Not in my backyard
Along with the public school system and kids’ bedrooms that were larger than jail cells, my top priority while house-hunting in Colorado was the backyard.
It didn’t need to be big enough for a swingset or a sandbox, but it had to be somewhat level with a nice expanse of grass. It didn’t need to be fenced (although that was a huge bonus) or beautifully landscaped, but the sod had to be in good shape.
I grew up with a monstrous backyard. While the front yard resembled a ski slope, the backyard was big and flat and grassy. Adjacent to the house, we had patios and landscaping. At the edge of the property, we had a row of honeysuckle trees – lots of pollen and bees, but good for climbing. And in between, we had a backyard that was made for playing outside.
While we occasionally set up a badminton net or got out the Jarts (Remember Jarts? We could’ve ended up in the emergency room with lawn darts sticking out of our skulls.) we spent most of our time playing whiffle ball. My father pitched the big white ball to us, and my brother and I took turns swinging that long yellow bat. My father also wore the umpire hat – “Foul ball!” he’d call, which only meant to me that I’d nicked it, not hit it – and the coach hat – “Choke up on the bat!” he’d exhort us, which only meant to me that I should hold it closer to the business end. But most clearly, I remember how the sun would set and it would be time to go inside and get ready for bed, but he always gave us plenty of chances to “end on a good one” – which meant whacking that ball a good thirty feet, the equivalent of a whiffle ball home run.
Our backyard now is about one-tenth the size of my childhood backyard. But it’s flat and has healthy grass and can accommodate a baby pool or soccer drills or sprints through the sprinkler. Granted, the bouncy castle Kyle rented for Tacy’s fourth birthday party barely fit – but it did fit. And yard work is still fun (instead of an all-weekend source of exhaustion).
Apparently this squirrel’s been doing yard work all morning.
What’s in your backyard – both then and now?
June 21st, 2007 at 10:32 am
That is one funny picture – I have never seen a squirrel do anything but scurry!
June 21st, 2007 at 10:48 am
My yard is a fraction of my childhood yard. Our house sat on 5 acres which provided plenty of space to play and have various adventures with other neighborhood kids. Not to mention a pool and a hot tub.
When we were house hunting I was working full-time and had an hour long commute. I thought a small yard would be best because neither my husband or I would have time to care for a large property. Now that my children are growing and want to go outside it is painfully apparent just how little space we have. We have a swingset and sometimes an inflatible bouncer out, but no room to ride bikes or even throw frisbees for that matter…ugg.
June 21st, 2007 at 11:34 am
Our backyard is about 2/3 of an acre fenced in. It’s perfect size for us
June 21st, 2007 at 11:40 am
My husband still has a couple sets of jarts. He brings them out when we have parties. The guys love ‘em. I have to shoo the chidren away like a mother hen. It’s just my nature.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Our yard is a little under half an acre — a bit large when it comes to yardwork. But it’s fenced and has pretty good grass (which is right now completely muddy — we were in the midst of the great Texas floods earlier in the week). The only criteria I had when looking at houses (and yards) was that the yard was fenced (preferably with a non see through fence — so, wood). I was amazed how many houses had unfenced backyards opening onto ravines — too scary with 2 toddlers. Our yard has enough room for a good garden and a playground set, both of which we’ll hopefully have soon.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Our backyard is pretty large, with a very gentle slope away from the house. Right now it’s all grass, which Aaron hates mowing, but we plan to rip out some of the sod soon to put down rubber mulch and place Cordy’s outdoor playthings on that area. She has a little barn playhouse, a slide, and a sand/water table.
The yard is fenced to keep the neighbor kids and dogs out, but the wood fence is developing some weak areas thanks to the neighbor kids climbing it.
We hope to someday have a patio, whenever we have the money to build it.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Then: sloped, which was awesome for sledding; with a large black walnut tree in the center – not as awesome, since it left smelly green tennis ball thingies all over.
Now: Just finished overhauling. Shiny new fence. Guess what? Toddler can open gate leading to street. DAMMIT. Now usefulness of $5,000 fence depends on $1.99 bungee cord.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:22 pm
My word! I had completely forgotten about Jarts! When I think back to how many close calls we had as kids with those…
June 21st, 2007 at 1:26 pm
We had NO backyard where I grew up. We had an “alley” with a GIANTIC slope at the end (Perfect for sledding & Big Wheel Derby).
Our front yard was about 10 feet of flat, with a little slope for the remaining 4 feet.
Our backyard now, is approx 3/4 of an acre. Picket fence, 24′ round swimming pool with 2 decks, room for 2 swingsets, a playhouse and Joe’s toolshed.
June 21st, 2007 at 5:29 pm
NOW: All the generations of mosquitos ever from all time are gathered there…waiting.
June 21st, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Somehow we’ve managed to squeeze in a spot for baseball plus a net for badminton/volleyball. Not bad for a small yard!
June 21st, 2007 at 6:25 pm
THEN: I grew up on an acre with horse, goats, chickens, rabbits, dogs (not all at the same time). We had many games of baseball, football, built treehouses, played hide and seek in the summer way after dark, we always were out in the yard.
MID: (26 years) First marriage with four kids we had house on half acre, two dogs, two cats and too many hampsters, great yard, many ball games and lots of room for kids to play.
NOW: Husband #2 and I bought a townhouse with a little courtyard, little back patio and every bit of space that can be planted is planted, pots galore on the patio, no yard
but there is a pool and spa which someone else cleans. Sometimes I remember all my dreams of having grandkids running and playing in my old big yard. I miss just being able to have the dream. I have two grandkids and love having them over, and we have great fun. So, I know they don’t care what my yard isn’t, they just love spending time with ME!
June 21st, 2007 at 6:42 pm
Jarts! Oh my, i remember those! Besides the weeds and mountains of red ants my backyard has a struggling vegetable garden, one dead holly tree (and 3 living ones), 2 slides, one swingset, a sand and water table, various balls and toys, and a missing fence between us and the neighbors (lost it to a hurricane, left it down so they could run back and forth at will)
June 21st, 2007 at 7:08 pm
My cat slumps over armchairs like that all the time. She’s weird.
June 21st, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Jarts!!! Yes!!! We also had a rectangle of a vegetable garden that my father lovingly spent every non-office hour in during the summer. A badmitton net too. A clothesline ‘tree’. Three spindly trees that grew into three big trees (the house was built on a former potato field so it was FLAT). It was HOT there in Western MA.
Now, we have a little hill that curves away from our house and down to the swingset. Tons of trees and shrubs and stuff grow on three sides of us, with ‘open space/wetlands’ behind us. An amazing three-season porch that holds the bounce house in the winter/fall; it goes away when we set up the porch furniture. I hope to have a clothes line in a week or two.
I loved my old yard for the memories, but I love my new one more.
June 21st, 2007 at 8:05 pm
ROLFMAO, mayberry! Your comment cracks me up.
Then: three peach trees, swingset, veggie garden, clothesline with T-poles (off one of which I fell and broke my arm), sandbox, lots of room to run, but fenced in so we couldn’t get far.
Now: smallish deck, smallish storage room thingy, carport, a/c, about 20 square feet of grass, no fence
My poor kid.
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:45 am
growing up, we had a hill for a backyard. seriously. you could take about 10 steps off the patio and then you’re walking up a very steep hill. which was great in the winter, but not so great for kickball. however, to the north of our house was a big, open space that led to the woods between our house and a city park. THAT was our real yard.
now i live in an old neighborhood that apparently didn’t think backyards were necessary. it’s flat, but it’s dinky. but we live within walking distance of two parks, so it’s all good.
June 22nd, 2007 at 8:14 am
Growing up we lived in a suburb and had a huge willow tree and a garden. I miss having that. I have a plot, with a fence and it’s fine but it’s not exactly spacious. My god that squirrel is halarious!
June 22nd, 2007 at 10:04 am
Growing up there was 3/4 of an acre, had a barn and shaded by big old trees that hosted massive all family picnics–complete with Jarts! My kids love to go play in it now, even though Dad has paved some of it over for parking and added a garden.
When we were looking for a house we wanted a yard, we got less than I wanted but its good–We have enough for a decent sized swing set and it only takes up about 1/3 of the yard. One of the bonuses is the utility easement between us and the next street so in the summer you can’ see the backyard neighbors, of course this also means there is wildlife including the big black snake that was keeping warm under the grill cover. I think we’ve decided its just right on the usefulness to upkeep scale.
June 22nd, 2007 at 11:41 am
You’re just trying to make all the New Yorkers hate you, aren’t you.
June 22nd, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Childhood: big, flat backyard with sterotypical white picket fence and gazebo. Lots of whiffle ball and hide-and-go-seek with my 3 younger siblings.
Now: huge front yard, sloping back yard. So the boyz always play in the front yard and we just hang out in the driveway. Kinda white trash, but we’re in a quiet neighborhood, so it’s all good.