Fall Front Porch and Landscape Beginnings

With temperatures in the 80's and 90's till a week ago, it's taken me a bit to get my front porch decorated for Fall. I didn't go all out this season because I knew that we would be starting our landscape work here in October... and then last weekend we had a killing frost that took out my flowers out back. Thankfully I went ahead and covered the mums out here, not really thinking it would get that cold.

I had wanted to bring my big gray goat cart out front, but that thought was nixed when our landscape guys called and said they'd be starting this week. So a few mums and pumpkins in my mini wheelbarrow are the extent of the festivities.

I did get my doorbasket spiffed up a bit with some Fall leaf stems

 added to the Hydrangeas and Sunflowers.

Miss Jenkins loves to sneak out on the front porch when I'm here 

if she gets a chance, but then gets nervous if the door gets closed.

I found some perfect Fall plaid pillow covers HERE

See those bushes on either side of the walk?

they're gone now, yippee!

 The Autumn Greetings Farmhouse Sign

 I found a few weeks ago has ended up here on the porch.

Before we moved last Spring I was looking for a painted wooden bench for the porch, thinking this one would be too small, but I really like it here. The shutters give it a little more ooomph.

This little guy (below) owns the front porch and the bench. I find him here several times a day sitting on the pillows. At times he (she) even naps there. He was pretty miffed that I had a pumpkin and faux gourd on his bench. So much so that each time I'd put the gray gourd back up on the bench he would knock it off. Honestly, I heard him "barking" at it one time and then it was on the floor of the porch. too funny.

He's a little discombobulated at the moment, since all the shrubs have been ripped out,

and the gravel entrance to his underground quarters has been disturbed.

(this is a pic from early Summer before we painted the new timbers)

I know this looks horrible, but I'm just sharing the process. It cannot get done fast enough for me. I'm having to remind myself to stay calm and quiet in the process. You know workmen, they are mostly on their own schedule. 

We left two Hydrangea bushes and some cone shaped evergreens, (below) but the rest of it was pulled out. Those are the stumps that are left which I'm hoping the guys will get rid of today. This house was built in 1964, so those shrubs were original and they looked like it. Half of the house was hidden by massive overgrown shrubbery. It looks better even with this mess. One thing for sure, there will be no shrubbery near the entrance to the front porch. It is good sized but looked dinky because of all the intrusive and overgrown shrubbery.

That's monkey grass but it's going to go too, because it has weeds and all sorts of junk growing up in it. I'm going to replace those with a new variegated variety. We have Boxwoods and we're going to replace the Azaleas and get the shrubs in hopefully within the next few days. Then a new brick border, landscape liner and river rock. Right now everything looks a disaster, but I know it has to get worse before it gets better.

So I'm trying to keep my mind occupied elsewhere...

Do you all subscribe to the "new" Country Home Magazine?

It went out of print several years ago, 

but then revived it a bit later with no advertisements.

I really enjoy it, and they stay true to the style. 

Always some great inspiration.

See you Monday!

joining in here:

All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home

 Celebrate Your Story at The Zucchini Sisters
Create Bake, Make at Across the Blvd

Happiness is Homemade at Blue Sky at Home

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

Tips and Tutorials at Home Stories A to Z

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Homestyle Gathering at Serving Up Southern  

Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles 

 Talk of the Town at Knick of Time

Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode 

Share Your Style at French Ethereal 

 Style Showcase at Shabby Fufu  

Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home

 Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Grace at Home at Imparting Grace

Farmhouse Friday at The Painted Hinge