COMMUNITY THREADS IN RICHMOND

I like to ride up and down side streets which run at right angles to old commercial districts and take photographs. One town where I like to ride the roads is Richmond, Kentucky -- finding a rich diverse stock of vintage residential architecture.

Here the housing stock is eclectic in its originality.  Streets bubble up with old residential homes. All shapes and sizes, some appear to have original exteriors while others have new vinyl siding and windows. No harm, vinyl can easily be removed if a person wants to restore. Overall, the residential landscape along the streets is more vintage in appearance than up-dated.

In the photos above and below are two homes I spotted close to each other on one of the streets. These homes had been up-dated with modern vinyl siding and newer doors but still had the old original archtectural trim decorating their porches. 

The porch's trim illuminates not only the home, but contributes to the historic ambiance of the neighborhood -- architectural pieces are the threads of a fabric that represents community

Fabric threads weave community.

I LIKE HOBBIT SIZE HOUSES

Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. Their housing is funky and habitable, yet small.


I like small funky houses.Why? Because if you find the right one you can transition it into a warm cozy cottage. Unfortunately, the house in the photo above is not for sale right now. But it would be an ideal candidate to turn into a hobbit  place that I could move into.


I think the angular jutting out of gables and shed roofs adds a playful feeling to the place. It is probably only one room on the first floor with a small add-on mud room and kitchen. The upstairs is probably one big bedroom. I would guess the entire house has about 500 to 600 square feet plus or minus. The porch although sagging a bit could easily be repaired.


What would I do if I could live in this house? First I would paint the exterior all over with a dark leather brown paint and replace the front door with an old door painted a dark eggplant. I would put some shutters on a few of the windows, probably a dark pumpkin color?  I would plant a wild patch of various sunflowers and tall golden cosmos around the house -- hundreds of them and just have a dirt path winding through them to the front door. I would put two old metal chairs on the porch (painted a dark eggplant) and invite a good friend over for coffee or tea. I would swing a circle of natural wood fencing around the whole place.


I would have my grandchildren call my lttle place -- the hobbit house


Do you ever fantasize about what kind of house you would like to live in?


I just did about this house. Being retired, I would like somewhere to live that is easy to care for and sweet to enjoy. I do like the house I live in now but it requires a lot of work to keep it in shape. Too much for this little lady. 


Maybe in the future I will find a place like the one in the photo and trade out this house for a cozy hobbit sized house. It might not be in Middle-earth but it would hug Mother Earth.

TRADITIONAL WAYS -- A VINTAGE GLIDER AND AN ANTIQUE BENCH

What makes vernacular architecture is not an occupant who builds but a cultural congruity among  design, construction, and use
~ ~Henry Glassie

OLD STEEL GLIDER WAITING FOR SPRING

This Sunday is the official day of the beginning of spring which soon brings country folks out on their front porches to sit and enjoy the soft breezes and warm sunshine. Many times they sit on gliders or benches while observing their world. 


Front porch sitting is a favorite pastime of Appalachian country folk. Much of this sitting is done on vernacular porches of old, small one-story houses which are unfortunately slowly disappearing from the landscape. These vintage porches are the roosting spots for old gliders and benches --they speak volumes about the waste not, want not, traditional ways. 

KENTUCKY TYPE OF ANTIQUE SITTING BENCH

This slatted bench is a typical design of central Kentucky. Its sides reflect that it was built when wood-one-board sides were commonplace. Fortunately the owners  have repaired the leg to extend its longevity.. 

Enfolded in the vernacular craftsmanship ideal -- these pieces have few old porches left where they can be appreciated.  

SMALL TOWNS -- WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME

Father and son -- Dan Ledford and Dan Ward Ledford

Meet some native Kentuckians – Dan Ledford and his son Dan Ward Ledford (standing) who live near each other in the Paint Lick community. Dan Ledford is ninty-two and has lived in his home for about fifty years.  


This post is about ninety-two year old Dan. He represents a lifetime of living in rural settings. He and his mother came to Paint Lick on a train from northern Kentucky when he was a boy. His father moved their possessions to the Paint Lick area by horse and wagon.


As a young man he served in WWII overseas. After the war ended he came back to the Paint Lick  area where he soon was employed as a school bus driver.  


He drove the bus for the school district for most of his working years. As a school bus driver he figures that he accumulated about two million miles during his working career of driving school routes and for special school events.


Often Dan can be seen sitting on his large front porch where local folks honk a “hello” as they travel the road in front of his house. He sends back a big wave of his hand to them.


Paint Lick is a small town where everyone knows your name. 

Dan Ledford's Homestead -- Sitting Chair and Barn

Dan bought his house and 15 acres about fifty years ago under interesting circumstances.  While attending an auction, a friend encouraged him to buy the homestead up for bid. Dan told him he didn't think he had enough money but he would try anyway. But he found out he did have enough money as the homestead only went for 9500 dollars. When the auctioneer yelled, “sold”  he realized he was the new owner. This was in 1960 and the homestead has been his home ever since.

Dan's Historic Church Pew 

Dan has two children and is a widower. There has been some changes in the area  yet it's still basically a farming place. He intensely likes where he lives. A small American flag flies from a corner post of his front porch and Dan often wears a cap announcing he is a war veteran.  


He is the oldest member of the 1700s historic Paint Lick Presbyterian Church just down down the road from where he lives. There is one of the old Presbyterian church pews on his porch.  


All things considered, Dan is well entrenched in the cultural context of his area.

Dan Ledford sitting on his front porch

You might say that Dan characterizes many rural citizens in this country. Citizens with community pride who have worked hard along with family members toward a good life. That have lived in an area for many years while their family members often settle in and around that community. 


If you are ever in Paint Lick on Route 52 and see Dan sitting on his front porch – honk a “hello – he’ll send you back a big wave as everyone knows his name in Paint Lick.

A COUNTRY HOUSE WITH A COUNTRY PORCH GARDEN

COUNTRY HOUSE NESTLED IN THE TREES

I thought you'd enjoy one more garden before the cold temperatures of fall and winter creeps into our world.


Porch gardens are exactly as the words suggest -- plants grown on a porch. Any type of real plants can be part of one. They are usually found on covered open porches either to the front, side or back of the house. Any size will do. Many times furnishings are included such as tables, chairs or porch swings. Other types of paraphernalia are also appropriate. Usually they are densely packed with both the plants and furnishings. 


Creators of such gardens usually give their own artistic bend to the overall look. Informality reins. 

LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE PORCH GARDEN

I found this great porch garden, a few days ago, on highway 52 in Garrard County, Kentucky on a beautiful fall day.


I had driven by it several times admiring the folk artistry surrounding the owner's charming home that nestled under a canopy of mature trees. 

RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE PORCH GARDEN

The day I stopped to take photos the gardener/owner was not home, only the adult son. He gave me permission to take my photos. 

SITTIN'  SPOT

I thought her blending of  plants with some small chairs, a small table with birdhouses along with the birdhouse porch swing fit the theme. Her theme appeared to be birdhouses, daisies, and frogs. The porch was full of visual treats. The plants were healthy as they waved in the breeze.

SWINGING SPOT

It was evident that the gardener was a good steward of her porch garden.

FROGS HAVING A ROLLICKING GOOD LAUGH

Oh, one more thing, I felt the owner had a good sense of humor. Why? Becuse she had a bunch of frogs near her front porch steps that were looking at me with a smile when I left -- one was even falling over with laughter. 

APPALACHIAN SITTIN' PORCHES

The "dog days" of summer are strong upon us. The traditional rocking chairs are on our front porches waiting for friends and family to come by to "set a-spell" -- relaxing with us in the cool of the evening. Or perhaps one might like taking some time in the early cool mornings to sit in their rocker and observe the passing scene or just have some "thinking" time.. Here in the south these front porches are called sittin' porches.

Older homes in the south usually have front porches probably evolving from the need to escape the indoor heat of the house plus to view the world around them.Even many of the newer houses are built with some type of front porch. Today with air conditioning most folks are inside during the heat of the day. Yet even with AC the porches are still used in the traditional way of the past only now in the cooler mornings and evenings.

At one time, people walked rather than drove. Folks would commonly use sidewalks or roadways to walk to town for errands or to visit neighbors. The folks passing by the occupied porches would sometimes take the time to chat with the porch sitters for a while. This type of behavior provided a system of socialization for the area.

Appalachian rocking chairs are the familiar choice found on most front porches. However, wicker and metal chairs are also types scattered on porches.

Front sittin' porches are almost akin to an extra living space. Many are decorated with items of interest to the home owner. Porch swings are also popular.

Overall front porches still provide a good place to come "set a-spell" and have a good conversation or to just sit alone rocking -- contemplating the beginning day.