Inside My Home: My Back Porch/Garden

Hey y'all,

So today I want to invite you once again into my home -- my new home. *cue facepalm*

All you got to see of the previous home we had for only the last year was my living room at Christmas time. Which is ok, since my two absolute favorite rooms in that old farmhouse were my living room and my kitchen. I wish I would have shown you my kitchen: it was painted bright sunny yellow, and though it was small and a little on the crampy side, the cabinets were painted white and there were plenty of large windows so it was wonderful. I loved that kitchen. 

But, alas, we are in another new house this year; and hopefully this one is permanent. 

Back in April we began the process of moving into the house my father in law and hubby built roughly 10 years ago. 

What a God-send, amirite? Who knew this year we would lose our job and have a rough go of it covering payments for a rental house? (God knew, which is all that matters.)

My father in law built the house for his family -- eight years in the making. But then he and hubby's mom ended up getting a divorce shortly after the project was finished, and he ended up with this 2,000 square foot house sitting on roughly 65 acres. 

Being the working man that he is, time for the house has basically been standing still for the last ten years. Nothing was changed or touched or moved from the day hubby left home as an adult. 

Then one day he calls up the son and daughter in law with the grandchildren that he loves so dearly but never sees because of work and we live an hour away and he offers us this big house that is too big for him, but perfect for us to grow into. He moves only out of the master bedroom and we set to work going through, organizing, dusting, and cleaning the mess out of this wonderful home that we have been so blessed with.

Today I want to begin sharing this home with you, starting with my back porch. I know that sounds really backwards to start with the back porch, but this week I can't think of a more perfect "room" to start with. I friggin love my back porch.

These are the "before" pictures, taken back in April.

Below are the pictures I took today. It now has lots of seating for family get-togethers -- which we try to have often. I love the outdoor rug my dad's sister gave to us for our previous house. It makes my porch feel more like a comfortable sitting room, which is how all porches should feel imo. I love that the oversized porch swing is right outside the door to my bedroom. It has oftentimes become my prayer swing, a tradition my dad's mom started in one of her many gardens up North. Although the black rocker has become my main spot this week as I've been battling some serious vertigo and can't handle the swing. Note about the black rockers (there is a double sitting on the other side of that wooden chair): they are the same black rockers I grew up sitting in on my parents' front porch. Mom got a new wicker furniture set that looks super chic -- more chic than some old black rocking chairs that need refinishing. Luckily, I'm more about nostalgic value than chicness.

As you can see below, we've planted a garden this year. We only have about five different kinds of plants, though, since I'm no green thumb. Or, I wasn't until this year. Wow. 

Ok, this WAS six tomato plants and one cowhorn pepper plant... 

...Now it is two bushy tomato plants and a cowhorn.
I totally recommend putting the cages on them BEFORE they
grow too large....

Hubby brought me home some pallets from Pilot one day when I called and panicked that
the pumpkin plant was taking over the yard. I seriously thought all of it would die within days
of planting.

Watermelon on this side of the A-frame trellis as well as six jalapeno plants that had to get staked up
because apparently jalapeno plants are the perfect launching pad for animals off the porch.

I gathered our first jalapeno harvest the other day and we made poppers out of them. And lemmejustellyou what a huge difference in fresh taste and crunch using super fresh jalapenos makes. Yum!!

We also began our long-term, extensive landscaping project with some simple lemon grass plants along the back porch. And guess what? We got all four plants on clearance. 

Can you even see them?? We planted back in May.
Oh, also the tools lining the porch are acting as "railings" for a busy boy in his walker. *facepalm*

I'M SO EXCITED WITH HOW WELL THEY ARE DOING. AHHH.

Anyway, that is my back porch. Come and sit a spell -- especially during a good rain or when the deer and turkeys are out over our expansive backyard.

But not right now. As there are no deer, no rain, and turkeys -- unless you count the one we refer to as Banshee Boy who is currently sitting in his highchair next to me, slapping his hand on the tray and insisting that he needs to get down and wreak havoc on my house.