We moved to North Carolina 3 years ago. Since then I have been slowly getting accustomed to the ways of the “South.” I was born in New York, grew up in Connecticut, and spent the last 20 years in Tucson, Arizona. I, like so many others, am an amalgamation of the very different places I have lived. I have a lot of NY tendencies, many of these, like my on-again, off-again NY accent, come out when I am driving in traffic.
From Connecticut I get my New Englander habits, pragmatism and a seemingly aloof demeanor, and from Arizona I take away my appreciation for the outdoors and the beauty of the desert. (Full disclosure, I did spend 2 years in northern Virginia but apparently that is not enough time to really pick up southern tendencies and as I’ve been told by many of my friends here in NC, northern Virginia is not REALLY the South.) Well, neither is Arizona even though it borders Mexico, because the Southwest is way different than the southeast and here is where I am going with this……
One of the many Southern things that I have come to love is “porch sittin.” I’ll be honest, the first time someone invited us over to porch sit I was like, WTH is that? Are we not being invited inside? (I definitely want to know what is inside, what are you hiding in there?) But after 3 years here I now understand the joy of spending time on the porch.
Now I love sitting on my porch. I love talking with people as they walk by and feeling a part of a neighborhood and, of course, I love decorating it. My porch is actually 2 porches in one. The screened part has a small dining table and the open area has 4 comfy chairs. I have had these chairs for years. They have really held up to the weather, that is except for the cushions. But fortunately I can sew a little and can avoid buying new cushions by making easy-peasy slipcovers for my old cushions.
I got my porch chair cushions covered just in time for the gorgeous cooler weather we are having! Cushions can be soooo expensive but a simple pillowcase cover with an envelope back is an easy and inexpensive way to refresh those cushions. It took only an hour and a half to sew 8 covers and now I am happily porch sittin’ once again.
Love porch sittin with you guys , and the new cushion covers!