I grew up in the most beautiful little town on the face of the planet. It was forever damp and clouds constantly hung over the mountains like lacy shawls. Majestic birds of prey littered the air, and no matter where you were, you could hear the rushing sound of water nearby. The flowers that painted the town were of every color and size imaginable and during the summer, fresh fruit was only a blueberry bush away. My sister and I used to pick the spathe off of skunk cabbage and fill it with wildflowers, creating beautiful and fragrant arrangements. We often went hiking up tall and monumental mountains, winding our way between the tallest trees I’ve ever seen, on a bed of soft lichen, to be greeted by sweeping views of snow capped mountains and winding waterways.
We lived in “the bush” for a year in a village called Snettisham. There wasn’t much there; no school, no store, no Monkey Joe’s. Really only 3 houses, 2 duplexes, 1 bunk house, a long house, the hydroelectric power plant for Juneau, and a salmon hatchery. Sounds boring, right? It wasn’t. Snettisham was a wonderland of excitement and a place where your imagination could run wild. I had a little stump in the middle of some woods, right next to a creek where I liked to go sit and write. I was only 10 then, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt as peaceful since, as I did when I sat in my spot.
When we bought our house in Savannah, we were without grass for a full year. It was torturous. I didn’t have a place I could relax or enjoy nature. When we finally got grass, that’s where our backyard landscaping stopped. We had a lonely charcoal grill, a small patio set, a 10×10 concrete pad, a garbage can, and a recycling bin. When you add to all of that the incessant heat and humidity, our backyard was about as tranquil and relaxing as a landfill in hell.
I dreamed of getting a fence so that we could ignore the unsodded back yards of both of our neighbors. I wanted bushes lining the sides and perhaps a small garden where we could have fresh vegetables. A bird feeder or two would have been divine for tranquil mornings alone with my coffee. We definitely needed a small water feature for stress relief. OH and a fire pit. I have dreams of wine and fire pits.
But seriously? Who am I kidding?
The Workaholic was never going to go for any of it, and why should he? He was never home to enjoy the tranquility that a backyard escape provides. To him, it was an unnecessary expense because he would have never enjoyed it.
Our new home in Raleigh is a townhouse and the back yard is quite small. We have a lovely little space with some decorative bushes and a gorgeous tiled patio but we have nothing to put back there but ugly plastic toys that the kids constantly fight over.
In my boredom the other night, I was grill shopping online because The Workaholic left our little charcoal grill in Savannah. I didn’t know how to work the thing anyways and he’s only home for dinner one night a week. Because I love the taste of grilled food, and because his birthday is coming up soon, I decided to see what kind of damage a gas grill would do to my wallet. I have no idea what I was looking for but while surfing Sears’ “#GrillingisHappiness site, I found the most amazing thing EV.ER.
(Did y’all catch that? I’m getting him a gift I want)
THE GRILL FINDER, in all its glory. It asked you 4 short questions about size (it does matter, y’all), price, brand, and extras. I could also easily find out if it was carried in my local store, or have it shipped directly to my store for free. I L.O.V.E. the Grill Finder. I had no idea that grills came in different sizes to accommodate certain numbers of people. I know that sounds blonde as heck but it just never occurred to me that we might need a medium sized grill for our family of 5. See which grills The Grill Finder picked for me here! Know what else rocks? ALL grills are on sale, and if you go to Sears’ Facebook page, you can find a coupon for an additional $20 off that is good until July 31. The Workaholic’s birthday is the first week in September. Sounds like perfect timing to MEEEEEEE!
As I was looking at grills, I noticed a little tab enticing me to view this summer’s stylish patio and conversation sets. Our new patio is quite small and the kids have the monopoly on space out there, but a little two-seater would be so wonderful. I could wake early and have my Heritage Coffee out there, then enjoy a glass of wine and a book at night once the kids are in bed. Aw, what the heck.
And I found this PHENOMENAL deal on a set called the Shelby. It was originally over $1k and was on sale for less than $200. I was going to buy it immediately, not even ask The Workaholic, and just bring it home and set it up.
Then my hopes were dashed. It was a listing for an as-is set, nowhere NEAR where I, or any of my relatives, currently live. *sniff* Either way, be sure to check out the Red Tag Event for great deals on Patio Furniture and Grills because you will more than likely have better luck than I did. The best selection and prices are definitely at #SearsPatio. I know ‘cuz I’m a smart shopper.
It was easy to navigate the website and find other sets that I loved. I searched by price because that’s just where we are in our lives right now, and I found some really nice, comfortable-looking sets that would fit nicely on our small patio. I was also excited to find up to 30% off patio furniture and grills. I love a good deal.
I also found one dream set. It’s not enormous but it has a fire pit IN the table. Didn’t I tell you I dream about fire pits and wine?
OK, so really? Before the lovely outdoor furniture, comes outdoor accessories. I need a water feature outside because it sounds lovely and would be fun for the kids. Let’s just be honest here. And I have been begging for a bird feeder for my birthdays and Christmases and anniversaries for the past 3 years. I am in L.O.V.E. with this bird feeder that goes directly into your window so that you can get up close and personal with your feathered friends. This would be a fantastic feeder for those mornings where it’s just too humid to face sitting outside for an hour with hot Heritage.
So here’s what I came up with, a lovely Polyvore board that creates my little southern dream escape. I also have a list.ly list over in the sidebar. Go visit it and give each item that you also like a little “thumbs up”. The more thumbs-up I have, the more likely The Workaholic is to make my dreams come true, and I know that you ALL want my dreams to come true.
Come to Our Nest 
I love everything up there, especially the table with the firepit! We’re getting ready to move and need a new grill (we left the old one in GA), so that grill finder will be golden!
Determined Momma recently posted..Brooke Belongs at Brandcation
Thanks! Where in GA did you move from? I’m sure you’ve told me before but I forget. We just left Pooler (Savannah) for cooler weather in Raleigh, NC. I’m loving it here so far.
Summer recently posted..My Outdoor Escape – Summertime Dreamin’
I love that bird feeder….. but… I have lots of trees and I know the cats would be crazy if we tried to use one of those.
Johannah recently posted..$100 Sheinside Shopping Spree Giveaway
I didn’t even THINK about other animals getting in there! Hmmmmm… Something to consider.
I love the 5 pc seating set. That would be something that I know I could relax on during summer evenings.
Nicoyle recently posted..Cool Giveaway Wins
Isn’t it gorgeous?! I wonder if the fire pit would put off enough heat in the winter time to make it warm and enjoyable then too?
We are SO in need of a backyard pick-me-up too! My brother is moving out soon, which means my grill is moving out too, lol. And with the crazy amounts of wind we have here – my poor fabric topped gazebo is being blown down every few days! Love your ideas here
Meagan Paullin recently posted..How Busy Moms Use Skype to be More Productive
It’s SO sad when much-appreciated appliances and grills move out of your home to greener pastures. Sounds like you’ll be needing a new grill soooooooooon!!!
Summer recently posted..The Lesson
I am an outdoor furniture addict – probably because I’ve personally never owned outdoor furniture! And how cool is that bird feeder? I don’t have windows that go up and down to be able to use the one in your photo, but dang, my kids and I would be in heaven with a feeder like that! Could you imagine!?
Leila recently posted..Joovy Family on the Go (US)
I love the photos from AK and hearing about how you grew up. I can understand why you are so inspired to have a backyard oasis! Your selections are great and I’m diggin’ the bird feeder. I’ve never seen anything like that before. My babies would love that. Now, here’s what you do…don’t ask the workaholic anything. Just buy the stuff, “remind” him that you already asked him and he said yes, and let that be that!
Christy recently posted..To Sparkle…or Not to Sparkle…That is the Question!