(If you are new to the 'Creek, I hope will check out the index by topic in the upper right corner for an eclectic mix of stories. Enjoy! --GW-T)
I sat on my porch today for the first time this year. I had forgotten it can be a "window to the world." Since my beloved rocking chair broke, I've been going out back to my swing to visit with the dogs or hens. Now the swing is broken (author's note--Mark just fixed it for good I think---thank you!) so out front I go.
Usually, my 'hood is fairly quiet in the afternoon. The birds, bugs and breeze can sound like a relaxation tape only occasionally interrupted by planes, trains and automobiles/motorcycles. When the lilac blooms it smells heavenly. I've done a lot of reading, knitting, cross stitching and convalescing on this little porch. If it could talk it would tell you lots of unusual things have happened.
But since it can't, I will. For instance, my next-door neighbor used to take off and land his ultralight craft in our front yard until he crashed in the field across the road (directly in front of the porch), fortunately walking away with only some cracked ribs, but "totalling" the ultralight.
Whenever the winds are right during the All-Ohio Balloon Festival, we hear the familiar hissing of hot air balloons and the eventual landing of them all around us. One year two landed on either side of us in the front yard. Today they went over my house in the morning and landed a few doors down this evening.
Our county also hosts an aerobatic show weekend. The airport is near and on clear days you can sit on the porch and watch them for free. The one drawback is the somewhat irritating noise of the constant climbing, stalling and diving, then pulling out.
During football season, you can sit on the porch and listen to the bands play. Our little road happens to be a short cut on the Union County Covered Bridge Trail. It's not uncommon to watch dozens of motorcycles stream by the house or even bicyclists. But it is uncommon to watch probably 100 Model Ts go by taking the bridge tour during one of their conventions. That was cool! Unfortunately, I've also seen several funeral processions.
Lots of planes go over us because we are on the flight path from Columbus to Chicago. But sometimes we are treated to large Air Force formations heading to and from Wright Pat AFB in Dayton. At least once we heard the surreal droning of a B-17 going overhead because it was giving rides for $300 a seat at area airports.
During Summer we've watched fireworks, incoming storms, Taylor and the neighbor boy hitting golf balls or throwing baseballs, the kids playing ball with the dogs and watch fireflies in the evening or find the big dipper...a gal down the road would ride her Clydesdale by and there seems to always be something going on at the neighbor's across the road. They watch our house from their porch and we watch theirs LOL!
In the Spring and Fall there is a constant parade of farm equipment traveling our road. I love to sit and stare at the colorful trees in the woods across the road when we have a good October. Folks like to watch Mark drive his antique tractors, steam engines and trucks up and down the drive. A fellow from church said, "Your house is just like Disneyland!" I replied, "Yep, a lot of goofy people live here!"
Then there is the life on the porch, well-known for its "Howdy, Now Git!" sign that we love. We have had nests of finches, robins and others, not to mention frequent visits by hummingbirds when the right plants are in bloom (I gave up feeding them, but several neighbors do.) I've even witnessed hummingbird fights. Some bold mommas would nest right in the window boxes which are pretty low. There are always birds in the ferns, bushes and trees. Lynard Skynard ("our" mockingbird) sits atop the weeping cherry and sings away. You can hear the babies cheep when they are getting dinner. Before a house was built next door we had lots of bluebirds. Once I opened the front door looking for Taylor's bus and saw a nearly leafless tree FULL of them. I ran for my camera, but of course they split in the meantime.
So the next time you are looking entertainment that takes zero gas or travel time, grab a drink and sit on your porch. You never know what could happen!
Enjoy the weather while you can!
Gale
I sat on my porch today for the first time this year. I had forgotten it can be a "window to the world." Since my beloved rocking chair broke, I've been going out back to my swing to visit with the dogs or hens. Now the swing is broken (author's note--Mark just fixed it for good I think---thank you!) so out front I go.
Usually, my 'hood is fairly quiet in the afternoon. The birds, bugs and breeze can sound like a relaxation tape only occasionally interrupted by planes, trains and automobiles/motorcycles. When the lilac blooms it smells heavenly. I've done a lot of reading, knitting, cross stitching and convalescing on this little porch. If it could talk it would tell you lots of unusual things have happened.
But since it can't, I will. For instance, my next-door neighbor used to take off and land his ultralight craft in our front yard until he crashed in the field across the road (directly in front of the porch), fortunately walking away with only some cracked ribs, but "totalling" the ultralight.
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| This is a view from my front porch looking across the road at a double rainbow! |
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| Last weekend balloons flew over the house twice in one day! The is taken on the front porch...the center of the universe it seems! |
Our county also hosts an aerobatic show weekend. The airport is near and on clear days you can sit on the porch and watch them for free. The one drawback is the somewhat irritating noise of the constant climbing, stalling and diving, then pulling out.
During football season, you can sit on the porch and listen to the bands play. Our little road happens to be a short cut on the Union County Covered Bridge Trail. It's not uncommon to watch dozens of motorcycles stream by the house or even bicyclists. But it is uncommon to watch probably 100 Model Ts go by taking the bridge tour during one of their conventions. That was cool! Unfortunately, I've also seen several funeral processions.
Lots of planes go over us because we are on the flight path from Columbus to Chicago. But sometimes we are treated to large Air Force formations heading to and from Wright Pat AFB in Dayton. At least once we heard the surreal droning of a B-17 going overhead because it was giving rides for $300 a seat at area airports.
During Summer we've watched fireworks, incoming storms, Taylor and the neighbor boy hitting golf balls or throwing baseballs, the kids playing ball with the dogs and watch fireflies in the evening or find the big dipper...a gal down the road would ride her Clydesdale by and there seems to always be something going on at the neighbor's across the road. They watch our house from their porch and we watch theirs LOL!
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| Taylor and Ivy playing in the front yard many years ago. We would sit on the porch and watch her greet Mark near the end of the driveway, then "race" him back to the garage or porch...cutting corners of course so she would "win." |
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| The newest occupants of the front porch. These baby doves have a flighty mama, so I could never get a photo of her sitting in this hanging fern. Lucky for them, I forget to water the porch stuff, so I didn't drown them! Did you know that Doves always lay two eggs? My mom told me that a few weeks ago! |
So the next time you are looking entertainment that takes zero gas or travel time, grab a drink and sit on your porch. You never know what could happen!
Enjoy the weather while you can!
Gale
I'll tell you Gale, I would have a real hard time giving up that property. Sounds wonderful!
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