;

I Stand on My New Porch

Nov
9

I stand on my new porch and through the leaf-barren trees and down the hill I spy a river. Across the river, I spy the ground where my great-grandfather’s house once stood. I spy my father stopping by his front porch every day when he walked home from school for a snack or a hug from my great-grandmother. I spy her waiting for him wearing her big apron, wiping her hands, telling everyone, “Whatever he did wrong, he didn’t go to do it.”





From my new front porch, I spy the one-room schoolhouse on the river where my grandmother taught. I spy her ringing the old bell, calling her students inside, loading the woodstove to keep them all warm. I spy the house over the next hill she built with her own money after my grandfather died. I spy the little cemetery where he’s buried. I spy my father coming back from the war to see my great-grandfather one last time. I spy my great-aunts and great-uncles and innumerable cousins who lived and loved here once upon a time.

And sometimes I stand on this new porch and I think they spy me. :smile:

Comments Leave a Comment
Share: |    Subscribe to my feed Subscribe
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on November 9, 2007  

More posts you might enjoy:


Sign up for the Chickens in the Road Newsletter



Comments

32 Responses
RSS feed for comments on this post | TrackBack this post

  1. 11-9
    12:24
    pm

    I love the one picture, it looks relaxing. The construction looks like too much work, but will be worth it when it’s done.

    Yes, please put me in the draw.

  2. 11-9
    12:31
    pm

    Such great memories :shimmy: No one can ever take them away. I,too have a lot of memories. Now I just have to pray I don’t get Alhiemer’s(spelling?) and lose them. :lol: The home is really coming along nicely. I enjoy the progress reports. Have a great week-end and :hug: to all.
    PS please enter me for the drawing.

  3. 11-9
    12:36
    pm

    The house is taking shape very quickly!

    You do have lovely memories, Suzanne, memories to hold close to your heart and cherish all your days.

    Please do enter me in the draw and happy Friday to all.

    -Kim

  4. 11-9
    12:52
    pm

    Great post. I love your memories. The house is coming along nicely. :) Please include me in the drawing.

  5. 11-9
    12:55
    pm

    Such great pictures. I’d like to be included in the draw!

  6. 11-9
    1:16
    pm

    All the pictures were lovely — the ones from the camera AND the ones from your memory…

  7. 11-9
    1:49
    pm

    Wonderful memories and pictures!
    I’d like to be included in the draw too.

  8. 11-9
    1:52
    pm

    Great pictures and I envy you being surrounded by family history. I would love to win the book.

  9. 11-9
    2:06
    pm

    :flying: I spy a romance novelist sitting on her porch, with her laptop, surrounded by cats, dogs, kids, friends, all munching on homemade bread!!!! I think you’re right about your relatives spying you! I’m sure they are very happy to have the Dyes back in the hills!!!! :treehugger:

  10. 11-9
    2:10
    pm

    :flying: How lucky you are to be back where your roots are! My immediate family is scattered from coast-to-coast and I envy all the others who are still in PA. I do so enjoy your musings, pics and blog.

  11. 11-9
    2:25
    pm

    Great pictures! Please enter me in the draw. :snoopy:

  12. 11-9
    2:53
    pm

    Wonderful photos! You paint such vivid pictures with your words. :heart:

  13. 11-9
    3:07
    pm

    It’s wonderful to have such deep roots.

    Count me in the draw.

  14. 11-9
    3:15
    pm

    Enjoyed the pictures today and I’m glad that you have such good memories. I’d like to be included for the draw!

  15. 11-9
    3:47
    pm

    Your words paint a haunting yet lovely visit to the past. And your photos are gorgeous, the house is really coming along!

    I hope you have a wonderful day!

  16. 11-9
    4:10
    pm

    That was touching :purr: I just finished reading Seducing the Mercenary and it was a great story so good luck to everyone else in the running!

  17. 11-9
    4:36
    pm

    Memories are such heartwarming treasures.
    Please add me to the drawing.

  18. 11-9
    5:55
    pm

    Can You add me too :)

  19. 11-9
    6:05
    pm

    I sometimes think someone is watching me… can I be entered :)

  20. 11-9
    7:22
    pm

    I live in the desert so this looks really inviting to me. Happy Thanksgiving

  21. 11-9
    8:20
    pm

    I love love love the porch!!! It will be so nice to rock in the six rocking chairs! :rotfl: I love sitting out on the porch during a thunderstorm too! :elephant:

  22. 11-9
    8:45
    pm

    Lovely history.

    The house is looking so good – what a legacy YOU are leaving. :smile:

  23. 11-9
    10:08
    pm

    Thanks for all the great pictures Suzanne, I can really see it taking shape it’s almost like I’m there. Have a great weekend.

  24. 11-10
    12:36
    am

    What great memories you are spying. Please enter me.

  25. 11-10
    2:29
    am

    Oh man, Suzanne … you have a way with the heart strings. I spy a tear in my eye…

  26. 11-10
    2:30
    am

    Catslady — thank you!!

  27. 11-10
    7:16
    am

    :purr: Thank-you! Suzanne. I got the Blenko Glass Star yesterday. It was perfect, Thank-you!!! :purr:

  28. 11-10
    9:12
    am

    You’re making me tear up. I’m sure they do spy you and I’m also sure they’re very, very proud of you. Thanks so much for sharing the pics of your house with all of us as it’s being built.

    Please put me in for the draw too.

  29. 11-10
    11:49
    am

    Love the pics!!!

  30. 11-11
    1:19
    pm

    Enter me in the drawing, please.

    What lovely pictures — your house and land are so full of memories!

    I spy….

  31. 11-15
    1:37
    am

    Catching up because life is insane, but couldn’t pass up the chance to say the house is coming along nicely! I love it! I have house envy again!

  32. 11-5
    1:11
    pm

    that is a beautiful story and there are time you have to take a step back into their world

Leave a Reply

Registration is required to leave a comment on this site. You may register here. (You can use this same username on the forum as well.) Already registered? Login here.

Discussion is encouraged, and differing opinions are welcome. However, please don't say anything your grandmother would be ashamed to read. If you see an objectionable comment, you may flag it for moderation. If you write an objectionable comment, be aware that it may be flagged--and deleted. I'm glad you're here. Welcome to our community!

Daily Farm

IMG_8606


Country Living Archives









If you would like to help support the overhead costs of this website, you may donate. Thank you!

Sign up for the
Chickens in the Road Newsletter




The Slanted Little House

"It was a cold wintry day when I brought my children to live in rural West Virginia. The farmhouse was one hundred years old, there was already snow on the ground, and the heat was sparse-—as was the insulation. The floors weren’t even, either. My then-twelve-year-old son walked in the door and said, “You’ve brought us to this slanted little house to die." Keep reading our story....



Today on Chickens in the Road


Join the Community in the Forum

Search This Blog



Out My Window

34°F Light Snow

Walton, WV

Calendar

February 2012
S M T W T F S
« Jan    
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
26272829  


I Love Your Comments

Rolling in Clover

"Cookies are good." Read my barnyard stories....

Entire Contents © Copyright 2004-2012 ChickensintheRoad.com.
Text and photographs may not be published, broadcast, redistributed or aggregated without express permission. Thank you.

Privacy Policy, Disclosure, Disclaimer, and Terms of Use

Contact