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senior & family photos in Des Moines, Iowa

October 27, 2011

Finally….an “After”!!

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My time as a high school teacher taught me how to instantly connect with teens and make them feel comfortable in front of the camera. I love photographing high school seniors all over the Greater Des Moines Metro and Midwest (yes, I’m willing to travel). 

Hi, I'm Carrie

I’m always encouraged when I hear that “They” consider yard work a work out. Because it definitely does work me o-u-t! Weilding my shovel and hanging tightly to my packets of spring bulbs, I began. I hopped up onto my shovel (that’s how I dig), pogo-stick style and got my 6 inches down. As I laid the bulbs in their respective places, I whispered sweet nothings to them in the hopes that they’ll respond March-May.  I tucked them in, and lugged mulch bags over to the area, giving them an even thicker winter comforter.

Finally, FINALLY, the side yard is C.O.M.P.L.E.T.E!! YES! Here’s a reminder of what we started with on the side of our garage:

Ick right?! How did we live here for 3.5 years and tolerate this!?

*drum roll puuulllleahhse*
TA-DA! Bye Bye (most of the) chainlink!!
In the above photo: on the right, you’ll see a top tier of hastas on the tail end of their season so they all look a little wilted…bottom tier has hastas as well. Both rows of hastas were transplanted from this spot originally to our other part of the yard, now, they’re back as split-offs from those other originals. (confused yet?!)  You’ll see on the lower tier has little patches of green-those are creeping phlox that will eventually cover the whole front area.
In the above photo: a few more hastas and the Boston Ivy that’s starting to turn a gorgeous burgundy and orange for fall. It’ll eventually cover the whole side of the garage. I’m so glad I planted this baby 3 years ago! In the planter area, I found a few prairie grasses on sale at Menard’s and a larger shrub (center). The grasses turn color to a rich plum in the fall, the shrub is turning yellow/orange/red. This will be my fall color area of the yard! Except the bulbs, they’re tucked in along the straight brick edger under the mulch. I will, hopefully, have daffodills and hyacinths March-May.

In the above photo: far right is a hydrangea we transplanted and a wilting hasta. In the open area of mulch, 6 inches deep, crocus (or would it be croci?) will come up sometime in April. *keeping fingers crossed*!!

Yes, I’ve talked mostly about the plants, but we couldn’t have done that if Gerard hadn’t done all the leveling of dirt, sand laying for the brick, and the loads and loads from Menard’s and back. Our SUV defintely got her workout this summer. This is our second landscaping project  that Gerard and I have accomplished together. The most brick we’ve ever laid, probably the hardest physical labor I’ve ever put in on our yard, we worked well together and as we built the brick wall, we built up our marriage too. With each project we take on that’s successful, it gives me more confidence/encouragement that we’ll always work well together. 

It is finished!

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Hi, I'm Carrie

My time as a high school teacher taught me how to instantly connect with teens and make them feel comfortable in front of the camera. I love photographing high school seniors all over the Greater Des Moines Metro and Midwest (yes, I’m willing to travel). 

Learn more

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