Our backyard changes with the seasons. In the fall & winter, the fire pit brings us warmth and toasty marshmallows.
In the spring and summer, the fire pit is replaced by a swimming pool.
Our signs of spring include the tortoises coming out of hibernation, my husband getting zebra feet (which is a whole other blog in itself), and the appearance of the pool.
• Are you seeing signs of spring?
• Do you take goofy underwater shots?
• Does your backyard change with the seasons?
Comment By: Pop
April 21st, 2011 at 10:39 am
Is that pic of you A Few Of My Favorite Things? Beer, Mac, and fire?
Signs of spring in my area: black cars that are now green and people suffering terribly from allergies.
Comment By: Jean
April 21st, 2011 at 10:54 am
Hell yes! 🙂
Ohhhh, I can imagine those green cars.
We have a few blossoms here in the desert, but it’s not too bad.
Thanks for helping me find relief this morning, Pop!
Comment By: Beth
April 21st, 2011 at 11:44 am
Yay! A Jean blog!
It’s still pretty chilly here–enough so that I might be tempted to complain, but I know that I’ll do enough of that once it’s hot, so no griping here. The yard at this house is really tiny, so other than putting away the patio set in the winter, the yard is pretty much the same all year.
Your pics inspired me–I’ll take some silly underwater shots of the grands once the heat finally arrives and we open the pool. :O)
Comment By: Jean
April 21st, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Beth, I can’t wait to see your silly underwater shots! That will be fun for all.
Comment By: Sunny Wishes She Were Shopping
April 21st, 2011 at 12:08 pm
I love that you change with the seasons. A lot of people say that the desert only has one season – hot. But you show that there is much to enjoy 🙂
Comment By: Jean
April 21st, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Sunny, that is so nice of you to say. I hadn’t even seen that angle. Love you ♥
Comment By: Arts Web Show
April 22nd, 2011 at 4:10 pm
My back yard is made of concrete, so i guess it doesn’t. lol
Comment By: Jean
April 24th, 2011 at 8:43 am
A little chalk could spice up your concrete, Art. 🙂
Comment By: acleansurface
April 23rd, 2011 at 12:22 pm
Zebra feet, haha!
We moved recently, and what I already miss from the old place are the 13 blooming rose bushes. I had flowers during all the warm months, and sometimes year round –thank you SF Bay Area weather.
Comment By: Jean
April 24th, 2011 at 8:45 am
You’ll have to plant new rose bushes at your new home, ACleanSurface. I sure would be missing their beauty too.
Love the Bay Area! (That’s where I’m from.)
Comment By: Tammy
April 24th, 2011 at 8:20 am
Cool fire pit! We love to eat toasted marshmallows, too.
Installing your pool must be hard work, but well worth it.
We have a fire pit, but no pool so no goofy underwater photos.
I love seeing all the signs of spring here. Lots and lots of pretty blooms!
Comment By: Jean
April 24th, 2011 at 8:46 am
Thanks, Tammy!
The pool was hard to assemble. Don’t believe the instructions that say you can be in it within 45 mins. of purchase.
Love pretty blooms. Will have to go in search of. There must be some in the desert. 🙂
Happy Easter!
Comment By: The Girl from the Ghetto
April 25th, 2011 at 4:33 am
Ah, finally … a new post! I love that you do all that work to set up and tear down your pool each year. You go, girl!
I love the marshmallow picture, very cool. I haven’t eaten one since 2003. How sad is that?
Comment By: Jean
May 1st, 2011 at 1:17 pm
It is sad that you haven’t eaten a marshmallow since 2003, GFTG. Maybe you can combine them with some delicious gourmet popcorn.
Comment By: MommaKiss
April 25th, 2011 at 8:13 am
seriously you’re in the pool already? Curse this new england pissy weather!
Comment By: Jean
May 1st, 2011 at 1:16 pm
Hi MommaKiss – Well, we were in the pool…. but now we can’t get the ph balance correct. 🙁
Comment By: Heather
April 25th, 2011 at 11:46 am
That fire pitt and swimming pool look way cool. I’m afraid our HOA wouldn’t allow us to do either. 🙁 Our azaleas are starting to bloom out front and my rose bushes and blueberry bush are coming back to life, so Spring is in full bloom here. My hubby had to mow the grass for the first time this season too. Hallelujah, bc I was worried that a snake or two would come slithering out of that foot tall grass under our deck, lol. Been there, done that. Don’t need that to happen again. Happy Spring, my friend!
Comment By: Jean
May 1st, 2011 at 1:16 pm
OMgosh, fresh blueberries?! That would be an awesome bush.
Ewww, snakes. I don’t blame you for letting hubby do the first cutting of the tall grass.
Thanks for swinging by, Heather!
Comment By: Sedate Me
April 25th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
1) Are you seeing signs of spring?
Uh, there hasn’t been any snow covering my driveway for 5 days now.
2) Do you take goofy underwater shots?
I used to take underwater shots. But after 500 hours of Community Service and a few knees to the nuts, I had to re-think that practice.
3) Does your backyard change with the seasons?
Yeah. From glacier to brown and then back to glacier again.
Comment By: Jean
May 1st, 2011 at 1:14 pm
Sedate Me, sounds like spring has hit your neck of the woods. Oh, I see why you’ve given up the underwater photography. I take it you’ve learned your lesson.
Wishing you some green instead of the ice and dead grass.
Comment By: Sedate Me
May 3rd, 2011 at 11:32 am
Actually, there’s a half decent chance of seeing green this year for a change. Since the 2+ metres of snow melted, it’s hasn’t stopped raining for 3 weeks straight. Predictions are for rain all spring.
If this keeps up, I’m thinking of building an arc.
Comment By: Crystal
April 26th, 2011 at 9:32 pm
How fun!!! Looks like you have a fun backyard!!! Wish we had warm enough weather for swimming. It was snowing today. I’m so sick of the cold.
Comment By: Jean
May 1st, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Snowing?! Crystal, I hope warm weather is right around the corner for you.
Comment By: Unknown Mami
April 30th, 2011 at 8:36 am
No goofy underwater shots here. We’d have to take them in the bathtub.
Comment By: Jean
May 1st, 2011 at 1:10 pm
LOL, Mami. When the girls are older, I’m sure you’ll have goofy underwater pics.
Comment By: CK
April 30th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
oh! I think I am going to run out and make a smore RIGHT now!!!
Comment By: Jean
May 1st, 2011 at 1:10 pm
CK – smores sound so good!
Comment By: Sherri
May 9th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Well, back in the day during my first marriage and raising of my children, my yard would change with the seasons. I used to love looking for my crocuses and hyacinths peeking out from the snow covered ground. It was a sign that spring was just around the corner and I would soon be frequenting Lowes or The Home Depot for new plants and flowers to plant. I would adorn my pool deck with flowers galore.
With the divorce and moving to Florida, those days are no more. I live the old apartment life. We do have a pool in the back of our 12 plex motel style condo’s but the yard looks like crap. I’ve never even been in the pool in the two and a half years I’ve live here.
Most of the condo’s here went into foreclosure and sit about half empty, which means no money for the association, which means the yard suffers. And it does suffer believe me! I remember them cutting the grass twice last year. My landlord payed out of her own pocket to have the front landscaped. I do miss the days of having my own backyard to change with the seasons. Yes, a little feng shui in the yard is good for the soul. *sigh*
Comment By: Jean
May 9th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Sherri, I see all the pics of you and your lovely children, and never think about the fact that you divorced and moved from the snow to the sun. That must have been not only a big change but a liberating adjustment as well.
Let’s hope the economy turns around so you can have new neighbors and a manicured lawn.
I’ve missed you.
Comment By: The Girl from the Ghetto
May 10th, 2011 at 9:45 am
I just love being able to click on your boobs (via the widget on my blog) and arrive at your blog, lol!
Where the heck is your latest post, girl?
Comment By: Jean
May 11th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Haha, GFTG! I’m glad someone knows what to do with my boobs. LOL!
Eh, I’ve been spending too much time working. I shouldn’t complain though – I really love it.
Comment By: Angelia Sims Hardy
May 11th, 2011 at 11:41 am
That seems like a very nice way of balancing the seasons.
🙂
I love the photos. Now that I’m in photo shop I can understand how you made them better. Squee!
Comment By: Jean
May 11th, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Thank you, Angelia! Isn’t photoshop fun?! I just love it!
Comment By: Traci
May 18th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
A fire pit and a pool are so great for entertaining, looks like you all have tons of fun all through the year. I don’t really spend too much time in our backyard because it’s on a hill (our house is against a mountain) I get all my outdoors at work (a certain sea park here in SD.)
A dip in the pool sounds so refreshing right now.
BTW The view from your backyard is amazing!
Comment By: Jean
May 19th, 2011 at 11:47 am
San Diego sea park?! I am extremely jealous!!!!! That would be a dream job… unless you are scrubbing the toilets.
Thank you for the compliments.
Comment By: Traci
May 20th, 2011 at 11:21 am
It’s a pretty sweet job (although I’m not allowed to say the name, I’m sure you know where) and guess what? I don’t scrub toilets. I do tours, presentations, narration and I’m a camp counselor. It’s a lot of fun.
Comment By: Jean
May 20th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Then just call me The Hulk because I am green with envy!