Front Porches: The Old Fashioned Way to Add Friends

You don't have to be a longtime reader of Write Thinking to know that I love technology. I took to my first PC back in 1984, before most offices had computers, like a duck to water. I am often a "first adapter" (which has its downside as first adapters are usually the ones finding bugs in hardware and software). And I am the first to admit that I enjoy Facebook because it has allowed me to "meet" with so many readers of my books. I love forming relationships with people who I wouldn't otherwise know if it weren't for the wonders of the Internet.

My WIP is set in Boise in 1900, and I have been spending a lot of time looking at photos and architectural plans of Victorian houses and buildings in that era. And all of that gazing at old photos has made me feel a bit of longing for the days when houses had front porches and that's where people gathered to visit with friends on a warm Sunday afternoon.

Most homes now days don't have a front porch. Many Americans have moved to our backyards and put up privacy fences so our neighbors can't see in. That's kind of sad, if you think about it. As much as I enjoy my Facebook friends, it is nice to sit on a porch or patio and share a glass of iced tea with a neighbor. Don't you think so?

Aren't these photos great? The Alexander and Bishop houses still stand in Boise. Grand dames, the both of them. The third photo is of a parade in downtown Boise, something I wrote about yesterday (4th of July 1900). I can almost hear the music that marching band is playing.

Well, time to get back to creating a little more havoc in the lives of my hero and heroine.

~robin

Comments

[Susan Mason]

I love front porches. My mom's house has one and she sits out there all summer!

[Sandie]

Love the house photos. Personally, I hate the heat and the mosquitoes and would rarely sit outside even if I had a porch. I do love porches, however. I especially love the wraparound ones. We know our neighbors to say hello, but do not socialize. I also think it's a shame!

[Mariepul80]

I love seeing the old pictures, Robin. Being relatively new to the area, it is always a treat to learn more history about my chosen home. Thank you for sharing.