Fresh Awnings

Finally! We got some nice fresh clean awnings hung on the breezeway the other day. The old ones had gotten sooooo dirty. We need to take better care of our awnings this time around. Terry, of Terry’s Awnings & Canvas in Havana, the man who installed them, told us we should scrub them with a soft brush and gentle soap every six months or so–and we will. We’ll follow his instructions to the letter, because we want these babies to last! New awnings are expensive!

The inspiration for our awnings came from the Old Capitol in Tallahassee, whose many windows are shaded by canvas awnings in a red and white candy-striped pattern. The Old Capitol was part of the landscape of my childhood, always in the background; I lived in its shadow. When the awnings were added in 1980 as part of the building’s restoration, my mom and I would talk about them whenever we passed close by. Mom was in favor of the awnings because they were historically accurate–exact replicas of those that had graced the Capitol’s windows in the 1890s. I liked them because they made me think of peppermint sticks.

Anyway, I’m really pleased with our new awnings. They keep the breezeway cool, shady, and dry, and they add a touch of Old Florida charm.