3-fer Blog Party--Outdoor Wednesday, Porch & Patio Party and Tablescape Thursday

This is a very busy week in Blogland for me. I couldn't decide which of these parties to attend, so I decided to do all three. All three parties are marvelous, so I hope you click on the links to see all the festivities and enjoy the fun. Susan is hosting her Outdoor Wednesday. This weekly party always has some wonderful photographs of participants' outdoor areas or of places they have visited and want to share. I love the outdoors and am always in awe of all the beautiful flowers and gardens. I have never been able to keep plants of flowers alive, but this year I have tried something different. Instead of planing things in the ground, I am trying to grow flowers in large pots. Here are some of the flowers as you come up my front walk.


These are all supposed to be full sun plants, but they are already taking a beating in the Texas sun. They are in the shade during the first part of the day. You can see that I am a flower novice, because I can't even remember the names of the flowers!
Here is a photo of a couple more planters on the other side of the walk.

Now for one last photo of more of the elephant ear plants up in the corner of the front courtyard like porch. These are shielded from the direct sun during the heat of the afternoon.


Although I don't have the gorgeous flowers that I see on lots of blogs, I am proud of my attempt this year. At least I have one entry to Susan's Outdoor Wednesday party. Well, that is one entry of my own outdoors. I have lots of photos to share of great outdoor places and scenes that I have visited.

Please don't hurry away, I really do have more to offer today. Just look at my beautiful niece, Miss Audree. Doesn't she look precious? We are planning a tea party and she is practicing her dress-up skills. I found out today that she loves hats.



Miss Audree is here to welcome you to the other parties today including Barb's Porch and Patio Party. I wanted to participate in this event last month, but my newly screened back porch was not ready. We had weeks and weeks of rain in Texas that caused dear hubby to have to stop work on the porch project for awhile. I thought that we were going to have an unplanned screened in swimming pool for awhile. Then, he started having problems with this thumb and hand due to all the drilling in to the concrete and hammering and stress from building. He broke several bones in the hand last fall and the added stress during the building phase caused him to have to back off the work for awhile.

I was so unhappy to not have the porch ready in time for Memorial Day and the start of the summer season. In fact, it still is not complete. You can see in some photos that the bottom area under the screen has not been finished out yet. He concentrated on finishing the outside since that was most vulnerable to the weather. You can still see the wooden posts and the backside of the outside material. But, it is functional and I am using the screened porch and trying to ignore this little glitch. He took the break because it was either the screened porch or his golf game that had to be on hold. He wasn't able to keep up with the stress of both on the hand. Guess what won?????
But, I am rambling...

Now Miss Audree has moved out of the photo so that you can see my bistro table and chairs. My late son and dear daughter bought me this set and the bench across from it, for my birthday right before we lost Mickey. They are special items to me.



Now, just follow Miss Audree through the house to the back and the screened porch. Here is the view from the back door.



This is one of my tables for the week. I actually have another to link to Tablescape Thursday when Susan opens it for this week's party. However, I couldn't resist having a triple party post here, too.

The table looks a little sparse, but I chose not to use a tablecloth today and left plenty of room for the buns, meat and veggie platters. I also had to leave room for a big iced tea pitcher since it is in the 90s today. It also looks like I forgot the flatware, but it is hanging in a little metal rack in the center as part of the centerpiece. I tried out several floral arrangements and nothing looked right, so I settled for the cool looking flatware rack. It is flanked by catsup and mustard containers and a ceramic cheeseburger and hot dog. I found the ceramics recently while browsing thrift stores and didn't realize they were condiment containers. I threw the plastic pumps away and planned to use them just for table decor. You can see these better in photos further down.

Over to the right is the sitting area, so let's grab an ice cold margarita and visit while the burgers are cooking. Miss Audree ordered them all well done, so it will be a while.



Wow, that was fast! Jim says the burgers are ready. It is amazing how much faster it is to cook on his new infa-red gas grill. He had always been a die-hard charcoal man and finally decided that he would try out a gas grill. So, we gave him one for an early Father's Day gift. The steaks and chicken have been great on it. His first burger attempt was a little raw for me, hence Audree's decree of the well done burgers today.



Hmm...looks like they are very well done tonight. Oh, well, a man has to play with his new toys.

You can also see my new colorful flatware in this photo. (I see it is crooked, too!) I found this set at T.J. Maxx for only $10 for a setting of four. I just love that store.

It is time to take your seats at the table. Miss Audree was the first served since she just had a birthday and was unable to be with us on her day.





Thanks, Jim, those were really good burgers. Don't tell him, but they really need to be somewhere between the moo-burgers and the char-burgers. (Don't tell him I said that!)

Let's move back down to the sitting area and relax some more. Duke is really enjoying the cushioned seats! Blackjack likes the screened porch, but not the heat. He stays inside until the sun goes down.



How do you like my yard sale find table? I picked this up a couple of weeks ago and haven't gotten it painted yet. I am almost afraid to attempt spraying it because of all the open areas. It doesn't look bad as is. It has a mirror top. Behind the table is my tree that I found at the Resale Barn for $5! The basket was broken, but a little glue and it was as good as new.


I am so glad that we have a lot of room for everyone to sit and be comfortable. The furniture was bought for DD when she moved out into a downtown loft. She is really into retro things and ORANGE. Can you tell????



She picked out the material and the hippie guy who re-upholstered the cushions convinced her to use the lime green buttons. It looked great in the loft, but has been in the storage shed here since she moved back home. The colors were just not something that could be used in many places. However, I decided to use it for the screened porch. After all, Mom, paid for it!

We are still in the process of decorating here. Plans are for this to be a cantina like porch. Note the cheesy little signs that you can see in some photos. A bar is yet to be bought. There is also a refrigerator outside the door to the house. I am on the lookout for a parrot on a swing to hang above the bar. We also still have to add the cantina colored lights and some other items. Here are a few of the signs and the birdhouse cantina.






However, finally, we are able to enjoy the screened porch. It is so nice to not have to fight mosquitos or flies. My dogs aren't too happy that they have to go out a doggie door now and I wish it was completely finished, but it is a wonderful place and we are enjoying it daily.

This is the material that is being used to make some pillows and a new cushion for the papasan rocker and footstool. The ones that are shown in the photos here will be used during the fall and winter when I am ready for a more subdued color. The cushion on the rocker is not made for it and is not very thick. It was the best that I could find locally---from Target. The new cushions are being made by a cushion company out of Alabama.



I love the bright colors in this. It is called Portland Rainbow and I think will be better for a cantina theme.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit. I always love to have company. Be sure to check in with Susan at Outdoor Wednesday Barb at the Porch and Patio Party and Susan at Tablescape Thursday.