Summer Back Yard Tidy Up

When I picture my perfect vacation day at home it starts with yoga stretches, coffee on the patio, maybe a little run at the park and the rest of the day immersed in a book.  Maybe at the pool.

But reality has a way of sneaking into my plans and twisting them all around.  Dang it.  So for two of my three days off at home I spent hours cleaning the patio and back yard of all the debris that had blown around.

It doesn’t seem to me that past springs have made such a mess with stuff falling off our trees, but boy was there a mess this year.

Here is what I did to tidy up the back yard for summer.

Sweep the Patio

I used my beloved battery-powered blower to sweep my outdoor areas.  Frequently, several times a week, depending on what the wind has brought, I blow off the patio. I did a little deeper dive this time.  I moved the chairs and planters out so I could do a good job and get under and around everything. Have I ever mentioned how heavy our furniture is?

Clean the Cushions

We recently cleaned and hosed the outdoor cushions, but the water marks were left and looked crummy.  They are clean, but don’t really look like it.  Frankly, it looks like someone wet their pants and sat on them. But honestly, they really are clean.

This time I tried the Bissell Little Green Spot Cleaner and a bit of Dawn detergent.  Umm, it might be a bit better, but water marks are still there.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

Refresh Potted Plants

New plants were added to our pots a few weeks ago, but not everything made it.  We added some heat-loving six packs to fill in the bare spots and my favorite sweet potato vine to cascade.  The hibiscus must love where I moved it because it has three new blossoms as I compose this.

Add New Outdoor Rugs and Throw Pillows

My last post featured my beautiful new stuff from Walmart.  The colors are the perfect balance between cheerful and rich.  The outdoors is my happy place so you know I’ll be spending lots of time in this space.

Blow the Rocks

Hmmm, if you’re not a desert dweller, that heading might conjure up many different and unpleasant visions in your imagination.  Well, let me clear that up.  I first used my battery blower to work on the fallen leaves and blossoms all over and under the decomposed granite and artificial turf that comprise our back yard. 

The battery only lasts for about 15-20 minutes before it needs a recharge, so I had hub fire up the gas-powered blower and took that big boy around our messy mesquite. Whoo, I should have used ear protection.

The art of blowing a yard is something I’m lacking, but it does look much better right now.  You can see I’m wearing my new Athleta birthday outfit.  Which is different from a birthday suit.  If you know what I mean.

The birthday outfit was purchased in April which means I got a 20% discount off one item.  I bought three items.  Maybe math isn’t my strong suit.  But I love the bright colors in the stores right now.  These Brooklyn shorts are cute, cute, cute.

I hadn’t planned to wear this outfit for yard work and I got a little run in the shorts.  Most every shrub in our yard comes with its own super power defense system including thorns and several worked me over.

The outfit is great for pickleball or running, but I recommend using something heavy duty for yard work. I also have scratches all over my arms and legs. Luckily the rattlers didn’t seem to be out.

I worked until the trash can was overflowing.  Now I’m finished until the trash removers come.  Praise the Lord.

What I’m Eating

One of the treats DS Susie and BIL Mike made was a chicken taco bar on Mother’s Day.  Mike is the Insta Pot operator in their house and he made Pressure Cooker Spicy Mexican Chicken from Thatspicychick.com.  It turned out absolutely delish and was not too spicy for those who can’t handle that but want the Mexican taste.

Next post I’ll update you on my reading and exercise journey as of late, but don’t want this post to get too long.  Have a wonderful week and may blessing rain down on you.  XO