Tuesday, May 29, 2018

A DESTINY FULFILLED...










A couple of summers ago 
we screened in a plain old porch 
and turned it into a magical place.

 A place right next to
 the Secret Garden,
 a place where we could 
listen to the birds, 
watch the fairies dance
 and a place where we could 
sit and dream 
and let the world,
 and all of its problems,
 pass us by.
  
And sit and dream we did! 
 So much so
that the remaining task 
needed to fulfill this porch's destiny
 didn't get done...
the painting.






The white paint, or primer, 
already there, 
had been a quick fix 
from a few years ago 
when the exterior walls were 
chipped and peeling 
and waiting for a new finish.
  It looked okay 
and we figured 
it would get us by for awhile,
 but then that sitting and dreaming thing
 kicked in
 and before we knew it,
 the season of summer
 was gone.





Now,
 it's nearly a new summer 
and a lot of hard thinking 
has gone into
 what the new
 paint color job should look like.

 At first, 
we thought just a new coat
 of shiny white 
would do the trick. 

 After all, 
it had made the cover of
 a national magazine!

 But, 
then I saw this on
 Pinterest...




Pinterest - Source


...and since the Secret Garden 
looks like this...





...it just seemed like a 
match made in heaven.

 I just knew it would seem heavenly 
when the hot summer was pressing down
 and we were surrounded by cooling greens
 that would make the 
sitting and dreaming 
so much more
 delightful.




Laurel Garland - Behr


After the basic color
 was decided,
 we found this 
table and chairs...




Table - Local antique shop
Chairs - The Rehab Store



...and the full design came into view.

  I had in mind 
a cabin in the woods 
or a camp in the Adirondacks 
and slowly,
 but surely,
 our version of those two ideas 
came together.








~~~~~





We had this birdhouse
 in Jacob's Garden
 for about twelve years. 
 It was starting to lean 
and the patina was just at
 the right stage, 
so we brought it inside the porch
to preserve it...





...I love the whimsy
it adds 
over the table.





With the addition of
a few of our 
favorite things...





...we have turned our little 
Summer Place
 into a peaceful spot 
where we can continue 
to sit and dream.


"To sit in the shade
on a fine day
and look upon verdure
is the most perfect
refreshment."

Jane Austen


~~~~~




We received
 a wonderful gift 
some 50-ish years ago.

 Happy Birthday
 to our beautiful daughter,
 Tami.

You, sweet girl,
 are a gift that just
 keeps on giving.

 We love you.






...Judy...


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20 comments:

  1. How charming and inspiring...Happy Birthday to your Daughter!Best wishes!

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  2. I don't know what it is but we are certainly on the same wave length. I am in the process of putting together a new post, not on a porch but it's cousin a deck. In some ways very similiar. Now, I wish it was screened in, that would make it even more charming such as yours -which looks spectacular. But alas it isn't...but I can always dream.

    I love what you have done.

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  3. Happy Birthday to your daughter! It goes fast doesn't it?? And that room is beautiful and I love how yours turned out. Looks like it's time for another magazine feature! I am in the middle of a few updates around here and looking for inspiration. I think I found some on your pretty site. Where did you find that pretty rug? I need new...

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  4. Judy,
    I so agree with Kim above that I see another magazine feature coming!! You know that I am a color girl and I LOVE your choice of color for the porch!! Beautiful!!! And your decor looks lovely with that color! I can not be more perfect!! LOVE IT!!! Great job!! And Happy Birthday to your sweet daughter!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  5. That green is just PERFECT for your porch and the decorations are really great!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much. I'm happy that you like it..Happy Tuesday..Judy

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  6. Judy, I swear, I could move into your space and feel like I was there forever, it is so warm, so inviting, so home. The porch is fabulous -- the whole thing is. And I'm still so excited about your cover!

    Thanks for your comment. I'm beginning to wonder if the notifications have to do with that GPRwhatever thing everyone is talking about. We'll see!

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  7. your secret garden is very beautiful and enchanting... and happy birthday to your beautiful daughter..

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  8. love how you made over your porch. So pretty and cool looking with the forestry green look.

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  9. Hi Judy,
    Happy Birthday to your sweet daughter. I love the green you chose. I love that you re loved the birdhouse into the screened porch. It does look great by your table. Very nice. I bet you can really relax and enjoy the summer months out on that grand porch. Happy new week.
    xoxo
    Kris

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  10. Absolutely beautiful! What a great haven to relax & reflect! Great ideas for those vintage treasures many of us have. Thanks for sharing your little corner of heaven Judy!
    Blessings, Edie Marie

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Edie Marie. Our weather is turning pretty warm now so we shall find out if the "cool green" works..Happy Wednesday..Judy

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  11. Happy birthday to your daughter! I love your "new" porch. The color green is one of my favorites. It is so calming and cooling -- great choice! Fun place for all your treasures. Enjoy the summer!

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  12. Wow what a beautiful transformation. Love Love it. At first when I read you were going to paint I thought 'no' but wow it's beautiful. You can decorate my porch when my new house is built. Hope your daughter had an awesome birthday.

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  13. That turned out so lovely and looks so soothing with your gardens just outside. Happy relaxing and dreaming this summer.

    Happy Birthday to your daughter.

    FlowerLady

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  14. Oh happy day - that is the sweetest porch - I love every little thing about it - and the colors are perfect - and the birdhouse! Our son (middle child) turned 50 this month - happy birthdays all around. I can just feel the happiness and relaxation you will be enjoying all summer in your lovely porch. Happy week my dear!

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  15. I like that porch, it's perfect. I so like that table you found. You sure have a vision and you put it all together so well.
    Many Happy Birthday wishes for your daughter Tami. Such a sweet baby picture of her in her cradle. She looks so tiny.
    Happy Warm and dry days to you. It's raining here again today. I don't think it will ever end. Well I will take another look at your porch and try to come up with some ideas to make mine cozy and inviting.
    Betsy

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  16. I love it!! What a great transformation. Of course you have styled your pretty new wall color perfectly. It does feel like a retreat to an Adirondacks cottage, something I dream about finding someday to spend a week in the summer. Your room is just dreamy!

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  17. Judy,
    Thanks so muchf or stopping by!! I am not getting email notification of comments either. I understand it is a gliche with Blogger and they are working to fix it. I am monitoring my comments by checking either each post or the commet section on blogger....
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  18. I LOVE that inspiration porch.. and love yours too. The greens and reds are so "lodgey" and homey. Happy Birthday to your daughter too... such a sweet photo of her in the cradle. My how time does fly. I've been having trouble with my blog too. I use blogger... and once I put on that Privacy Notice and Cookies notice (that is now required), I lost everything on my sidebar! I don't know how to get it back and haven't backed up my blog forever and a day (years). I'll have to do some research I guess and see what happened. Hope your heat isn't too intolerable there yet! It's been really nice here.. in the 70's and low 80's.. just perfect for me! Take care... Marilyn

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy