From the Front Porch
Happy Friday from the front porch sweet friends. We’re excited to have you here and appreciate you making us a part of your day.
Recently, we were on the phone with a loved one who had just completed 16 weeks of radiation treatment for melanoma.
At 86, he’s a salty old Navy sailor who’s passionate about politics, current events, and speaking his mind.
We’ve tried a million different ways to get him to move to Florida with no luck.
So, if you’re also trying to manage a loved one’s care from another state, my heart goes out to you. We know firsthand, it’s not easy.
While he’s stubborn and set in his ways, he also has a tender heart.
And just before he finished his final radiation treatment he discovered one of his neighbors, who was a former truck driver and a bit of a recluse, was undergoing chemo treatments and having to make some tough financial decisions.
We knew our loved one had secretly collected money from fellow neighbors to help with his living expenses but what we didn’t know until last week was that he had also offered to pay for his neighbor’s lawn care.
“How did he react when you offered to pay for his grass to be cut?” we asked.
“He told me no! Can you believe that? I mean, how stubborn can you be?” he said growing heated.
It was literally all I could do to stifle a giggle because we’d been living out similar scenes with our loved one for YEARS.
“He knows there is no way he can cut his own grass in his condition,” he passionately continued. “It’s not even safe.”
Our loved one had a point.
There are very few flat spots in the private mountain enclave he and about 7 other families live in, most of which are close to their homes and near the main road.
“Well how did you leave it with your neighbor,” we asked.
“I told him I’d give him a day to think about it,” he replied.
The next day, our loved one brought his neighbor a few groceries and presented his case one last time.
“I know you don’t need help,” he began, “I know you’re not asking for anything either. But how about we just ease into this little arrangement? When my yard man comes over to mow my yard, I’m just gonna tell him to mow yours too. We’ll try it a couple of times. If it doesn’t work for you, we can stop it any time you want.”
When our loved one called to tell us the latest development, I had to hand it to him, *easing* into an arrangement that was helpful but felt incredibly uncomfortable to his reclusive neighbor was a genius move.
There was no long-term commitment.
No payback or any expectation.
All that was required was to simply, try.
As we hung up with our loved one, I couldn’t help but think about how many times I had allowed my own pride to hold me back from opportunities and blessings because I didn’t want to be seen as a bother, dependent, “too much” or from fear of needing help in ways I had not planned or imagined.
Being vulnerable in any capacity is not easy.
What I learned from those salty old men though is that love shows up when you need it most.
It might look like groceries and lawn care.
Or a kind word of encouragement, acknowledgment, and validation from someone who has walked in your shoes.
But it always shows up, at exactly the right time.
And it’s up to us to open our hearts and receive the gift.
Cheering you on as you celebrate the last of June with open hearts and prepare to welcome July with open arms.
A Few of Our Favorite Things from Around the Web…
This Naples home tour feels like the perfect way to celebrate summer in Florida.
Wait until you see this house – every detail is positively dreamy!
There were so many beautiful homes in this portfolio I couldn’t pick a favorite.
This home in Watercolor is really pretty. I love all the flower arrangements they incorporated too!
81 Small but Mighty Kitchen Ideas to Steal
How to Create an Outdoor Pavillion (Renae has an amazing outdoor space)
We’ve been on the hunt for patio furniture and this was such a helpful review.
How to Create Beautiful Peony Flower Arrangements
How to Do Paris Like a Parisian
75 Hotel Hacks Everyone Should Know (I would never have even thought of half of these!)
How to Stop Clothes From Shrinking In The Laundry
20 Things You Need to Stop Wasting Time On
Loved this post from Susan, Who Did You Bless Today? It literally changed my week!
Prepping for Independence Day…
15 Ways to Use Ticking Fabric in Your Home Decor (I pinned so many of Rachel’s festive and creative ideas)
Red, White, and Blue Summer Home Tour (Jen’s home is always so warm and inviting)
Have you seen, Emily’s patriotic mantel yet? It’s gorgeous!
Budget-Friendly Patriotic and Summer Home Décor Ideas (You will not believe how quick Cindy’s ideas are!)
A Perfectly Patriotic Tablescape (Oh my word that view! I’d sit at Kim’s table and celebrate with her any day of the week!)
If you’re looking for fabulous vintage-inspired patriotic tablescape ideas, my friend Lora, has you covered!
Easy No Sew DIY Flag Garland (Anna is my go-to for simple ideas I know I’ll use year after year)
Need Your Help…
We’ve been knee-deep planning 3rd and 4th quarter content so I wanted to get your opinion on something.
We’ve typically been sending emails on Wednesdays and Fridays and a few other times during the month when we have blog hops.
Based on the analytics of the posts resonating most with you and your email open rate, I’ve been thinking about changing things up, including changing the format of the From the Front Porch posts.
Would you rather receive posts…
- A.) Friday Only
- B.) Sunday Only
- C.) Wednesdays and Fridays
- D.) Mondays and Fridays
As always, you can reply in the comment section below, or if you’re a subscriber you can reply to today’s email. Thank you for weighing in!
Words to Live By…
On My Nightstand…
(Amazon affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
This month, I’ve been reading, Joie: A Parisians Guide To Celebrating The Good Life as part of our French Country Inspired Summer Bucket List here and it’s such a good book. The photography is beautiful and the words are even better.
It’s truly a beautiful reflection on slowing down to enjoy the good things in life and I can’t recommend it enough!
As always, you can find a complete list of the self-discovery books we’ve read here and a list of our favorite podcasts here.
Menu Ideas…
Summer Inspired Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…
(Amazon and Target affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon and Impact Media Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
Paper Stars * Pullover * Fan Flag * Tote
Cake Stand * Snack Plates * Dress * Hydrangeas
Ice Cream Sundae Kit * Table Runner * Garland * Romper
Serving Tray * Ice Cream Scoop * Metal Pail * Bamboo Plates
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
Creating a Chalkboard from a Mirror Frame
(After working in the dining room at Loblolly, I’m about 95% sure I’m going to repaint this piece!)
Patriotic Inspired Grain Sack Table Runner
Quick and Easy Patriotic Party Cones
June Bucket List…
- Celebrate Dad’s Birthday, Flag Day, and Father’s Day
- Kickoff French Country Summer Bucket List
- Create and Decorate at Loblolly
- Begin 30 Day Rest Challenge
- Try a New Craft Project
- Learn to Make a Signature Mocktail
- Surprise Someone with an Unexpected Gift
- Take a Walking Photography Tour
- Continue Quarter 2 Challenge
- Read the Book of the Month
- Keep Sundays Sacred
June Word of the Month: Experiment & Explore
Activities to Enjoy:
- Try a New Recipe or Restaurant
- Experiment With Fresh Makeup/Hair/Outfit Ideas
- Ask Someone New to Lunch
- Play Tourist in a Nearby Town
- Enjoy a Concert or Play
- Cross Something Off Your Bucket List
- Visit a Farm or Botanical Garden
You can find our complete list of Word of the Month Ideas here.
52 Weeks to a Simplified and Organized Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month: Paper Clutter, Photos, and Email
- 06/04 – Bills/Mail/Paper Clutter
- 06/11 – Digital Computer Files/Passwords/Photographs
- 06/18 – Your Email Inbox
- 06/25 – Organize Your Purse, Wallet & Update Your Phone Contacts
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts…
- 06/23 – National Pink Day
- 06/30 – Social Media Day
- 07/01 – Buy Birthday and Special Occasion Cards and Gifts
- 07/01 – Canada Day
- 07/02 – Made in the USA Day
- 07/04 – Independence Day (US)
- 07/11 & 12 – Amazon Prime Day
- 07/12 – National Simplicity Day
- 07/14 – Bastille Day
- 07/17 – National Ice Cream Day
- 07/31 – National Mutt Day
As always, we appreciate you more than you could ever know, and we hope your weekend is peace-filled and relaxing. We can’t wait to share even more with you next week!
Many blessings,
CoCo
Fridays ♥
Thank you so much for your help with this, Lee, I really appreciate it! Hope your weekend is amazing, CoCo
Wednesday and Friday please. If there was an option for more days, I would have chosen that!
You are an inspiration with your meaningful articles and thoughtful ideas.
Keep up the Good work and thank you for lifting me up when I need it.
That’s such a sweet and kind thing to say, Jo, thank you so much. I really appreciate it! Thank you for weighing in as well. It’s super helpful to get your feedback. I hope your weekend is filled with all good things, CoCo
You are the sweetest! Thank you so much for the shout out.
I love the lesson you learned from your loved one. I’m with you, it’s so hard to receive! We had a pastor tell us once that you have to not only give graciously, but you have to receive graciously as well. Otherwise you rob the giver of their blessing. It’s still so hard.
As far as when you send out your posts, it doesn’t matter to me as long as you send them. They are my favorites!
You are so welcome, Susan! I have the same pink Bible you use for one of the littles so it’s fun to see your notes and to learn from your devotionals and posts. We’re totally twinning. It is hard to receive and I have no idea why because it’s easy to give, you know. We’ve had a lot of discussions this month about boundaries and self care and self sabatoge and gah they’ve been so hard but honestly so necessary. I don’t think I’ll ever look at giving and receiving the same way again. Thanks for weighing in on the emails, I really appreciate it! Big hugs and happy weekend, CoCo
Those salty men are wise 🙂 Wishing you a lovely weekend ahead, CoCo!
I’m tellin ya, Rachel, there are little nuggets of wisdom everywhere! Hope your weekend is a lovely one too, sweet friend, CoCo
Salty and crusty. But so sweet. Thank you for the tears of happiness at the kindness of others. It does not take much to make a difference in the life of another.
That is so true, Elle! We never really know what kind of impact we’re going to have on someone’s day or in their lives. Even the people that are salty and crusty and are hard to get close to at times. I hope your weekend is filled with fun surprises and thank you for your sweet comment, CoCo
Monday and Friday…days I don’t have scheduled .. more time to enjoy your great posts. Thank you.
I appreciate your help with this, Linda, thank you so much for weighing in and for your sweet support too! Hugs, CoCo
Wednesdays and Fridays (hump day and TGIF) for this reader. Thanks so much for asking and for sharing your insights and ah ha moments.
I really appreciate you weighing in on this, Debra, thank you so much! I hope your weekend is peace filled and relaxing, CoCo
You always have the best posts. Thank you so much for the feature. Hugs to you. Are you going to Haven?
Love that you are asking your readers about your email schedule That’s brilliant CoCo! You found some adorable things on Amazon too!
Hi CoCo- First THANK YOU for sharing my No Sew Flag Garland! I loved all the links you shared – Rachel’s ideas for using ticking are great. I want to make some of the napkins she shared. Thank you for sharing the story of your salty loved one – who is helping a neighbor. My mother in law lives an hour away and she is turning 79. This is the first year we were able to successfully convince her that it’s ok to have someone else mow her lawn. It only took us 8 years to convince her . . .🤣 Anyway, I think getting older is so much more complicated than we know. Everyone wants to maintain their independence and still help others and still live a busy – full life. You know? It’s just not easy giving any of that up. Even mowing your own lawn.
One more thing – to answer your question – I personally enjoy having a weekly email. Also, I like getting emails on Friday because I feel as though it sort of eases me into the weekend.
You are adorable in that dress! But your smile makes it even more beautiful. Thank you for sharing my patriotic farmhouse ideas. Every time we get down there and I walk in, I grin from ear to ear. I love red, white and blue. But speaking of things I love – wholly smokes the Burton Joyce, Nottingham house is a dream. I love the wall color, the floors, the decor, that kitchen! Wow.
Always love these posts. Hope you have a wonderful celebration this weekend.
Friday – sure do enjoy your site!
That’s so kind of you to say, Sherra, thank you so much and thank you for weighing in on this top too. I really appreciate it. Hope your week is filled with all good things, CoCo