Well, I guess because it's because it's the space we've done the most work in. Don't get me wrong, we've done a ton of work to the interior of the house, and we have lots of emotional attachment to it. But the stuff we've done to the back yard has really been close to our hearts and most of it has been done by us and our family and friends, not a bunch of hired folks.
Here's the view from the tiny back porch.
The grill. We've gone through three in seven years.
The steps to the back yard. When we moved in there was a haphazard garden built into the hill, with a little hill path to reach the back yard. After a couple of years my dad was sick of it and built these steps.
Up against the back of the house.
The small garden that separates the patio from the bulk of the back yard. We used the existing stones to deliniate the garden from the rest of the backyard, and over the course of six years added a couple of spreading perrenials to fill it out. Evan just mulched it last weekend.
Our table, saved up for over a couple years and bought at Ikea. I think I will paint it an outrageous color for LA. What do you think?
The left side of the backyard.
The back of the yard.
The right side of the yard.
My raised beds. I built them a couple years ago. 100% organic. Last year they housed 18 tomato plants plus herbs, carrots, and some cutting flowers. I just pulled a couple carrots out this past weekend. Right now they house some flowers, lettuces that I hope to harvest before we move, and some swiss chard (ditto).
In the back of the yard, there is Totoro's tree. This tree s the closest thing we have to a religion. I only wish we had the money to take care of it.
Evan's hammock.
This is the third one. This one was bought specifically to entice Brooklyn dads into the fantasy that they would be spending their weekends lounging looking at this view from the hammock:
The house in the corner. My dad bought the kit for us, and Evan had a fit of Bob Vila-ish-ness and put it together in a fit of handy one weekend. My dad came and taught my 4- and 2- year-olds how to use a power drill while building the platform. We were planning on moving this to LA, but we realized that once we get it out of storage, The Goose will be 6ish and past the point of wanting a little playhouse.
Sandbox. Every time I think they are done with the sandbox, they are all over it.
A couple years ago, we leaned on our friends and landscaped the edge of the yard that didn't get sun. A bit of landscaping material, a bit of landscape edging, and then many many weeks of getting mulch from the the dump. Those friends also gifted us with plenty of plants for our gardens. Years and years later, I will miss reveling in all those years of work we've done in the backyard. But mostly I am devestated by my children playing in that yard. The bubble dances, the "playing house " in the little house, the kite flying, the hollering and the keening and the fact that my children feel safe and wonderful and at home in this space.
I pray to the housing gods that someone will appreciate and love this back yard as much as we have.
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