January Front Porch

I  got a new front porch flag for Christmas and it’s the perfect fit for January.  I hung it up on the windy day that was the first of this month, ready to greet the thin sunlight of cold mornings and welcome me home in the twilight of the waning day.

There is also a happy new resident on the table to echo the flag.  

I’ve a long history of being charmed by the squirrels in my yard and this little guy is no exception. I may even find him more charming than his brethren, thanks to the fact that he doesn’t try to break into the back yard bird feeder, eat the fruit on my trees, or demolish any of the pumpkins I set out.  His name is Zip, a tribute to T’s pet sugar glider who went to the great eucalyptus-laden beyond last year.

The basket is also new, a Christmas present that I will enjoy all year long, on the porch and for use to collect the produce and flowers I expect to grow this Spring and Summer.  There is greenery, pinecones, and lights to brighten the darkness.

The front door wreath is stark, befitting the season.

This porch and planning the things I will set out to celebrate each month is one of the nicest blessings in my life.  The porch is both my warm weather refuge and my daily welcome-home stop.  I enjoy planning the things I will set out and love the way the porch reflects the changes Mother Nature brings as each months slides into the next.