The livin's easy ...

It's Summertime. Yay!

Remember back in December I used a Pier One gift card for some Summertime whimsy ... always looking ahead. I finally cleaned up the front porch a little bit so Mike and I can enjoy our dinner out there when we have the chance. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

My parents and I went to Swan Point, MD last weekend to visit my cousins. They have a beautiful home on the golf course and not far from the laid back Cobb Island. Just because I want you to be as envious as I am, check out this lovely scene from their screened in back porch. Don't you love the table?!

 While there, my mom and I helped Joann pick out  a few hanging pots of flowers for their front porch. I had flower envy. Extreme flower envy. She bought these flowers from her friend who lives on a farm not far from Swan Point. If I thought they would have survived the car ride home with my nephew, I would have purchased some for our porch.

Speaking of nephews, here is the Cutie Patootie hangin' out with cousin Libby on the front porch. Or, as he called her, "that other Erinn."

So I took my flower envy home from Maryland and got to work on our front porch. I picked up some petunias and found my whimsical stars from Pier One.



Then I remembered the pretty hanging candle holder sister-in-law Devon (from More Z's Please fame) gifted me with at Christmas.

But all of this looks so much more inviting on a hot summer night. See?

 Here's Mike taking a brief break from work for a candlelit dinner on the porch.

Also, here's an idea for outdoor candles. Mini citronella oil lamps! These were $1 each at Wal Mart and worked perfectly.

Stop by and have a glass of sweet tea with me sometime!