My Front Porch

This is my front porch. The white chairs aren't normally there. I would like to find some kind of decor arrangement to add to it - one that can withstand the winds we get, and I don't mean just the storms. It can be windy just about every day of the year here.

The swing is antique and was my husband's. He probably got it from his first wife's parents or her aunt, so it is quite old. It was originally stained and varnished wood but in shabby shape. So one year I painted the old porch where we used to leave, and then painted the swing to match - a sort of light rust or dark terra cotta. When I had to move I was delighted to have this porch to hang the swing as not all houses have a porch where it can be hung. The terra cotta/rust didn't quite fit in with this house, so about 2 summers ago I decided to paint it bright red and give this house a patriotic look. I love it! I do have a seat cushion for the swing but it is dark green print. I have been thinking about covering it with a red/white print that I have seen in Walmart. That print is also done in reverse so have thought about making some pillows with that. I will have to put ties or something on the pillows so that they don't blow away. I did put short white shoestrings on the two back corners of the seat cushion to tie around the frame and that works well. Not sure how to do it with the pillows as most likely they will get moved around for comfort, depending on who and how many sit there.

The house faces north so this porch is always in the shade and a nice place to sit and watch the birds and squirrels. It is where I sit during my rest periods when mowing lawn and picking up sticks. I didn't quite get it in the picture but the white rail fence is L shaped behind the white birch tree. The bushes in front are pink spirea but they don't bloom very well as they are in shade most of the day. The fence helps make that corner picturesque, but. . . it is rotten and falling apart. When I paid the rent a couple of months ago I asked the landlord if he had any plans to do something about it, but as yet I have heard nothing and nothing has been done.