Porches in the South

I bet when you read the title, it immediately conjures up a particular vision: Wide porches, perhaps wrapped around the house, with fretwork and turned banisters and lots of ferns, palms and wicker.

Am I right?

Well, that's what it does for me, and because I am a Victorian/Country House lover, my porches look like that. At least, eventually.

Winter takes a toll on the beauty of the outside of the house, and this year has certainly been no exception. The pollen was stacked up knee deep. Dead leaves, spider webs, mildew, and a frozen lizard added to the mix.

The good news is the lizard thawed out in the sun and resumed his little lizard life.

Armed with Husband's strong back, Daughter's willingness to sneeze her way through sweeping, and my uncanny ability to supervise, the back porch is a lovely, tree-house retreat.

It is on the second story at the back of the house, and is literally in the trees. If you sit really still, birds come within touching distance. They get used to you quickly, and come to the feeders eagerly. I have a small waterfall fountain, a ceiling fan, the obligatory wicker, ferns and palms, as well as assorted other plants, including my favorite, Caladiums.

The back porch is truly my "God place", where I can go to read and pray and find serenity.

The front porch is about half way there. It's big, wrapping around the bow of the front of the house. Daughter has worked hard all day and Husband moved out furniture so she could have plenty of room to clean.

Right now our  yard looks like we are having a sale.

We don't use the front porch as much anymore because since the evil paving of the road took place, there is faster traffic and more of it. I don't particularly like feeling as though I am on display, which is odd, since I was raised in town, and someone spoke to you every three minutes if you were sitting on the porch.

I guess I got used to being in the middle of the woods.

So when you come to visit, let's sit on the back porch where we can be relaxed, tell tall tales and not worry about the next car driving by.

What time will ya'll be gettin' here?