With a snowstorm dumping about nine inches of fluffy white stuff on us this weekend (which is pretty rare for our neck of the woods), we were oohing and aahing over how pretty everything looked covered in powder. But it also reminded us that one reason that we love central Virginia is that we’re lucky to get a chance to experience all four seasons. Nice long springs and falls are pretty much par for the course along with the occasional snowstorm (three instances of accumulation in four years- just few enough to make them feel special). Of course we also get to enjoy the sticky summer humidity but it’s definitely a fair trade in our minds.
So we used our big-deal snow day to dig up photos of our house from all four quarters of the year. Here are a few seasonal views of the front of Casa Petersik – although we apparently have no summertime shots saved that were snapped from this angle (one more thing to add to our to-do list). Here’s our house in the spring (taken in April of 2009). Does it look familiar? It should- it’s actually the pic in our blog header.
Here’s our humble home in the fall (taken in September of 2007). Of course this old shot was snapped before we removed the yellow storm door, demo’d that country-looking scalloped porch header, retooled the front landscaping, painted the big gray gas tank to match the house, and took on our big porch makeover.
And here’s our house in the winter, sporting a nice little snow blanket (taken in December of 2009).
We were also surprised to discover that we actually had shots of the backyard in all four seasons. Here’s the view from the back patio, starting with the spring (taken in April of 2009).
Here’s the yard in the middle of the summer (taken in June of 2009, right after I mowed that crazy-green lawn).
Here we are in the fall (taken in September of 2008).
And now for a blindingly white winter shot (taken in March of 2009).
It really is nice to have documentation of almost every season from the front (and every single one from the back). Even if it’s just to dream of winter when we’re sweltering in July or reminisce about sunny spring days when the yard is covered with snow like this weekend. Do you guys get to experience each season where you live? Are you over in Australia enjoying the summertime right now? Is there one season in particular that you think makes your house look especially beautiful? Or one that you dread for all the housework it causes (leaf raking? lawn mowing? snow shoveling?). Do tell.
Carmen says
Summer is definately our house’s time of year. We’re very lucky that the previous owners did a spectacular job landscaping. There is always something blooming and I have pots of flowers and hanging baskets to add even more color.
Carmil says
Here’s an idea I am stealing from my sister in law ’cause it will work so well with my Christmas decorations.
I snapped a snowy pic of our house in January and I will frame it to go with a collection of snow men and women that decorate an area of our family room. I had a grouping of frames that come down over the holidays while the “snow people” art goes up and needed one more pic in an 8×10 frame to make it perfect! Sitting below this grouping is a table that contains pics of my siblings and I as little kids in snow suits, along with nieces and nephews playing in the snow. Its a cute little thing if I do say so myself! I hadn’t thought of framing the house– blanketed in white– until I saw something similar over our recent family gatherings!
Rosanne says
I am afraid our house would look pretty much the same every season, living in Phoenix we don’t have the traditional seasons. Winter-Cold 60 degrees, Spring-Warm 80’s, Summer-Hot 100’s, Fall- Hot(sick to death that it’s still hot). I really miss the fall. Although, that’s what is great about Arizona, in an hour we can drive up north and see it, without having to rake it.
Jessica @ How Sweet says
I could never leave my beloved seasons here in Pittsburgh. Gorgeous shots!
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
Oh, I love the 4 seasons! We definately have them here in New England. I have some nice summer and winter photos of our home and yard (showing nice green, plush grass; and nice white fluffy snow!), but I need to take more photos in spring and fall.
Lori says
I try to decorate according to the seasons so that I feel inside my home the way that it looks outside. I also document the changes I make by taking photos of the mantel, front door wreath, place mats, etc.
I enjoy all of the seasons (though some more than others) and appreciate them more now that I live in the Midwest again after 4 years in Houston, TX. There was only 1 season there- hot and hotter. Though I will say there is no more beautiful sky than the one in Texas!
Love your blog and all you do!
JenWoodhouse.com says
Good to know Spring and Fall is nice and long over there (my favorite seasons!) being that I’m moving there in a couple months! Yay!
KOS! (Keep On S'myelin!) says
You have a wonderful piece of land! You have my dream lot. I didn’t realize that you back on to so many trees. A lot like yours is hard to come by in our neck of the woods with all the new build homes we have going up around here.
Amanda says
I love four seasons as well! Although here in SLC, the winter is a bit long. It makes for great winter sporting though, and I really do love looking outside and seeing a new blanket of white snow. (It probably helps that I get to avoid the freeway most of the time.) Your house looks postcard-worthy in all the shots!
Rachel Hires says
Tampa,FL looks the same year round! Because our weather is so consistant (hot) we tend to plant what grows well in a tropical climate…..when the odd chance that we reach freezing temps (first time I can remember was two weeks ago), all the plants die. I envy your seasons! Do you replant every spring?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Rachel,
We actually don’t plant any annuals (other than some fresh tomato and herbs in the back garden) so all of our bushes and trees and flowers are frost resistant so they come back every year without any work on our part. Gotta love auto-pilot gardening!
xo,
s
Rachael Ensom says
If only I could live in a place so dreamy!!!
Lindsay says
In Portland, OR we basically have two seasons: Rain and not-rain. Not-rain happens late spring into autumn and is absolutely gorgeous. The summers here are warm and dry. No humidity, very few mosquitoes, long lovely days. We get an intense heat wave occasionally. Rain is what it sounds like… mostly 40s-50s and misty rain. We don’t get thunderstorms. We get a rare (very rare) snow storm that will shut the city down for days to weeks.
I lived in New England before moving here which, of course, has dramatic seasons. I do sometimes miss that.
Sarah says
It’s amazing how different you house looks during the different seasons. I grew up in northwestern Connecticut, but currently living in Atlanta to finish my masters and I miss my four seasons!! The weather in Atlanta is weird during the winter (30 degrees one day, 70 the next) and hot, humid and sticky in the summer.
What I love about the seasons is that they usually give us exactly what we need. I’ve always said that fall is my favorite season (I love the colors!!) but spring – after a long winter – is usually the season we all need the most.
Does Burger like playing in the snow?
YoungHouseLove says
Here Sarah,
Burger does not, in fact, enjoy the snow. He thinks it’s wet and annoying on his feet so he high-steps through it as quickly as possible (to get his business done) and then runs back into the house and shakes everything off. At least he goes out in it though… we’ve heard of some dogs who will “hold it” for days and then have accidents in the house. He knows he has to get things done outside, so he just goes as fast as he can so he can snuggle under a blanket inside again asap.
xo,
s
briel K. says
Here in LA we don’t really get four seasons. Maybe like 2.5 or 3. haha It’s nice to see these photos! I love the beautiful snow ones!
Ashley M says
I grew up in McLean, VA (and went to the same high school as John), and couldn’t wait to get back to DC right after I graduated from Wake Forest last May. My parents retired to Charleston, SC, and while I love not having to wear a coat for most of the year, I’ll just never fully appreciate Christmas lights on plam trees. I’m all about experiencing all four seasons — each one makes me appreciate the others!
D says
Your backyard is beautiful with all the snow! Living in Baltimore, we enjoy all 4 season too! I live in a row home in the city, so no matter what the season the concrete that surrounds me looks pretty much the same :(
Lizzy W says
oh man! i am SO JEALOUS of all that beautiful, luxurious SPACE!! the trees! the green! the flowers! the fall leaves!! really, living in brooklyn makes me ache in some deep mysterious way when i look at the pics of your backyard. sigh. you guys are great, i love love love your blog. keep on making me jealous!!
Christin says
I love the seasonal photos. Really beautiful shots. Especially the winter ones. I’m partial to winter. I’m one of the few people in the midwest that actually LIKE snow! In Illinois we get all seasons which is one of the reasons I love it here. I could never live in a place that only has 1 or 2 seasons. The green of spring, the blue skys and warm sun of summer, the color of fall and the beautiful clean white snow of winter. All of them gorgeous. Our winters are generally pretty long though and I do tire of the gray and snow and freezing cold by the time March rolls around. :)
Sanna says
I love photos like yours. It´s so fun to look at the changes from season to season.
I live in Sweden and I love the four seasons. December -09 will be memorable because of the snow that we had and still are having! We´ve had some really cold days as well! Not so fun though.
The positive side about all snow is that the dreading autumn leaves that we never seem to get around to before it´s too late, are now hidden under the snow haha! Summers here is often rainy (June in particular) but if we´re lucky we´ll have a great May and July/August with very warm weather.
This year, we will probably have winter til April before we see signs of spring. It´s a long wait!
Karrie says
Our house definately looks best in the spring when flowers and shrubs are blooming. By summer it’s a nightmare with all the weeds and over grown vegetation. Fall is pretty and in the winter it’s mostly barren (although we also received some rare snowfall this weekend and our house never looked so good!). But honestly I would be very happy with three seasons and skip winter altogether.
Hailey says
Living in Eastern Washington, we get all 4 seasons and I love it. Last year we had 8 feet of snow, but thanks to El Nino, this year we have had NONE. Ok, we have had maybe 1-2 inch but then it melts within 24 hours. It is so disapointing to go a whole winter withiout the beautiful white covering. Instead, this year we have had A LOT of rain…I hate it. Our yard is just a mud pit. While some people may be very thankful that we didn’t have snow this year, we are going to have a terrible summer. Without the runoff of the snow, it will be very dry and there will probably be lots of forest fires this summer.
Betsy says
Taking pictures of your house during every season is actually a good idea if you’re ever planning on selling your house. J&S, obviously you’re in your forever home, so this isn’t for you :) but, my mom recently put her place on the market, and was happy to learn she had pics of her view in every season, which is nice for showing some “selling points” to potential buyers who might be coming through in the winter when everything is dead, brown and dreary. “Oh look, in the spring, the deer come through to much on the beautiful green grass!”
amelia says
wow – i just can’t get over how beautiful your property is. First, its a massive property (at least in my eyes – we live in a new subdivision in good ol’ Ontario, Canada and our backyard is ridiculously small). Second, your trees – so many mature trees (again, new subdivision so we get baby trees that couldn’t provide shade for a squirrel). Your beanette will have so much fun in your outdoor space :-)
Meredith says
I LOVE fall!!! Its my favorite season. In the Midwest, it is amazing!!! I got married in the fall and the leaves were the perfect color pallette to work with!!
blueloom says
It looks lovely – true winter land! We don’t miss it…I guess it’s because we get it every year :)
Cheers from Canada, stay warm guys!
Kinga
Natalie says
Love the seasonal pics!
That snowstorm last March was crazy! 60 degree weather one weekend, then suddenly a snowstorm just 1 week later! I got to work from home that day, so my husband took the day off so we could spend the day building a snowman and playing in the snow :) Since you are both from up North, have you been enjoying the random winter wonderland this year?
YoungHouseLove says
We do love the snow here since it feels rare and special! Of course it’s always funny because we don’t even own a shovel (the first two years that we lived here we didn’t get even an inch of accumulation) so these big storms always catch us off guard a bit. But it’s so nice to go for walks in the winter wonderland that is our neighborhood! We’re also thankful that it warms up pretty much right after the storm, so although we don’t have a million plows on the road like they did in NY, at least things melt in a day or two so the city doesn’t have to be shut down for a week or more while the one or two plows that we have make their way through the city.
xo,
s
jen says
I simply love this!! You are lucky to get all the seasons and your house looks terrific in all of them!
kelly says
In Hawaii we really only have 2 seasons. i am from st. louis with 4 seasons and i miss it sometimes except when they have freezing winters and roasting summers and we are between 75 and 85 most of the year! it’s fun to see your house covered in snow. you guys really got a great house!
Nicole says
Love the pictures, yall have inspired me to do the same. It will be great for the far far far away future on re sale. FYI all you eco friendly fans Mrs Meyers cleaning products on sale at my TJ and Homegoods (Bham, AL). Worth a shot of looking if you are in the area.
Lisa in Seattle says
You’ve heard it before, but those pictures make your home look like something right out of a magazine! So lovely. Here in Seattle all of our seasons are pretty mild because of the mitigating effects of Puget Sound (inland ocean). But we do have as much rain as the rumors say, and it can be pretty gray and depressing, even for natives who are used to it. We get a couple of weeks of shockingly hot summer weather (in the 90s, and last year in the 100s) and if it snows, the city shuts down because of all the hills. We just bought our house last June so we haven’t seen it in spring yet. Some sort of plants are sticking their little green snouts out of the earth but I have no idea what they will turn out to be. The worst time of year for me is late summer/early fall because that is *spider season.*
Becky @ TheCodyHouse says
I live in Iowa and we have all 4 seasons. I love spring, summer and fall. Fall is especially pretty here. I could do without winter though! We have had record setting snow this winter and it hasn’t been enjoyable. I am ready for spring to come!
Tammy says
Midlothian-er here. Have we really only had three instances of accumulations in four years? We’ve had all three in less than a year (March and December of 2009 and now this one). Did I really live for three years without snow? Yikes. I LOVE the snow, love that Richmond shuts down and take a perverse pleasure in the Ukrops madness the day before. And it sounds like there might be more on the way this week!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tammy,
Yup! That’s right. We moved here in Feb of 2006, so perhaps we missed some accumulation before that month (since it was technically the end of our winter here). But there was no snow for the end of that year and none in 2007 or 2008. Just a few dustings that turned into rain so there was nothing left on roofs and walkways let alone the grass. Seriously, we don’t even own a shovel since RIC seemed so mild and snow-free. But those two storms in 2009 and the one this past weekend have us thinking we have to put “get a shovel” on our to do list!
xo,
s
Taylor (The House on Penny Lane says
I am so jealous of your humongous trees! They are gorgeous! Such tree density is difficult to find in my area, but luckily, my back neighbors have several tall trees in their backyard that can be seen from the front of my house. It makes it look like they’re mine :)
In Oklahoma, we have all 4 seasons, but I can pretty much guarantee that my new house will look the same through them all except there will either be live grass or dead grass. Hopefully, I’ll be working on that starting this spring.
PS, I’ve been reading your blog too much – I dreamt about you guys last night! Don’t worry, nothing too strange. We were getting ready to go on a road trip! Lol.
Sami says
I love 4 season as well. I would def miss the snow, I think Virginia would be the perfect area to live cuz it’s not so cold in the winter, but you still do get snow. I live in NY and it’s SO coooooldddd here right now. But then again, one week ago it was 57 degrees out? Weird weather…
Cindy @ The Flipping Couple says
I do love all 4 seasons, but by the time we get through January I’m so done with winter!! I live in Minnesota, so while the snow is beautiful, it usually means a 1.5+ hour commute and bitter bitter cold, so I’m not such a fan after the first snowfall. Love the pictures!!
Brittney says
We have all 4 seasons but I am pretty sick of winter now! Our poor Chihuahua, Lulu isn’t too fond of going outside in the snow. I’m sure Burger can relate!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup Burger hates it! He’s counting the days until spring bug-hunting season begins.
xo,
s
lana @ make a house a home says
we just moved in during the end of fall, but i have to say things look much better with green grass and blue sky. ny get’s a bit sad and weathered in the winter. we surely can’t wait for spring!
xo
lana
Samantha says
Ooh this could be a good lead-in for another post about all the reasons why you guys love living in Richmond, why you chose your neighborhood, etc. Why? Because we’re thinking of moving there, but are considering Richmond along with about 23 other small cities along the Eastern seaboard (okay 23 may be an exaggeration…but not really). Maybe a little tour of your hometown? Your fav spots and neighborhoods? Why you love it in comparison to living in the Big Apple? A brief overview of the best and the worst? Would just love to hear your perspective on living in Richmond!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Samantha,
Definitely click the “topics” tab in our search box on the top right hand corner of our site and peruse the “Richmond Related” category. We try to balance our love of Richmond with general info that applies to everyone (since many of our readers aren’t from around here) so there are lots of fun places and facts to discover about RIC in those posts. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Mike at The Big Stick says
Here in Louiville we have all four seasons. They are all just the right length of time – though if I had my way I would extend fall and winter. I’m a cold-blooded guy and a hunter, so I prefer chilly weather. If it wasn’t for swimming and my garden I sometimes think i could skip summer altogether.
Becky says
Hi John and Sherry!!
Love the pics from all 4 seasons! I thought of something random when looking through these pics…Have you ever considered the possibility of putting an addition onto your house if you were to ever out-grow it?? If so would you add onto the first floor, put on a 2nd story, etc?
Becky :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Becky,
We have often dreamed about building an addition (either as a second story or by branching off of the first floor) since there’s nothing we love more than a big fat DIY project and a room (or a few) to makeover. Fortunately our house is plenty big enough for us right now (and can even easily accommodate a few kiddos) so for the time being it’s just a fun little daydream. But maybe in a decade it just might be something we’ll actually be doing (and keeping everyone posted along the way of course). You never know!
xo,
s
Jenny says
Aw, the pictures of the snow make me so homesick! Here in sunny Hawaii that’s usually all we are is sunny :) We have a “rainy season” but it’s still 80ish & beautiful most days. One of the funny things is we have vog, not fog, from the volcanic ashes in the air. Being a midwestern country girl originally, I really miss the changing of the seasons ~ we just planted a garden on New Year’s Day, now that was a weird feeling :) Our poor puppy Kiki used to love the snow (& bugs!) but now she’s a beach girl ;)
Amy E. says
even though i live in Florida, i still miss the weather patterns of Minnesota. people say i’m a little crazy to miss 6+ months of winter offset by swarming mosquitos and heavy heat in the summer when i’ve got the fairly moderate Floridian weather right outside my door, but i can’t help it. i’d much rather have to rake leaves in the autumn (my favorite season) and shovel snow off the driveway in winter (my second favorite season) than have 4 months of the year when you can’t go outside for even a minute without dripping sweat from every pore. ugh, i’m dreading it already!
Melanie says
I grew up in Kentucky, which is just far enough north to catch all four seasons. Summers were hot, but spring and fall were long and pleasant, and winter brought a few snows a year.
Since ’02, I’ve been living in central Alabama, which is nearly devoid of seasons. Summer is long and miserably hot and humid. Spring and fall seem to last only a week each. Winter is a cycle of cool, then rain, then cold. I’ve only seen a handful of light snows in 7.5 years.
I miss my seasons!
katie says
Ummm that snow looks a little too perfect in your front yard… are you sure you didn’t strategically place all the snow evenly across the roof and sills? :)
adhocmom says
I am SO envious of your snow! Brooklyn has been all cold but NO snow. I’m dying to take my daughter sledding.
x,
Paula
http://www.adhocmom.com
Marianne says
Your home looks beautiful. I can’t imagine only getting snow a handful of times over the course of years!
I live in the Yukon and yes, I get all four seasons. Actually I kind of consider them turbo-seasons…our winters are a bit longer than in the south, but our summers are intense, with daylight stretching up to 22 hours a day!
I’m looking forward to getting out my snowshoes and playing on my cross country skis well into March/early April, and thinking about black-out curtains for the summer “nights”. It’s always a novelty to have the weather station showing the little sun icon for the evening prediction.
It’s really nice to see so many people loving where they live.
Bailey@peppermintbliss says
So magical! You could create a really sweet/charming piece of art with some seasonal photos of your home from the same angle…You got my wheels spinning which is why I love stopping by here each day!
Lauren says
Love the snow pictures! I took a few of our house during a snow we got in December and I’m going to try to remember to take pictures during the other seasons this year. I noticed in the Spring/Summer pictures you have huge hanging ferns on the front porch. Do you keep them up in the winter (can’t tell in the pic)? Are they the kind of plant that will die off and then grow again in warmer weather?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren,
Good question! We usually grab new ferns for around $12 a pop at Lowe’s every spring since they’re frost resistant but not totally winter-proof (they usually last until mid winter but freeze by spring so it’s nice to replace them with fresh feathery new ones then). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kathleen M. says
It would be neat to see the photo of your home on your home page/header change with each season!
Keeley says
Cute post and great idea! My favorite season is summer. We have a tiny townhome, but we also have a small yard that looks its best in summer. I have a container garden on the deck and we’re able to expand our living space to include the outdoors during the warm months. We live in Delaware, so we have similar weather to VA, but snow isn’t as rare here. We get several snowstorms a year and our summers are just as humid as yours, believe me.