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.
Katrina C. says
I live in Virginia Beach/Chesapeake area. We unbelievably received a ton of snow on Saturday! I didn’t believe it was coming. I love that we don’t really have long winters. It starts to get cold in December and then it starts to get warm in March.
Jen H. says
We have all four seasons here (Ottawa, Canada), often to the extreme. Summer’s very hot, winter is long and very cold and snowy (we often don’t see bare grass from December 1 to March 15 or so). Spring and fall are definitely my favourites, but summer is close. Winter is fine until after January 1, when the “pretty” and festive novelty factor of the snow has worn off, the holidays are over, and there are still 2+ months of harsh winter to live through. Seems to me like you live in almost the perfect climate: a little bit of everything, but nothing too harsh, with little chance of earthquakes or other natural disasters (like the West coast).
unknowntheartist says
Nature certainly knows how to take a pose, doesn’t it?
I adore the pic of your snowy covered backyard (we don’t get snow in Australia) but the greens in your Spring pics are delightful and vibrant.
Kris says
Ok since you mentioned Australia I just HAD to post a comment! Where I live in NE Victoria we do get all four seasons; lovely showery Springs; sunny, brisk Autumns (Falls), freezing cold Winters (though no snow) and stinking hot summers. The last couple of summers, including this one, we have had a lot more days in the 40 degree celcius range, which I would reckon is similar to temps in Pheonix. The summer days which are hot but then cool down overnight are the best but recently we had one night where the lowest was 32 degress celcius. Not much sleep that night! I think my fave season is Autumn because the days are full of colours and sunshine yet the nights are cool enough to snuggle under the doona.
Alex Louisa says
I’m in Australia but I’m not enjoying the summertime! I would quite happily skip it. I’m in Queensland where it never snows. Ever. In fact, our winter would probably barely make a dent in your Fall temperatures. Though I must admit, all the rain in summer does do wonderful things for the garden (when I discover all the plants that I haven’t actually killed after all!!), and makes the grass nice and green. Of course then we can hardly keep up with the mowing, and it takes about 6 hours each time on the ride on!!
I’d really like to live somewhere where you actually see a change in the seasons – I’m very jealous of your lovely winter and fall pictures here! The problem is, I really love our house and land – I just wish we could pick it up and plonk it somewhere with a nicer, or more varied climate. You can do that, right…?
tmfriz says
that snow is sooooo gorgeous!! im living in hot balmy oz, but it makes me yearn for my childhood days in the UK.
Kathy says
Lovely pics! I love the tall trees around your home.
Grouping 4 four-season photos of your house–in one big frame or four frames grouped together–would make nice wall decor. I might try it with photos of our house!
Michele with 1 L says
I’m a Richmond native…isn’t this snow CRAZY?!?!?! I don’t remember getting this much snow since the early 80s! But as a high school teacher and mom to a 5 1/2 year old, I”M LOVING IT!!
My favorite season is SUMMER, and not just because school is out. :) We live in Woodlake and our yard is totally shaded. We are not allowed to cut down any trees, which do provide us with great shade during the hot summers. I love fresh vegetables and flowers from farmers markets, all the outdoor festivals we are lucky to have in the area, and all the FREE or cheap fun things to do with a kid.
We don’t enjoy getting up all the leaves in fall, but having a bagger/mulcher has made the task much easier. Plus we now have free leaf mulch!
lindsey clare says
yes i am in Australia! but sadly i am bit over summer. it drags on a bit, and the humidity drives me crazy sometimes. here in Sydney we have beatiful summers, springs and autumns, but no real winter to speak of. i’d say we get about three weeks of “coat weather” every July and that’s about it! it occasionally snows up in the Blue Mountains (an hour’s drive away) but not much.
so, to me, those snowy photos of your house are just magical and divine! how gorgeous.
Carol N. says
Love your seasonal pics, I’ll have to remember to do that although it is extremely rare for us to get snow in central Alabama (just south of Birmingham). My favorite season is fall because we have so many hardwood trees and the colors can be spectacular! But, those leaves do have to be raked so it is a busy time of the year for the yard as well. In the spring our dogwoods and flowering cherry trees are beautiful as well as the azaleas. Summer is mostly just green leaves everywhere (and horrible humidity which makes Summer my least favorite season here). Winter is about the only time of the year we can see our neighbors houses. Every lot here must be at least an acre in size and most are much larger, so houses are not close together at all.
Erica says
I’m in Louisville, KY, so we get all four seasons and I hate it! I really wish I lived somewhere with like 3 1/2 seasons, because I despise winter. I hate the cold and the snow, though I like to look at it. Not sure what I would really do if there was no more winter, though. I hate shoveling snow and scraping off cars and seeing all that nasty road salt all over my nice black car. I love every other season, though!
However, I’m really glad it’s not summer right now because I don’t have a lawnmower to mow my grass! :-) My parents tried to sell me their old one, but I’m too short to get it started so I’ve got to go find a new one. Glad I’ve got a few months to do that…
michelle says
i CRAVE the seasons.
in outback queensland australia it’s either really hot or really really hot. 4 years of endless cloudless blue sky days have almost done my head in!! moving back to my beloved melbourne in 2 weeks, a place where you are sure to get 4 defined seasons, and usually all in one day!
thanks for these beautiful photo’s :)
Lynn says
Hi Guys,
As with Kris I just had to comment when you mentioned Australia! I live in Cairns in Far North Queensland and we get 2 seasons here the wet and the dry. During the day it stays about the same temperature all through the year (approx 28-32 degrees celcius) but during the wet season the humidity goes up to about 80%. So as you can imagine it gets very hot! I love the climate and don’t mind the heat at all, but when the wet arrives everything starts to grow like mad… the grass needs mowing every week (thats if you don’t get the mower bogged) and inside the mould starts to grow on everything! If anyone has any ideas on how to stop mould growing on unsealed canvas paintings it would be a great help!
megan w says
I like the seasonal photos…we’re in East Texas where the weather is pretty crazy…it can be 90 degrees one day and in the 30s and 40s a few days later.
We have 2 beautiful bradford pear trees in the front yard: in spring and summer, they pretty much hide the house, in fall, they are a beautiful mix of yellow/orange/red, but now they’re bare and I’ve already raked the front yard twice and mulched all the leaves…exhausting!
Jo says
Oh to have snow! I’ve never even seen it. But I wouldn’t swap anything really cause it means we have much 12 months of beautiful blue skies.
I too am in Queensland, Australia. We sort of only get Spring and Autumn for a a couple of weeks. Summers are long, hot and humid. In winter, the temps can get to freezing or below overnight and early morning, but usually the days are fairly warm – we might have a couple of weeks where it is actually cold during the day. We have a nice cool change at the moment, with much needed rain, due to the cyclone that’s hanging around up North. Hope you’re faring well up there Lynn!
lauren says
that’s one thing i loved about virginia. 4 solid seasons. and the lightening bugs.
misty says
I live in Minnesota and we get some pretty hefty Winters as you may have heard! We like to joke that Winter lasts about 6 mos around here. =) Our Autumns are fantastic though, especially near the North Shore. Come visit!
Dana says
We get all seasons here in the midwest too. Our winters can be pretty horrible. ugh. I don’t mind winter and the magic it seems to bring but it’s waaaaay too long in my book. I’d be okay with say 6 weeks of winter. It does make for some great family time spent together with the kiddos though! That’s my fave.
threadbndr says
I’m in Kansas, and we have not only all four seasons, but some totally INSANE temperature swings. It’s not at all uncommon to go from 40 degrees (F) to 0 in the space of 24 hours (or 70 to over 100 for that matter). As you can guess, that plays merry havoc on the roadways – the concrete just can’t expand and contract that fast.
So we say there are two seasons around here – salt and orange barrels.
We’ve had record breaking amounts of snow this winter and I was so sick of shoveling. But now it’s almost all melted off and I hate looking at the drab, dead grass. I’m so ready for spring.
Tatra says
what a lovely and greeny house.. wandering if i could stay there for a while
Jessica says
Hi there,
I was admiring the bushes in the backyard of your April 2009 photos. What beautiful colours when they are in bloom. Do you mind sharing what they are?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jessica,
Those are azalea bushes. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Vina says
Hello! I’m Vina (Silvina), I live in Madeira island and I came to know your blog by accident, but what a wonderful accident it was!! I love your work, Sherry’s decor ideas, your beautiful home and you guys!! I simply love the way you both share your ideas and your life with us. I find your house so charming, so lovely and when I saw these pictures of it, specially the ones with the snow, I felt SO ENVIOUS!! Eh! Eh! Eh! Kisses and keep on doing great things to share with us! And you look so great with your baby girl belly, Sherry! Congratulations to you both!! I’m also mum of a 5 year old girl, my princess Lara!
Arlene says
You guys have such a charming garden and not to mention the stunning background. I’m jealous!
Ju Fidélis says
Hi guys, the place I live (Brasil) has not four seasons. We have just 2: or sun, or rain.
Of course my house is better with sun, so shinning and alive.
But, I love so much this snow view… your backyard is so beautiful and well cared. It makes me breathless!
Congratulations!
Magchunk says
Think I saw this up above somewhere but I think it would be SO cute to switch out your header picture to be seasonal!
We just moved into our place in October but we have a big willow tree in the front yard and it has been so fun to watch it change from greeny yellow to bright yellow to bare. Can’t wait to see it in the spring! You’ve inspired me to take some seasonal pictures now!
Heather says
We definitely have all 4 seasons in Denver, but they look completely different then your 4 seasons. Virginia looks beautiful. I wish it was that green here.
Leslie says
This reminds me of four old paintings my parents had of the same house/scenery in the four seasons. They had been hanging up for so long, they were slightly faded. Could make for an interesting project for someone with that kind of style. Age and give depth and texture to photos of your home/yard from four seasons and frame in a grouping.
Laura Annerley says
What a crazy beautiful place.
I’m going to start organising my trip to Virginia right now, gosh, I’d love to see that fall/winter changeover.
Thanks, great blog!
Laura Brisbane says
That’s incredible, any good B&Bs near you? cheers ~L
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laura,
We actually aren’t very familiar with any of the B&Bs in our area, but perhaps if you google “Richmond Virginia bed & breakfast” you’ll uncover a few. We do know that there’s one downtown, but we can’t recall the name. Happy hunting!
xo,
s
Avocado Smoothies says
I just love your house in winter. I really love winter. Good job guys. I super love it.
Sandy Brisbane says
That looks beautiful. I’d love to see the snow sometime…. Here is Australia, we have two seasons: really sweaty and not quite so sweaty :-)