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Monday, July 30, 2012

I day dream about a SLEEPING PORCH

Ever since I was a small child and slept with my daddy on a SLEEPING PORCH.
I have wanted one at MY house.




They come in all kinds....
some plain
some fancy
some somewhere in between......

but they all look so comfy.
In Dallas in the '40's, a lot of people didn't have AIR CONDITIONERS.
My Aunt Myrt didn't have an air conditioner but she had a screened-in porch....
a great bed on one end and a table and chairs at the other.
My dad lived with her and Uncle Lawrence for a summer and he slept on the
SLEEPING PORCH.
Altho it didn't cool off too much at night, being
"almost" outside and an oscillating fan blowing across the bed,
it was bearable.......
especially for a little girl, spending time in the summer with her daddy.

I loved the porch....
it was something new to me.
 I had never slept outside before in my entire life
and THIS was very very close to being OUTSIDE.
He would tell me ghost stories and I would shiver and shake and 
love every minute of it.
Sometimes, he'd get up and find a snack for us and always
a big glass of milk over ice.
Sometimes, he'd say, "Listen to this, Jeanie",
and he would start BARKING.....
every single dog in the whole entire neighborhood would join in
and I am sure my Uncle Lawrence wanted to come out to that porch 
and sock my dad in the nose....but Aunt Myrt wouldn't let him.
hahhhaaaa....what a loved memory.
I don't remember Aunt Myrt having ANY KIND of blinds or such on her porch.
I never once thought of someone watching us.
All her neighbors were kind and sweet and we never gave it a thought.



This all happened the summer I was 10 and that summer, my daddy gave me an original 1947
Mickey Mouse watch
with a bright red band.
I will never, ever forget how proud of that watch I was.

I guess I will "see" that watch every time I think of a
screened-in, sleeping porch.....
these two things are entertwined 
and I sure wish I had that watch now.
I don't remember but I probably lost it sometime or another.

Well, I DO have the great memories and I'll never LOSE those.
XOXO bj


cowgirl up tuesday
ruby tuesday2
your gonna love it tuesday

25 comments:

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

I do too! When I was about 8 or 10, we stayed in a beach house where the kids got to sleep on the porch. It was so fun--waking up to watch the sunrise and smelling the salt sea breezes.

middle child said...

My porch is out front and there are neighbors across the street and on the sides. I would so love to have the kind of porch you describe.
Great memories of a wonderful dad. Things like your watch do seem to get lost in the shuffle. I do have 2 rings I got from my mom. She died in 1971 when I was 17. My dad just dies in 2004. He wanted to have us specify what one things we would like. (Then the three of us would divide up the rest.) I chose his cracker jack charms. I always loved them and I have taken them off the thing my grandma sewed them on. Bought memory boards and have yet to put it all together. I think it's about time I do so. Thanks for the reminder! Sorry this is so long but I think I am just lonely as Hunter is being a jerk and all I have here is my imaginary friend Sam. Too Long. Read and delete. Kisses.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful memory BJ. I love the idea of a sleeping porch. Especially if it is screened in.

I grew up tent camping in National Forests. It was a great adventure.

jessica said...

I don't think I've ever heard of a sleeping porch, but I think it is an absolutely PERFECT idea. Also loved the stories about your dad!

Sarah said...

BJ, recording memories like this one will be a special gift for your children and grandchildren. I agree about a sleeping porch. There is something very charming about them, and the images you shared certainly show that. Some of the sorority houses at UT had sleeping porches, and many of the fine old Victorian homes have them.
Fun post! ~ Sarah

Pondside said...

Your memories of sleeping out on your aunt's porch are precious, BJ. They are really treasures, and I hope you're saving all these posts and stories for your kids and grandkids.

Kris said...

What a sweet memory!!! I would love to have a sleeping porch too!!! When we were kids and vacationed at the lake, we slept outside on the docks! It was so fun! Oh to be young again!!!
XO Kris

Blondie's Journal said...

You have some wonderful memories, BJ! I always dreamed of a screened in porch, too (and a treehouse)!I don't think we ever forget those childhood yearnings. Your father sounds like he was a wonderful man!

XO,
Jane

The French Hutch said...

bj, what a lovely memory. I never slept on a sleeping porch but i think I missed something special. I enjoyed hearing your story and I did have a little Disney Alice watch with a blue strap. I have no clue what happened to mine either. Thanks for sharing your special memory.

~Emily
The French Hutch

Beverly said...

Ahhhhhh, I love this story. We girls love and loved our daddies, didn't we?♥♥♥

My daddy always poured milk over ice, too. When I was about nine years old, I added green food coloring to one of our ice trays. My daddy got a big surprise with green ice cubes in his milk. We laughed and laughed.

Sonny G said...

I spent my summers on my Nana's sleeping porch in NC.. Then I'd have to go back to manhatten for the school year. I always said when I grew up and had my own home, I'd have a sleeping porch. That dream hasnt come true YET but I am holding tight to it till it does.

Love the samples you posted.

Lisa~A Cottage To Me said...

My Grandma lived on her family's centennial farm and raised her family. I remember going there in the summer's and sleeping on the porch on a fold down "davenport"....it was the greatest thing! I have a porch and would love to have the hubs screen it in. With no central air in this old house it would be a great thing to be able to sleep out there on these hot summer nights. Thanks for bringing back such a wonderful memory!

Jeanne, backyard neighbor said...

Good morning bj, My grands are all gone and I am having a lovely cup of coffee all by myself. Bill and Cheri' are still sleeping. Ahhhhh, quiet is a good thing.

Your pictures of the sleeping porches are precious. I especially loved the memory you shared about you and your dad. The farm house in MI has a sleeping porch on two sides of the house. It was well used in the summer.

Your memory made me think of a hilarious experience Bill and I had many years ago. My sister had a bed in her sleeping porch and it was very private. A large yard with no neighbors close by was perfect for sleeping. We were visiting her and we spent the night in the sleeping porch. About 5:00am we were awakened by a very loud noise and saw a very bright light coming towards us. I swear it came so close to the porch we pulled the covers over our heads. HA! It was my sister's neighbor on a tractor mowing their huge back yard as a favor. We have laughed ourselves silly over that scary moment for years.

It is good to be back and visiting you my dear sister friend. BTW, I go by Jeanie too, but I just don't have an "i" in my name.

Wishing you some rainy days. It is dark and pouring here.
Love, Jeanne

J.Rylie.C said...

So very pretty!

Your comment on my Ruby Post will make me so much happy. Please come and see.

Ralph said...

Alas, we don't have a porch of any kind, screened or not - we do have a patio, but would not spend the night out there with raccoons, skunks and cats walking in the night...when I was a kid, my grandparents in Ohio has a screened in porch with a day bed. Slept there a few times and liked it - be nice today to sleep behind screens on the humid nights...

Ricki Treleaven said...

:D Cute post. Whenever I think about sleeping porches I think about sorority houses at the University of Alabama.

I would love to have a screened porch. They are so nice, and the ones you have posted are great!

Vee said...

Oh now you have me dreaming of sleeping porches I've known and loved, too. What a great selection you've shared. I can just imagine your father setting off every dog in the neighborhood...that must've been such fun for you! And what a great watch...

Irene said...

I wouldn't mind sleeping in one of those porches. I do remember my neighbor having an outdoor shower. They have since removed it and built the wash room in it's place. As a young girl I took a shower out there and was afraid of crickets jumping on my legs.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Those are some beautiful sleeping porches. Sounds kind of fun to try one...I'd need a fan though! Hugs, Linda

Leovi said...

Realmente encantadores esos dormitorios en el porche, en esos de debe de dormir y tener bellos sueƱos.

Theresa said...

Sweet memories of Summer sleeping on the porch:) Love looking back in time and remembering days when we were all together! Have a blessed day dear BJ, HUGS!

On Crooked Creek said...

BJ,
Your memories on the sleeping porch made me laugh! Love those porches in the photos! Think the fresh air and the "night sounds" would certainly lul one off to a good night's sleep.
Fondly,
Pat

Miz Helen said...

Hi BJ,
I remember sleeping on my Grandmothers sleeping porch in the summer with my cousins. We had so much fun. I have thought about making my back porch a sleeping porch, but don't want to give up other things. Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories.
Miz Helen

Kathleen said...

My Nana had a sleeping porch in her summer place. We called it the alcoholic ward! All the relatives who came out from the city and had too many beers would end up sleeping out there! I had no idea what that word meant, but when Nana said bring this out to the Alcoholic Ward I knew where to go at 5 y o!

Kathe said...

Sleeping porches sound so fun! I have never seen one but your photos make me want one! Thanks for sharing your memories at the party this week! I love it :-)