Since the late 1800's and early 1900's our family has loved porches. When Oklahoma was still called Indian Territory, my great grandfather built a wrap around porch with a house. I mean a house with a wrap around porch! The house was called the "old family home place". I never saw the house but I've seen pictures of the family gathered there as they made the house a home and endured the onslaught of drought, blizzards and sand storms, rattlesnakes and the great depression of the 1930's. 
With that in mind, the "Romantic Porch" I want to feature for the month of September is none other than the one on which my brother and sister in law, Ray and Dianne, share their love. You see this porch has weathered the onslaught of hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and debilitating illness. In 2002, my sister in law Dianne was suddenly stricken with a brain aneurysm and her life hung in the balance for several days with her future and physical condition uncertain. After several weeks, by God's grace and mercy, a lot of prayers, and the skill of a few very good physicians, with Ray as her support, she made a faltering and weak approach up the front porch steps to this adorable cottage they call home. Now 6 years later she is healthy and whole. She is one of the sweetest and funniest ladies you will ever meet.
Just in the last few days, Ray who is one of those gifted people who can do just about anything, has scurried to make final repairs to their home, since a summer tornado recently ripped through. On Monday, hurricane Gustav was bearing down on them with a vengeance, but I insisted (I think that's what I did) that I must have pictures on Monday morning...see the haze of darkness in the sky... I couldn't chance not having a photo before the storm came.
I'm so proud for them to have this adorable house with a darling wrap around porch. I'm proud that I come from a long line of porch lovers!
Now I have a question for you my dear and faithful blog readers. What color should they paint the porch rail and spindles, front steps and porch swing? They survived Gustav without sustaining damage, so the progress will continue, and I'll show you some "after" photos, since today's photos are of the "before". How 'bout that?
Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Love, Rachel
With that in mind, the "Romantic Porch" I want to feature for the month of September is none other than the one on which my brother and sister in law, Ray and Dianne, share their love. You see this porch has weathered the onslaught of hurricanes, tornadoes, fires and debilitating illness. In 2002, my sister in law Dianne was suddenly stricken with a brain aneurysm and her life hung in the balance for several days with her future and physical condition uncertain. After several weeks, by God's grace and mercy, a lot of prayers, and the skill of a few very good physicians, with Ray as her support, she made a faltering and weak approach up the front porch steps to this adorable cottage they call home. Now 6 years later she is healthy and whole. She is one of the sweetest and funniest ladies you will ever meet. 
Just in the last few days, Ray who is one of those gifted people who can do just about anything, has scurried to make final repairs to their home, since a summer tornado recently ripped through. On Monday, hurricane Gustav was bearing down on them with a vengeance, but I insisted (I think that's what I did) that I must have pictures on Monday morning...see the haze of darkness in the sky... I couldn't chance not having a photo before the storm came. I'm so proud for them to have this adorable house with a darling wrap around porch. I'm proud that I come from a long line of porch lovers!
Now I have a question for you my dear and faithful blog readers. What color should they paint the porch rail and spindles, front steps and porch swing? They survived Gustav without sustaining damage, so the progress will continue, and I'll show you some "after" photos, since today's photos are of the "before". How 'bout that?
Have a wonderful Wednesday.
Love, Rachel
17 comments:
Thank you for sharing the pictures of their porch and house! I'm so thankful the hurricane didn't get them! A tornado and hurricane just weeks apart seems like too much!
It's looking good, Ray and Dianne! I'll have to think on the color, though!
Love you!
Esther
Thanks for your visit today Rachel. I had my glasses off and I guess I didn't push the right button to publish it because it just disappeared before my eyes.
You and your husband just look fabulous together and you both look in love!!! You are a beautiful couple! Really!
I say they should paint the porch and swing white.
XO
Brook
O.K. The comment showed up. Thank you dear Rachel!
XO
Brook
What a beautiful house and porch! I'm thankful it wasn't damaged by the storm.
I think I would paint the railing white, and the steps dark green.
Katherine
Uncle Ray and Aunt Dee have such a pretty house! I love their wrap-around porch, too. My question is: does the color need to go with the rest of the color scheme? Or might that be changing, too? The sensible choice, of course, is white. But wouldn't the house be pretty in sage green, too?
That house would look great with the trim on the dormers and all other trim painted a deep sage green, keep the porch railings and spindles all white and then paint the door a deep rich maroon, with the swing in the sage trim color. It would look great to add some shutters to the lower windows too...
What a darling house, it would look great also just have the entire house painted white. Then add a punchey color just to the door!
XO,
Donna Lynn
What a beautiful post and tribute Rachel! This house is definitely a loving home!! It is gorgeous as well, I love the porch!
Hmmm, how about pink? JUST KIDDING!!! I am seeing green or blue in my mind. White would be beautiful too! I cant wait to see what they choose :)
Big hugs to you all,
Amy
HI RACHEL, RAY AND DIANNE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOME . SOME GREAT IDEAS HAVE ALREADY BEEN POSTED . I NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE. THANKS FOR POSTING IT. KEITH
I always wished I had a porch. So nice to just sit and look at mother nature. Thanks for sharing.
WHat a fabulous porch. I'm glad she's well and whole now and that the porch has also survived. I love white for porches, personally.
WOW! At first glance I thought you had finished the house. But now I see, you haven't painted the dormers yet either. I like the rails the color they are. Maybe paint the steps the floor color and the door the brick color.
It would be fun to have one of those computer programs where you can change the color and see all the different looks before you paint.
Correction! I should have said "they" not "you".
I,too, LOVE porches and what a beautiful one to feature! I am glad that they made it through the hurricane without further problems! Not sure what color would look the best but I always think that three coordinating colors look so beautiful...Ya know...the "painted lady" effect! :) Have a great day!
I don't know, white?
Sounds boring but I really like a white wrapped around the house.
Unless you have detail and then I say add color here and make it a painted lady.
Becky
I think that white would be a bright and welcoming color. I am a porch lover too! We love to sit on the porch during rain and wind. It is so relaxing.
Thanks, everyone for the suggestions on color. Dianne and I will take your recommendations into account as we continue the debate!! It's been fun (and a LOT of work) to do the repairs and repainting following the tornado. I've got a deck to build on the back.
So, if your're passing through Jackson, Mississippi, stop on by and we'll sit a spell on the porch and enjoy a glass of icy Dr. Pepper (or coffee if you insist). But before long, we have to get up, grab the paint brush and get busy!
Thanks, Rachel, for sharing our story. We love you. Ray
I LOVE porches as well, especially wraparound porches. I'd say they could paint everything but the swing in white and the swing in red. What about a combo of sky blue and white? Or perhaps white and yellow? I think that any of these combinations would work. They'd bring life to the porch.
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