It was close to 80º all weekend ... which is what I've long thought fall weather should be ... so I decided I'd better get the porch painted before it gets cold (cold, by the way, is below 70º).
Right after I bought the paint (in 2010), we had a heat wave with temps over 100º, and the heat stayed for the rest of the summer. Even after the heat wave abated somewhat, the humidity was too high to paint, so the porch never got painted that year. Or the next. Or the next. Or the next. Or the next.
This year, with new decking on the porch, I needed to get it painted before the weather turned cold. Not only are you not supposed to paint when it's cold, I avoid outside altogether when it's cold!
When I opened the paint, as pictured above, the color had loooooong settled to the bottom. I began stirring, but regardless of how long or hard I stirred, it stayed a bright, almost florescent fushia. Had I waited too long to use the paint? I hoped not, since it was expensive four years ago and there's little chance it's still the same price ... or cost less now! The thin paint stir stick they give you when you buy paint wasn't strong enough to gouge the sediment at the bottom and get it stirred up, so I found a long, steel spoon and started stirring. It took about 30 minutes, but I finally broke through the layer at the bottom and got the color incorporated throughout.
It took a couple of hours to get the porch and steps painted ... and I still have to put another coat on ... but look how pretty my encore azalea's look against it!!! These pink beauties have been blooming for over a month now! Gosh, I love these flowers ... encore azalea's are worth every penny :)
