Wednesday, June 17, 2009

My View from the Pool

What else goes better with a hot, summer day than icy cold beverages? Join me as I float in my next door neighbors pool and enjoy the scenery from a "Pool's Eye View". Ahhh...I grabbed a float and plopped myself into the pool while she finishes the watering. I think the sound of a waterfall mentally lowers the heat, don't you?

It's hard to float in the pool and take a picture ....but I did it! Isn't the sky a beautiful color...so relaxing. But come to think of it...everything is relaxing when you're floating in a pool of beautiful turquoise water.
Here is some funny yard art I can see while floating! During Hurricane Ike a pine tree fell into the fence (thank goodness only the fence, and not any houses, was damaged). This picture was in my garage (more on the history below) and it was good thing to patch the hole with! We are trying to get some vines to grow over the top so it will look like "she" has curly hair.

Here is my floating view of the back porch. Aren't the Purple Wave Petunia's beautiful? And THIS variety smells wonderful. I like the combination of spiky and drapey (is that a word??) arrangement.
And here's my sweet, little Carson, taking a much needed cooling off break. He likes to watch us swim...but doesn't not get in the water. (his choice)

As I twirl around on my float, I'm facing the diving board and hope no one is going to do a cannonball and splash me and my camera!
Well, wouldn't you know it...with all the water from waterfall, I'm twirled around again and am facing the pathway that leads to my house (the grey one). See the gate we installed several years ago that leads into my backyard. When the path around the pool was installed they included it to go through the gate and to my driveway...What a deal!
OK...so do you see ANOTHER painting on the fence? Here's the story.....
I was having a party one night at my house and a talent portrait artist attended. After several cocktails he was ready to create and asked if I had any large boards or canvas type material. We dug through the shed and found two large pieces from an old ping pong table.
Since I love to paint, there was plenty of leftover cans of paint and spray paint to use. The "artist" went into a frenzied painting dance and when he was through we had these two paintings. The previous picture that we used to patch the fence was used as a drop cloth later on in the years and thus...has the red stripes on it. I was spray painting some red window frames....my bad!
I like the way 'She" peaks through the plants and blends into the scenery.
After a long afternoon of floating, we decided to cook some chicken on my grill. You can see the continued pathway from Tyra's yard into mine. Don't you think that's a cool picture of the smoke coming from the grill? And I swear I wasn't burning the chicken...that was just the fire getting started! And whoops....I still need to hang my Coca-Cola sign on my fence that I got in Warrenton. Hmmmm....I need to rent a Honey to do some Honey Do's!?!?!?! LOL!

Dinner's ready.........Hope ya'll had a good time floating and visiting. I loved having you over. Ya'll come back now, ya hear!

23 comments:

  1. What a great neighbor you have. That's a lovely pool! That Carson is a doll! I bet the smell of your grilled chicken drove him crazy! Looks like a fun day. Always a pleasure visiting your blog Susan.

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  2. Oh good heavens! I am here at summer school and just had a perfectly good swim with you in the pool!! THank you so much for that! We have a heat index of 106 today.

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  3. Oh Susan, what a great pool and backyard you have! And obviously a good neighbor to boot. Your flowers are gorgeously huge and I think your picture painted by your artist friend is simply a hoot propped up against your fence. I'm glad you explained about the stripes, cuz I didn't know quite what to think about them before you did....LOL thanks for commenting on my Thursday treat to myself.... Lori is quite the character, isn't she? :-) Sue

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  4. I feel cooler already after floating around in the pool with you. Great photos, and lovely fish wall, and I just adore the painting of the woman on the fence. WoW!!!
    ♥ Teresa

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  5. I'm ready to come visit.
    I'll even bring my own floaty.
    p.s i L♥ve the lady faces!

    xo

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  6. Can I move in next door? Thank you so much for the tour. I Loved it (way better than doin dishes)! I love everything about that yard! Again, thank you! Hey, want to join me for my Christmas in July Party?

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  7. Oh my goodness, can I come down to your neighbor's? Gorgeous and I am just jealous of those petunias. I have a neighbor with a pool and a big ol' green thumb, AND we live in Texas as well. :)

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  8. I want the pool, the beverage, the grilled chicken, the plants, and oh..what else?
    Well everything.
    That's how I am.

    Wonderful post,
    Laura

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  9. I gotta get me on of those neighbors! Save me a breast and a Corona...I'm on my way.
    Debbie

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  10. Hey Susan, what a fun post! You did good on that float! :)

    I just love that painting in your back yard. Very cool. What a cleaver idea to add vines for hair.

    It's heating up big time where we live too (finally!)

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  11. beautiful.. bet you guys had lots of fun...

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  12. I LOVE the faces on the fence - - - especially the second one sans the red T across its nose. Hehehehehehehe

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  13. Your neighbor has an awesome yard. I wish I lived next door to a pool! The face painting is wonderful.
    Blessings,
    Lorilee

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  14. I'm relaxed just looking at your photos!! Looks like fun!!

    Jen

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  15. Thre are so many pieces of this post that I love... firs the icy cold Coronas (but where's the lime?) and the face painting on the fence... if I had a wooden fence... I think I'd have one of those... I have a couple of sheds and a barn... hummmmm...
    love the cool pool too!

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  16. With as hot as it has been here in Houston...I can definitely understand the "pool floating"! LOVE those pics on the fench....what a perfect story! Give our buddy my love and tell her can't wait to see her again!

    xo...deb

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  17. Susan-You lucky gal! looks sooo fun!

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  18. Thanks for the ride on the float. I love the portraits, too. That artist can come dance and paint at my bungalow anytime. I also have a Coke sign that needs to be hanging somewhere.

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  19. What fun to have a neighbor who is a good enough friend that you are able to go back and forth between your yards (especially since she has a pool!) This was a neat perspective from the pool. Yep, I felt cooler just looking at the photos. Where's the photo of you in your swim suit? laurie

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  20. Really enjoyed the tour and hearing all about everything. Good stuff!

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  21. Ahhh the neighbors pool! Can't get much better than that!

    Love the art!

    Are you dying from the heat we are having in Houston? Even the evenings are unbearable!

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  22. WOW! Floating in the pool sounds wonderful! I have to say- the art is fantastic! I would have never thought to use it as/in front of a fence but it works!!! How fun!

    That chicken looks so yummy! I need to go make chicken for dinner now.........

    Heather:)

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  23. Wow - your backyard is fabulous. Filled with love and lovely things too. I adore Garden Oaks, and a lot of that adoration comes from the amazing lots and winding streets y'all have. Lucky !

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