Cafe' Bleu Reveal

There's a little corner in my back yard that's kind of wasted space. 

It's too small to sit comfortably, too shady to grow anything, too boring
to want to spend time there. It was barely big enough to accommodate my bistro set.

Here's the "before" picture.
Tiny, but I could see the potential. 

Except for a lilac bush, a nice shade tree, and a cottage garden 

on two sides, the corner itself wasn't much to look at. 

Although my little dog liked to explore the raised area behind the table, 

we didn't make much use of this space.

That's when I decided to make some changes. 

The first thing I did was look at the space for a long, long time. 

This appeared to be a back-breaking project and I debated if I really wanted to take it on.

Several years ago, I'd built a low brick wall defining this small corner 

but it merely took up valuable space. When you live in the city, every inch counts. 

So I took a deep breath and decided to dig in, so to speak.

I removed all those bricks, every single one, down to the ground level, stacking them
in little towers. Then I outlined a new edge with an ax and started digging. 

I chopped off a bunch of dirt from the raised area and threw it in my wheelbarrow,
pushing back the wall about a foot.
A foot may not seem like much but it made such a difference in the available space.

Next I relaid the brick wall in a semi-circle under the tree and topped it with a paver capstone. 

A layer of fresh gravel gave it a French feeling underfoot
and some river rocks expanded the existing dry stream bed on one side.

After all that work rebuilding the brick wall, it seemed a shame to cover it up.

But when I snugged a weathered garden bench up against it,
I still had space for a small bench that I could put my feet up on. Yippee!

Then came the fun part. 

Blue cushions, an old quilt, a farm chair I spray painted blue,
a blue enamel bowl on the fence, and a few shade-loving plants.

I couldn't believe my luck when I found a vintage, circa 1960s, blue bicycle
at an estate sale this weekend. Just what I'd been looking for and only $10!
We removed the shiny metal gears and wiring and added some daisies in a basket
(also found at another yard sale).

I hung a faded blue cafe sign on an old ladder against the tree . . . 

and christened the space
Cafe՜ Bleu.

Now I have a cool private corner where I can retreat during the heat of the day 

or sip a glass of wine in the evening.
From this quiet space, I can watch the birds visiting the feeders and birdbath,



or admire the garden as it explodes in a Spring frenzy.

Definitely worth the effort.

Come on over and put your feet up.

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Linking with:
Dwellings, Botanic Bleu, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse,
A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary Lane, Adirondack Girl at Heart, French Country Cottage