No, no, no, not that. I’m waaaay past that. I’m talking about my monthly subscription to Better Homes and Gardens. This time of year it is filled with ideas for make-overs and projects for the house and yard. I have subscribed to that magazine for years, and countless times my poor hubby has been dragged into doing projects that take a great deal of work…on his part, of course. My job is scouting out these projects and finding ones suitable to his abilities. I think my husband has the ability to do nearly anything, much to his chagrin.
One year I found this herb garden idea that I just knew would be perfect for our big Texas back yard. It involved many landscape timbers, cut and fitted together in a certain pattern like Lincoln logs, making three interconnected raised beds. Large raised beds. Requiring large amounts of garden soil deposited by delivery truck to our driveway and carted wheelbarrow full by wheelbarrow full to our backyard by guess who. But, oh, when sweet hubby was finished, the herb beds were glorious! I filled them with enough basil plants to keep us in pesto all summer, plenty of rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley the butterflies loved, oregano, and many other herbs that were added to my culinary endeavors. That was hubby’s reward for a job well done. We also planted a Meyer lemon tree and a fig tree in those beds.
Now we no longer have a yard but a small brick patio with a narrow strip of soil along a little path. Because of its small size, the patio is nearly filled by a table and chairs that occupy it. I saw this great idea for a handcrafted sitting area for a small outdoor space. The wheels began turning in my head, and now we are beginning to redo the patio to fit my new vision. We are going to remove the table and chairs and make a seating area around the perimeter instead to open up the space. Though I have full confidence that with some carpentry demonstrations at our local hardware store and several hundred hours of building, my husband is completely capable of making that sitting area himself, he has convinced me we should look for a ready-made conversation set instead. I’m fine with that. That way he’ll have more time to work on the beautiful planters I saw in the latest edition of Better Homes and Gardens.
Coming East 
I love your picture! In our family it is my husband who is the Better Homes initiator. My husband just finished building two 4×8 raised bed, and decorating HIS garden to the max. He hauled in rocks to go around the raised beds. There are other plants that aren’t in the beds as well. He spent about 4 weeks on it, and it looks great. He is so proud of it. So it sounds like both of our families are going to be eating well this year! Glad yours turned out so well, too! 🙂
My hubby is the gardener in my family, too, even if he doesn’t know what he’s doing, History Gal. Lol.
Mine is just starting! He’s having a ball, though learning. 🙂
I love BH&G! I’m always inspired, but I have to admit that my projects don’t usually turn out quite as I envision them. I’m sure that means I just need more practice. Can’t wait to try the next great thing!
I think it helps keep my husband sharp. So I see it as I’m doing him a favor.
I’m sure whatever you do, it will look amazing!
And you can help me make it look even more amazing when you come this summer.
The pressure is on, George… 🙂
Haha, Amy.m he’s known about pressure for over forty years!
Like yours, my hubby can do just about anything too. We’re in the process of a huge redo right now (but we’ve hired it out): re-staining our deck, and replacing the railings. I’m so excited: it will probably be a blog post once completed!
Better Homes & Gardens can be a dangerous magazine…. 😉 I’m sure your hubby would agree!
Hiring the job out is good, too, Dianna. It gets done much quicker! Would love to see your deck in a blog post.
yep, it’s that time of year when we are all ready to start our new projects! I can’t wait to set out some new flowers. Keep us posted…I’m sure this will be beautiful when you and hubby are finished. Good Luck….
This has been such a strange spring here, Sandy, with it never warming up. I’m afraid to get any plants yet in case we get another freeze. There have been days when it’s actually been warmer in Boston than here in Virginia Beach!
I failed to notice your brick patio, nice! I can see a little bird feeder…right over there. 🙂
We actually want to get a hummingbird feeder, Patti. Didn’t realize you hadn’t seen the patio.
Sounds beautiful! Our house is never without a project…the hubby’s wheels never stop turning. I can’t even let him know that magazine exists!
So you are just the opposite of us, Life.
Yes, Better Home & Garden could be considered porn around this house and we can’t even discuss the power of Lowe’s and Home Depot.
LOL, Life!
What are you going to do with the old table and chairs? Just saying.
Ha! I think they are too big for your deck. Olga and Ben would like them, but we’re not sure how to get them up there.
Change is good! I’m with you on creating something new – goes along with spring. And how lucky you are to have a handy hubby.
Yes, Dor—lucky for me, but not for him!
Run away, George, run away!
Hahaha, Al!
Good for you! It’s relatively harmless and keeps him busy!
I think it keeps him sharp, Grandma. I’m doing this for him.
My head starts spinning ideas when I get my bh&g, too, Susan. Pinterest has taken inspiration to a new level……my son said his to do list gets larger in proportion to the time my daughter-in-law spends there.
Haha, Stacia. My hubby and your son could commiserate.
Love it! Keep us posted! I would love to be able to re-do something, but first have to find the place! That said, I need to get off this computer and start throwing things into boxes, errr…. I mean carefully pack away my beloved possessions… hope you have fun browsing through your magazines, enjoy! DAF
Thanks, DAF. Can’t wait to find a conversation set we can afford and start planning my container flowers, and…if the weather ever cooperates…I can’t wait to actually get to sit outside without a coat on.