~Come Sit On My Porch~

 

We returned from the lake Wednesday evening.

We’ll do a few projects, here at home, before returning to the lake next week.

  

One of our projects was the installation of a light fixture I purchased during our neighborhood garage sale, last weekend. If you recall, I traded two rugs for the lantern light fixture and a smaller fixture.

You can just make out the new back porch lantern, through the living room window.

J removed the ceiling fan and together we replaced it with the lantern light.  We are using a small fan on the porch and won’t miss the ceiling fan, at all.

We moved the round table, from our room, onto the porch. Originally purchased for the back porch, at a resale shop, we used it in our room over the past year.  It fits nicely beneath the lantern, leaving plenty of room.  We’ll bring a couple of ladder back chairs from the breakfast room, when we need them.

J, at about 6 feet tall, can walk under the lantern without hitting his head.

 

I set the table using odds and ends from around the house.

   

Happy weekend, everyone!

~Table Tops & Dragonflies~

Beginning anew, comments on, after time off from regular blogging and Memorial Day weekend.

One table times three…

I’m adding these new back porch vignettes and table settings to Marty’s Table Top Tuesday.

The pair of ducks formerly sat atop a narrow cabinet at our lake place.  They make an ideal summertime addition to the back porch wicker dresser.

Sunday Breakfast

When we moved the wicker dresser to the back porch, I didn’t think there would be room for a table and chairs. 

We used a small wicker end table, for meals in front of the settee, until over the weekend, when I moved an old green metal table from the garage and two of the breakfast room chairs, to the porch.

The table fits very well in front of the fireplace and can be moved easily when more room is needed.

I played with dishes and linens, setting the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Lunch

I found the fabric, for the table cloth, stored away in the basement.  I covered the chair seats in this fabric not long before we moved into our home in 2003.  The chairs were also stored away in the basement.  I used silk peonies, to mimic the peonies in the fabric.

Supper

A rooster is usually heard from in the morning.  This time, it’s roosters in the evening. 

The third table is set, with burlap and roosters, for a simple supper on the back porch.  The red chairs were brought out from the breakfast room.  There are 8 ladder back chairs, around the 9 foot pine farmhouse table, in four colors…red, green, gold, and orange.

 

I found the dragonfly lights, last month, at Home Goods, St Peters MO.

~Back Porch Happenings~

 

An in progress look at what is happening on the back porch.

We have a rattan/wicker chest, at the lake, we are borrowing for the back porch. I bought the chest about 7 years ago at Big Lots, for under $100. A corner and the top of the chest can be seen in the photos, below, taken on the deck at our condo, last year.  We’ll bring the chest home after our little spring trip.  The chest will be painted white. The original knobs will be replaced with the colorful knobs, seen, close up, in the photo below.  I found them, yesterday, at Hobby Lobby. At 50% off the cost was $1.50 each.

The shell lamp is from Marshall’s, Osage Beach MO. The bowl is vintage and shows some of the colors I hope to use, with the white wicker, on the porch.  The wire cloche is from The Schaefer House, Jefferson City MO.  The welcome sign is from The Apple Wagon, just east of Kingdom City MO. The Apple Wagon has been renovated, with another show room installed. It is looking great.

The Norfolk Island Pine is the one we used in the living room, Christmas ‘09.

I have a new computer. My daughter is taking care of my old laptop, transferring photos, etc.  I know there must be a photo of the chest somewhere, but not sure where. I found these two photos with a tiny corner and top showing, in THIS post from last year. Perhaps this will give you an idea of the shape and texture of the piece.

A glimpse through the living room window shows the window and shutter “screen” J made for the hearth.  We brought the small cabinet, to the left, from the hearth room.  We are still in the early stages of preparing the back porch.  We’re wondering if the Wrens will return to the birdhouse, this spring.  At the moment we have a Robin nesting in the evergreen next to the steps.

There will be more additions as we progress.  First, though, our Spring 2010 Road Trip.  I’ll be around to visit, between packing and planning, in the next day or two.

~J’s Checkup~

All went well with J’s check up, on Monday.  He will return in 6 months. If all is well, he will not need to return for a year. 

We both will continue our quarterly check ups with our Cardiologist/Primary Physician.  We had check ups in February and all was well with that.  We continue to live by the quote, on the sidebar; living each day to the fullest.

Blogdom Alert!

Just a note.  Mary Carol Garrity has a blog! Yes, folks MCG of Nell Hill’s is now blogging! You can find the blog HERE.

 

~Something Old-Something New on the Back Porch~

Something Old 

Wine and cheese lunch, on a summer day.

 

I’m making notes for our back porch, 2010.

Some of the photos, seen in this post, are views of the porch during past years.

 

 Summer 2008

 

 Spring 2007

Summer 2009

Fall 2009 

The first photo published at Back Porch Musings, March 6, 2007. This was how our back porch looked during 2006.

The camera, I used, was a Kodak P850.  That was the camera I dropped at Mary Carol Garrity’s Nell Hill’s in Atchison Kansas, May 2008.  The accident led to our garage sale, that Fall. The proceeds from that sale were used to purchase my Canon Rebel Xti.

Something New 

We were in this town to do a little business, Thursday. 

As usual, we took a detour and made a day trip adventure out of what, otherwise, might have been a routine day.

Rather than take our regular route home, via hwy 54 to I-70, we drove hwy 63, toward Columbia.

Please ignore windshield grime. It’s been one of those winters. 

On this day, the weather was perfect, the sky was blue and snow was all but gone.

When we arrived in Columbia, we entered Interstate 70 East.  It wasn’t long until we reached Exit 137 and Artichoke Annie’s Antique Mall.

This was our first visit to Artichoke Annie’s.  Next time, we are taking the truck.

J had a KC meeting, Thursday evening, so our time at the antique mall was limited.  We will plan for more time when we visit again. 

I managed to find a little something for our back porch.

 

I believe the shutters may have been red, in another time.  No repairs will be done.  The shutters will be used, as they are.

We’re trying them in the corner by the back porch fireplace.  Perhaps with the addition of a fern or a piece of garden art and pots of flowers.

 

We found these penciled words on the back of the shutters.

Can you see them on the window of a cottage?

Have a wonderful weekend!