A Little Porch Action

I have a single "before" shot - and it's of our brick pile:

That's actually halfway depleted - the other half having been moved several months ago...and abruptly cut off by my need to kill a black widow. It took a while to get up the gumption to go back.

But go back we did, because I hit up IKEA last friday and bought patio furniture...which necessitated the rearranging of the hodge-podge we already had.

So while I put this together:

Steve moved bricks (I helped move bricks, too, just not as many...due to the spider issue. And the child refusing to nap issue.)

The child sorted twigs for us:

And finally! It was all moved:

A bit of cleanup (and cheering) and we now have this setup:

 The hidden brick pile (we're keeping those bricks for re-use eventually) and the barrel of trash and a random folding table top and some plastic that is there to protect the concrete from the weather (or something)

  The owners old picnic table (which is halfway sanded and will be repainted) and bench, and the two folding chairs we bought from Target last year.

 (cushions, table set)

New picnic table and chairs! The wind chimes were an anniversary present from Steve's sister and her husband. I LOVE them. I had to wrap the chain in green because raw chain is just not something I could be down with when I hung it.

(bench, side table)

The front porch. We like that every piece is sized and weighted so that a single person can pick it up and move it - so when we have guests we can accommodate more people in the back where the action is.

A few other shots from around the joint:

 I got sick of what was over the mantle. Now it needs attention.

 Baz's new sand and water table. Yes, we have "shirt, diaper, socks" days a lot around here.

 Peonies growing in spite of my adoration.

Pomegranate blooms!

The peach tree and the "new" barbeque table.

Plum cherries...maybe to made into wine?

Figs

 More plum cherries

Aren't they cute as they run away? Mama does not like that I scared her babies. This brings out feral cat colony up to TEN. Traps will be procured and set when they're weaned. It's beyond time. We're the crazy cat people!