I guess I'm kind of a strange person -- my friends and family say I am, and any rate. The reason? I love awnings. They don't know why I like them so much, I just do. Perhaps it's the fact that when I'm outside, and it's really hot outside, it's a really wonderful thing to be able to get some shade from the heat and sun by standing under an awning.

I think part of my love affair with awnings stems from the fact that I love to take my meals outside. There is nothing more enjoyable to me than to have a relaxing dinner outside during the warm summer months -- and there's nothing that adds to the enjoyment of the meal like eating at under the shade of an awning.

I don't really know much about the technical aspects of an awning -- how they are made, or how to build an awning -- I just know I love them. I also think that awnings for outdoor windows are interesting as well. Our house is an older, colonial style home (it is over 80 years old, as a matter of fact) and we have several awnings for our outdoor windows installed, and they really help to spruce up our homes appearance. We've also noticed that since we have installed the awnings for our outdoor windows, our air-conditioning costs have been lower as well.

Another environment where I really enjoy awnings is when we are out-of-doors. I remember years ago camping with my aunt and uncle -- they had a good-quality SunSetter retractable awning installed on the side of their Park model trailer. These retractable RV awnings extend out from the side of your rig and provide a tremendous amount of shade. When my aunt and uncle purchased their retractable RV awning back in the 1970s they paid a lot of money for it. While these retractable RV awnings are still pricey, it is nevertheless true that retractable awning prices have come down a great deal and are now much more affordable.

When I think about awnings being used in the home, my mind also goes back to the home that my grandmother owned. She too had an older style colonial home, except that she had built a "sunroom" in the front of her house -- and she had a number of aluminum awning windows installed. These aluminum awning windows were equipped with hand-operated crank handles to open them up when the room became too hot and stuffy. She grew all kinds of plants and flowers in her sunroom and it was a delightful place to go when you just needed to sit and think.

So call me crazy if you like, but the truth is I really am in awe about awnings. Now why don't you pull up a chair -- a nice comfy chair -- grab a lemonade, and join me outside, as we sit together and talk under these wonderful outdoor awnings of mine?