Patio Party

 

Come on back and sit for a spell! Our patio is where we spend the most time together.  

It's shaded throughout the day giving us a pleasant place to enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and beautiful backyard views.

This year we added a sectional sofa and coffee table for this very reason.  We wanted something super durable, comfortable and it had to be pretty.  We made a significant investment into quality pieces so that we would enjoy many years of use. 

Note: We also purchased covers that we use each night to protect them from the elements.

I'm very minimal when it comes to Vivian's things beyond her room but since we play the most outside I wanted her to have things to enjoy.  This playhouse and picnic table were both past birthday gifts that she absolutely adores! It's also great when other children come over to play.

Before the party lights ... clearly they add the perfect twinkling touch!

Our little garden off to the side.

Vivian and I enjoy time together caring for our plants and harvesting delicious vegetables.

It's so much fun to host our friends.

And to celebrate all the blessings life has given us!

We do all things from share meals, read, afternoons playing and splashing, hosting friends and even date nights. Anything we can take out under the Carolina blue skies, we do!

Dress Your Outdoor Space Beautifully

XOXO Sarah-Louise

Mamma Monday: Love Grows Here

Happy Monday! And welcome to our garden ...

This is the second year we are growing a garden and I dare say it's more fun than the first. Vivian is truly a helper and there's a whole lot less work this go around.
We had a lot of clean up to do when we purchased our home.  Read all about our garden before and after here on last year's post.  I imagine it will look different each year as we improve and modify it.

Like everything in my world, I like spaces tidy so we kept the plants simple with just tomatoes, peppers and herbs. It is a confined space right alongside our home so vine plants would not be a good fit. We will just have to stick to purchasing our squash and cucumbers.

I'm sharing this to encourage you to consider growing plants, and to teach your children to grow plants.  I used to think my Mamma and Grandma were a bit silly for putting so much time and effort into growing vegetables when it was a whole lot easier to just buy them from the store.  Then you take that bite of the first mater sandwich of the year and you get it!

Gardening is laborious work and often in the heat but it can also provide sweet quiet time to pray, reflect on the day and enjoy the company of your littles right in God's creation.
It changes our daily routine for half the year but in the happiest of ways.  We are outside first thing creating fun and special memories. We occasionally run through the water hose laughing til our bellies hurt!

We are spending time caring for our plants each day, patiently watching them grow. In the garden of life, patience is a fruit of the Spirit. When we spend time with God, we become more like Him, and He is overflowing with patience. 

Whether you have hanging baskets, pots by your front door or a simple house plant by your desk, add some living plants to your world.  I promise they will be a blessing to care for.

I love this old iron planter my Mamma gave me

Naturally I had to add style to our garden with some geranium flowers, and only pink would do.  They were my Grandmother's favorite and now mine.  I also have had such great luck keeping them blooming right into the Fall season.

And for fun we have a bunny the previous owners left us and a cat that I found buried in our previous home's backyard that looks just like our late Mr. Scragley.  Oh how I giggle every time Vivian comes into the garden and tells them hello, often with a kiss.

We all know how fast time goes by.  We grow and things change day by day but we can make fun memories to cherish along the way. And delicious veggies too :)

Dress Beautifully in a Place Where Love Grows

XOXO Sarah-Louise

how does your garden grow?

Welcome to our little garden!  When we bought our home one of the neat things about the property was this area behind a brick wall off to the right side between the house and driveway that the previous owners had used for a garden.  While my Grandma and Mamma have always grown fresh vegetables every summer I have not had the opportunity and quite honestly no desire to invest the energy.  But since the frame work was already here I'm excited to continue the legacy and to teach baby Vivian Louise about plants and watch them grow together.

Also, there is nothing more delicious than eating a fresh mater sandwich outside. eh maybe a slice of cold watermelon on a July/August afternoon!

She's become my little helper every day!

Here is what it looked like before ...

And Now ....

Here you can see our little secret tucked away behind this wall.

We had to do some work to this garden as the years had put some wear on it.  We took down the rotting wood fence than encased it and put up this metal one. Vivian loves to open and close the gate.

I also kept the cement bunny and large pot the previous owners had left in the yard and the silly cat that I found buried in the yard at our old house. Vivian loves them :)

I'm eager to remove the walkway and replace with some stone.

I removed all of the red mulch and replaced it with pea gravel.  It looks much nicer and helps with water retention, prevents erosion and keeps us a little less dirty.

As for the plants I purchased them at this size rather than starting from seeds due to timing and I wanted to set myself up for success.
I also was conservative to the number I planted, just 3 per bed.

I planted heirloom tomatoes, small sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes and in the left corner some herbs (cilantro, rosemary and basil).

I also had to pull up some of the smaller beds because the wood was in poor shape.  These 5 large beds will do for now but we are thinking next year we will replace them with new materials and raise them a bit higher.

I often say Vivian is growing like a weed and now I know the truth behind that phrase.  Weeds grow so fast and sneak up on you.  It seems like we are pulling them out almost every day but we are having fun doing it.

Tip from my Mamma: Save your coffee grounds and egg shells. They are great for the dirt around your plants.

Vivian and I have made it part of our day-to-day to spend time in the garden.  It has become so much more fun that I ever thought it would be.

Even if you don't have the space or time to plant a garden try a simple pot or two in a sunny spot in your home for some herbs or even a pretty flower.
Plants are something I love and have them throughout my home.  I prefer them to cut bouquets because I can keep them over time and help them grow. They also keep the air in your home healthier.

Her favorite part is playing with the rocks!!!  I have to make sure she doesn't actually eat one.  She scatters them and I enjoy watching her laugh and make a mess.

Dress Your Summer Beautifully with a Garden

XOXO Sarah Louise