Blog Description

A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

Breakfast Sunspace...Favorite Spot

Thursday, August 1, 2013

What makes a place in a house 
the favorite spot?

A trick question...
There is no one answer to that question. 


For each of us, happiness comes in 
different forms and from different sources. 
Even if two people name the same place 
in their houses as their favorite place, 
the reasons why it's their favorite spot are not the same. 


Lots of natural light makes me happy.
The full-length windows and roof windows
flood the southern-facing sunspace and whole kitchen with light.
For some people lack of light causes 
light-deprivation depression.


I wouldn't know if lack of light affects me. 
Texas has sunshine, sparkling sunshine, 
dazzling sunshine, sizzling sunshine...

Dallas/Fort Worth averages 232 days per year
that are classified as sunny days.
On the coldest days in winter,
the sunspace is warm from solar heat
and is filled with direct sunlight.
On the longest days of summer,
the sunlight is filtered,
 and the space is shaded by the house overhang
and tall leafy native oak trees.


The breakfast sunspace is visible from my bedroom. 
Lying in bed, I look through the open door into the kitchen and 
see the entire breakfast area. 


The views through the windows are sometimes surprising, 
even startling, unexpected, that cause stopping and looking.   
On full-moon nights, moonlight streams in 
and the moon is visible through the roof windows. 
Many a night I've looked at the moon while in bed from my bedroom. 
It is always a breath-taking sight, even after 26 years. 

And many a night, I stand in the sunspace in the quiet at night 
gazing up at the moon and stars. 
Reminders of nights on the deck when we searched 
the sky with shared wonder at the 
moon, meteors, stars, and planets through our small telescope 
and with our eyes.


During the day, the deck and garden shed are in full view. 
Field glasses are within arm's reach for close-up viewing of 
cardinals, foxes, butterflies, flowering vitex tree blossoms, and for 
whatever else wanders through the woods just steps away. 


The dragonfly inside hovers over plants on the bookcase. 


French-inspired fleur-de-lis and scalloped edges adorn the 
metal stand that holds garden supplies, decor, and plants. 


Plants bask in plenty of natural light. 


Snapdragons on the table curve upward to the sunlight. 



Guests arriving in the driveway are visible through the trees. 


Every seat around the old French table has views to the outside. 


Meals around the table are like dining outside 
without the insects or heat.
Reminds me of eating at sidewalk cafes in France... 
Ahh...now we begin to see why the sunspace is my 
favorite place in the house.
~~~~~~~~~~
Please join me at these inspiring sites...

MONDAY

TUESDAY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~