The great semi-outdoors

I hear a lot of people complain about yard work, but after renting an apartment for years I'm glad to finally have our own lawn to mow (and our own mower with which to cut it too). Cutting the grass, raking the leaves, keeping weeds at bay...I guess it all goes back into the idea of taking pride in a job well done. I'm no lawn manicurist, but I do like having a house and a yard that looks decent from the outside, and I also enjoy the chance to put on my headphones and catch up on a podcast or two while I'm out mowing or raking or whatnot. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's fun to get outside and do yard work, but I would say I enjoy it in a comfortable sort of way. It's supposed to rain in the next few days, so maybe tonight I'll head out and attack the latest round of dandelions with our push mower and see who emerges victorious. :)

Last Friday my wife and I sat outside on our porch eating ice cream with a fire burning in the outdoor fireplace we got from some friends as a housewarming gift a while ago. I don't know why, but I have always been a sucker for a good controlled burn whether it's a big bonfire, a small fireplace blaze, or even a charcoal grill. And so it was nice to enjoy the evening on our back porch while stoking a fire and listening to the birds in the back yard. And yes, there are many birds. Lots of them, in fact, and far more than I would have imagined. It makes for some very musical mornings and evenings. :)

My brother and his wife are coming for a visit this weekend, which has inspired another round of indoor fix-ups like hanging pictures and vacuuming the hallways. I think we hung up nine photos on various walls, along with a clock in the living room, and even though it's kind of a slow process it's nice to get those sorts of decorating things done. When we first moved in I wanted to get a lot of stuff taken care of right away but it has been nice to settle in over time. In fact, I almost prefer it this way, since each improvement, whether it's a new piece of furniture, a new picture on the nightstand, or just rearranging a room to look better, makes the place seem a little more like home.