When I feel the need for a short nap I tend to go into my sun room. This room was once a screened in porch. I thought I wanted a screened in porch on the east side of my house so my husband made one for me. I can remember watching him on his hands and knees putting down the roof for this room. later he made a sturdy railing all around the edges with corner seats. Thus the porch below was available for indoor use and above it a deck is always ready for use as a gathering place, when the weather is mild and friends appear.
The sun room can be entered through french doors on the east side of the dining area. The deck above it can be entered from a door on the east side of the balcony room above the dining area. Because the deck is upstairs and out of the main line of traffic it is not used as often as it could be. But it is there and ready for use, but only if you enter from the inside. There is no way to get there from the outside. Many happy memories come back to me from time spent there.
Today however, I spent my restful time down below the deck, reclining on a deacons bench. This bench has a history all its own. I will never know who enjoyed it before me as it came from an auction many years ago in Atlanta. Unclaimed furniture was being sold from pieces left in storage, way past the allotted time. My husband was looking for furniture for my son to use in college and he bid forty dollars for a lot which included this deacons bench along with other items. They all became part of a college dorm room at the University of Georgia. I made cushions for the bench and they went along to college also. I can imagine a lot of young students, sat, or reclined on those cushions over the college years.
When it was no longer needed the bench made its way back to my house where my son made his home. The day came when I moved away and took some of the furniture with me. The deacons bench was one item I liked and so it moved with me. This time I had an upholster make new cushions for it. The wood of the bench is made of oak and is a very sturdy piece of furniture. It seats three easily, in comfort. And is long enough for even a tall person to recline, by bending the knees a bit.
Today when I awakened from a short nap on this treasured bench, I was in a perfect position to see two framed photographs on the west wall, straight in my line of vision. Both are photographs taken by my son. One is in sepia tone and is an artistic view of a tree beside a stream. The other is a close up of some grapes from my vineyard. It was pleasant to see and I began to reminisce about the other things on the wall. On the north side is a painting done by my grandson who is now away at college. I had some orange day lilies so I made a vase of them and asked him to paint it for me. He did. The orange color of the vase has faded but that does not matter to me. Also sitting in the corner window shelf is a ceramic owl which is orange and was made by my sister Katrine. The windows frames are wide enough to accompany a glass tray with beautifully embroidered fruit under glass. This was a gift made by my daughter Bonnie and presented to me one Christmas, after she had married and moved away from home.
The other framed picture is a painting of a clipper ship. The words James Baines is under the picture. I do not know if such a ship existed but it was a reminder that my husband loved sailing and once had a sailing boat at our dock.
Looking further to the east wall which is all windows, with some space between; I can see plates hanging between the windows. There are nine of them, all painted by my artist sister, Katrine. She loved birds and painted a lot of them. Two watercolors of birds are on the opposite wall along with other paintings she did back as far as the 1960's. One of my favorites is of a little black girl wearing an orange dress and a tan straw hat. She is sitting beside a huge basket of white laundry. I think my sister saw her in Charleston and was entranced with her, so she painted this portrait of her. I am struck by her beauty, peaceful posture and the look on her face.
My grandson Grant likes this picture also. I think it reminds him of one of his school friends. The other pictures around her are still life painting in chalk of fruit, oranges, etc.
This restful room has very light weight sturdy furniture made of aluminum, painted white with dark green molded mesh backs and seats, all in one piece. I found them in Roswell at a store many years ago and waited six weeks for them to be made at a factory in Florida. The glass topped table that goes with them is oval and big enough to accompany six people or eight in a squeeze. Down at the end of the room is a white cafe table with two metal chairs, perfect in case we had ten to eat on any given day.
Another thing that makes this room special for me is the tile floor. I wanted something that would not crack with weight or scratch. I was assured that these tiles would live up to my expectations, and they have. Someone who comes to visit and sits out here would not know the history of this room. But when I am out here I have many memories to make it special for me. Birthdays have been celebrated here. Easter and Thanksgiving dinners were enjoyed here. Not Christmas dinners, as it is too cold out here at that time of year. Others have crashed on this deacons bench for a short nap and card games have been played at the table. All these memories are there to make me cherish this place. For most of the year I do come out and take advantage of the ambiance and comfort even if only for a little while.
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