Welcome to My Porch!

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Front Porch!

Aren't front porches like this one wonder-ful? My friend Rhondi thinks so. In fact, she loves them so much that she's having a Front Porch Party today to celebrate. Why don't you join in? It's easy --if you're shy, you can even slip right in without saying a word! Just go to her site, HERE, and she'll share a whole list of folks who would love nothing more than to welcome you right up their steps to sit a spell. Great idea, huh?

Drop by my house first.

Welcome!
Make yourself comfortable! Would you like some iced tea? A café au lait?

If you click on the picture and look hard at the sidelight on the right, you might see Tanner the Slobber dog looking at you. He's wondering what I'm doing out here.
And he's wondering why I dragged out my chairs that belong in the living room and obstructed his view of our front yard chipmunks.

Tanner, must you tell every thing you know?

I must confess that I brought the chairs out just for you. They make my porch look more homey. I think I like it. Now I'm going to have to go visit some yard sales and find a couple front porch rockers because I love that look!

Down, Tanner! (He thinks you're his long lost best friend. He wants to lick you.)

I'd show you the porch on the house we had in France, but there's not much of one.
Here's the house, if you're curious.


I loved that house, even if the porch is not much more than a doorstep. The French don't really do porches.
During our first fall there I put a couple pumpkins on the porch and my neighbor came over and knocked on my door. "Did you know that you forgot some of your groceries and left them outside?"
I told her that they were for decoration. This confused her.

The French might not do porches, but most of their doorsteps are amazing.


Here's sort of a porch, from a house we saw on one of our walks.


And here's a doorstep that I think is pretty.


The French do courtyards instead. They are amazing.
From the street you can get just a little peek.



But sometimes, if you're lucky, you'll know someone behind the gate.
They'll invite you in.

I used to sit at a courtyard like this one and talk with a French friend while the kids played. It was a pleasure, even with the language workout. And she served iced tea. Peach flavored!

(In a glass, bien sûr!)
See, South Carolina and France really do have a lot in common!

Have a Wonderful Thursday everyone! And drop by my porch any time!
Love, Becky

PS. Thanks for the courtyard public photos, flickr friends: stuart and jen, cordsimages, and asr-cascadian!