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I love, love, love the big wraparound porch on my house. You don’t see big front porches very often anymore in home design, and a key attraction to me in choosing this house plan was the old-fashioned focus on the porch along with a modern grasp of open, airy spaces inside. Rocking chairs were bought for this front porch before we even moved in. An outdoor dining table has been a long time coming–but it’s here!
And it was free!
Free, free, free!
Somebody else was getting a new patio dining set and was ready to unload this one–for the taking. So. Now you know–if you want an outdoor dining set, just meditate on it for approximately two years and one will appear!
I love that this dining set is not new. It’s well-loved, a little banged up, perfect. A couple kids grew up with this table. It had a happy former life, and now it’s mine.
I see long summer evenings and meals on the porch. I see candles and pretty dishes–and oh, yes, flowers!!!
Multiflora rose is generally considered a scourge for its invasive habit of taking over fields and pastures (though did you know that it is good fodder for goats?), but it’s blooming like crazy right now and it’s quite pretty.
It makes a nice addition to a vase of wildflowers and wild grasses.
Which, after a good washing, was just about all this second-hand, cast-off table needed to put it in a party mood.
The flowers were picked from our farm, the salt and pepper shakers were a gift, the dishes came from my grandmother, and the dining set was free. (The glass pitcher was a hand-me-down, too.) This is how you live in style on nothing but a little elbow grease and a walk with clippers.
My number one go-to method of preparing for company, any time, in any season, is to walk outside with clippers.
It doesn’t matter what else you have–or don’t have–in your home. If you have some fresh flowers or greenery or even an artful arrangement of winter-bare branches or twigs–you can make your house a candidate for House Beautiful, and an inviting, comfortable place for guests, or just your family, without spending a dime.
I picked all of these flowers within a few feet of walking down my driveway. Nature is so generous in West Virginia.
My second favorite part about this dining set, aside from the free part, is that it came with this luscious lounge chair.
Look! And it came with a puppy, too!
Okay, the puppy was here already, but he’s pretty cute, isn’t he? I enjoy admiring him from my lounge chair. I can also look down over the goat yard and admire the goats from my lounge chair. I admire the chickens from my lounge chair. I admire the green all around me from my lounge chair.
In fact, all I want to do now is lounge in my lounge chair and admire. I can’t do chores anymore. I have a lounge chair. I can’t cook anymore. I have a lounge chair. I can’t drive kids around anymore. I have a lounge chair. In fact, I’m sorry to report this news, but I don’t think I can write this blog anymore. I have a lounge chair.
And all I want to do is lounge.
Lounge.
Lounge.
What?
No!
Oh, shoot.
Oh, well.
Okay……. If you insist. I shall lounge while I write. But maybe you could do the chores??? I’m LOUNGING!!!
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on May 26, 2010
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Good job of finding the set!!!
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Hugs Granny Trace
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There are so many people that throw things out that have good life — at least some advertise that they’re giving them away before it’s actually thrown out. Craigslist and Freecyle are great sources
Also a trip through town on junk day.
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Have you ever tried freecycle?? Its freecycle.org. Get free stuff all the time. You give stuff away there as well.
Have a great day lounging in your chair.
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Just pure joy to read. thank you!
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If you don’t mind sharing, how did you find your house plan? And what is that style called? I’ve been entranced for some time by the airiness (if that’s a word) of your interior space and am compiling designs for my own dream home. Mostly I’ve looked through the big books they have at the library, but I haven’t seen anything remotely resembling your place.
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http://chickensintheroad.com/blog/2008/03/25/new-old-farmhouse-plans/
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I LOVE your dining set…we got a new one a couple years back and it’s STILL too shiny and clean for my taste!!!
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Otherwise, Suzanne, now that the yellow truck is running, I am going to come over more this summer. I will bring crochet and we will sit and talk on the porch while you blog and I create! Sounds like fun to me!
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I also like cutting flowers from outside. I want a cutting garden. I had planned to start one this spring, just had no time to put one in.
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sue
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I also like cutting flowers from outside. I want a cutting garden. I had planned to start one this spring, just had no time to put one in.
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