Come sit with me the world can wait..............

Sometimes life is spinning out of control. We need a place to restore. Take life easy and remember times gone by.

I have a real love and fetish for porches. I can not imagine living in a home without a front porch. I feel that the front porch is a extension of the home. It should be decorated and loved just like the inside of the home. I am not a professional decorator but I love to garden and decorate from the heart. .
You don't have to spend a ton of money. If you look around your home you will find plenty of things. I go to garage sales and look for wicker pieces. I bring them home and paint them to match the pieces that I already have.

Must have items:
1. a rug
2. candles
3. music
4.games
5.plants...hanging and pots
6.furniture love seat, chairs, swings, tables
7. lemonade, iced tea
8. friends and family
9. fountain / soothing water feature
10. blanket or quilt for snuggling

11. wind chimes

12. lamp
article by Scott Cook:-
The Evolution of the American Front Porch
The Study of an American Cultural Object
"Porches are as synonymous with American culture as apple pie. While not unknown in colonial times, they rose to nationwide popularity in the decades before the Civil War, and remained in fashion for almost one hundred years. Ironically, the very social and technological forces that made them both popular and possible were eventually responsible for their decline."
-- from Kahn, Preserving Porches
American Front Porch, Bald Head Island, North Carolina
"Nobody thought much about the front porch when most Americans had them and used them. The great American front porch was just there, open and sociable, an unassigned part of the house that belonged to everyone and no one, a place for family and friends to pass the time."
--Rochlin, The Front Porch, in Home, Sweet Home
In recent times, new emphasis has been given to the cultural history and significance of the American front porch. In an effort to complement and to elaborate this emphasis, this project will attempt to define and distinguish the American front porch as an American cultural object. By exploring its evolution, from its origins to its decline, this project will not merely tell the story of the porch, but will also tell a limited story of America itself. While to many the front porch is unfamiliar, to the rest it must bring to mind a memory, experience, or actual place. This project may help to connect these cultural memories of the front porch to an understanding of the important role it has played in the national experience.
Contents
Origins of the American Front Porch
Stylistic Evolution
Popularization
Cultural Significance
The Decline
Recurrence in Modern Times
Works Cited and Consulted
Maintained by Scott Cook,rsc8q@virginia.edu Visit my homepage

heartbreaking news.....

I am afraid I have very sad news about my cousins foal that I posted last week. I have decided to post Renita's letter in hopes that someone may be inspired by it.

I write this email with great sadness and grief...but today Diva's foal (my first saddlebred baby) "Divine Gift" died. I found her last night laying down and unable to get up. I instantly knew something horrible was happening to her. We had been selling sweet corn in a neighboring town and did not get home til around 8:00 pm. When I saw her I knew she had been lying there for hours. Diva's utter was engorged and the foal looked dehydrated. I immediately gave her 2 large syringe-fulls of water and Adam and I got her to her feet to nurse. She did nurse but the weakness progressed rapidly. I called 2 vets and only one answered his cell phone. He told me to get her to his clinic so we left at once with her in the horse trailer lying down...she softly whinnied to her mother as we shut the door of the trailer. Diva was extremely nervous and worried as we took her first born away from her for the first time ever. We left the foal at the vets and he started IV fluids and strong steroids. We initially thought some trauma (a kick from Diva...or her own acting silly) left her in this state. After the vet examined her he could find no evidence of broken bones...but we knew she has neurological damage from some source. She could not swish her tail and walked with a shaky stiff-legged walk. She had been fine that morning. She stayed over night at the vets and I called this morning. They said she had not improved and would not nurse from a bottle. He began to be suspicious of West Nile virus. At 2:00 we decided to bring her home and give her supportive care and hold her up to nurse Diva. When we got to the vet's clinic we were in shock...she was lifeless and had a glazed-eye look and was gasping with open mouth to breathe. she was un-responsive to anything. We carried her body to our trailer and the vet and I began to discuss her meds. My husband sent my son in the office to say that we needed to forget the meds...she was dying. I ran outside and looked in the trailer to see my little "Divine Gift" take her last breath. I felt like my heart had stopped beating, too. I was devastated and sobbed. My son was crying, too. The vet told us how deeply sorry he was and how he had tried everything. He still had no idea what killed her. After we left and I managed to control my weeping I called another vet. He had been also tending to this foal from the beginning..but I could not reach him last night. He told me that her symptoms sounded like botulism and that many Amish around where I lived had cows to die from it. He said that if he had gotten to her sooner...he could have given her an anti-toxin that MAY have saved her. We made the decision to take her to Murray State animal diagnostic lab for an autopsy. I will know what killed her in the next few days.

I was so broken-hearted when my first broodmare died a couple of years ago...Lost In Loveliness (we called her Lily). But I was blessed with 2 well-bred mares after. I do not understand why I had to lose my first Saddlebred foal. I had so many dreams about her...I had her nominated to the Tennessee and Alabama Futurities and had purchased her weanling show halter just days ago. She had the cutest trot...and held her head so high. Her ears were always forward as she curiously watched everything going on. Everything I have done in the last 8 months (at least) revolved around her birth and development. She was going to get her first professional photos done this Sunday. Even though she was only with me for 3 & 1/2 weeks...I had grown to love her. She was such a blessing and joy to watch. My heart breaks for Diva, too. When we came back with an empty trailer...she watched to see if her baby was coming back. I saw her eyes and her nervousness and it made me sob all over again. I put Diva with the other 4 horses and it seemed to help distract her. She was grazing calmly tonite.

I had decided to nick-name the foal "Lily" after the mare that had died. Now I have 2 Lily's in heaven. I love these animals and I get so attached that it hurts very deep when these tragedies happen. I guess I won't be showing any foals this year. I know God has a great plan and He loves me. I know that something good will come from this heart break. I trust in His goodness and mercy. I am not angry at Him for allowing her death. She was a Divine Gift from God and He has given me precious moments with her.

I barely could get myself to email this...so I chose to send to all that knew of the baby. I didn't have the energy to email individually...so please forgive me.

Renita

How Sweet it is!!

My arbor is finally standing! I can't wait until the vines start growing. I planted Blanche Sandman Honeysuckle. It is non evasive and does not attract bees. It should attract Hummingbirds because it will have red blooms. I had planned on some type of Ivy but I was afraid it might come through my windows. This has been one of the funnest projects.

It's all Vicki Darnell's Fault..LOL

I was window shopping at a antique store when I spotted this rusty old arbor. I could not think of anything else. I just had to have it! There it stood 8 foot long and slightly rusty but to me it was the most beautiful thing I had seen lately. I tried to bargain with the owner of the antique store but she would barely budge. Needless to say I am now the proud owner of the rusty arbor. I have spent night and day knocking the dust off and painting it. When I get something in my mind, I get down right obsessed. I will show them all.. it will be beautiful! After seeing Vicki's arbor, it's all I could think about. I just had to have one!

Making a house a home........

I really don't feel comfortable making a blog about myself. I have spent my entire life seeing that my family and those around me are happy. I will most likely blog about the people who I love and those who have impacted my life. God, family & closest friends are what matter to me.
I have made every effort to make sure that my family has a pretty and happy home. Our home was built in 1864. Our family is the 4th generation to live in this home.
I decorate mostly with things of sentimental value and try to have a conversation piece in each room. I won't hang anything up unless I love it and it has to mean something to me. When we moved into our home it needed a ton of work. We have been working for 8 years to get it to the point it is at today. It may not seem like much to most but I love it and am grateful for the things that I have. We have invested sweat and tears and in a lot of good garage sales!
My final project will be our kitchen. I am not sure where to begin. It needs a major overhaul. I will feel like I have won the lottery when I get a dishwasher. I have not had one in 19years. I spend 1/2 of my day doing dishes. This project will be the most satisfying and expensive!

Renita's baby

My cousin Renita is the one of the most beautiful people in the world. She is kind and pure at heart. She has no idea how beautiful and inspiring that she really is. I hope she knows how much that she is loved. I could not ask for a better friend. I can tell her anything.
Here are a few pics of her new "baby". I hope you enjoy them.