Just a short step back in time to begin this story. We received the keys to our home on Sept 14, 2013, which also happened to be the day that we started dreaming. Buying a house opened the door to possibilities.

We had looked at countless houses over a four month period. We started to wonder if we were going to be able to find a house that suited our lifestyle, hopes and dreams. We were willing to adjust and make it our own, but we at least needed the right framework. We had found houses we loved but hated the yard and vice versa.Finally we came to see this house. From the outside we didn’t think it looked like much, but was so amazingly surprised when we went inside.

The previous owner had worked very hard to make the interior of the house modern, not cutting any corners and using quality supplies. The house itself, with the exception of a little paint, was in our opinion, move in ready and beautiful. Granted there are things that we will likely change in the future, however, while we focus on our dream yard, we are extremely happy with the interior.

Now lets get to the yard…It is split into two sections. The top 1/4 of our quarter acre is beautifully manicured, with fencing that matches the colour of the house as well as underground sprinklers, a work-ready shop, and a beautiful garden area with some privacy shrubs. Between the privacy shrubs is a simple wrought-iron arch with some simple swinging gates. This leads to the remainder of our yard…

Beyond the arch and gates…which could eventually become the gateway to our personal oasis…was a long slope of junipers, junipers and more junipers. Although beautiful and lush, it was clearly a breeding ground for spiders. With webs shining in the sunlight like a fine silk net, our first thought was “those have got to go!”. Nevermind the experiment in seeing how many spiders can live side by side in harmony and share an area, it was a waste of viable growing and “oasis” space.

As we sat staring at this space we started dreaming. Maybe a waterfall and pond, maybe just a garden, maybe a firepit, maybe a perimeter of fruit trees, maybe a tree-fort for ellie (the dog)…So many maybes, so many ideas and thoughts, it became almost overwhelming.

I’m a visual person, so I can see exactly what I wanted this yard to look like. K says he isn’t as visual, but I think he could still see what he anticipated it would look like one day…

We had the whole winter to plan and dream…and scour pinterest and the internet, to determine what we wanted.

Come spring, we bought some barrels so that we could grow some tasty veggies, and we decided to start pulling out the junipers. First trial…attempting to pull VERY well established junipers out of the ground using a small winch and some snippers. UGH! We figured out very quickly that although ambitious, it would take us ten years to get them all out and probably be permanently crippled in the process.

Needless to say, we decided that we would need help. So we put off the junipers for another year…

Thank you for listening while I took you back.