For as long as I can take it, and usually every day. Sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes 3-4 hours total, but that would be in several spurts with breaks, maybe a meal in between. That would include everything from pulling whatever weeds I see, to watering, to grooming/deadheading, fixing stray grass coming through a border, fertilizing. All of this stuff I really think of as puttering, not working, because I like doing it. Most of my perennials are shrubs or other plants that don't need much done to them. There are the occasional heavy chores that are actual work, but they're fairly rare and well spaced. I no longer have to do the mowing, so that's made a HUGE difference in time and effort spent elsewhere. I find this has me tackling more tougher tasks more often, trying things I wouldn't have felt like I had time for before. Awesome! But, I can't go at it like I used to in my younger years. I still get asked for my ID but if you look closely, you'll see the gray hairs, bifocals, arthritic thumbs. Don't think I'll ever acclimate to the oppressive heat down here although I prefer to live here. Thank God for A/C! Going outside in summer here is like going outside in winter up north. If you stay too long, it could kill ya.

Thank you all so much! Seems like #1 is the clear winner. That's good, because it was the one I was leaning towards! I think it works perfectly with the urchin. Glad you all like the chandelier. Can't wait to share finished photos with you all. Justterrilynn, thanks for the suggestions -- #3 is the exact one we are using in our den, which will be about 20 feet away from the pendants. I think we are doing it in black though, like this (which will pick up on the black cord of the pendant): As for the others, I really love the delicate simplicity of #6, so we may use it as a pendant in my daughter's bathroom. And I think the Tom Dixon beat lights might show up elsewhere in the house too. I just visited the Tom Dixon showroom last weekend, and I was smitten: In other news, I just finished our lighting plan and turned it over to our contractor! So happy to have some decisions behind me. Many thanks to everyone for weighing in.

IMO, that white column is too fancy-looking and monumental for the house. They look colonial and the main part of your house looks industrial? And maybe the column is too far to the edge of the porch? Actually, to me it looks tilted. That's metal siding? If so, I would look more industrial-y for the column and figure out how to blend the chimney in. Actually, I would re-think the entire porch and make it more current and less conventional. Right now, it doesn't look like it really goes with the architecture of the house. Could you take some more photos so we can see the whole house? Different angles? The yard?

First you need to decide how to use the porch. Are you a sit on the front porch type of person? With food or drink? If yes think about adding another seat and some type of table. Is this an area to stand around before coming into the house? If yes your bench is enough, I would consider moving the bench to against the wall to give you more room around the door and color on against the wall. Regardless of how you use the porch put art on both walls. Put colorful pillows on your bench, I like it, colorful pillows will make it stand out more. You might want to consider painting the bench another color to make it stand out. You have a blank slate have fun with the area. Art on the wall can bring in color that plants would, but with fewer limitations, and upkeep.