Favorites for the Pool!
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What do you do when you're unable to take time off work to travel? It's a common dilemma for many of us who love exploring but find our schedules too tight. Personally, as a teacher, my summer breaks offer a great opportunity to travel, but my husband's work commitments sometimes make it difficult for us to hit the trails together during those months. We live in a coastal area so that adds another layer to the challenge; the warm weather attracts crowds, making it less appealing for leisurely outings.
For this reason, we've taken on the exciting task of building our very own backyard oasis. It's been a labor of love, a project we've been steadily working on over the years, and we're thrilled to see it nearing completion this spring! There's something magical about warm weather that just rejuvenates the soul, bringing everything back to life. So having a space to get outside when we can't travel is a must. Here are some of our backyard ideas!
Garden Area
I have always wanted a small garden area so that we can enjoy a few of our fresh favorites. We attempted this once on a smaller scale with tomatoes and peppers but have never been extremely successful. Our goal is to create a small garden area for tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and green beans. I've always had a fond memory of my grandmother's "dilly beans", and I've been eager to try my hand at canning some myself. Stay tuned for the results as I am no Betty Crocker! I remember devouring a whole jar of them at a time as a kid, they are so yummy! Tomatoes are my ultimate favorite food. If I found myself stranded on a desert island with only one choice of food, it would unquestionably be tomatoes. Despite my love for them, I've faced disappointment in trying to cultivate a successful harvest. However, this year, I'm determined to change that narrative by experimenting with these planters and Jobe sticks recommended by a friend. The plan is to start my seeds inside using this seed starter tray and then transplant them to the planters. Hopefully, I'll finally achieve the juicy tomatoes I've been longing for. Here's to a season filled with delicious, homegrown tomatoes!
I plan to use this one for my cucumbers and green beans!
Pool Deck
The major undertaking for our backyard oasis is building a deck and a bar-type seating area with a sunshade that will wrap around our small above-ground pool. We purchased this canopy for our porch area last summer, I highly recommend it, it has been such a good purchase. If I could change anything I would have purchased a hard top canopy instead of our soft top, ours has faded a bit since last summer but we still love it! We have plans to move it to the deck area so that we can secure it to the platform and so we can finally put our outdoor TV on a wooden post to have it more secure as well. We bought an Amazon Fire 55-inch for our outdoor area. This is another thing I highly recommend! If all goes as planned we will be able to lie on our floats in the pool and watch movies!
Our TV and Accessories
Having an outdoor space where we can unwind in the evening with a glass of wine and a movie, or begin our day with a cup of coffee while catching up on the morning news, is so nice. We have plans to add outdoor lighting to the canopy and an outdoor fan, there is a hook inside the canopy specifically for a fan. Such a great idea!
Bird Area
As the final touch to our backyard project, we're excited to add to our bird area. One summer, my father crafted this space for me during his visit, and it holds special sentimental value. Now, I'm looking forward to expanding it by adding a few more birdhouses and feeders, a bat house, squirrel feeder, and a bird bath! I love nature and I want as many creatures as possible to visit and enjoy our backyard oasis!
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