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Patriotic Porches & the Long, Hot Days of Summer

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I am 99% certain that I’m suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.  PTSD brought on by living most of my life in a climate where my toes and fingers were only warm 14 days out of the year and the sun peaked it’s reticent face out from behind the clouds on average, 52 days per year. 

In the beautiful Pacific Northwest (beautiful, despite the chill) Summer arrived (when it did arrive, because many Summers chose not to) after the 4th of July.  Everyone knew that it wasn’t a real 4th of July celebration without sweatshirts, warm blankets, and hot chocolate by the outdoor fireplace.

Now that I’m living in sunny South Carolina, whenever we have two days in a row of clouds I start feeling a bit claustrophobic.  Angst begins churning in my gut, gradually moving throughout my body, before finally erupting into full-blown panic mode when I become convinced, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the sun will never come again!  Eeeek!!!

Dreary weather PTSD.  It’s real folks.

After I talk myself down and remind myself of where I live I breathe a great sigh of relief.  It’s funny, but I find that while everyone else is bemoaning the heat and humidity, I rejoice in this most glorious season of them all:

Summer!

This is why I know I’m a Southerner at heart.  I love the day and night warmth Summer.  I can venture out in flip-flops and shorts and never worry about carrying a sweater.  Even if the rains come, which they often do in the afternoons, my warm toes remind me that I am still here in my little slice of paradise. The sun will indeed shine again. 

For those of you who bemoan Summer let me tell you what I love about it:

First, there are three Summer birthdays to celebrate for the three people I love most in all the world.  My oldest daughter J. celebrates her birthday next week (well maybe this weekend too but that’s a surprise so I don’t want to blow it); Mr. OTN’s birthday is in July and this is a BIG one for him (should I tell you which one or is that in bad taste?); and finally, my youngest daughter B. has a birthday in August.  As an added BONUS, my wedding anniversary is also in the Summer!

Here’s what else I love:

I love lazy evenings on the screened porch, fluffing up the pillows on the daybeds, so I can nestle down all comfy with a book and a cold drink.

I love the sound of the cicadas chirping in the woods behind us.

I love the twinkle of the fireflies all around our porch.

I love the feeling of being safe and dry when a storm comes and delights us with a fantastic light show.

I love that the storms pass as quickly as they come here and the stars soon begin to twinkle overhead.

I love outdoor evenings on the patio with Mr. OTN, discussing the day, and tomorrow, and the future, while the dogs sleep at our feet.

I love chats with friends over a tall glass of iced tea.  Half sweet for me please!

I love that we can have our boat in the water for more than a couple of months out of the year.  Did you know how much I love boating?

I love that the water in the lakes (even the BIG lakes) is warm enough to really enjoy swimming.  I can swim for hours.

I love the idea that Summer in the South means slowing down and taking more time to enjoy life (a carryover from when there was no air conditioning) . . .

. . . because that’s what real Southerners do.

So I can live with a little stickiness dripping down my back and hair that clings to my forehead. 

Summer has always been my favorite Season,and now that I live here in the South, all of the wonderful things I love about it can be savored for just awhile longer.

Glory!

Raising my iced tea glass to the long, hot days of Summer 🙂

Happy Independence Day!

For more Fourth of July porches and other patriotic decorating ideas click on this picture to be directed to my Fourth of July Celebration board on Pinterest.

 Blessings friends,

 

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired,  InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStory, Making Your Home Sing Mondays, What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking, SmallWonder, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CedarHillFarmhouse, TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles,  Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday,  WriterWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife, ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner,  I Choose Joy,   Thought Provoking Thursday, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays, ThoughtfulThursday, Tune-inThursday

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme,  TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration,  Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus FreshMarketFriday

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents,  SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

Comments

  1. What a gorgeous space! I’m from Canada where it’s freezing all year long so we really savour summer. I
    m glad your fingers and toes are warm now!

    Reply

  3. A wonderful, patriotic post. I love our mountain summers as well. My favorite season – and then fall is awesome too…but then? Take me away somewhere tropical!!!

    Reply

    • Yes, your Winters are a little harsher than ours. I think you’ll love living down the hill when you retire. Especially if it is here in the Greenville area. Wink, wink.

      Reply

  4. I loved this post, Patti! We were SO blessed…when we visited the PNW over Memorial Day weekend, we had four
    days of sunshine. It rained only on our way back to the airport. Now we are back home and the temp today is supposed to reach 93. Time to batten down the hatches for summer heat and summer thundertorms!
    Love you, my friend!

    Reply

    • Thank you Becky. I’m so glad you had a trip to the PNW. Isn’t it gorgeous? I don’t think I ever heard why you chose to go there on vacation. Was it for fun or for a conference? We will always have fond memories of the beauty there and encourage everyone to visit. I’m so happy to be where we are now though. Now to find the perfect lake lot!

      Reply

  5. Love your blog…..I,too, live in S.C. Don’t we have great weather!?Love your screen porch,since I have one that we use very much,I am wondering if with your day beds there, does the rain not blow in during a rain storm? Seems as if it rains here the wind also blows. Enjoy the summer!

    Reply

    • Thank you so much for the compliment on my blog Shirley. I appreciate it so much. As for the day beds: Our porch is pretty well protected by all the trees in our backyard and the only time we have blowing rain that would come into the porch is if there is a real BIG storm. I keep the bed along the screened side of the porch about one foot away from the opening so it isn’t effected by normal rains. When we know that a big one is coming I just move it closer to the middle of the room. We’re lucky that it is a very large porch so we can do that. Also, I have special protective covers that I’ve zipped the mattresses into, outdoor fabric on some of the pillows and protective spray coating on the others. So, short answer, I’ve have had no mold problems or other issues on the porch. Hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

  7. Too cute! You made me giggle more than once.
    You are officially a Southerner, honey!
    PS 1/2 Sweet for me, too!
    PPS your porches look wonderful!

    Reply

  8. Love your blog and your post about summer in the South. I’ve lived in south Mississippi all my life so I definitely know about the heat and humidity. Even though we grumble about the humidity and the fact that the weather can change at any moment, there’s no where else I’d rather live.

    Reply

  9. Love your blog and this post brought back many memories. I spent all my childhood summers with my grandmother in Mississippi. Then, we lived for 30 plus years in coastal Virginia. I, too, love the south – even with the heat and humidity.
    Truly, I am in love with your porch and your holiday decorations are the best.

    Have a great week !

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Sandra! You are so very sweet. Sitting on my porch in the evening I realize how very blessed I am to live this last part of my life here in the South. I may not have appreciated it so much if I’d lived here all my life. I hope you are enjoying your Summer to the fullest!

      Reply

  11. Glad you’re getting to enjoy southern weather. I love it too! Summer is my favorite season because I get to stay warm. 🙂 Continue to enjoy the sunshine and heat, Patti.

    Reply

  13. Patti, although spring is my favorite season; I love summer as well. My birthday is in July and our anniversary is in August. Summer in S. C. sounds lovely! I have never lived anywhere where it is humid, but I like the heat better than the cold. One thing I love about UT is that almost always after a rain or snow storm the sun comes out and shines. Thanks for sharing your love of summer with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

    Reply

    • Happy Birthday AND Happy Anniversary Jann! I think Spring in Utah is probably gorgeous. And you are so fortunate to be in a place that has plenty of days of sunshine each year. I’ve always said that I could tolerate cold days with sunshine better than endless cloudy, rainy days. We do have humid days here but not as bad as other parts of the South. What a great excuse it makes to get some rest . . . which I am going to try very hard to enforce on myself this Summer. Hugs friend.

      Reply

  14. It is such a treat to visit here and enjoy your photos. I have a passion for wreaths and always imagined creating them and selling them. But it’s enough to just find time to create my own in all the busyness. Enjoy your birthday celebrations this summer!

    Reply

    • Thank you Crystal. I happen to love wreaths too and have quite a few that I recycle in my seasonal decor. Creating things of beauty is so much fun but I, like you, find it hard to find enough time to do everything I’d like to do. I hope your July is filled with JOY!

      Reply

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