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Quiet mornings are for so much more than returning to bed for a few extra moments of rest.  Most mornings our 3 labs wake us around 6:30am.  Since my husband works 6 days a week, I am on dog duty on Sunday mornings, giving him a chance to sleep in.  By the time the dogs have eaten, gone out, come back in, and had their treat, I’m wide awake and planning spring projects.

My treat for being the early riser, is time to myself in which I reflect on my blessings during my daily gratitude exercise.  I marvel at the beautiful sunrise as it illuminates the hillside across the bayou.   I consider planning time a blessing too.  Having a plan enables me to keep our household running smoothly even during highly scheduled weeks.

Planning Ahead

Today, coffee cup in hand, I’m working on my spring projects list.  I’m planning locations for where I’ll be planting flowers next month.  Like my mom and dad, I enjoy gardening.  As a child I would weed the strawberry patch and rows of corn without being asked.  Weird right?  Let’s just say, finding enjoyment in weeding the garden is one of the things that make me unique.

A few weeks back I bought some seeds.  Now that it’s early April in Michigan, it’s time to get those seeds started.  Starting seeds is exciting for me.  As I sow the seeds, I find myself full of anticipation.

I look forward to warm sunny days, cloudless nights with the stars filling the sky, and fun on the lake and in the pool.  I love eating s’mores cooked over the bonfire and making memories with family and friends.

This morning I got the seeds started and before long I’ll be moving the seedlings outdoors.  For now, it’s planning time!

Here at our home, Bayou Beginnings, we have many projects.  This year, in addition to our smaller projects which include planting flowers, spring cleaning around the house and yard, and refreshing tired patio furniture, we have two huge projects.  This summer we will be converting our existing garage into a guest cottage.  Once the guest cottage is complete, we’ll be transforming our current house into our dream home.

I like DIY projects.  However, I know my limitations.  For these two building projects we’ll entrust my contractor brother-in-law, and owner of *North Cove Builders LLC. (* this is not an affiliate link)

Spring Projects List

In the meantime, my husband and I will stick with the normal spring cleaning jobs like washing windows and screens, organizing the basement and garage, opening the pool, and bringing patio furniture and umbrellas out of storage.

Occasional projects are on our list this year too.  The hill needs to be cleared of overgrown vines and brush.  The roofs have moss growing on them, so they’ll be power washed.  Looking at our decks, it looks like they’ve never been touched by a power washer.  Power wash decks is now on the list.  A trip down to the dock made me decide to add paint the dock box to the list.

Last, but not least, my favorite project…create beautiful outdoor living spaces.

Repurpose

Last summer we had a tree removed from the area inside of our circle drive.  The tree was hollow and could be a hazard during a wind storm.  Now, every time I come home or leave, I see this hollowed out tree stump.

One day, inspiration found me.  Instead of paying to have the stump ground, why not fill the stump with dirt and shade tolerant flowers for summer?  Next month the ugly stump will be transformed with red blooming Wax Begonias.

When we built our pool last fall I knew we had to have a Cozy Cove.  We had one in the pool at our last house and I absolutely loved it.  A Cozy Cove is a half-circle shaped seat attached to the side of your pool.  Water jets are optional.

I would propose that Cozy Cove are mandatory.  The jets spray water on your back and calves giving you a gentle massage.  You can even crank up the temperature on your water heater and get a warm water massage!  Having “the cove” extends our family’s pool season 2-3 weeks.

The pool’s Cozy Cove was delivered in a huge box with wood pallets on top and bottom for support.

Those pallets are the perfect size to be repurposed into an outdoor daybed.  Projects evolve and sometimes the end result isn’t what I originally planned.  In this case, I’m hoping to hang the daybed from a trellis near the pool.  Now that I think about it, the daybed would be really cool if I mounted giant castors to the bottom instead of hanging it from the trellis.  Decisions.  Ah…maybe this year it is on castors, and next year we build the trellis.

Refresh

We have multiple outdoor seating areas and many pieces of furniture to fill those spaces.  Rather than throw away ugly, yet functional furniture, we are going to give those pieces a few more years of life.

We’ll refresh our metal table set with a coat of paint.  We’ll power wash the bistro table and chairs along with the two dining sets.  Despite the scrubbing and many cleaning products I can’t get the chaise lounge chairs clean.

My solution, as an ever-frugal decorator, is to cover them up with beautiful blue cushions. The cushions were ordered last week and I can’t wait for them to arrive.  The cushions are here!

 

Fun and Games

Due to the constraints of our lot lines, the hill, and the location of the house, we ended up with a massive tiered retaining wall after the pool was installed last fall.  The gardener in me immediately started thinking about what to plant in that space.  The entertainer in me suggested that we make it a mini-bocce ball court.  My husband, Ryan, agreed and Bocce Ball Court was added to our spring project list.

Update…9/15/17:  The Bocce Ball court never materialized.  A garden did!  I can’t wait until next summer when the perennials are more established.

Patience

Our dream home is a work in progress.  This year my goal is to make our outdoor spaces as pretty as possible; our existing home, decking, and yard will serve as the backdrop to bright and cheerful colors I’ll be adding with my spring projects.

Next year the construction will be complete.  We’ll be living in our dream home and come spring, we’ll be able to finish the landscaping.  In the meantime, I get an opportunity to practice my patience, exercise my creativity, and appreciate my blessings.

For now, the front and back yards will remain uneven and will lack irrigation.  Rather than finish the side yard, it will remain an oversized sand box.  Landscaping is on the list for next year:  spring project 2018.  I’ll be patient.

As I wait for next summer when construction and landscaping are all done, I think about ways to beautify our outdoor spaces today.  The area under the deck was full of overgrown ivy, vines, and leaves.  [I should have taken a picture before I started clearing away the overgrowth]  Two hours later it’s a fresh canvas.

I’ve always wanted to grow coleus and so next month, I will plant my first coleus seeds in this recently cleared soil.

The area between the retaining wall and the concrete pool deck needs something too.  Our plan is to lay black plastic and top it with crushed white marble.  We did this at our previous house and it looked great.  I love color and plan to accent the space along the retaining wall with a colorful annual like nasturtiums or red wax begonias like we’ll have in the tree stump planter.

Creativity

For our spring projects, I ask myself, “What can I do to refresh and repurpose things we already own?”

Blessings

As I look past to-be-completed projects, I see God’s handiwork.  I’m surrounded by beautiful trees, a lake, and birds.  Even eagles!  This morning the birds are singing and the early morning sun is streaming in through the windows.  Life is good.  I plan spring projects and am Sunkissed and Blessed.

Melissa Myers

Melissa is Sunkissed and Blessed.  She shares her experiences and inspiration  for living a blessed life full of abundance and gratitude.  Connect with Melissa at sunkissedandblessed@gmail.com.

 

 

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