Our proudest outdoor moment and our DIY Water Feature
Truth be told before we moved out to the country and built Duke Manor, my husband and I were not the DIY types. Not even close. We were fortunate to hire the professionals to do the landscape, clean the windows and paint the house. Then we moved and things began to change.
Then, instead of looking for a new car, we were looking at tractors. Nights of watching Melrose Place was slowly being replaced with the DIY Network. All of a sudden our will, determination and passion started to emerge towards things we never would have considered doing prior to moving like painting, landscaping, cleaning windows and ……….building a water feature in the backyard.
Oh, I still remember the day we heard the trickling sounds of water for the very first time, it was our most proudest outdoor DIY moment ever. The first fire in the pit was pretty glorious too! And although it took two summers to complete, more concrete and rock then
See, after the other stone projects here and here, my husband and I felt more comfortable tackling a project like this especially when the backyard looked like this waiting for it’s turn at something magicial to happen. But like the old saying goes, good things come to those that wait.
The water feature was done in two phases over two summers. Meaning ,we liked the first little pond so much we decided to make another. Thank goodness for a portable concrete mixer and a good man.
And prior to getting a pool this summer, the water feature served double duty for the kids as their ‘watering hole’ which was perfect for those hot summer Georgia afternoons. Heck we even attached the slide from the play set since they were having so much fun.
Yes, proud.
And ever since the kids have moved their location to a more appropriate watering hole, the pond has gone back to a more quieter, serene area that we really enjoy and a great addition to the backyard
….even for the dog.
So tell me, what’s your proudest outdoor project?
So tell me, what’s your proudest outdoor project?
Grateful for~
The projects, my home, the pond
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Nice!
A water feature is worth it's weight in gold just for the serenity it gives! (and the frogs!) Yours looks great and it's fun to see how much your plants have grown!
There is nothing more serene than the sound of water, is there? It looks great-you really did a wonderful job there, Laura. I love that the kids were able to cool off in it before you had the other pool. Love all your rock work, too.
One of the reasons I love living on the water is because I am going-going-going every moment and when I glance out at the water it "quiets" and centers me-if that makes sense. xo Diana
Laura,
I love the pond – total kid zone!
You should be proud of that pond! It's Beautiful! I would love to have a water feature somewhere in the yard someday. 😉
Our huge pond at our last house was definitely the proudest. My husband rented a Bobcat one Memorial Day weekend and dug a giant hole. It ended up being a 7,000 gallon pond. We did get help moving the boulders, thankfully. I miss the pond and want to do a smaller version at this house.
Here's a pic from several years ago:
http://poofingthepillows.blogspot.com/2009/02/outdoor-wednesday_18.html
The kiddies looked they were having a fabulous time! What a memory!
I used to love our pond at the house we just sold. The sound of the trickling water was so nice. Yours turned out so great. It was a lot of hard work but it paid off beautifully.
Cynthia
Love that the kids used it to swim in. We have a pool at our guest house but my kids always preferred to swim in our pond. Go figure.
Building our house was our proudest moment….it was an awesome 9 month project be we did it. The next summer (14 yrs ago) we did our first pond and it has undergone renovation 3 times but we love it. When I am outside at someone's house I always think something isn't right, then I realize there is no sound of a waterfall…it is addicting. Your pond is lovely.
What a beautiful water feature! Y'all did a fantastic job! I would have to say my proudest outdoor project would have to be the adirondack chairs. When my kids outgrew the wooden playset, my hubby reused the wood to build some adirondack chairs. I love that there's still a little piece of the playset back there. 🙂
What an outdoor retreat! I'm sure you all are loving the fruits of your labor. We're still on the front end of our backyard overhaul (meaning haven't started yet!) but you sure are giving me some great inspiration!
Love, love, love! Don't you just love the sound of the water?? Magical and so peaceful! We tackled a small pond this summer too! Nothing as grand as yours! It's a lot of hard work but so worth it in the end! Beautiful job!!~~Angela
Your water feature is gorgeous!Love the deck next to the water feature and the firepit. So lovely. Our whole backyard was designed and planted over several years. We rented a bobcat, spent many weekends removing trees and overgrown vines, buying lots of fill dirt and compost and planting trees and shrubs.
that water feature is wonderful. I wouldn't change a thing about it, including the slide!
I so love your water feature…and you should be very proud of that water feature!!!…It is beautiful and you have created such an backyard oasis for your family!
What a fabulous water feature!!!! Sometimes — just sometimes — I miss have a real backyard! Sigh.
🙂 Linda
That is so wonderful!!! DIY projects are really very nice because the excitement and the thrill is there. After seeing your project done successfully it will relieve all the stresses that you have in dong it. Moreover, I believe that the exterior design is as important as the interior. To feel good in the garden, it is necessary to decorate it and having those as your water feature is so wonderful. –http://www.specialtyfountains.com
Why you need pool repair and maintenance services. Water quality needs to be properly balanced otherwise can be very damaging to the pool surface and other equipment and the most viable way to achieve this is to avail of professional pool company like Miami Pool Tech. This pool company offers inclusive pool maintenance including pool repair. It is very necessary to have your pool area checked for possible leaks and water contamination. Proper chemical maintenance is necessary to keep your pool clean. Water quality should be put in its appropriate measure in order to avoid possible health hazards. Equipment will be easily prone to rust and corrosion. Miami Pool tech can help you with proper filter maintenance, with the right pool service, you can dispel these worries and be assured that swimming will be safer and more fun to do. visit them at http://www.miamipooltech.com for more information.
What a lovely Natural Pool. I always wanted to have one, but I worry about the Phoenix pool maintenance. As you may know, Arizona is known for its desert weather, and I'm not sure if a natural Pool would cope well in that kind of terrain.
Starting the process for planning for your pool project now means that once summer is in full swing, your pool will be ready to use! The construction will be done, the water will be in, the chemicals will be balanced and you will be able to host your first pool party of the summer as soon as you feel the water is warm enough — that’s reason enough to start your pool project now!