A cup of coffee, a morning breeze, the babbling fountain and a good cigar

I really love my little kitchen patio. Especially in the mornings.

When the house was built the patio was tiny, just a 10'x10' square pad off the kitchen door with a chain link fenced yard for the dogs. That has evolved. Its now a wonderful place to sit, several years ago I formed and poured a patio extension so we now have a table and chairs, there is a Japanese style rock garden, with a rock fountain adjacent to the patio, and its shaded from the glare of the early morning sun by a locust tree. Flowers surround the patio as do decorative grasses and various bushes, an assortment of potted annual flowers brighten up setting.

So here I sit, just me and the dogs. A 91 rated Havana Club Criollo Robusto burns next to me, a rich black coffee sits next to that. Around me the birds are chirping, the woods are not but 30 feet away and team with jays, robins, finches, sparrows and others. 10' to my left a large 'mock orange' is in full bloom but the morning breeze is blowing the wrong direction for me to smell its very fragrant blooms (the cigar doesn't help that either ) This is the same patio where Anita aka: Ice Queen used to come to smoke her cigarettes because she was too polite to smoke in the house. And just like today with Misha sitting near my feet, Misha accompanied her too.

It is a small, intimate, private little patio that in the spring and summer is transformed into a mass of colors, scents and sounds. My workshop/garage is but 100 feet away but with the trees leafed out is all but impossible to see. The road to the front is hidden by the small hill and further obscured by some flowering crabapples and a weeping cherry that enclose the view to that direction. Behind me are dense woods.

For morning peace and solitude this is a happy place.

The dog went inside and I'm now joined by a couple chipmunks. One is just to my left on the patio's flower ledge, almost within arms reach.

All I fear now is the fact that the neighborhood is waking up to disturb my calm.

Nice !!! That sounds wonderful Bob . Not sure I could do the cigar thing this early in the morning , Its a evening thing for me .
I agree about the birds and little critters . I can spend hours doing nothing , just relaxing and warching the birds makes for some pretty nice relaxation .
Enjoy yourself.

I awake to 1" of new snow in May.

I have a wooden deck about 10x10 that I smoke on as I never smoke in the house. I also have a half of whiskey barrel converted to a pitcher pump fountain in my back yard that I love to listen too. I spend an hour or so out there especially in the morning though I rarely smoke cigars any more I do enjoy a cigarette there in the mornings with a fresh brewed cup of coffee or a beer in the afternoon.

The house I just moved from had a smaller deck in the front and a large one in the rear. I enjoyed sitting out there from time to time in the evenings watching the eye candy walk by on main street. Didn't really spend too much time out on the back deck(the scenery wasn't as nice)

This place has a small deck on the front just big enough for a lawn chair. I don't mind sitting out there for a bit during the evening with a smoke and a beer in hand.

I'm sitting out on my little patio.

A glass of "10 Cane" rum at my side, a Havana Club corojo Toro burning in my mouth. The breeze is nice, the temperature is in the upper 60s (F), the family is out of the house and the dogs are locked inside. Its just me, a cigar and a nice drink.

Oh this is a happy place on my patio. Looking out at the flowers, trees and the grass, nobody pestering me.

I think this may be the start to a very fine summer.

Have a hard time deciding between front and back porches for mornings and evenings sometimes. Love this time of year and late September and October when the leaves change. It is peaceful to enjoy your coffee and listen to the sounds around you.

Wow Bob, I remember your patio well, and your lovely fountain and of course Misha - give her a special pat from me. I have a patio outside the kitchen door and a deck above it, opening out of my studio - the only problem is that I don't have time to sit on either! They would both be lovely to sit on in the mornings as they face east and the sun, and have my early morning black coffe and of course a cigarette. Timba likes to sit on the deck in the evenings as she can see all that is happening in the garden, keep an eye on the sheep in the field and anyone passing on the road.

I know the feeling real well...

The west facing part of my house overlooks a meadow and river… I have no neighbors, except the Riding School about a quarter of a mile down the road, or slightly closer, if going thro the woods. One of the rooms on the west side is one that we call the ‘breakfast room.’ Kinda like a conservatory, but actually part of the original house. In any event it is a very peaceful room with a soothing view, and I like to go there during the early morning or late evening, just to sit, and watch the sky, and the wildlife.

Sometimes, if’n they’re in the meadow a cow or two will look over the wire fence. They are very curious creatures; placid, and tolerant of my three dogs, one of which takes great umbrage at this ‘invasion of her territory.’ They seem to look down at her with such patient acceptance, and understanding of her agitation. Kinda like an indulgent Mama would look at a child having a tantrum. It’s quite funny.

I have a ‘resident Squirrel’ but don’t see it regularly, maybe because of my dogs… but all kinds of other wildlife invade my grounds, and fill me with awe at the beautiful world of creatures around me, including an Egret. But, there are Deer, Pheasants, Birds of Prey, Rabbits, Hares, Hedgehogs and Badgers… and Moles. *fumes*

Melensdad, I had every intention of planting a ‘Mock Orange’ this year, but somehow never got around to it… I shall remedy that for sure. I’ve been told that I won’t regret it.

In the spring there’s sometimes a lingering mist over the river early in the mornings, sometimes patchy, and that’s when I see most Deer. Now, of course, I get Geese, Ducks and Swans fly over… for some reason the Ducks often quack as if in urgency during flight. But, whatever the season, it’s great to have a place to sit in, just to watch and contemplate, and relax in the serenity of it all.

To the front, and east of my property, about 30ft in front of the house is a private road that leads eventually to a local Farmers house and lands, some of which border onto mine. Beyond the road are more fields and greenlands, so I kinda have the best of both worlds for views… One of my dogs likes to sit out on the grass verge during summer evenings and watch for we know not what. She’s quite safe since it’s a private road, and has very little traffic, especially in the evenings.

And, no-one would know that just down the road are the ‘Stones’ which probably get more tourists and traffic (human or mechanical), passing by than any other wonder, barring the Pyramids, in the world.

The only thing missing, mentioned here, is the er… cigar, and I get by quite well without it. lol

Lia, you won't regret the mock orange. Beautiful to look at when in bloom and amazing to smell.

As for the cigar, well I don't share, you'll have to get your own!

These 3 young bucks are starting to stop by twice a day for a bite of the corn in the feeder. They are about 15 ft. in front of the pool and decks and don't mind me at all. Was letting the feeder run out of corn for the summer but may have to get one more bag till the food plot comes in.