House of Hawthornes

Vintage. Thrifting. Gardening.

It’s Summertime And The Livin’ Is Easy

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Wow, I love summer!

Always have.

From the time I was a little kid, when summer meant a whole lot of kicking off my shoes and running barefoot through the grass. Having nothing in the world to do but ride my bike, swim and hang out with my besties.

To now, when summer means a whole lot of kicking off my shoes and walking very slowly through the grass, avoiding piles of dog poo and poison ivy. Having nothing in the world to do but read books, yard sale and hang out with my besties (aka my husband and son).

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But summer now includes hanging out on the porch.

A fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor


We never really had a porch per se when I was growing up. More like a entrance pad and I don’t think we ever had chairs out there and we surely never decorated it. At all.

So I like to do a little sumpin’ sumpin’ with it now. (If I have to Google how to spell sumpin’ should I really use it in a sentence?)

Sometimes I get carried away with it and you can hardly walk out here.

A fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

This year I tried to use restraint.

Well, except for the glass of pink lemonade. I just wanted an excuse to a use a cute paper straw and one of my Starbucks bottles.

Starbucks chilled Mocha Frappuccino bottle turned into cool lemonade glass

Something to note. If you put lemonade on the porch for a photo shoot and forget about it for a few days. The ants will find it. It’s not a pretty site.

Let’s talk Adirondack chairs.

Adirondack chairs on a fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

Is there any chair out there that is more comfy than an Adirondack?

Sure, a vintage metal motel chair could give them a run for their money. But I’ll put my money on the Adirondack.

I love how they support your back while giving you a nice solid place to put your beverage.

A fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

No need for a side table. Just plop it right down on the arm.

I’ve had my black rockers on my porch for quite a while and had the Adirondacks in the back yard. But this year I decided to go all wild and crazy and move my Adirondack chairs up here front and center for all the world to see.

My Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) is another thing that’s been upgraded to porch-worthy material.

Black-eyed Susan vine on a fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode when Elaine talks about her dates being sponge-worthy? Not quite the same thing. But sort of.

It was a pleasure to show you my porch all decked out for summer.

Black-eyed Susan vine and a vintage Pleasure Chest on a fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

Get it. It’s my pleasure. The pleasure chest.

Ha! I crack myself up sometimes.

I could make some boob jokes. But that is just too obvious, now isn’t it.

A fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

I bought the chest a few weeks ago and I love it. I have visions of it with flags sticking out of it for the 4th.

That brings me to the elephant in the room.

Boston ferns on a fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

My stupid ferns.

About a week after I put them up here I noticed birds flying in and out of them. Why do they have to build nests in every pot, hanging basket, and shelf I put on this porch?

So anyhow, I feel guilty about watering them now and getting the eggs and nests all wet. Do eggs float?

So they are just getting whatever water they get from rain. Call me many things, but I’m no baby bird killer.

Although I may be a fern killer by the time the birds vacate the nest.

A fun summer porch with a bit of vintage decor

Do you use your porch a lot in the good old summertime?

Fun and colorful summer porch decor with a vintage twist. Adirondack chairs, vintage coolers and a gorgeous black-eyed Susan vine are the highlights.



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Comments

  1. Sounds like wonderful plans for the summer. Relaxing and enjoying your beautiful porch. I love that vintage cooler. It will look great with the flags.
    Blessings, Catherine

  2. During the Summer, I move out of my house and onto my porch. I take lots of books, a blanket for those chilly mornings, and an ice bucket with some cold beverages. I tell my family I will see them in the Fall (and to bring me food every so often). It’s the best vacation ever.

    Erica

  3. Love your porch! And, yes… Adirondack chairs are the bomb!

    Sweet little red chest, and I think it will look great decorated with flags for the 4th of July. Can’t wait to see how your decorate it.

    Hope you make some thrifting money. I noticed that it takes longer for your page to load, but that’s the only difference I can tell.

    Have a great week!

  4. porch looks great!i am starting on my 4th of july decorating today. i change the decor often-love it!summer is a great time

  5. I want to sit on your porch. Actually I am coveting the pleasure chest (sounds a little kinky to me). I gave up on Boston ferns and this year put Kimberly Queen in and they look great. To keep the squirrels and birds out, I put pea gravel on top. I don’t know why Boston ferns don’t do well here in the piney woods of east Texas. . . lord knows we have enough humidity.

  6. Aww, that just proves what a big heart you have when you let the baby birds thrive and the ferns are left to mother nature. Perhaps you should put up some BIRD HOUSES for your friends, hint, hint. 😉
    I didn’t like Adirondack chairs when I was little, fell back too far and didn’t like my legs up, not touching the grass, Gosh, even back then, I was ornery…
    Good luck trying to make a bit of cash for your fine blog.

  7. LOVE your porch! I was going to say before you mentioned the birds that they were getting too much sun and not enough water, for as we know, ferns are water gluttons. Where did you get your adirondack chairs? Love them too.
    Brenda

    • My brother-in-law made them for me about ten years ago. He bought one chair when he was on vacation in the Outerbanks and then made copies of it.

  8. i too love your porch..too bad about the ferns and a pleasure chest to boot filled with wine cooler to give you some pleasure lol xx

  9. I swear you need to put disclaimers on your posts. I just spit out water all over my laptop when I read/laughed very loudly at your spongy worthy comment. Love that Seinfield episode. Your porch is super inviting. I’d gladly enjoy hanging out with you on it.

    PS. By the way, I love Retro Planet.com I could get lost in that website for hours.

  10. Beautiful porch! I think you stole the Adirondack switch idea from me :-). I brought my two up from my back pergola to my front porch. Mine are shabby chic right now…that translates into lazy chick. I’ll paint them one day. I bought them on a local yard sale site last summer. We did the secret switch in the Lowe’s parking lot…always feels a little shady that way. Your porch is very welcoming! Love the Brown Eyed Susan on it…you’ll have them everywhere near to the porch next year. They love to spread. The Pleasure Chest boob line cracked me up!! Happy summer girl!

  13. Pam, I’m sure you have loyal blogger followers but I just want you to know I’m always checking my email for your posts. One is just more fun and/or funnier than another and they always bring me a little break accompanied by chuckles. Thanks!

  18. I’d love to set a spell on your Adirondack chair while sipping a nice cold lemonade, Pam! Your front porch looks very welcoming, especially since the addition of the Pleasure Chest and black-eyed Susan vine. As for the ferns……….. 🙂

  22. The same thing happens to my ferns every year. So this year I decided to put up pots of verbena, well guess what? Here they come with twigs, twine and other found objects to build a nest. I kept shoeingbthem away, but they were persistent. I was explains this to someone and they informed me that putting a fake egg in the pots will deter the birds from building in my pots. I did and it worked!!! Have not had to shoe the birds away NPR sweep up all the potting soil they throw onto the porch. Next year try this technique to keep your ferns looking good without the birds.

  23. Girl, you are so funny! Before I read your next comment on your blog, I saw the Pleasure Chest, and thought to myself, if she doesn’t make some kind of reference to this in a naughty way, I will be disappointed..lol.( We are all friends here, right?) ..Love the porch! We are waiting to pick our plumbs until the mama dove is done in there…. 🙂 So cool your brother in law built your chairs, I love them!

  26. LOL!

    1) Walking slowly and avoiding dog poo. Yes. That accurately describes how I enjoy my yard.
    2) Love the Adirondacks!
    3) Your black-eyed Susan vine is gorge.
    4) All TV went downhill after Seinfeld.
    5) Boob jokes are like fart jokes: You can never have enough.

    Thanks for the entertainment! 🙂

  30. Your porch looks great! I’m with Carol above–love the baby chair.

    It is funny that you did a porch post–come by and see my porch porch.
    Grreat minds, I tell ya.

    M 🙂

  32. LOL! I do remember the sponge-worthy episode. I have black rockers in front and (plastic) adirondacks in back…I’ve often thought of switching them…maybe I will now that I’ve seen how great they look on your porch.

    Thanks for the inspiration!

  33. Pam, the porch is utterly charming. I love these chairs vs. the rockers. The pleasure chest is a hoot and a half. I love that vine-I really need not one more flower but it’s a winner. xo, olive

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