“The coloring of the tufted cushions beautifully brightens our front porch. Just the touch of summer we were looking for – comfortable and jazzy – the perfect look.” – 2poppies from New York
In my Northeastern neck of the woods, we’ve had the kind of winter that makes you feel as though you earned the gentle kisses of spring and bear hugs of summer that are headed our way.
The cold has been fierce. There has been enough snow for multiple trips to the best local sledding spot. My husband and I have helped my two boys wrestle in and out of snow boots, snow pants and puffy parkas countless times. We’ve all felt the unique exhaustion that sets in after shoveling heavy snow and trundling through deep snow banks.
We’ve paid our dues and deserve the spring strolls we’ll soon be taking around the neighborhood and the long summer idles we’ll be enjoying on inviting patio cushions before long.
Until then, delicious daydreaming about gentler days sustains my spirits through the last cold blasts of winter.
Gazing at the snow still glistening on my neighbor’s roof, I imagine a trip to the Central Park Zoo when the flowering trees are in bloom. It’s one of the best places on the planet in springtime and, as an added bonus, this year we’ll get to meet Betty and Veronica, the grizzly bears that recently took up residence there.
I also start picturing the backyard barbecues we’ll have at my mom’s this summer. We are apartment dwellers and so happily and frequently descend on the outdoor living spaces of friends and family during barbecue season. We earn our keep under the shade trees with plenty of coleslaw for the table and spicy chicken sausages for the grill.
But longing for summer lounging at chez mom’s reminds me of the moldy spots that bloomed on her flower-print outdoor furniture cushions. And I recall how much the fabric’s original vivid color was washed out by sun damage.
Though spring and summer still feel far away, they’ll be upon us in no time. So my mom and I are in the market for bright-hued Sunbrella cushions that will make her backyard beckon on balmy days for years to come. She’s always leaned towards flowery prints, but this year she’s thinking of mixing it up with solids and stripes.
I say she goes for it. A smart-looking fabric goes a long way toward creating a welcoming patio or porch. Because my family’s barbecues easily stretch from lunch to dinner, the cushions are going to need to be comfortable and supportive. Sunbrella cushions are fade resistant so my mom won’t have to fret about keeping the cushions in the shade.
As I write this, I’ve watched bright sunshine slowly melt snow from the roofs in my neighborhood. That’s promising, but I know there may be more snow in store before the frosty air recedes for the year. That’s okay. Though my patience with winter is on thin ice, I am comforted in the knowledge that a hard-hitting winter makes the easy-going days of spring and summer that much more brilliant.