Pictures from the outside

Please believe me when I say that our yard is a DISASTER.  Like, I cringe when I go outside, because I don't want to be associated with our house from the outside.  It's just mangled from years of being used as a rental and the worst drought in California history, followed by an epically rainy "winter".  I say winter in quotes, because there was very little that made it feel winter-like.

But never fear, I have found a few wins in my outside spaces.  I'm too nervous to show you what the whole place looks like until we're also showing you after pictures.  Like I said, I'm embarrassed to be associated with our exterior situation right now.  So it's just the cute little pockets.

 Yes, you did see one of the cute IKEA flower buckets already.  But not both of them.  And not both of them, along with the peppers and tomatoes I planted.  And yes, that is a mop in the lower right corner.  Nope, it sure isn't mine.  Inherited house crap for the win.

 Guys, this rose tree... I don't even know how to impress upon you how marvelous it is.  It smells incredible.  It's thorny as a porcupine, though, which is bad since it's right on the front walkway.  I'm going to try to employ some creative pruning.

This is the mystery rose bush that just started blooming today!  And the blooms are orange!  I was cheating by trying to sneak a peak at some of the buds that are just starting to break open, and it looked like there might be a yellow bloom in there too!  But again, it's right on our walkway, just dying to take out innocent passerby.  

Good thing we found my pruning shears a couple of days ago.