Hidden from the front of the house, protected by a pergola and matched gazebos, the back yard and stone patio provides numerous options that help put the "great" into the "great outdoors", with or without cooperation from Mother Nature.

When active, motion sensing floodlights cast a warm glow over the back patio, illuminating the whole area as brightly as the noonday sun and providing a radiant heat source to keep the patio temperature pleasant down to about freezing. It may also greatly surprise anyone relaxing in the hot pool; caution is advised. This light spills across the lawn beyond, and casts light as far as the garden.

Outside the patio door, a stainless steel outdoor kitchen offers an alternative to cooking indoors. The large gas grill might not offer quite as many burners as the kitchen stove, and the patio sink might not have hot water (or cold water, once the line has been drained for winter), but the massive unit provides an astonishing variety of cooking options. This is NOT just your average hibachi!

The table and seating under the central gazebo provides open-air dining for up to eight, with screens available to keep all the friendly neighborhood insects from helping themselves. A solar charged fan light gently illuminates the dining area and keeps the air circulating.

An outdoor fireplace offers an inviting place to gather on crisp nights. A sunken hot tub stands ready to soak away the cares at the end of the day beside a larger free-form pool with a waterfall at one end. Wicker furniture provides a comfortable place to sit and talk, to watch the garden grow, to listen to the sounds of the woods, or to relax at the end of the day. Providing, of course, the floodlights aren't on.

A large shed sits beside the garden. Various gardening implements can be seen through the shed window, hanging on pegs and hooks. Beside the shed, a functional windmill turns quietly in the breeze, generating electricity and pumping water for the house.