Think About It

May 5th, 2008 |

For years now we have watched the landscape around our home at 4833 Henry Drive change pretty drastically.  When we moved in 10 years ago, we had cows grazing in the field behind our house.  The roads were mostly two-lane and the traffic was minimal.  What a difference a decade can make.  The cows and pasture been replaced by a subdivision.  There has been one house that particularly concerned us because of its close proximity to our backyard – where we stay a lot.  It is the house directly behind us.   This new home has been on the market for almost two years.  It is a wonderful house that has had lots of lookers, but no takers.  We had often discussed that one problem with the house was the almost non-existent backyard.   The house sold recently and suddenly I am looking at that non-existent yard in a whole new light.  You see, my kids have bought the house.  Jami is headed this way to do her residency at LeBonheur. Rodney has been offered a position in the DeSoto County school system. They have sold their house in Brandon and are headed this way.  Bingo!  Now I am clearing away brush that I’ve let grow to hide the house.  With the expert help of Spence, Kathy’s brother who is a landscape architect, a plan is developing to make that non-existent yard something useful.  The following tips can probably transform a life, not to mention a yard.

• MOTIVATION I have never been motivated to clean that area out until my soon to be new neighbor said,  “it looks a little “snakey” down there.”  Now I want my new neighbors to have a clear and safe path to my house.
• INSPIRATION Spence came and within minutes, a vision began to form of what could be.  Vision is critical.
• CALCULATION We measured the patio, we measured the elevation fall, we measured the distance from the house to the trees, and oh, yes, we measured the cost. A plan is taking place.
• PERSPIRATION There is no way around it.  It has and will continue to involve some good old fashioned perspiration to get that little yard where it needs to be.