This unseasonably warm and wonderful weather can mean only one thing: Get thyself onto the screen porch.
That means you. Come join me!
I’ve even lit the candles for us.
Where would you like to sink in?
The chairs? The glider?
Oh that old thing? No, really. It is an old thing. In fact, that vintage metal porch glider is another treasure that came with R-house! I love, love, love it. Who knows how many decades that beauty has spent out here on the porch. One thing is for sure: There is no better place in the world to take an afternoon nap.
– Random fact #1: This glider folds down into a bed—although I’ve never needed to do so. Plenty of room for my long self to spread out just as it is!
– Random fact #2: The scene you’re looking at is from one of my very favorite movies ever—August Rush—and it took place on a metal glider exactly like mine.
– Random fact #3: If I had to buy this glider, I probably couldn’t. Check out this price (5th one down).
Although I’d love to find (or make?) some perfectly fitted vintage cushions one day, for now the two couch cushions I found at an estate sale for $1 each and a bunch of other random pillows are doing the job just fine.
Speaking of cheap cushions, check out my latest thrift store find!
Three yummy (and reversible) pillows for $2 each at Goodwill! I think they were from Pier One originally.
I’ve done a lot of make-do-ing out here. I find a piece of junk, I give it a home. (Did you notice my new skis in the corner??)
This “lamp” doesn’t actually work, which is fine because when it’s dark outside, I never want more than a few candles and twinkle lights on. Still, I like how it makes the place look homey.
The $1 vintage lamp stand is adorable, although not functional. And the lamp shade? It’s a cheap thrift-store skirt. I threw it over an old shade form, added a few stiches to keep it secure, and—voila.
One of the biggest problems with my screen door is that little kids need a place to push and pull without breaking through the screen. A few years ago I pulled this metal guard off my front screen door, where it wasn’t so necessary, and added it back here.
It hasn’t completed saved my screen, which is needing some repairs, but I like it.
One of my favorite things about sitting out here is getting to escape the mess that might be waiting just that side of the French doors. While we’re on the subject of French doors, why doesn’t every home have them? They just look so good and add a lot of character to a home. If you’re wondering about installing French doors in your home, you could take a look at the Shuttercraft website for some inspiration as many find it amazing for home ideas when they’re about to undergo some kind of renovation.
Out here, it’s all about this:
Yes, the paint is peeling. Yes, the screens need some repairs. Yes, we could use a good sweeping out here. But that is for another day.
Tonight, it’s perhaps a little wine. A bite of dinner. Some conversation. Maybe a book.
And as evening starts to fall, the colors shift and it becomes slightly magical to sit here in the night air, surrounded by crickets and stars. (And unbothered by mosquitos!)
Already this morning, as I finish this post, last night’s moments on the screen porch are giving way to much cooler temps so I’m thinking it might be time to look into companies like ArmorGarage or somewhere similar to restore the porch flooring to its glory ready for the next summer!
Soon it will be time to say goodbye for the season.
But not quite yet.
Thanks for joining me, friends. The screen porch is always open.
by julie rybarczyk
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