Summer Porches

  Summer is finally here and we have extended our world to yards, gardens, decks and porches.  No matter the size of your porch, you can make it inviting simple easy and affordable touches.  

Adding an outdoor rug can bring in such festive color to your porch.  

Colorful pillows and cushions for your chairs or benches are beautiful and comfortable.

Garden centers are booming with seasoned and first time gardeners. Just visiting a local garden center brings a smile. Flower and vegetable plants  are flying off shelves. At the top of the list is the lavender plant.  Flower colors are brilliant as they are in bloom. If you love lavender like I do, snip the top to release the lavender fragrant oil.  It will relax you as you breath it in. Remember to look for pots to plant your flowers.  I grow my vegetable on my deck.  This year I found Grow tubs (pictured below) online.  I'm growing all of my tomato plants in the 15 gallon tubs and they're growing so well, I am already harvesting tomatoes.  Once the season is over, I will simply remove the contents and fold and store for next year. 

There are so many ways to add lighting to your porch.  Solar powered are a favorite of mine.  Lanterns in particular add a lot of charm in various shapes and colors.  

Accent tables can be found on Overstock and  World Market and both are having sales on summer stock right now.  Check them out for great ideas.  

Welcome Summer☀️

What Story Does Your Home Tell?

While enjoying a quiet moment recently sipping my morning coffee, I looked around and began to reflect on the memories of years past.  From the couch I'm sitting, I remember our children coming out of their rooms and down the hall on Christmas morning in their pajamas with glee and excitement to open their gifts and begin the day.  

Our piano was a gift I surprised my husband with over 20 years ago when he had told me one day he always wanted to learn to play the piano.  So I bought him a piano and found him a piano teacher.  My mom played piano beautifully and I loved growing up with music in our home. Every day around dinner time, she would sit and play her music with passion.  It was her few moments out of busy days running a household of 5 children and a husband who worked 6 days a week.  Our son is a musician and he began his love of music at age 10.  Our sons children and now our daughter's toddler son have always been drawn to the piano in our home when visiting.  They like to sit at the bench and enjoying the sounds they can create with the keys. It makes me smile to think of the music that has come from our piano.

We have my mother in law's armchair in our living room.  She passed away 3 years ago but this chair was where she spent each day enjoying her favorite television shows and watching the neighborhood activities out her large patio door.  Each time I sit in her chair, I feel her presence. 

My mother in law was an avid reader and for years she worked in the local library.  She kept her favorite old paperbacks in a basket and always told me when she passed, this basket of books would be mine.  I treasure them in our home.  

Our dining room table has had more meals served on it than I could ever begin to count.  When we bought it many years ago, we were a family of 4.  Now we are blessed with a family of 9, but we have been known to squeeze in 14 at this table built for 6.  No one minds it's a tight fit because we are all together sharing stories while enjoying a meal I have prepared.  We aren't remembering we were crowded but just the laughter, or at times, tears or problem solving.

What story does your home tell?