Front Porch Days . . .

"Wisteria woke me this morning,
And there was all June in the garden;
I felt them, early, warning
Lest I miss any part of the day.
Straight I walked to the trellis vine.
Wisteria touched a lifted nostril:
Feelings of beauty diffused, to entwine
My spirit with June's own aura."
~ Ann McGough, "Summons"

Welcome to the first annual ever "Front Porch Party" which is being hosted by Rhondi of Rose Colored Glasses . When she suggested having one a few days back, I thought it was a wonderful idea, and I immediately jumped in and volunteered to participate!

No . . . the above cottage is not mine, but the cottage of my dreams, which one day, hopefully, I will have. I go to it often in my mind, and sit amongst the gingerbread trim beneath it's roof in the coolness of it's shade, while all around me, bees buzz, birds sing, crickets cheep and chairs creak beneath the weight of people basking in it's cosy solitude . . .



Over in the corner is a porch swing that we can lounge on, during long hot summer days, sipping tall glasses of ice cold lemonade, bits of ice tinkling against the glass, as we reminisce about days gone past and people long unseen, but not forgotten . . .

But that is the dream . . .

What's real is this.



A black painted doorway , festooned in blue gingham curtains and draped in red and white roses that fall down upon our heads and herald us with their flowery greetings as they bob about and dance in the breeze above us. A symphony of red and white just for you and me, while green vines crawl along the window's ledge and up the drain pipes. Can you hear the birds singing in the trees??? It's nature's melody at play . . .



If we sit under the umbrella at the picnic table on the back patio, we can hear bumble bees humming as they go about their work gathering pollen from the lavender, which grows beneath my kitchen window. On a hot June evening, it's serene scent lulls us into lazy feelings and peaceful thoughts and quiet dreams . . .



All around us the earth is alive. Roses bloom in great abundance and sing to us with their sweet scent as pansies dance in the flower beds and snap dragons snap softly at our heels . . .



Birds flit too and fro from the feeders . . . if you sit real still, they'll stay a while, and we can watch them at their work and their play. The fledglings, too, are coming now, with fluttering wings just learning to fly, and mouths gaping wide in hunger . . . they are so cute to watch.



Over amidst the blooms, a birdbath sits and quietly waits . . . Hush . . . shhh . . . a blackbird comes to bathe . . . his wings flick back and forth and up and down as he enjoys his ablutions, his small black head ducking in and out of the coolness of the water . . . once silent and still, now a froth of wonder . . .



There may not be a roof to keep us in it's shade . . . nor a swing to rock us into the past . . . but it is beautiful . . . and still . . . and ours for the moment . Pull up a chair and let it weave it's peaceful spell around you. Let the birdsong stroke your soul . . . in my back garden. Be my guest . . . if only for a moment . . .



Thanks for visiting my front porch on this summery June day. Now hop on over to Rhondi's place and visit with all the other people who are inviting you to share in the beauty and peace of their own front porches during this Front Porch Party!

Here's a perfect meal to share on a hot summer's day when the birds are singing and the bees are buzzing and you're pooped from digging in the garden all day. It goes together really quickly with a minimum of effort and is oh so delicious!




*Chicken and Potato Salad*
Serves 4

This is the perfect throw together when you are short on time and have a hungry family to feed. It makes good use of leftover chicken or, you can do as I often do, and buy some ready cooked chicken breasts to use. I love the appealing mix of flavours. Served slightly warm, it sings to me of summer with it's peppery pesto dressing.

500g new potatoes, un-peeled
12 ounces skinned, cooked chicken, cut into chunks
2 TBS fresh pesto
(get this in the chiller cabinet of the grocery store, or better yet, make your own!)
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
(wash and pat dry)
the juice of 1 small lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Drop the potatoes into a pan of boiling salted water and cook for approximately 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain well and then return to the pan. Let sit over the heat of the burner for a few seconds to dry them really well and then roughly crush them with the tines of a fork.

Fold in the chunks of Chicken and scatter in the spinach leaves. Mix all together gently.

Whisk together the pesto, olive oil and lemon juice. Gently stir into the potato and chicken mixture and then season to taste with a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve.

I like to offer some crusty bread on the side.