Southern HEAT

Trickling down my back, feeling like miniature rivers, the water pools around my waist, dampening my flimsy clothing.

HEAT - the scourge of Summer in the South. It arrives without fanfare, seems suddenly to envelope one's day quietly, welling up from the cool, misty dawn.

By high noon, it envelopes one's senses, slows one's pace and breathing.

By late afternoon it sears bare arms and legs even when lolling, useless and damp, in the shade of the porch.

I am melting.........bring me a river, a pond, a pool, the ocean......ice, water, water, water.

Cool, clear crystals against water-colored wood - vintage sconce at SuzAnna's Antiques.

The Door is Always Open

The French inspired guest room welcomes you ~ but when empty something pretty was needed to prop the door open. This heavy resin, hand painted piece may have been made to use as a doorstop, it is flat on the back ~ if that was not its original function that's what it is now, and I love it!

Pretty painted 'doorstop' found this week at SuzAnna's Antiques.

And then...............step through the door into the room and what do you see but this fabulous French clock attached to a black iron stand. This is a beautiful and thoughtful gift from my friend Vanessa at Vanilla Lavender - we met for a little treasure hunting and lunch on Tuesday and had a great time together. Thanks again Vanessa ~ truly love the clock and will always think of you when I glance up at the armoire.

forever (for-ev`er) 1. for always, without end 2. without the bonds of time; eternal

Front Porch Party Day!

Welcome to my southern front porch in Raleigh, North Carolina. As you know, Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses has taken on the huge job of hosting a worldwide Front Porch Party today ~ what fun, many thanks Rhondi. Hope to spend time visiting each of you on your porch ~ or viewing pictures of your dream porch.

When you reach the top of the driveway, notice the Hydrangeas in front of the porch. They decided to bloom in time for the party today. These two are Endless Summer and were planted as small gallon size pot plants just 18 months ago!

As you climb the front steps this vignette of things I love welcome your arrival at the front door of the cottage. SIMPLIFY has been my mantra for the past year............unfortunately it's not working too well because I keep finding treasures that beg to come home with me.

The porch is small but perfect for my cozy cottage. The dining room window looks out onto the porch. There's room for three comfy wicker chairs ~ I can squeeze in a fourth if you bring an extra friend along ~ and a small round table to display ever changing vintage treasures. We can move them if you want a place to put your cool drink, and as the temperatures have decided to stay in the mid to high 90's all this week, I'll make extra ice!!

Palest pink picnic basket from SuzAnna's Antiques.

Last year, one fresh and brilliant morning, Spring fever overtook me while visiting SuzAnna's Antiques. Many of you know this is my favorite local ~ make that favorite anywhere ~ shop, and y'all will be stopping there when you come to Raleigh, right? I bought the chartreuse green potting bench that day and it has become a place to display garden items such as birdhouses, pottery and crockery, vases of flowers, birds' nests and a collection of birds. It's a perfect fit at the end of the porch. In the coming weeks of Summer, the Morning Glories and Moon Flower vines will clamber up the end of the porch making a curtain of leaves and purple and white blooms, providing shade from the hot afternoon sun.
Above hang two candoliers - pretty in both the sparking sun and under the stars in the evening with the candles lit.

In front of the porch is a small fountain which is becoming popular as a drinking and bathing pond for many of our garden birds. Chickadees like to drink on the very top as the water spurts out. House Finches, Robins, Cardinals come to drink, and yesterday a large Catbird actually appeared to be trying to swim in the lower basin, quite funny to watch. We've also seen squirrels drinking and one day a black cat stopped by to taste the water.

If you followed my chronicles of the Carolina Wrens this Spring, these pictures show you how they enjoyed the porch so much they raised a family here, and a corner of the porch ceiling is a favorite sleeping spot at night for the female Wren.

I'm so happy you stopped by today to relax with me on the front porch. The perfume from the Jasmine climbing the porch posts is wonderful. The trickling water in the fountain is calming and, if we stay still and whisper, perhaps a bird will splash around as we sip our cool drinks.

Often described as the forum of the American nation, the porch is a stage upon which the drama of everyday life is acted out. Whether simply rustic and charming or ornate and imposing, they can be as diverse as the country itself.

The porch is a bridge between the interior life of the home and the world outside----a place to quietly reflect on the day, sit with the neighbors and catch up on their news, linger with friends, or be alone with your loved ones and your dreams.

............Porches - American Beauties ~ Wynn Wheldon............

Early Spring ~ porch sitting time is here!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my front porch today. Be sure to come back again soon, I'll be looking for you.

This morning as the sun came up ~ it's going to be a hot day.

P.S. Just found out that today is Rhondi's Birthday ~ best wishes dear friend, Happy Birthday and many more. We'll celebrate your day on the porch of course!

Oops! I needed a little break.......

Know I should have been in the garden yesterday morning but meeting Vanessa for a a little fun and retail therapy at SuzAnna's had to be squeezed in too! Will show more pics later of the fun things we found ~ gets better all the time.

See you all at Rhondi's Front Porch Party tomorrow.

Blue Angel

I'm not really 'blue' ~ just so busy with the garden chores and other things that I just have to take a bit of a blog break for a day or so. When I get back I'll be stopping by to catch up with all your news. Don't forget, Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses is hosting a great Front Porch Party this week ~ stop over to get details.

" A garden without seats is unfriendly."

Christopher Lloyd ~ 'In My Garden' 1994

Deep Purple

As dusk falls across the garden

some flowers take on an

otherworldly look.

A favorite purple clematis climbs an old obelisk each Spring. Rusting legs caused it to fall in a recent wind, I was concerned the thin brittle stems were broken and my flowers would die. Happily they survived. I shored up the shaky structure with strong wooden stakes. Improvise in the garden. Don't toss out the old things, they bring history to the place.

Shabby in the garden works really well.

Deep purple in the thunderstorm this evening.

Hydrangeas in the Garden

I love them, don't you? Beautiful Hydrangeas ~ great bushes of them tucked around the garden in mixed borders, in front of fences and porch railings, on a corner of the cottage sheltered from hot afternoon sun and chilling Winter winds. They love to drink, show you when thirsty by drooping sadly and making you run for the old galvanized watering can. But in the evening as the sun sinks into the West and a slight coolness is felt in the air, they perk back up in all their glory, straight stemmed, their lovely leaves firm, their magnificent blooms fresh looking as in the early morning.

A bunch of Hydrangeas picked today for the table on the front porch.

Cream crackle vase from SuzAnna's Antiques.