Weeds, flowers and mulch-Oh My!

We have been in this house for two years now and for the most part we have kept the original sale landscaping. There is a huge island of design just to the east of the driveway and last year I took on the task of trimming back the roses and cutting back the 20ft Holly. I wanted it to be more inviting and clean looking. 

Ha! That was a huge mistake. I had no idea that the previous owner actually had a very rational reason for this unkempt look. Our home is located close to the subdivisions start and just as you get a nice long straight stretch. That means everybody, and I mean almost EVERYBODY, gets their running start at the straight stretch just at our driveway, and when they can see there is nobody headed their way, they fly and take the curve into our yard!

You can imagine my angst! Having the grandkids and the fur babies running around, it absolutely infurates me. The posted subdivision speed limit is 15mph. Actually there is a sign posted just as they start that straight stretch! You see it? It is also along the side of the subdivision road where we walk. Not just us, but, lots of my neighbors. I don't know how many times I or others have been run off into the grass or one of those huge bushy pine trees. As a matter of a fact, I had trained Emma, Haleigh, Trenton, and, we are training Lucy to step off to the grass when a car is approaching. Just to be extra cautious. (This was the girls very first walk together, isnt it adorable?!)

Needless to say, this year I am Letting it Go! The roses can climb to the clouds, the holly can be bushy, unruly and downright obnoxious looking with all kinds of strange brush growing underneath it to block the view of those law breaking, selfish drivers! See around that crap or slow down!

Move to the back! We added a lovely little Azaela and a gorgeous deep purple butterfly bush last year and this year, well......

A simple but fancy birdbath,

A Magnolia, that warms my southern soul. Add another deep purple butterfly bush, lots of mulch, and a creative, handy husband who builds-

The most amazing wall and 

Let's you pick an adorable,

Bunny statue "for Hay" to watch her cotton candy grass grow, and what you have is an oasis!!

We never used that part of the yard, it really was kind of a pain to mow and it was useless weedy part of the yard as far as we were concerned. Now we can watch the flowers grow, the birds and butterflies stop by for a drink from the porch or sitting on the new fancy wall.

They gave me the flowers for Mother's Day as well as my front porch ferns and they all are lovely and thriving. After a morning of testing for David we stopped for lunch at Soho's and I got lured into the market where we found these gorgeous flower baskets! 

I think I will just enjoy it until it's time to weed, deadhead and thin! I'm excited to see how many varieties of butterflies show up this year and cannot wait till next spring to see the blooms on the Magnolia! The only thing we have left to do is paint the fence!

Along this yellow brick road

Many miles I've travelled in my short 49 years. Some of those miles have been sunny and happy like the above picture. Watching Haleigh walk Miss Lucy for the first time was beyond precious. Little Haleigh and I walked through some dark sad miles before Miss Lucy came into our lives.

Our Princess Emma got sick. So sick she needed surgery and complications from the surgery took her away from us.

Telling her goodbye was hard on me and David and it took me days to figure out how I was going to tell her Haleigh.

When I did she just couldn't understand why she wasn't coming back or why we weren't going back to pick her up. What 3 almost 4 year old can understand death, or fully wrap their head around heaven and the after life? 

Enter Lucy!

We had to repair Haleigh's broken heart. We had to have a dog to replace the pretend dog on our walks. We needed a snuggly puppy to cuddle up at naptime. I myself was lost. There wasn't a little furry child in my shadow, no one needed my extra attention, I had lost one of my children, truthfully, I needed Lucy as much as Haleigh did.

Welcome Lillian Lucille Milam, aka Lil Lucy! You have been added to a family that will treat you like you've always been here and we will always need and love you! Who couldn't love you, your so stinking adorable!