“Summertime” may seem like months away, but now is a good time to daydream about what could be…
Last summer, tucked in between covid lockdowns, we hosted an outdoor (36C!) “family get together” to celebrate all the special occasions that we missed because of the pandemic.
Although the immediate family had previously gathered for a graveside memorial ceremony for my mom, there wasn’t the “normal” opportunity to grieve the passing of our matriarch. Along with this sadness, there has been good news…a wedding and the announcement of two new additions to the family. These occasions had slipped by without the usual fanfare…a funeral, a wedding, and the anticipation of 2 babies…the full circle of life.
This is an odd lead into a post about outdoor living…but it’s what had me thinking about making some changes.
Last summer was sweltering, and along with that heat came the giant, pesky wasps making outdoor entertaining and dining unpleasant. With our summer season being relatively short, optimizing the most of these dog days is my new plan.
These photos show my patio set for two, as well as, for a crowd.
What I’ve been mulling over is finding a spot to enjoy the garden with some reprieve from the sun, the rain and the pests.
When I’m contemplating a new project, Pinterest is my first source for inspiration. The images (below) caught my attention.
Originally I thought about adding a sunroom onto the back of the house, but I’ve been leaning towards having a covered screened area instead. I like the architecture of a more substantial room, but realistically we probably wouldn’t really use a three-season room considering there would be no access from the inside of the house.
I keep telling myself “that this year I’m actually going to enjoy the garden, sit back and relax“, which is a joke because there never seems to be enough time to get the work done in the garden. I would, however, look forward to sitting in a screened room, away from mosquitos and wasps, enjoying a cold glass of Chardonnay at the end of the day.
The past couple of years has changed our social lives immeasurably, to put it mildly! We, probably like you too, are spending more time at home and with that reality, I think it’s time to make the most of a lifestyle that may become the “norm”.
I’m just at the “pondering” stage, but also open to moving on to making this a priority for the coming season. It will probably require a permit from the city so plans will have to be drawn up and a frustrating visit down to City Hall.
What is keeping you occupied?
xox Judy