Lunch on the Porch

I had errands in town today and brought home the makings of sandwiches for lunch;

a roast chicken from the deli, a loaf of French bread, lettuce, tomatoes.

The men have worked during the past week to complete the porches which flank the sun room.

Jim moved chairs and a small table out to the finished east porch while I put sandwiches together.

There was a light breeze and a spill of sunshine.

The cats wandered out to join us, a bit wary of this new space.

The posts and rails are fashioned of tulip polar, harvested here on the property.

Jim shaping the ends of the posts with a grinding wheel

Howard used a draw shave to peel the bark and has also done much of the scribing and fitting of the posts.

With the upper porches finished, the lower porch area can now be tided, the soffit put up, and eventually a clothesline. 

A view of the south-east porch.

The piles of peeled bark represent hours of work to prepare the posts and railings.

One can buy posts and railings premade from the lumber supply--wrought iron, composite wood, pressure treated wood already formed into the components to create a deck or porch.

We knew we preferred the handmade rustic effect, and there is a certain satisfaction in using materials harvested on our own land.

We lingered over this first simple meal on the porch.

I moved my rocker into the rectangle of sun by the corner railing, cherished my mug of honey-sweetened tea.

We had to remind ourselves that there was much left to do and it was time to get back to work!