In the above photo, the sweet little banty hen had just finished cleaning the dogfood scraps out of Flounder's bowl. He missed most of that as he was ... cleaning himself. At this point, he's come up for air and realized that this chicken may be trying to steal his tennis ball. I can tell from his expression that he is considering a warning bark, but at 11, it's such an effort.
(Disclaimer: This is the messy doggy end of the porch, we are refinishing the wood this summer ... I promise.)
See for yourself. This shot was taken after the rolling and trimming in blue, but we had not yet done the cream porch posts and trim. That big window to the left of the porch was my childhood bedroom. Mom loves her fresh air, so we grew up with out airconditioning, a fact I am very happy for now. I think it contributed to my gnarly toughness and extreme tolerance for heat and humidity. They did get A/C about 8 years ago, so my delicate children and their Grandpa (who lobbied unsuccessfully for A/C back in the '60's) are happy.
We kept a close eye on them. So far nothing has turned up missing.
I love the blue! Are those cinder blocks (concrete blocks)? I suppose that would make sense in hurricane country.
ReplyDeletepablo
roundrockjournal.com
I don't understand the comment about your porch. It looks great compared to our deck.
ReplyDeleteI'm zeroing in on what is perhaps not the main point, but which captures my attention: the lack of air conditioning. We've been doing without it for several years now, and our summers can get pretty dang hot and humid. I realized it was reducing my ability to go out into the heat, and that I was gradually choosing not to do so.
ReplyDeleteThere's something to be said for minimizing clothing for comfort, relying on ceiling fans, and moving from inside to outside without undue pain.
One thing I've realized - don't even bother telling others you do this. The admission invokes a deluge of excuses as to why they don't.
I remember many summers in Fla sans AC. Get out of the shower, dress, and sweat those clean clothes down before walking to the front door.
ReplyDeleteTrying to sleep and being so sweaty that the sheets were damp. No, I don't miss not having ac at all.
Have a great weekend!
Wow, that's blue! Perfect color though in a tropical climate. I lived in Texas for four years without a/c in the apt. or the car. It was a challenge and one that I wouldn't want to repeat.
ReplyDeleteI am struck by the amazing similarity between the shade of blue on the exterior of the house, and the blue sky behind that surly looking house painter. On my monitor they look identical.
ReplyDeleteNice paint job, FC. The house does look sky blue. Very nice colors for the tropical sun.
ReplyDeleteI spent one summer in Phoenix when my first husband was the videographer for the ABC affiliate there. We had a VW Rabbit with black interior and no air conditioning. I commuted in that car to ASU everyday. It was hell, pure hell. It was the summer I learned to hate the heat. I've never lived in hot climates since.
I gotta say I like that blue. Very eye catching. And it matches so nicely with the green from the foliage.
ReplyDeletei think that shade of BLUE deserves caps, and blue text too.
ReplyDeletethe crew may be surly, but certainly is clean of paint splotches. maybe the picture was taken before the painting began.
I just had another memory: Something about a trip from PC to StA over a holiday weekend. I remember that there was some fresh citrus, right off the tree, involved too! That was a pretty fun trip, Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHey man, we're preparing for an upcoming audit so I've been tied up, but I'll try to get caught up with your posts this weekend. I just had a second while I ate lunch and thought I'd stop by!
That's a lovely shade of blue.
ReplyDeleteI grew up without AC too, and I still find no need for it. Of course, this IS Minnesotarctica, but it's amazing how many people here just can't seem to live without it.
I second Roger...the first thing I noticed was no paint on the painter...I am not sure how much I would trust a painter who was not wearing paint. I know that I own jeans decorated in the exact yellow of the bath and kitchen and shirts with the precise grey of the sitting porch...just sayin', is all. Makes me wonder.
ReplyDeleteI could tell right off it wasn’t painted by Gypsies. It is pure Florida. You are lucky to get to do things with your bubba. My brother in B’ham takes care of all our mom’s honey dews since he is three hours away (plus he is good at.) Fortunately I was born good looking because I’m almost as handy as a soup sandwich.
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding on the camera.
As for air conditioning, I’ll keep mine, thank you. Some of us did rustic well before it was a life style choice.
Pablo,
ReplyDeleteAll block, very typical of 50's-60's Florida construction. It has weathered a handfull of 'canes. Did you notice the hurricane shutters?
Mark,
Thank you for bailing me out :)
Wayne,
Even now I am the one here who is the last to turn on the A/C and even then it's on a high setting just to break the humidity.
When I'm here alone, it's almost never on. It's very true that it reduces your tolerance for heat and it (by shear contrast) makes the normal heat of a summer day seem extreme ...when it's not.
POP,
That is so true, the freshly showered- oops -freshly sweating situation. You have a great weekend too.
Zanne,
If I had to choose, I would choose A/C in the car over A/C in the house. Glad you like the subtropical blue!
Hal,
Hey you're right! It was a perfect painting day, no clouds and low humidity. The paint was Behr brand from HD and it went on suuweeeet!
Robin,
Extreme heat and humidity definitely has an energy sapping quality to it. There's something purifying about it too I guess, look at all the saunas out there.
Paintsmh,
Thanks. There's some blue on the inside too.
roger,
i agree on the blue text ... i was banging that out as fast as i could this morn. this blog makes me 5 minutes late everyday! keen, experienced eye there ... the pic was imediately prior to real painting.
Dave,
That was a fun trip. I wonder what Tina is up to these days?
Deb,
I can't imagine needing it much there either... not after reading your chilly posts!
ThreeCollie,
The reason I chose that shirt to paint in is it was accidentally bleached in places. Now it has a nice complement of paint splotches to go with the bleached areas.
Scott,
My brother used to make soup sandwiches. Spread condensed soup, your choice, on bread, slap together, eat.
The banty hen can be the food post!!
ReplyDeleteAnd that house has such similar construction to my grandma's in St. Auggie. They were built right around the same time.
Cute hen. I remember when I would have to keep the chickens off the cat and dog food till they got finished.
ReplyDeleteThat blue house really looks like it fits into Florida. Good thing there is no deed restrictions telling you what you can or can't do.
As usual, late to the party. (I was sizing photos for Good Planets.)
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of all the cinder block houses on my favorite tiny island in the Bahamas (Harbour Is.) All the locals paint their houses the Saturday before Palm Sunday each year with odd paint lots sent over from the Homestead, Fla. Home Depot. They are all the most amazing and happiest colors. I love it- and I think it's wonderful that the grandcrackers have stayed put all these years.
My current energy efficiency plan is to stay here winters when we get away with using neither heat nor AC and then go up to Chicago where we can keep both to a minimum the rest of the time. I don't much like the chill of A/C but I suspect if I stayed here, I would use it as we now have a new high efficiency unit.
I would like a Flounder and a chicken on my porch.
Hurricane Teen,
ReplyDeleteYour clan and my clan were mostly raised west of Masters Drive. I don't know how old your grandma is, but if she went to Crookshank, my Mom may have taught her. She taught a boatload of P.'s.
Such a mystery :)
Doubleknot,
Welcome back! Yes, no socialistic neighborhood rules there.
Vicki,
I think you were complimenting our color choice :) so thanks!
FC, we may seriously be very closely related...My grandma lives directly west of Masters Drive, and she knows just about everybody in the city of St. Augustine.
ReplyDeleteMy grandma went to St. Ambrose Catholic School for her edumucation (she is likely about the age of your mother.)
However, my mom went to Crookshank for her 6th grade year (1965-66.)
St. Auggie west of the San Sebastian is still kind of a small town where most people know each other. For all I know my grandma might know your parents.
Your grandma and I were at Crookshank together. I was in the second grade that year she was there.
ReplyDeleteIf my friend B. saw it, she'd say, "Wonder why they didn't paint that house blue?" :) I like bright houses though.
ReplyDeleteI lived without AC as a student for 3 years, but found it difficult falling asleep at night when the windows had to be shut (this was in the big city). Nowdays I think I'm too much, um, of a certain age, do to without AC. I believe my husband thinks I'm crabby enough even with AC!
So i guess you and my mom would not have known each other in school...unless she associated with 2nd graders while she was there :-D
ReplyDeleteInteresting...I will tell gramgoldshoes (my grandma) to come on over here and see if she may know your parents...
Rurality,
ReplyDeleteI just turned it on as the family has returned. It was 83 in the house, but I was comfortable. Big weather coming tonight!
HTeen,
No sixth grader would talk to a second grader, way uncool even back then! :)
She probably had Mrs. Bassett, and Mr. Annear just like I did a few years later.