Porch sitters
Over my years running the cabins, I have taken special pleasure in the porch sitters. I often converse with them as I walk by about the weather or if the fish are biting. Sometimes they’ll request a sauna or tell me about some experience they had on the lake, wildlife they saw, or attractions they’ve visited in the area.
These conversations always make me smile, especially when the guests are so clearly enjoying themselves and the surroundings.
People love to sit on decks and porches and just take it all in. I always think it’s very healing to be outside in the fresh air, listening, observing and just being part of it all. I think it’s how you really connect with a place.
Perhaps that’s what my father had in mind when he added larger decks to the cabins in the 1980s. Not only does a deck increase the living space but it draws more people out of the cabins to grill, eat meals, enjoy their morning coffee, or just hang out and converse with family and friends.
Interestingly, porches on American homes became a trend in the late 1800s. Originally serving as a status symbol, porches gained popularity as a way to escape the indoor heat in the summer and to interact with the community in small towns. For many, sitting on the porch became an important part of their daily routine.
Some historians attribute the origins of the American porch to the covered porticos of classical Rome, which seems to be the origin of the name “porch.” Larger outdoor living spaces called “decks” became popular in the mid 20th Century.
Regardless of our age, porches and decks bring us together, and our four-legged, furry family members enjoy them, too.
Photos courtesy Brooke Brown, Laine family, Kimber Fenili, Corso family.