Eg96uj6aleKTIagWjPj/s640/IMG_4448.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Stone steps up to the driveway. </span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"> Aren't these cool?</span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">  I want to take a family picture here someday.  </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmo4UJz79PYhKWeuCKpkBufui78WkIbv7YJZrFAIki3yFfoL0MpGlD4r-vGtlxP_hm_tZ3VfePEOK7o6YYd0Vp8U6L3OyXJD-tT8v3JG3-vV-ykJwPkri_n7cxDNaad1kUpLsbdpzl29uC/s1600/IMG_4449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmo4UJz79PYhKWeuCKpkBufui78WkIbv7YJZrFAIki3yFfoL0MpGlD4r-vGtlxP_hm_tZ3VfePEOK7o6YYd0Vp8U6L3OyXJD-tT8v3JG3-vV-ykJwPkri_n7cxDNaad1kUpLsbdpzl29uC/s640/IMG_4449.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">A little secret pathway under the deck to the patio.</span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">  Hey!  Some Bunny has been eating my Hostas!  If they weren't so cute I'd set traps out or something...</span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for coming along on the tour of my backyard!  </span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Until Next Time,</span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Beaux R'eves,</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">XO Cindy</span></span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Linking up to:</span></i></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Kim at <a href="http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/">Savvy Southern Style</a> for Wow Us Wednesdays<br />Judy at <a href="http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/">DIY by Design</a> <a href="http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"></a></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Gina at <a href="http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/">The Shabby Creek Cottage</a> for Transformation Thursdays<br />Sherry at <a href="http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/">No Minimalist Here</a> for the Open House Party on Thursdays</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">  <a href="http://frommyfrontporchtoyours.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">From My Front Porch To Yours</a> for Treasure Hunt Thursday<br /> Cindy at <a href="http://romantichome.blogspot.com/">My Romantic Home</a>for Show and Tell Friday<br />Courtney at <a href="http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/">French Country Cottage</a> for Feathered Nest Friday<br />Heather and Vanessa at <a href="http://www.atthepicketfence.com/">At the Picket Fence</a> for Inspiration Friday <br />Sherry at<a href="http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/"> The Charm of Home</a> for Home Sweet Home Friday<br />Jen at <a href="http://tatertotsandjello.com/">Tatertots and Jello</a>for the Weekend Wrap-up Party <br />Donna at <a href="http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/">Funky Junk Interiors</a> for Saturday Nite Special</i></span></div>

Mulch Better-Part 2 The Backyard

I hope you all enjoyed my Front yard tour .   Well, the backyard was even more fun to mulch! It took twice as long to finish and it was prob...

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