Friday, June 16, 2017

An All American Front Porch

When I was a little girl, we moved from the country to the big city of Brilliant, Ohio,
population about 1,000 when the street fair was in town.
Of course, when you're little everything seems so much bigger.
On a recent trip back to my old home town, I was surprised at how small everything was.

Today, I can't think of our house on Market Street without remembering its huge front porch. 
Well, it seemed huge to me.
Too bad I don't have any photos of it. This is our front porch now. 


The welcome mat is out. Come on in and let's chat.


We spent countless lazy hours on my childhood porch watching the world go by,
gossiping with neighbors, sipping lemonade,
and strapping on our clamp-on roller skates to zoom back and forth on the uneven sidewalk.

The front porch was where I watched parades march by and wished for a pony
(which I never got, thank you very much!)
and a few years later where Mom kept an eye on me and my sister
parked at the curb with our boyfriends. 
Ah, the wonders of the big city.


Now that I live in an actual big city, population nearing 700,000, I still love my front porch. 
I may not know all of my neighbors like I did back home, but saying good morning to passersby
with their dogs, makes me feel part of the neighborhood. 


Our little dog, Roxy, loves the porch too. 
She must feel like queen of the block from her elevated perch. 
If Ron is on the porch she feels it's her duty to protect him (but not me??)
by barking at passing dogs unless they're neighbor dogs whom she knows.


I love our American flag whether it's floating loose or snapping in the wind. 
Ron purchased it for me when he visited Mt. Vernon. 
This special flag flew over George Washington's home and I'm proud to display it.


It reminds me of a fond childhood memory. 
Growing up, my sister and I always thought everyone was celebrating our mother's birthday 
on June 14 by hanging out their flags. It took us a while to figure out it was actually Flag Day.


I probably have too much stuff on my front porch but my collecting habit has spilled over there. 
This primitive bench found a home after I discovered it in the mud at an estate sale, too shabby to sell. The red pump came from my parents' pump house and the chair from Dad's garden.
Maybe these objects from home make this front porch feel, well, more like home.


I do love alley shopping and was thrilled when we found these two rocking chairs thrown
in the alley for trash pick up. After a lot of scraping, sanding and painting,
they're the perfect chairs for sittin' a while with a cup of coffee in the morning sun.


A blogger from Europe once mentioned how much she loved our American front porches
because they didn't have them in Europe. I hadn't realized that until she pointed it out. 
I guess we had more room to spread out when building houses
in our wide-open spaces in America. 


So glad someone thought of adding a front porch to their house.
It wouldn't be home without one.

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Linking with:
Little FarmsteadDwellingsBetween Naps on the PorchCoastal CharmCedar Hill Farmhouse,
A Stroll Thru LifeSavvy Southern StyleA Delightsome LifeHave a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary LanePeonies and Orange BlossomsAdirondack Girl at Heart,
French Country Cottage

26 comments:

  1. Your front porch is so inviting and clearly a great place from which to watch the busy world of Denver go by. Happy weekend.

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    1. Thanks Monika! Hope you're having a wonderful week. Hugs, Pat

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  2. Front porches are wonderful for relaxing in the evening. Our veranda looks out over the valley to the next mountain ridge, lovely scenery for winding down.

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    1. Thanks Carole! Your veranda sounds lovely; wish I could see it. Enjoy the view! Hugs, Pat

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  3. We don't currently have a front porch, but we do have a back deck which serves the same purpose - spending time together outside. A very homely post.

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    1. Thanks Catherine! A back deck is more private and I'm sure it's a great place to unwind. Hugs, Pat

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  4. What a wonderful spot!! Iced tea please. :)

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  5. You have a delightful front porch. Our front porch isn't large enough to have chairs, but our previous home had a wonderful front porch for sitting. We had wicker chairs and a wicker rocker on it and often spent the evenings sitting there. It's a great way to get to meet neighbors and a wonderful venue for watching the neighborhood 4th of July parade.

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    1. Thanks so much Sarah. I love wicker and think it looks great on a front porch. Were you able to save it and use it inside? Hope you're having a wonderful week. Hugs, Pat

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  6. I would love a front porch. There's something so inviting about them and I like your furniture selection- very comfortable looking. Having the added family pieces of the water pump and metal chair add the perfect nostalgic touch! Your childhood memories sound wonderful. Visiting from Amaze Me Monday.

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    1. Thanks so much Liz. Hope you're enjoying your summer. Hugs, Pat

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  7. What a beautiful front porch! I loved your commentary...it brought back a simpler time. My childhood was very similar!

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    1. Thanks Pam. Love your comment. So glad you had a happy childhood too. Hugs, Pat

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  8. Pat, I love the front porch. We had a front porch with large screened windows on one of the houses we lived in when I was a child. I loved being in there and feeling like I was in nature but did not have mosquitoes, did not get wet when it rained but I could hear the wind and the birds. Loved it!! Thanks for sharing. Have a great day. Sylvia D.

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    1. Thank you Sylvia! Your screened-in porch sounds so perfect. I've always wanted one but you rarely see them here in Colorado. And we do have mosquitoes! Enjoy your summer. Hugs, Pat

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  9. Love your porch Pat, mines more of a stoop really small. My dream house has a huge wrap around one big enough to throw a party! Just like a good ole Southern Belle!

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    1. Thanks Brenda! Don't forget to invite me to the party (even if it's on the stoop.) Hugs, Pat

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  10. Such a darling porch and what a sweet pooch. I am visiting you from Katherine's Corner. The George Washington flag is such a treasure!

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    1. Thank you so much. Pooch sends kissies and hugs from me, Pat

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  11. Pat, I am always amazed at what you find in your alleys! wish I had some allies to shop here. :) There's nothing quite like a front porch to say welcome. That was one of my stipulations when we were looking for a new home. "It had to have a porch"! Love our flag as well, and your sweet dog looks right at home! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  12. Charming porch and Roxy is adorable!
    Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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