Adventures In Remodeling: "Miss" Meadowlawn Dr.: Yard Work

The master plan...

Last week I was down at the house working by myself and the weather was just too nice to stay inside painting. So I decided to do a little yard work. With some suggestions from Mom, and trying to stay within a reasonable budget, I did a little (and I do mean little) makeover of the front of the house. I rounded it out with planting a little grass seed for all the birds to eat (sarcasm) and raking the front yard.
I got some azaleas, which are "deer resistant". I didn't even know there were deer resistant plants, nor would I have thought to consider that when purchasing my plants, but...welcome to Michigan I guess! Mom was the one who keyed me into the fact that I probably don't want to spend $100 buying tender, delicious deer snacks for the front yard. I got 5 of them. I also got 8 bags of red mulch to make everything look nice, some pruning shears and a lilac tree (actually it looks more like a twig at this stage) from the neighbor across the street. It cost me an hour and a half of my life that I will never get back. But at least I got something out of the eternal chat I had with my new neighbor.
I decided not to tear out the scrubby bushes that were already there because a.) I hate to kill a living plant no matter how unsightly or hideous, and b.) it saves money by using what is already there. I have hopes of getting a nice tree to put in the corner by the rock, but as of right now I haven't found one that isn't way over budget. I'm going to keep looking though. Here are my before and after shots. Mind you it's not much. Dad came to the house and didn't notice until after an hour of walking in and out. LOL.