sweet summertime porch

 Hi, I'm Deb... and this was my favorite spot to sit on my front porch.
In the swing, watching the birds and eagles and deer and horses.
Enjoying the sunshine - and the rain - from this safe little perch.

I'd like to share my front porch with everyone visiting from

Funky Junk Interior's Saturday Night LinkUp Party!

I always wanted a big wide front porch to enjoy,
and I was lucky enough to have this one for awhile.
It really, truly was my Retreat ;0)

 [My friend Elise of Elise Marie Photography took these two photos and I am SO GLAD she did]

I don't live in this beautiful farmhouse on five acres on Camano Island, Washington anymore...
but I still love it.

 I  didn't prop and style the heck outta' my porch for these photos - 

nope, this is how it looked every day all summer long.

 You may find that really funny, coming from a decorator, stylist, and writer

who is photographing her porch, but my thing is 

I just wanna' be REAL.

That's why I love writing for FOLK Magazine.
It's all about Real. American. Living. Not photo sets.

I love this photo! LOVE LOVE LOVE.

If I do a book, this is gonna' be the cover.

The quilt on the swing was a family heirloom. 

The flags popped into a Coke bottle were a last-minute thought!

This is one of those simple ideas that came together just perfectly...

Just put frozen blueberries, ice cubes, and fresh strawberries in an old glass jar of water.

They flavor the water ever so subtly - SO refreshing on a hot day!

Thank you so much for visiting me for a virtual party on my porch! 
I've enjoyed this trip down memory lane...

and before you go, I have a gift for you!

As part of my writing process for this column in Issue V,

I was listening to the same kind of music that I loved to hear when I was

swingin' on my porch on a summer day.

I created a Playlist of those songs, and would love to share it

so you can enjoy it, too...

Click here for my Sweet Re-Treat Summer Playlist

This is also a bit of a peek into my current column in Issue V of FOLK Magazine,

because my Sweet Re-Treats column is all about outdoor entertaining - 

and I used some of the images I am sharing here!

(Did you know that FOLK Magazine is now available at Barnes & Noble Booksellers?!
Click HERE to see the list of stores carrying Issue V - it's on shelves now!)