Decked out

The Mister and I have spent the past few summers mourning the great screened porch we left behind at our old house.  Brick floors, wide white wooden framing, ceiling fans, a seating area, and a dining area—it really was a great porch, and we spent a few minutes there on all but the chilliest mornings saying prayers together and drinking coffee.  We ate lots of family suppers there as well, and it was the place we started with appetizers and drinks whenever we had company.  It was the perfect spot for napping and it was where we carved pumpkins and dyed eggs.  Our present house has a deck, two actually, with the primary one about 20 feet off the ground below, which is quite steep.  In other words, we will not be turning this deck into a screened porch.  Nevertheless, we have finally decided to get over ourselves and to pay our deck some attention. So, we found an iron mesh table and chairs to seat six at—where else?—Target.  I’m not sure these pieces will stand the test of time, but they’re classic, and they’ll surely last as long as the deck.  Our lot is wooded, and the deck is well-shaded most of the day, so we did not buy an umbrella—yet.
Hydrangeas in big weathered clay pots fill out the corners of the deck and soften the spaces between some old Adirondack chairs, where we sit in the mornings.  The flowers above are the Nikko Blue variety.  Below are the Annabelle hydrangea, which are tinted the palest pink that darkens and eventually turns a lime green, if left on the plant.

  The only other plants on the deck are boxwoods, which do well in containers and don’t seem to mind the shade.   

Funny, we’ve already carved pumpkins and dyed eggs out here.  Now, we’re drinking coffee and saying prayers.  Come Memorial Day, we’ll grill out and share family supper with friends.  And that’s when we’ll be all decked out.