The Roberts Story by Cathy Spaulding Photos by Jerry Willis
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ny time of day — any time of year — is a great time for Carlisle and Linda Roberts to enjoy their shady backyard. “We bring coffee out here every morning,” Linda Roberts said. “First thing in the morning, we take the Muskogee Phoenix, Tulsa World, USA Today and sit. We enjoy the end of the day the same way. It’s all lit up at night.” The Roberts have plenty of
spaces around their pool to sit in padded seats and enjoy the views. Fat pillows, mostly from Pottery Barn, accent the beige seats with a variety of colors and patterns. Bailey’s Pools of Hulbert installed the in-ground, lined pool about 15 years ago, Linda said. A slate deck surrounds the kidney-shaped pool. “It’s a sports pool,” Linda said. “It’s 6 feet deep on either end and 6 feet in the middle. You can swim laps, but you cannot
dive in it.” The Roberts’ 7-year-old granddaughter, Chloe, may well be the pool’s biggest fan. She can be seen playing with an inflatable orange and white clownfish, an inflatable shark and a beach ball that’s almost as big as she is. “It’s very big,” Chloe said. Linda, a former teacher, said they built their country Frenchstyle house 37 years ago with bricks from an old Muskogee school.
Ivy gently climbs two trellises beside the chimney. “This was entirely engulfed in ivy,” Linda said. “I had to take it down to seal the bricks.” She pointed to a row of trees towering over the yard and said “my father planted all those pin oaks.” Muskogee Parks and Recreation Director Mark Wilkerson designed the raised garden that lines nearly three sides of the yard, Linda said. Tan hackett stone blocks support the
The slate deck and sports pool at Carlisle and Linda Roberts’ home is framed by planted beds and a variety of seating.
Green Country Living
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