Spring is here. At least for now.

Today the high outside was 82 degrees and it was a mix of sun and clouds. What a joy! This winter has been unusually cold and wet for TN. Even though I grew up in the North Pole, I've gotten used to the mild climate that TN has to offer and I was ready for the cold to be over. I'm still adjusting to daylight savings time, but am enjoying the fact that the sun is still up when I get home from work at about 6:30. Brett and I got tons of yard work done over the weekend and I'm already envisioning plans for my backyard. Since the house was a foreclosure, the previous owners didn't do anything to keep the landscaping up, so we've had our hands full with that. We got all of the bushes trimmed in the front of the house and de-weeded the beds and put down weed fabric. We also built a brick and stone firepit in the back yard and Brett got half of the driveway power washed. I think our neighbors are beginning to appreciate us.

My next project is to get my garden started and start digging/building a pond with a waterfall in the backyard. Since the garden I grew last year at my parents' place was nearly a 1/2 acre, the one I am planning in my yard should be a snap. Brett and I also dug/built his dad's pond a few years ago, so we shouldn't have a problem doing that either. Here is what I have in mind for a finished product:

I was a bit worried that pond pumps could get pretty expensive, but come to find out they're not that bad. For $130, I can get one that would be more than enough pump for a pretty decent sized pond. If I decided to go smaller, it would be about $80. Not bad, I thought. Of course, living in Tennessee and all we won't have to purchase any rock. Brett has already collected tons and my parents' creek has about a million and a half rocks of all shapes and sizes. That is if they are willing to let us take a few, but we will try to find most of them on our own so we don't have to rob their creek. Also I might try sneaking over to Brett's parents' house in the middle of the night and stealing some of their Koi fish. Shhhhh...no j/k I wouldn't do that. Or would I? hehehehe.

Anyway when I get around to it, I'll upload some pics of our firepit and landscaping. Later!