One of the things I love about this old house is the front porch....or is it the back porch? The porch is on the lake side of the house so we are never quite sure what to call it...front or back! I'm sure the porch was originally designed to be open and I can picture a grand staircase to the lawn below, but there are no photos of the house in the early 1900's. At some point, windows were added to enclose the porch, as well as a deck to allow al fresco dining.

I have to admit, there are times that I wish the windows were not there....on a warm sunny summer day. Yet, I do realize that the windows allow the porch to be used almost year round, since baseboard heat was also added. The porch is my spot where I go to have my morning devotional time....and wait for the sunrise.

I love to sit there in the evening as well...watching for the moon to come out and shine on the lake. The lake has a calming effect on me...

Last summer, my Aunt Connie, her three daughters, a granddaughter, and a granddaughter in law came for a visit from Wisconsin. Almost all of them were early risers like me, so we would meet out on the porch each morning, coffee in hand, and sit and chat...such wonderful memories! I've also enjoyed sweet times with other guests who have come to stay...drinking our coffee and simply sharing about life...the struggles and the joys.

When my mother and father in law lived here, they often used the porch for entertaining...a place to keep the food in a covered area, out of the sun. The porch works well for that use too! There was always a long table at one end with a table cloth on it. Underneath the table cloth were some toys for the grand kids, so they all have memories of running out there to get the Fisher Price barn with all its' little animals to come out and play! Again...sweet memories.

When we moved in, we replaced the 70's era gold bubble glass with clear glass and replaced the carpet. I'm hoping to paint the interior walls and the trim soon!

The porch for us is a place to sit and enjoy the lake...especially when the temperatures are a little chilly or rainy or breezy. At the far end, we have an elliptical exercise machine too. We keep baskets of things we use in the summer...beach towels...sun visors and baseball caps...flip flops.