Summer is such a short but sweet season up here in the North. Extremely long days give us that much more time to enjoy this stretch of heat and sun. This year we've spent many of them outside, on the patio. 

We brought the indoors outside this year, thanks to a little mini makeover we did at the start of the season with an outdoor rug from Lowe's, new seating from Ikea and Pigro Felice, and a little table from HomeSense (the wood one above is usually inside but sits just inside the door and we bring it out for the day). I made sure everything that stays outside is neither wood, metal or fabric. We did the wood patio set thing before and it is just way too much work to maintain. (you can see more peeks of the patio on my instagram and instagram stories)

I am SO not a green thumb so the yard flower beds are all wildflowers and easy to maintain plants that were already here when we moved in. We FINALLY filled in and sodded an area in the yard where there was once a large Koi pond and waterfall, which has made mowing and trimming SO much easier LOL.

A few pots from HomeSense around the deck as well as these wall planters (also from HomeSense, and only $9.99 each!) are all filled with VERY low maintenance plants for those stretches we are at the cabin and not around to regularly water. So far they appear to like their situation, and I am actually feeling successful at gardening for the first time ever.