Suzanne Ryan

Does the front porch hold the spirit of the people who gather there along with battered wicker, faded cushions, thirsty potted plants, and rain-soaked magazines one can almost hear the laughter and feel the wetness of tears shared?

Each morning. I once begrudged the effort it took to restore the porch to order: sweeping ,watering, rearranging, and gathering linens and scattered mail.

Now I perform the task tenderly as one would care for an aged loved one.This porch and I are connected, We have shared our space and our time with close friends, family members, neighbors, customers, painters and strangers.

Dogs and children feel comfortable here and settle quickly into the peaceful rhythms of storytelling.

Many visitors warmed by a cup of tea have gone beyond the occasional front porch nap to a full night’s sleep, nestled into the downy softness of a colorful quilt,

Candlelight and conversation create lasting memories that make it difficult for one to think of leaving-for the season, for the year or forever.

Oct. 2008