Follow the Porches

You follow the porches at the farm house, meandering through the day and switching porches as the sun moves across the sky. You're looking for the shady ones. Start in the morning on the front porch.

That's where you want to do your bean stringing. Watch as the sun breaks through the fog about an hour after it has cleared the tree tops across the highway (two lane, double-yellow lines, country highway y'all). All you need are a few bowls for either beans or strings and the help of several hands. We had some of the best today.

Then a walk, some time in the garden, or sitting and reading to pass a few more hours. Move over to the side porch looking at the garden or the old porch facing the drive that used to be the only porch. That's where you get to swing in the porch-swing waiting for company to arrive.

By evening you're back to the front porch after dinner to get out of the kitchen, warmed by the sun falling over the ridge and the burners simmering those half-runner beans with an onion.