Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Monday, August 10, 2026

Toil, Toil


A bit of morning light to brighten the day.


 



I spent three days clearing out the screened porch. It's too handy for stashing 'stuff'. It has been three years since we used it, mostly because it's too hot. I'm allowing the grape vine to crawl along the screen for some shade. It was a tragedy when the enormous tree with the wonderful canopy had to be felled. That south facing space became a sauna.

We had our first meal on the porch last evening. Nothing to write home about, just a thing taking very little effort. Tri Tip steak and a green salad for me. Grilled sweet corn for Mark. Boring but did its job.


I have the rest of today planned out but I will make an effort to pop in. I need to get going or I don't get going. Excitement here at the worlds end.

14 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

We have a much smaller and less opulent screen porch that we don't use much for a similar reason. I should have called it a porch with some screens rather than a screen -in porch because the latter carries connotations that ours doesn't match.

Another thought is that at least you didn't write, Double double, toil and trouble.

Cheerful Monk said...

That’s too bad about the lack of shade, and what a lot of work you’ve been doing!

Val Ewing said...

Good idea for the shade! I have morning glories that are growing on one of the porch supports. I added some twine string and directed the vines. The morning glories are climbing them and it looks like I'll have some nice shade with flowers!

Your porch looks so inviting and I feel like I could walk into a beautiful magazine photo spread on country living.
You have an eye for this!

Lori said...

That is a beautiful spot, I love it.

Jane said...

Your porch seems like a perfect spot to relax. Is that Frieda in the window?

Sandra said...

You know, AC, I thought about it! The cats were pleased to know their cat porch is opulent! It's a shame to have a nice place to sit on a summer day without bugs bothering you that is unusable, isn't it.

Sandra said...

It is. We miss those huge trees in front of the house. They kept it cool inside, Cheerful.

Sandra said...

Don't look at the floor, Val! It badly needs a weather coating. I ell myself this fall. I would love to have a flowering vine there.

Sandra said...

Thanks, Lori. The prior owner had the foundation done but never got around to the porch. We had it built the first summer we were here.

Sandra said...

It is, Jane. This is their space and they resent my intrusion!

Boud said...

That was a big loss when the tree went. I have the opposite issue -- shrubs and tree on the patio are casting more shade on the deck. Nice for the people but the flowers are struggling.
I wonder if you'd consider awnings outside the porch area?

The Happy Whisk said...

Oh my gosh, Sandra. I wanna come over and hang out at that table with you. What a lovely spot. My goodness.

Far Side of Fifty said...

What a pretty place to enjoy a meal!

Lori Skoog said...

Smart move, getting that porch back! I would spend a lot of time there.