Our back porch is a humble porch, perhaps made all the more so because we have never sat on it. It is a mirror of our lives in many ways, it reflects the seasons. We have gussied it up. We put two rockers there, but the barn cats took them over, Flo alternates between them but spends much of her time there. Maria has tended to the garden and we put planters and hanging tubs full of flowers out there. I took my “Books” sign from the other Bedlam Farm and brought it her. The “Books” sign replaced my “Worms” sign because so many people stopped by to ask how much the worms cost, no one has ever stopped by ask how much the books costs.

I asked Red and Fate to get up on the porch to dress the photo up, I am teaching Fate the meaning of “Photoshoot,” a command all of my dogs know, they sit right down and preen for the camera. The new thing on the porch is the “Parking” sign which Tyler put up under the “Books” sign.

Tyler decided to make some signs for the Open House this past weekend, he had a “parking” sign and a “handicapped” sign. Tyler is enterprising, he doesn’t just do the job, he always thinks of ways to do the job better. I loved his parking signs, down with painted slats of wood and magic markers. I asked him to put it up on the porch, and he was happy to do it. New dog, new sign, off to a good summer.