You must just love your backporch! It's fun to see pictures of other 'back porches'....we probably all have our favorite nooks where we kick back with a good book, or maybe a cold one......perhaps a small glass of vino!! That's a very neat sunflower, comet ... you'll be having squirrels and birds galore, if you don't already have them there!!!! FUN!

Phyl, Your cat sits with you while on GardenWeb too? My "big boy" Nemo (he weighs 18 lbs!) sits here with me reading the Rose Forum every night! He's also my gardening buddy...did you catch the pic I posted of him dreaming of roses? If not, here he is again...How many kitties own you? I heard we are getting a hard freeze tonight, so this may end the rose season. I lucked out and found my Heaven on Earth at a garden center an hour south of here but I do know it is a Jackson & Perkins rose so maybe check their website for next Spring. I am SO pleased with this rose! It has bloomed non-stop all summer and right now has a couple dozen blooms on it (although this freeze tonight may end her beautiful reign)...it made a nice, bushy shrub and the leaves were disease-free and glossy. I like how it starts out orange in the bud, opens a salmon-peach color, then fades to light pink. I hope you find one next year...I highly recommend it! Celeste a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank">

I think there is a fine line between living the life you have vs. living the life you want. If you are financially stable, then you can afford to live the life you have. If you are struggling, then you aspire to live the life you want. And, isn't that what it's all about? Trying to elevate yourself to the next level? And, if you're already there, you can then reap your rewards. I am friends with people in all socio-economic positions. Sure, the people who have money may tend to live with excess. But I don't hold that against them. In fact, life is short, enjoy yourself. If that means collecting art, animal heads and a museum-like surroundings, so be it. On the other hand, if you grow your own vegetables, compost and go jogging then plop your feet on the coffee table, that's great, too. I once had a client who was wealthy beyond belief. She had priceless art work, traveled the world and had a hutch in her dining room that cost more than my car. But she lost her son to cancer at 16. Did that money help her? No. So if she wants to surround herself with *stuff* then so be it. I also have friends who are designers. I would be so disappointed if I went to their homes and they didn't design to impress. I pick up a lot of decorating tips from them -- for free! Then again, if somebody dropped by my house unexpectedly on a work day, I'd be mortified. With 2 home businesses, this house always look like it exploded and we haven't gotten around to putting everything back. But then, I would apologize for the paint cans, paper, cabinet doors, drill, whatever else was on the island, dining room table or floors and explain what project I was working on and then try to say something witty like "did you know Lillian Vernon started her company from her dining room"? I try to get it all cleaned up by the time my kids get off the bus, so I can get their snacks ready and clear off the island where we do homework together. We definately live the life we have!! However, if Augie Busch the third was my neighbor, I wouldn't care what anybody thought of my decorating. And, my husband would be in heaven!

I don't change my paintings to match the seasons....well maybe just a couple :-B. I remove the Godey's Litho from the powder room and replace it with a Punch cartoon picturing a man in a santa suite and a fire extinguisher spraying a candle lit christmas tree....and I change a water color for a huge colored Thomas Nast repro Santa. The pictures in my bedroom were carefully collected and I like them as well in October and March as I do in June. I have 2 framed antique samplers and an oil of a little girl at the beach and another water color of a different little girl at the beach.....and 2 kitchy pictures about never having enough shoes on the wall by the closet. I know one woman who cruises the gift shops and TJ Maxx and buys all new accessories for every season....and all of it's kitch and junk. Much better in my opinion to just have a few good things that you put out seasonally...like perhaps a few Royal Doulton bunnies for Easter, or lovely woven wool throw in fall colors and a pumpkin on the hearth. Linda C