A Porch for All Seasons

Today I'm honored to feature my parents' front porch.  When they built their Craftsman-style lakehouse nine years ago, my parents envisioned their front porch as the centerpiece of their leisure time.  That vision became a reality, for whether throwing boisterous porch parties in the fall, or casually entertaining friends for happy hour, or hosting their granddaughters for tea parties, or reading the newspaper in the morning, or napping on the porch daybed on hot summer afternoons, when home, my parents can almost always be found on the porch.  All year round.

The porch is long and spacious, and with ceiling fans, good lighting, composite flooring, and comfortable furniture, very functional.  You'll also note the the "haint" blue ceiling, traditional in Southern porches to ward off haunting spirits (and wasps!):

My mom takes porch decorating seriously.  From the vintage red bicycle at the porch steps to the antique croquet set and roller skates, to the worn quilts adorning the rocking chairs, every element of the porch decor encourages guests to relax and have fun.
  

But it's the dynamic seasonal decor that helps the porch make memories. Here are some views of this Porch for All Seasons.

On spring mornings:

On the Fourth of July:

During Autumn:

And at Christmas:

On a personal note, this porch is also my daughters' favorite place on earth, a magical retreat for them when life gets hectic.  They perch on the porch on summer evenings, spying fireflies. They feed visiting deer carrots between the porch rails.  They spend winter afternoons reading under blankets on the porch swing. They host tea parties with their dolls on the vintage ice cream parlor table. They love it here.

As for me,  I can actually feel my blood pressure drop every time I sit on the porch swing, wine glass in hand, lakeviews in sight.  The cares of the world melt away.  How lucky we are, to have such a place.

Sharing with Savvy Southern Style, Between Naps on the Porch, A Stroll Thru Life, Southern Lovely, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, The Charm of Home, Serenity Now, French Country Cottage, Fidlers Under One Roof, and DIY By Design.

P.S.: Are you new to the cul-de-sac?  I blog about nesting, nurturing, reading, traveling, and most of all, celebrating life with my family! If you like what you see, please consider joining the conversation via BlogLovin', GFC or email.  I would love to get to know you! :)