Paint a Porch Ceiling Blue

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Many years ago my husband and I spent a vacation in the Florida Keys.  While walking around the town of Key West, I was enamored with the white front porches with ceilings painted pale blue.

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We asked one of the locals about the  trend, and were told it was to keep away haints (another term for restless ghosts.) Apparently, this color was suppose to protect the occupants of the house from evil sprits entering the home. We laughed thinking that this was a story made up to scare tourist. Later, we found out that this was a tradition through other parts of the south, and people even refer to this soft  blue green shade as Haint Blue.

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I did a little research  and discovered that there was also a practical side to this blue. Apparently, since it is almost the same shade as the sky, insects and spiders are fooled by it and do not build their nest or webs in the top of the porch. That would be one way to repel the bugs while sitting on the porch swing sipping your sweet tea on a hot summer day.

Would you like to paint your porch ceiling blue?

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Today I am participating in the Blue and White Bash hosted by The Pink Pagoda. Be sure to head on over there to see more color inspiration.