I could write a story on girls I have known. But in reality, I’ve only given all I have to two. Some I dreamed about. Like all those beauties in the 1st grade and beyond. But today I been thinking about porches I have known. I’m a porch fan. I look for folk sitting on their porches. We got a pitiful porch here, but I sit out there and enjoy it anyway. It’s only about 5 feet wide by maybe 20 feet. I think a porch should go all the way around the house. Just move around every so often and enjoy the different view. Our forefathers built their cabins, usually one large room and then they built their barns and outbuildings and one room church-schoolhouses. Later most added a porch. Front and back
The one at the back door had a “plank”, usually a 2 by 12 or a 1 by 12 to set a wash pan on and a bucket and dipper with fresh water. Of course, everyone used the dipper. The front porch usually had a couple chairs. Homemade from white oak with popular weave for the seat. straight back and no where as comfortable as a rocker. I have a homemade rocking chair that is well over a 100 years old. A friend’s husband died and he had the chair in a outbuilding and I helped her and she gave it to me. Many a butt has sat in that rocker and slept, day dreamed, read the Bible, Read the newspaper, made deals, and just rested and watched. See, that’s what you do on porches a lot of the time. You watch for something. Never mind you don’t know what you are watching for, you just look and listen. My all time favorite porch when I was a little fellow was the porch on Hollis Robertsons house that we rented. It was about ten feet off the ground, and I would get up there in a straight backed chair and lean back against the wall and read funny books a neighbor kept me supplied with. Over and over and over, every word, grits ads, everything. It was like everything else was shut off and I could get lost in those books. Mama would cut a lemon in half and put salt on it and bring it to me sometimes. I’d lick that lemon and read. No, I don’t know where she got that from.
The next porch was across from Walker Hinsons house on Curtis Creek in South Hominy. A wonderful place for a boy. A creek, mountains with squirrel and grouse and rabbits, blacktop to ride my Schwinn on. The porch was a wraparound..the front and around the right side. We sat on that porch and broke bushels of half runners. We peeled peaches and apples there. And at times we just sat out there and talked. And watched for something. I didn’t like the green beans except at suppertime, but boy l’de love to sit out there with Ma and Pa and my sister one more time.
Mom in her apron would break awhile, go put beans in jars, put on other pots to cook..Dad would go lift the cooker off the wood heat when needed, and at times it would take him a long time to come back. That was a family porch. Jock Fender’s dad had a caneback chair that he leaned back against the wall after dinner and rested a while before going back to work. Lots of times he sharpened his case. Mostly he just sat and watched. There was a small creek, (little Foster) in front of his house, then a small field, then a mountain that went straight up. You might wonder what he watched for. It was his home. He knew every rock. He heard the creek gurgling along. He had peace and contentment just looking. For the umpteen time, over and over. We would talk some when Jock and I were over there. I would sit on the steps and listen. Mountain humor and wisdom on them porches Stories told over and over.
Chauncys house would of been incomplete without that porch on the front standing watch.
Jock took me to Hominy Valley to meet some kin and folks he knew. They were all on a large front porch. They were making mountain music and singing gospel songs. I had seen a couple of them on jobs. They were laying block and brick, so I knew a couple of them. It was the Riddle boys and Thurman Wilson and some more I didn’t know.. These boys, men would later become the Primitive Quartet. And they are still going strong. Reagan is on Facebook. And it started on a porch.
We have a shelter here and I have that rocker up there and a Hammock in summer and some really nice rocker type chairs. I go there often, it is a cool place in hot weather because of good shade. It is my porch. I go there and rock, sleep, read, pray, take canoe trips, and just Thank God for loving me in spite of me. I also sit up there and watch for something….
My cousin who we lost awhile back lived in East Tenn. He operated a dairy for a very long time. We visited every chance we got. I loved him and his sweet wife and they always had the door open for us.. She would say, You know where your bed is when you get ready I’m sure you all have met and know folk who are genuine and easy to talk too. He was a jack of all trades, but I am too but he was really good at everything he did. Now he had a porch. And like mine here it was and is a little old thing, with just enough room to stretch out your legs good. But I loved that porch. I had to go out and look at the dairy barn, the cornfields, and the pasture and woods on top of the hill. You had a lot to cover while watching for something. I told him he didn’t know when he built the house that the porch was for me. I miss the porch, and my friend Boyd. I hope to visit her soon and maybe sit on the porch for a bit. It will be bittersweet for sure.
Did you know porches are dying out? Folks build houses and put a porch of sorts on them but ride down the road anytime and see how many folks are on their porch. I’m always tempted to stop and talk to folk I see on a porch. I figure they have stories to tell. And maybe I can find out what it is we are all watching for. All I know for sure it is important. And if you need some peace and quiet, go sit on your porch and start watching. You will be surprised at what you see. Be blessed cause you are….especially if you got a good porch too….