BACKYARD/BEFORE AND AFTER

When we moved into our house almost 6 years ago(hard to believe it has been 6 years) I didn't see the house until we closed and moved in. I saw lots of pictures and the only thing I didn't like was the backyard. It looked like a backyard where no one even lived in the house.  It was just depressing looking at it.  It had one tree that the top half was dead and another puny tree.

We had the privacy fence stained the first few weeks after we moved in.We had three trees planted the 2nd year after we moved in(a River Birch and two Autumn Blaze Maples) and also had a tree and shrubs transplanted  from the front yard to the back yard.  The puny tree has really grown.  We had both patios stained this winter and plan to have a pergola installed over the 2nd patio this next winter.

We bought a permanent grill for the patio also.  We lost our first grill not long after we moved in.  The wind blew it into the yard and flipped it several times.  It could not be fixed.  The 2nd grill also was blown into the yard and flipped but it survived.  Never underestimate the Oklahoma wind.  I looked up and saw it tumbling by the window.  I told hubby when he got home and he went and brought it back onto the patio and turned around off it blew again.

We are not there yet, but it at least is beginning to look like a backyard where someone lives in the house now.

This is what the backyard looked like when we closed on the house 6 years ago.

This is the puny tree that is not so puny anymore.

 My sweet potato vine did really good this year.  It is about the only plants we can grow when it turns off so hot and dry.  It has to be watered every day when it gets close to 100 every day.

Hubby grilling back in 1986.

We have advanced in our grilling a little over the years.