The porch

For the Andersons, a porch is essential. Our first island house had a porch across the back that overlooked a tidal marsh. The reality of aging and the challenge of stairs convinced us it was time to settle into a smaller one-floor domicile. We agreed it was time for the next chapter. We sold our house and found one that seemed to fit the bill. The first question asked of us when folks learned of the move was the same. Does it have a porch? Well, sort of ... if you call the cement slab off the back of the house a porch. The lanai wasn’t going to cut it.

You guessed it, we ordered a porch. A contractor was hired, and we asked him to add the largest porch possible off the back of the house. We reminisced over the 15 years in our home with its famous back porch on the marsh. Our porch was a favorite place to enjoy the beauty of our amazing backyard. Facing west, the porch allowed us night after night of wondrous sunsets. It was a favorite place to watch nature's own fireworks — dramatic storms that swept in with loud booms and a sky lit up with gigantic cascades of bright light. The porch was a stage for boisterous gatherings of family and friends. We were treated to the comings and goings of Big Blue, our resident blue heron, and a gaggle of roseate spoonbills passing by on their way to their evening roost, a large owl that took up residence in the wooded lot next door and the marsh rabbits that seemed to multiply before our very eyes. We never tired of watching the different shifts of birds coming into our feeders. The doves, slow and stodgy, wrens and titmice, the elegant cardinals, the aggressive blue jays, perky chickadees, and, once in a while, to our delight, the grand prize, a painted bunting.

We settled in our smaller, cozier, and totally adequate new house. We enjoy the simple pleasure of sitting on our new porch listening to the birds and gentle music of nature. It is not a marina side porch, but has unique attributes that bring us closer to the outside. It is our favorite room in the house.

Our two dogs enjoy our fenced backyard, and the dog door flaps back and forth as they come and go. Squirrels and rabbits scatter as our Doodle and his sidekick our Yorkie, Katie rush out, trying but never catching our pesky critters.

A porch is more than a physical thing; it is a state of mind. Porches are a throwback to times when people stopped and took time to just "set a spell" and enjoy each other's company. Porch time. Try it, you’ll like it.