Sunflower Setting

Won't you join me on the porch for a sunflower set table?


I'm so happy to be able to set the porch table and enjoy this cool weather.

This beautiful bouquet was picked up on the way home from work tonight by Mr. B -he's a keeper!

I think it goes so well with the sunflower temptations set.

Your place is set and ready for you to join me!

These black lanterns are so adorable with their little gates.

The serving dish is ready for the salad.

Each casserole comes with its own black iron carrier.

Green glasses match the green dinner plates.

This cream pitcher came from an estate sale at our

old neighborhood of a lady that was 100 when she

moved to a retirement community.

I hope you are enjoying cooler weather

where you are this week.

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

Placemats from Ben Franklin Crafts.

Black Chargers from Hobby Lobby

Green Plates from Target - 15+ years ago

Sunflower Temptations set from QVC

Cream Linen Napkins - Ebay

Green Goblets - Arbys Christmas Giveaway years ago

Cream Flatware - Ebay

Summer Porch Reading

One of my favorite things to do is read out on the back porch in these white wicker chairs. We've had these chairs since we bought our first house over 18 years ago and they have served us well. Marbles enjoys sitting up high on the porch bird watching.

Recently I was able to catch up on a few of my magazines along with two of my favorite Starbucks items - black iced tea unsweetened and lemon pound cake.

This white wicker table was in our daughters nursery as a side table to the rocking chair - 22 years ago!

You can't beat sipping iced tea on a summer day :)

I'm joining Outdoor Wednesday; White Wednesday ; Show and Tell Friday & My Favorite Things.

Just Hanging Around the House

Here are a few things we have handing around the outside of our house.

The American flag on the front porch.

A cardinal wind chime off the back porch upstairs.

A few hanging baskets of flowers . . .

and a humming bird feeder to attract the humming birds.

And finally in the front tree two bird feeders.

What's hanging outside of your house these days?

I'm joining Ruby Tuesday and Three or more Tuesday.

A Glorious Fourth!

Some of us were more excited than others to celebrate the Fourth of July.

We invited a few friends over to grill out hamburgers. The beverage server is out and ready for iced tea!

The other beverages are iced down and ready to go.

I added a few red, white and blue touches to the porch.

Including some new flowers.

I used this vintage tablecloth on the porch table.

And added some flags to the railing. . .

I think we are ready to celebrate :)

Hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful holiday!

Join Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for more

Metamorphosis Monday posts.

Annapolis Porch Tour

We have just returned from a week's vacation which began by taking our son to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis Maryland for a week long camp entitled STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics). He was one of only 300 high school students selected to participate and we are very proud of him!

While on base at the Naval Academy, we toured the campus and I snapped these photos of the porches of the Deans of each school.

Each was beautifully decorated in patriotic and Navy or Marine theme.

Each home had blue and white striped awnings and the name of the resident family on a plague on the steps.

This was the only Marine Corps house,

so you know I had to take a picture of this one!

In the city of Annapolis, the homes are colorful and unique.

See the boat planter? Nautical is the theme on most of the homes.

As well as lots of American, Military and nautical flags.

Thanks for stopping by to visit. Be sure to check back in this week as we'll be visiting great places like: more of Annapolis; Charlottesville, VA & Monticello home of Thomas Jefferson;

I'm linking to Metamorphosis Monday with Susan at:

Between Naps on the Porch.

&

Porch Party with Rhondi at:

Rose Colored Glasses

Fourth of July Entry Way

I'm away from blogging this week, but boy oh boy do I have some great pictures to share with you in the upcoming weeks!

I thought I would re-share a post from one of the first weeks of my blog with you while I was on vacation this week.

Click here to view that post.

I'll be back posting on Sunday joining the Porch Party at Rhoda's Southern Hospitality blog.

The Summer Front Porch

I think Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer porch season.

Thanks for stopping by today :)

Please join Madison on a tour of our front porch.

On the black front table I placed three flameless candles (a favorite)

under glass star of David coasters & a watermelon fruit basket.
These candles are great to turn on when company is coming,

since they are flameless I can leave them unattended.

Mr. B hung a fresh new flag outside. We always have an American flag.

All of our landscaping from last year returned (thank goodness)

and we added some red begonias along the sidewalk.

This black urn matches the table. I planted sweet potato vine and red striped petunias.

Here's a long shot from the sidewalk. We need to get

rid of the outdoor carpet, but I'm not sure what I want

to replace it with yet.

After completing the yard work, we headed to Red Robin for some chips and salsa, a burger and . . .
one of these!

Then we drove around a near by subdivision Norton Commons,

which is an example of a mixed use community.

Here everything is within walking distance.

Do you have one of these in your town?
The homes are stunningly beautiful examples of

mixed architecture.

Mr. B and I have a thing for yellow houses.

I love the front porch on this one with the black rocking chairs.

I love the chair swing and white columns of this home.

It's cheery front door.

And delightful little boy sculpture in the front yard.

These homeowners have a sense of whimsy - see the

lady bugs in the bed?

While not a big front porch, I do adore the mix

of oak leaf hydrangea with the style of this home.

Mr. B was ready to head home so I snapped this last picture

from the car of this two story home.

This reminds me of Charleston, South Carolina.

Is your front porch ready for summer too?

Happy Memorial Day ~

Let's give thanks to all those that served our country with the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy this day in freedom.

Today I'm joining Met Monday with Susan at

Between Naps on the Porch.