Susan Harrison Wolffis' column, "Porches, true windows on the world," shared her nostalgia for the front porch of her Grandmother Harrison's house. For her the front porch was a place where imagination took root as well as a place to meet the neighbors.

Harrison Wolffis wrote:

When I think of my grandmothers house -- never pretentious, never fancy, never the best house on the block but a good neighbor nonetheless -- it was always a beehive of activity: a swarm of grandchildren, and a few favorite cousins added in.

Then we came along, the grandchildren.

We took up where our fathers left off. We played in the same backyard. We climbed the same trees. We chased each other and made up games with no rules, or rules too complicated to follow, so there was inevitable anarchy.

My girl-cousins and I dressed up in our grandmothers clothes, transforming ourselves into ladies-in-waiting and other elaborate characters, and then because we felt the need to share, we left the boys to whatever they were doing, and we walked up and down the sidewalk in our get-ups -- theres no other word for it -- showing off.

And when we needed a break, we landed on the porch.

That porch was both our window on the world and our safe haven, all in one.

birchtree11 thinks some people ignore their front porches because of danger:

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Front porches have different meanings now, reader tells Susan Harrison Wolffis

News

TVA sends new park rules to county

By CHARLES WHISENANT - The Arab Tribune Monday, August 27, 2012 8:30 AM CDT

There will be no more porches at Marshall County Park No. 2 and the park can stay open longer.

Those are part of the new campground rules TVA recently sent to the Marshall County Commission.

Park No. 2 is owned by TVA and the commission leases it. The county owns the property that makes up Marshall County Park No. 1, so the new rules don't affect it.

The new rules establish two kinds of campsites, seasonal and short-term.

Commissioner Bill Stricklend, whose district includes Park No. 2, said the commission will have to make changes to the county's park rules to incorporate the new TVA rules.

The park can now remain open 11 and a half months per year, up from eight months.

Campgrounds must be closed and campsites vacated for 14 consecutive days per year. Campers can be stored at the campground parking lot during this time.

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TVA sends new park rules to county

Los Lobos

"Kiko - 20th Anniversary Edition," "Kiko - Live" CD and DVD

Shout Factory

On the one hand, Los Lobos have come a long way in 40 years. On the other hand, the band has never left the backyards and front porches of East L.A. From its roots as a traditional conjunto through its American music mixmaster phase to its current place as tradition-meets-progression godfathers, the Lobos have kept eyes, ears and hands on several muses while remaining firmly rooted at home.

In 1992, when Los Lobos released the Mitchell Froom-produced "Kiko," critics and fans alike took notice. Though there likely were a considerable number of fans who would have been happy to hear the band play "Anselma," "Don't Worry Baby" and "La Bamba" for the rest of their lives, even more were overjoyed when Los Lobos slipped the leash. With "Kiko," the band did exactly what it wanted, exactly what it had been preparing for for two decades: bring all the influences, talent, soul and power together with no compartmentalization.

The reissued and live CDs and the DVDs of "Kiko" stand as perfect examples of a band working at the height of its powers, moving from the boogie of "That Train Don't Stop Here" to the percolating groove of "Kiko and the Lavender Moon," from the tradition-based "Saint Behind the Glass" to the heartfelt "Peace" and the cantina-worthy ballad "Rio de Tenampa."

Los Lobos always defied boundaries. Twenty years down the line, the boundary obliterating "Kiko" remains vital, true and tough.

Jim Beal Jr.

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Review: 'Kiko' was Los Lobos' blurring of lines

This weekend, a porch collapsed on Williams Street in Collegetown, sending landlords into a frenzy. One company even issued a warning to tenants to avoid "rhythmic vibrations" on porches. We sent our Berry Patch reporters to Collegetown over the weekend to find out the top seven things not to do on your Collegetown porch.

1) Dont stand on your porch railings and pretend to be a pterodactyl or other similar prehistoric bird. Like these long lost creatures, you might become extinct. And if that doesnt kill you, your neighbor might not appreciate your pterodactyl sounds and do it himself.

2 ) Invite a Sun sex columnist onto your porch. If anyone knows anything about rhythmic vibrations, its these people.

3) Dont treat your porch railing like the balance beam in gymnastics and pretend to be Gabby Douglas. You are not that nimble, and you are also not 16 years old. If you are going to attempt this against our warnings, ensure you are properly outfitted in a leotard.

4) Dont invite any large mammals onto your porch. Leave your alpaca at home. This applies to New Jersey governors and Sumo wrestlers as well.

5) Ensure that when you are inviting a bunch of people to do Sake bombs on your porch that they are not actual bombs.

6) Dont play the song Call Me Maybe on your porch. You are likely to shatter all the windows in your house, and likely all of the surrounding houses as well. You will definitely be calling your landlord.

7 ) Dont stand on your porch if you can avoid it. Have you seen those porches?

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The Berry Patch: The Dangers of Collegetown Porches

wwltv.com

Posted on August 21, 2012 at 10:15 PM

Updated today at 10:58 PM

Scott Satchfield / Eyewitness News Email: ssatchfield@wwltv.com | Twitter: @satchfield

NEW ORLEANS -- In neighborhoods across the West Bank, front porches and carports of some homes are illuminated by a blue glow.

Its a tribute to the two St. John Parish deputies who were killed and two others injured by gunfire in the line of duty last week.

The idea to show support through these blue lightbulbs came from 7-year-old R.J. Kindell.

Because I felt bad when people died, he said.

R.J. has grown up with great respect for police. His father, Roland Kindell, is a Gretna police officer.

We (were) riding in the car one day, and he said dad, I want to do something for the officers that last their lives in the line of duty. So I sent an email out to a couple of friends, text messages, put it on Facebook, and it spread like wildfire, Roland Kindell said.

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7-year-old boy comes up with idea to honor fallen officers

Whether you're enjoying a warm summer day cooled by a ceiling fan, snuggled under a comfy sweater enjoying a chilled breeze, or dozing off to the acoustics of rain landing on the roof, a screened-in porch is a sweet place to be.

"Screened-in porches are a great way to extend the seasons and enjoy the elements of nature without all of the problems associated with outdoor spaces," says Dawn Cook of Dawn Cook Interior Design in Shaker Heights. "I always treat it as an extension of the outdoors -- the whole bringing-the-outdoors-in-and-the-indoors-out concept."

Says Lane Cummings, writing for ehow (tinyurl.com/d7ug3em), "A screened-in porch gives you the best of both worlds: an unfettered vision of nature and the surrounding landscape and protection from the elements."

But that indoor/outdoor hybrid element can also complicate decorating decisions. To offer some examples of homeowners who have pulled it off, James T. Farmer III penned "Porch Living" (Gibbs Smith, $30), a 140-plus-page hardcover filled with color photographs capturing porches ranging from elegant to rustic.

"Porch Living" isn't quite the size of a coffee-table book, but, with splashy photos and minimal type, it's overflowing with "steal this" ideas.

Porches featured in Farmer's book aren't all screened-in. Some are open-air. But being tastefully decorated and dripping with the homeowners' individuality is what they have in common.

In a telephone interview from his home in Kathleen, Ga., Farmer says porches have become more sophisticated.

"My clients pay as much attention to how they decorate their porches as they do the rest of their house," he says. That doesn't necessarily mean break-the-budget furniture and accessories.

"Porches are edited and are utilitarian for what they [the homeowners] need it for," Farmer says. "And that idea transcends budgets," he adds.

Some photos in "Porch Living" are tight shots of decorating details, such as beautiful tablecloths, fruit in pretty bowls, petite plants and more.

Excerpt from:
A screened-in porch is the perfect spot for relaxing, enjoying nature

Express-Times photographer Matt Smith is offering a season-long look at some of the people who keep the Lehigh Valley IronPigs flying. Check back for more Down on the Farm features.

Next time you grumble about working over a hot stove making dinner, just think it could be worse.

Jan Giejda starts every work day at 7:30 a.m. wondering how hes going to satisfy a hungry crowd of 1,500 to 1,600.

Plus, as executive chef for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, he also has to feed two baseball teams per game twice.

Its what I love, Giejda says of his job. Of all the places I worked and all the places Ive been this is the biggest challenge Ive ever had in my career.

Its his third season with the IronPigs, after a 22-year career in the food industry.

As we go behind the scenes at the IronPigs, you can tell this is a job that requires passion and organization.

Giejda is in charge of the 19 private suites, two party porches, team suite, four dugout suites, picnic patio (which seats 500), the Red Robin Tiki Terrace, press box, Pig Stop, Red Robin Oasis (where you can get cooked-to-order meals), the bar menu on the club level and catering. Concessions are a whole different animal.

Giejda jokes that he sleeps about four hours per night.

Before a 7:05 p.m. game, his mornings start with paperwork and by 8:30 a.m. hes already prepping for the following day.

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Down on the Farm: Cooking in the kitchen

Plant thieves target Joel Eisenbaum's home

Police are looking for a man and woman who, they said, have been making off with expensive potted plants right off people's porches in the Heights area.

On the Inner Loop Houston Crime Alerts Facebook page, there is post after post about two potted plant thieves.

KPRC Local 2 investigator Joel Eisenbaum is a recent victim himself.

"All of a sudden I see this guy bear-hugging one of my planters, moving slowly toward his car. I'm like, 'What is this guy doing?'" said Eisenbaum.

Eisenbaum said the back of this thieves' SUV was filled with potted plants, and he got a good look at the suspect.

"I swear this guy looked exactly like the singer Marc Anthony. I'm like, 'What is Marc Anthony doing stealing my plants?'" Eisenbaum said.

Residents said thefts have happened on Harvard Street, 17th and Studewood, just to name a few. Residents just want these thieves caught.

"When you're the victim of crime, even small petty crime, it's a bummer," Eisenbaum said.

Eisenbaum and other victims said the thieves are traveling in a green Honda CRV with paper license plates.

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Thieves steal pricey potted plants

As summer temperatures soar and our bodies break into sweat, we seek shelter indoors, where we're protected from bugs and heat. But even on the hottest day, we should not disregard the porch.

Screened porches offer an experience that cannot be found elsewhere. They are the meeting point between home and garden, offering exposure to the elements with the protection and comfort of being indoors. In other words, the best of both worlds.

"It's nature up close, but not too personal," said Washington, D.C.-based designer Christopher Patrick. "That's a fun luxury to play around with."

But screened porches are not always fun to decorate.

"It's a hybrid space, so people have a tough time figuring out how to approach it," said James Farmer, author of the book "Porch Living" ($30, Gibbs Smith). "It's not inside, but it's not outside. It's not the garden, but it's not the dining room. It can be whatever you want it to be, but having too many options is intimidating. People don't know where to begin."

To simplify things, Farmer recommends approaching the porch exactly as you would a living room. Decide what functions the space should serve and then decorate it accordingly, adjusting finishes and fabrics to suit an outdoor living space. The aesthetic goal, he said, is for the porch to be an extension of the home.

When designer David Mitchell decorated his porch, he enclosed it with screens to capture the nostalgic feeling of summer camp in North Carolina, a beloved childhood memory.

The challenge was making the narrow, 10- by 20-foot space seem roomy for a group and also pleasant during Washington, D.C., heat waves.

"I wanted room for six of us to have cocktails and dinner," he said. "Once I finally figured that out, I had to make it bearable."

Doing so required experimentation, but Mitchell settled on a combination of ceiling fans and Dyson floor fans. Overhead fans spin hot air around, he said, while floor fans circulate the cooler air before it rises.

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Decorating and enjoying a screened porch

ITS BEEN mild through early summer, but now weve come to the dog days of August, and that makes me think of screened porches.

Ride around Gilmer these days and youll see very few of them.

Commenting on a Washington Post web story, someone using the handle

wjc1va wrote in part:

Ahh the timelessness of screened porches. Look folks, I grew up i Florida before the advent of air-conditioning. Here is the time-line for porches in the South.

first a patio..then . . . you can use it two weeks in spring and two weeks in fall. before and after your are attacked by myriad mosquitos, wasps, ticks, etc

to fix said problem you screen your patio . . . [but] nobody in modern life will sit on a screened porch in a swing or rocker in 100-degree heat fanning themselves while drinking a mint julep. Said screened porch languishes.

-- ah . . . great idea . . . solve the problem by walling in said porch and adding air-conditioning.

The timeless idea of porches in the South and the inevitable evolution.

THIS PERSON (gender unknown) tells of a Florida experience that pretty much replicates my childhood in Gilmer.

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