I continue to be so thankful for our good friends in the area who have hosted us for lots of “bon voyage” meals in the area. An extra bonus is that several of them have been kind enough to let me snap photos of their homes and yards so that I can share them with you all.
You’ll probably remember our friends Mark and Kathie who have allowed me share almost every square inch of their beautiful home in the Village of Pinehurst (Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3), and have also let us host our son’s high school graduation party in their backyard as well (see that here).
We joined them for dinner a few weeks ago, and their yard looks so amazing right now that I had to snap a few pictures.
Mark designed their home and their landscaping and runs a very successful firm in Pinehurst and Southern Pines (Website | Instagram); their home is truly a showplace.
I love the color of the front door, but if you’re a friend then you enter through the side door into the kitchen.
The outdoor seating area out front is one of my favorite spots and the fireplace gets a lot of use (Mark will probably want me to comment here that he didn’t know I was going to be taking pictures or he would have laid a fire). Given that we were surrounded by boxes at our house on the night that I took these photos, it looked pretty wonderful to me!
While I do love eating out front, now that the backyard has had a year or two for the plants to mature, it’s the perfect escape.
Lilly the black lab thinks that the water feature is her personal swimming pool/water bowl.
I don’t think they had stained the pergola the last time I shared their backyard; I have to say that I really prefer it dark.
The side building is the little cottage that Mark built for his mother, Ila (see it here; it’s a precious little gem of a house).
Saying goodbye is the worst (I actually refuse to do it and just say “see you later” to everyone instead), but if you have to enjoy a farewell dinner with friends, this is probably the prettiest place on earth to do it!
Many thanks to Mark and Kathie for letting me share their home and yard with you again.
Absolutely gorgeous!! So many beautiful areas to relax and enjoy. I don’t say goodbye either ~ feels too permanent! I think see you later is so much better!
xo
Pat
It’s a beautiful home and yard to be sure; we have so many happy memories here. We were truly blessed with our friends in North Carolina.Take care–Christy
This is a weird question but are there many mosquitos there? I see all this lovely outdoor space and can only think of how in most of the places we’ve lived (FL, VA, now Italy) the mosquitos are so bad you can hardly be outside in Summer! We are always looking for a place to retire (we are also military) so I love researching new areas. Thanks!
Hi, McKay–
OK, I’m kind of sad to hear that there are mosquitos in Italy; I think they’re everywhere! Lots of our friends in North Carolina get our yards sprayed for mosquitos with good effect. We never did that and were fine, although there are times of day (dusk and evening, mostly) where they do come out to bite. Our spring was rather wet and that makes a difference. As for places to retire, Southern Pines/Pinehurst should definitely be on your list as it’s a wonderful area. NC does tax military retirement, which is a drawback, but it’s still at the top of our list. Let me know if you have more questions!
Christy
Wasn’t that gray house in the back the mother in law’s home? I remember seeing this home before and it’s still as gorgeous as the first time I saw it. Bon voyage!
Yes, it is–good memory! It’s such a sweet little cottage and just the perfect amount of space.
Christy, thanks for sharing their beautiful home again. So sad due to COVID 19 that we weren’t able to visit Pinehurst/Southern Pines this year. And, sad you’re leaving the area. We have family in Pinehurst/Southern Pines, and visit twice yearly. I always enjoy being able to keep up with the area in your posts. I know you will have some great posts on living in Germany. Safe travels!
Thank you so much, Angela. I hate to leave the area, too, but of course an assignment in Europe makes it worthwhile. It’s definitely in our top three for places to retire when my husband leaves the military, so we may very well be back!
Take care–Christy