Our small, old house in West Chicago sits in an acre of land. The Sears model house was built in the 50’s and desperately needed repairs and updates when my wife found it. But she thought that the land size and vegetation would be attractions to me. She was right. I fell in love with with the place when I first saw it. The seller walked us on a limestone path woven through the perennial garden. 
There were lots of mature trees, well-established plants, wild berries and plenty of space for vegetable and flower gardening. 
When she learned that I was an agriculturist and someone who loved to garden she said: “I finally found the right buyer”. She wanted someone who will continue her many years of garden work. She then offered a significant discount to encorage us into buying her property. And we did and the rest is history.
Notice the peeling paint on the sidings and the missing facia boards, outside ceiling and worn-out shingles roof, not to mention the condition of the house inside.
We did a lot of repairs and additions over the years. But it’s all worth it. The house became a home and the garden-our little paradise!
The gardening begun
Back in the days when I had all the time in the world to tend a garden, my garden won the second best in the City of West Chicago. Let me share you some pictures of that garden of bygone days.
I built a koi pond surrounded with annuals and perennials.
I converted this old charcoal grill into a planter and named it “the fired-up grill”. It contains annual flowers that resemble fire and ornamental chilis with upright red fruits, hence the fire in the grill.
I used an old snow boots as planters for this flowers and vines.
No! That’s not my wife’s Gucci bag! Ivy’s and impatience were planted in this yellow lady’s shoulder bag.
This old toilet seat found a new job! Can you suggest a name?
A flowering belt bag- the “flower belt”
This cute doggie planter has this succulent greens as his tail.
When Gilson announced that Lyndee was pregnant with their second child, I got this stork planter and Evelyn was delivered. Two years later, this stork delivered another baby.. Ryland. I’m keeping this stork for future grandkids delivery because I want more!!! 
I planted these cherry trees when we first moved to our present house…one tree for each of our children. These cherry trees have been giving us fruits for many years now.
White hydrangeas aka snowballs will greet you when you visit my house in mid-summer.
I miss those days when we could just set the tables outside/backyard and have a instant picnic with our family.
But we had one backyard picnic recently when Gilson, Lyndee and the kids visited us for my wife’s 60th birthday! The apple tree on the right side was planted when my grandson Camden was born. Each one of our five grandchildren has a fruit tree planted on their birthdays-peaches for Liam and Evelyn and apples for Lyla and Ryland.
Cousins bonding at the backyard trampoline. Lolo will keep that trampoline for as long as there are grandkids coming.
The shrub at the background blooms every mid spring. They resemble wedding bouquet with white blossoms and deep green leaves.
This annual flower called “impatience” is for my wife’s birthday in June. Unlike this flower, she’s a super patient woman. She’s been patiently dealing with me for 34 years now!
My church meets here several times during summer for picnic and outdoor worship service.
This summer, all I have are potted annuals on my deck railings and of course the perennials (plants that”die” during the winter months but come alive in spring time through summer and fall.)
Petunias and impatience are annuals. They only last until the end of fall season and they won’t come back. They are very sensitive to the cold weather.
Hostas are perennials. These variegated leaves are very easy to grow and propagate. I collect different varieties. So far I have at least a dozen kinds.
My hostas are grown up and very dense. I plan to dig and divide them next spring. They are expensive perennials. A 6-inch pot with 2 stems is sold at $5.00. I can make a handsome money if I sell them!
Then fall/autumn comes. Leaves burst into colors then fall on the ground. My picture above shows two kind of trees: the red one is Japanese maple and the yellow is the local American maple.
Then winter comes. The colors are gone but it has its own beauty.
At least there’s one color left in the garden-the evergreens 🌲!
Six long months of the cold weather before the garden springs back to life again!
This oak tree at my backyard looks wilted and dead during winter. It’s amazing to watch it come back to life on spring time when gardening season begins again.
Update: July 2019
Unfortunately, this oak tree had to go. It did considerable damages to my house the last couple of years. The first time was when a major branch snapped out of the trunk during a snow storm damaging my deck and narrowly missing the main house. My insurance paid for the repairs. The just a week ago during a thunderstorm another major branch fell and knocked off our power line. That’s when we decided it should go before it gives us more troubles.
It takes an oversized wok, a huge “paddle” and a lot of guts to cook for hundreds of people. 
BAM!!!! Emeril Lagasse
The Monastery of St. John the Theologian located at the highest poin of Patmos Island. 
Relaxing in one of the courtyards of the St John Monastery.
myJOURNEY 
