As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
Ohmygosh!
3 months ago
My backyard looks like it is right out of Sunset magazine!
How to landscape my backyard
It made me
Awestruck 
"The experience was lifestyle changing."
How I did it: A friend that is a contract recruiter lost his job due to (say it with me, boys and girls) "these difficult economic times". He sent an email round looking for work. Since I know he is eco-conscious, has a few episodes on the public television station about various eco-friendly lifestyle stuff, I suggested he landscape my backyard. It helped him and it helped me.
Lessons & tips: We went though a folder of magazine pictures of garden things I liked, that I had saved over the years.
We went to a nursery and I showed him types of plants I liked.
I told him the few things that were important to me. A place to sit and read a book. Gave him a reminder that I was me and not him and I really needed a yard that could virtually take care of itself. (Yippee! To find that he installed drip watering!)
We talked about a budget. How much for labor and how much for plants. I gave him a smaller figure knowing that in the end we would probably bump it up. I didn't want tiny plants. I kinda wanted instant landscaping, not something that I had to grow in to.
I set out all the garden type items I had and said he could use them or not. Just have fun! (After all, I thought..... I'm selling my house, how long will I really be here?)
I relayed Miss Lily Belle's desire for catnip and garden nooks and crannies to hide in.
Resources: Keeping pictures I liked from magazines over the years.
Going to a nursery to show Samson plants and colors and garden styles I liked.
Not fretting about not having control and trusting it would all be fine in the end.
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As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
Open House, er Open Back Yard this afternoon!
3 months ago
The day is finally here! The filming of the backyard reveal will be at 4:00. How exciting is that?
I am sooooooo looking forward to having a back yard to live in! A place to sit and soak up the sun, or read, or contemplate life.
Samson stopped by and got chairs down from the hooks in the garage. I’m dusting them off so there will be places to sit. (Remember I sent all my furniture to storage, anticipating moving and am sortof indoor camping!)
I had him taste my caprese and my chicken salad as his beautiful wife, Denette, is a Fabulous cook and his opinion will be telling. Actually, since I had a phone call come in when he tasted it, his expression was telling. Telling of tastebud success, so I am no longer wondering if the food will be good.
Now, I must leave you here as I’ve the chairs to dust, the kitchen to clean and a couple of things to take the the goodwill box in the trunk of the car. Then, let’s bathe and dress and take deep breaths and set out and assemble the food and beverages. By then, it should be time. After all, it is noon.
Hope to see you all at the Garden Party ~ virtually. ;)
As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
Tomorrow is the day!
3 months ago
Today I must hurry and scurry around to get downstairs company ready. Sooooooooooo far from it with half packed boxes everywhere.
(Have you ever noticed that no matter what you say ~ somewhere on the internet there is a photograph of it?)
As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
Three days to prepare!
3 months ago
Gosh…....... 17 adults and 6 children are coming to my back yard reveal! I don’t have any friends ~ where did all these people come from? Who invited them? ;)
This is So Exciting! It has set in my mind that when I move to a new house and get all unpacked I will throw a house warming party. Then, unlike now, I will actually have plates and cups and glasses and things to serve food on. And with!
Thank goodness Samson’s beautiful wife Denette is making 2 leek lasagna’s, 7 bottles of wine are coming with guests (hope someone remembers a wine opener…... mine is already packed! Who on earth would be entertaining when they are very nearly all packed up to move?) Cindy is bringing two of her famous quiche. I’ll make chicken salad croissants and caprese salad. Prickly pear lemonade for the chillin’s and…....... can you think of anything else?
As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
Can you believe ....
3 months ago
that the big reveal is only 5 days away? I am so excited!
As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
Kinda Amazing.........
3 months ago
Awhile back I had make new friends on my list. Now I am having a Back Yard Open House. Who to invite?? Do I have friends??
Well, (laugh) we’ll find out! I went through my emails and my cell phone and …..... gasp…........ invited people.
Let’s see if anyone actually shows up!
As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
The Big Reveal......
3 months ago
is next weekend!
It will be hard not to peek before then now that it is so close!
so in the mean time I need to do something with it because it is going to be years before it is done the way I’d like – so I am going to have to figure out what to do with the slopped yard and fast!
:)
As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
Samson emailed to say that the backyard (which is on the side of my house) should be done in a week to ten days. A couple of weekends away.
I had suggested using a substitute “Heidi” for the filmed Reveal the After show. He totally didn’t buy into it. Sigh….... there it will be, for everyone to see, for all times sake. My Reaction. (laugh) what if I blurt out “What the HECK happened to my beach chair?” =)
As a Phoenix Rising declares 2009 to be The Year of Heidi
This is proving........
4 months ago
to be a good experience at letting go and not controling everything… anything really.
Samson is filming this for his local television show as kinda a before and after with a focus on native plants. Also, water conscious planting. I have kept the promise to let it be a total surprise and wait for the (filmed) Grand Reveal. (Talk about pressure to react in a so worthy of television manner!)
I had left my Fabulous beach lounge in the backyard and asked Samson to bring it in the garage for me as I would want to go to the beach. (Yippee! Remember…...... that’s part of the shirking the household duties and getting a yummy tan goal. =)
I was so bummed when he said that that chair and my two 1950’s calmshell metal lawn chairs had moved on to their destiny. Sigh. What was he thinking!!! (Laugh)
Beach chairs are rated for weight (below 100 pounds, below 200 pounds, etc.) I had a really awesome beach chair and it will difficult to replace until the beginning of the season next year. so sad.
So…..... sometimes when things like that happen I get a bit nervous on what else might be happening that I am not fond of. The reason why not having the slightest, well, maybe I do have the slightest, bit of control is that I really do believe I will sell my house soon and move!
