The cherry blossoms are falling from my weeping cherry tree in my backyard as I write this post almost as if it were snowing. It's going to be a blue-bird day here and I CAN'T wait! I am absolutely giddy for Spring and just wish I had a beautiful cottage porch like the one above {via} where I could sip sweet tea and pour over the pages of my new Elle Decor. I swoon for that interesting color on the clapboard floor and am loving those faux bois chairs.
Today, I am off to do the rounds at my favorite local garden shops and gather some new Spring blooms to plant all my planters on my back deck. After my morning gardening, I plan to meet a friend at the Junior League kitchen tour and then head over to an art show and sale for Senior Services. It's a girly kinda' day!
Anyhoo... continuing my series on exploring cottage style, I thought I would share just a few inspiring cottage porches, a little history about the traditional haint blue porch ceiling and a recipe I plan to experiment with tonight when i return from my girly day and enjoy dinner al fresco on the deck.
I know you've probably seen these photos from Southern Living of Haskell Harris' charming Birmingham cottage. The front porch is everything it can be with clematis climbing the front porch posts and that adorable slipcovered porch swing and rocker. The gray and white painted floor is the finishing detail that really takes it over-the-top for me. I just love it ~ so simple yet so charming!
I love also love to have a garden room or mud room like the one above adjoining my cottage porch...and the wish list goes on and on!
I love a cottage porch with a pretty sky blue painted ceiling. I actually just learned recently the true purpose of the Haint blue ceiling from reading a post by Laura Casey Interiors. Here is a quote from her post:
"According to Louisiana legend, a “haint” is a spirit or a ghost. The blue paint represents water through which evil spirits cannot pass. Some say a blue porch ceiling helps extend daylight as dusk begins to fall, and others still believe that it helps keep bugs away. When the tradition began, bugs were deterred by the lye in paint – today many theorize that insects do not nest on blue ceilings because they think the blue paint is the sky."
I have always admired a blue porch ceiling. The blue ceiling gives a little unexpected pop of color and adds authenticity to a porch. I first noticed it on the porch ceilings of the historic houses in Charleson, South Carolina and always thought it was just a tradition that started in Charleston. I should have known there was a good story behind the trend.
I love following Eddie Ross and found these two photos, above and below, from his own porch so charming. You will enjoy both of these posts ~ A Light Lunch for Four and A Vegetarian Lunch for Six and gather great menu and styling secrets for your own spring entertaining. I love how Eddie mixes old linens, vintage china and hotel silver. I also like the small floral arrangements made from cuttings from his garden. This spring I am making an effort to plant more flowering plants in the garden around my home so I can bring cuttings inside for the table and the other small containers I have all over the house.
When life gives you a cottage front porch, make Vodka Rosemary Lemonade.
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh lemon juice, preferrably Meyer lemons
2 rosemary sprigs
Club soda
1 cup vodka
In a saucepan, bring lemon juice, sugar and rosemary to a boil over medium-high heat. You should stir pretty regularly in order to make sure the sugar dissolves all the way. Once the mixture boils, reduce heat to low and simmer for two minutes. Off heat and allow syrup to cool in a pan for at least an hour. Discard rosemary.
Mix one cup vodka and 3/4 cup syrup in a pitcher. Taste for desired sweetness and add more syrup if needed. Top off with club soda.
Have a nice weekend!
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