My Summer Reading Room

I just had to show you my Summer Reading Room! Tom built this deck by himself about 3 years ago and I "designed" the look of it. The deck is two-level (I'll have to photograph the levels), but the lower level is where you come out the back door (the deck is flush with the door level), and then you either go left out the back door and down two steps toward the detached garage, or if you go straight 3-4 footsteps, you step up about 6-8" (not sure which) onto the upper level of the deck which is about 12'x12". The upper level deck steps go out to the left from this view and are "terrace steps" they are extra shallow and wide. When "designing" this in my head, I envisioned some recessed lighting installed in the steps risers -- we've not done that yet, but it's "on the list" Tom's list, that is. There are only two steps off to the deck and they run the entire width of the deck -- so they are shallow and wide. There are only 2 railings on the deck -- one on the extreme left (behind the fern on the table on the left) and a shorter railing by the lower part of the deck where you go to the garage. I wanted to create a wide open feel to the deck since it wasn't a very large deck. But, we couldn't built a deck larger than the backside of the house -- remember, we live in a cottage! ; )

So, then we bought a 12'x12" gazebo/canopy thingy that came with zip-up mosquito netting that is removable if you want to open up the deck. I have a deep-seating conversation set out there with a loveseat and two chairs, several side tables, a coffee table, a few plant stands, ferns, impatiens and a few pots of coleus and sweet potato vine, as well as some hanging baskets that usually hang on our 6' fence by the sugar maple tree over on the West side yard, but the squirrels have been very devilish and have been digging in these hanging baskets -- so, I'm nursing them back to vigrous health on my deck, and once they spring back to super health, I'll hang them back up on the fence over there.

This is where I hang out most of the summer when I'm not making cards. I try to catch up on my reading in the summers and I have several books that I'm hoping to read -- "A Tree Grows in Brookyln" by Betty Smith and another, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers. And I may read some that I have lying around by Nora Roberts and Anne Rivers Siddons -- although Anne Rivers Siddons does use some very colorful language -- she is still, an excellent storyteller. So, now you have some visuals when you think of me, if you think of me at all! LOL

I know, I know...you're probably thinking..."next time, give us a card!" LOL