The instant I felt his butterfly-fluttering kicks in my womb, I was besotted with my first child.

Ethan arrived with golden hair and a sweet disposition. I documented his first smile, first tooth, first word (mama, of course) with the absorption of a Ph.D. candidate completing her dissertation.

Eighteen months after his birth, I was delighted to learn another baby was on the way. But as my delivery date drew closer I worried: How could I love this new son as much as I did my first?

On a sunny April afternoon, they placed the heft of Alex in my arms. Weighing in at 10 pounds, 6 ounces with a head of dark hair that already needed a trim, he peered at me through the bluest of eyes. Instantly smitten I began to hum, You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

And I didnt worry a bit when my third and fourth sons arrived. Id discovered that a mothers heart expands with each child its capacity for love encompassing every new arrival.

I thought about that during our recent visit to see Alex and his family in Ohio.

Six years ago, when Alex fell in love with Brooke, he got a twofer she had a beautiful 2-year-old daughter.

After they moved from Texas to Ohio, I flew out to meet my sons new loves and just like that my heart expanded again. How could I not adore the woman who made my son so happy? Her beautiful daughter, Farrah, was the icing on the cake.

When they told us they were expecting their first son, Ian Lucas, my joy knew no bounds.

My grief when Ian was stillborn at full term was equally limitless an ever-present ache.

The birth of their identical twin sons, Adam and Nicholas, in November 2019, offered our broken hearts a way to begin to heal.

Two weeks ago, we took Dereks mother, Juanita, with us to Ohio. She hadnt seen the twins since they were eight months old and was eager to reconnect with Farrah.

She celebrated her 79th birthday with us during our trip. Alex took the day off of work to take her and Farrah on a shopping spree to the landmark Columbus book store, The Book Loft, and then out to lunch.

While Derek and I entertained the twins, Brooke decorated their house for GGs (great-grandmas) birthday. GG spent the afternoon at their beautiful backyard pool and taught Farrah how to dive off the diving board.

Id simmered pulled pork in the slow cooker all day for dinner, and GG chose a bakery carrot cake for her birthday treat. We all sang while Alex brought the cake to her, and Adam helpfully blew out the candles.

As I watched four generations of Hvals swim together that evening, I marveled at the ways families shrink with sorrowful losses, but grow with the joy of new additions.

The next morning, Nick needed some Nana cuddles and crawled up in my lap with his blanket. Adam wasnt about to be left out. He ran and got his blanket and scooched onto my lap.

I wrapped my arms around them both and swayed and sang, You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray

It was a tight fit for two gangly toddlers, but oh, theres always space on Nanas lap and plenty of room in her heart. Thats just the way love works.

Cindy Hval can be reached at dchval@juno.com. Hval is the author of War Bonds: Love Stories from the Greatest Generation (Casemate Publishers, 2015) available on Amazon and bookstores nationwide.

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Front Porch: A mother's and grandmother's heart always has more room - The Spokesman Review

Fire that displaced dozens started on back porch

Updated: 4:48 PM EDT Aug 17, 2022

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IS NOW UNDERWAY. RHONDELLA? REPORTER: THIS HOME IS A TOTAL LOSS. A REAL NIGHTMARE HERE ON COTTAGE STREET. IT HAPPENED IN THE REAR OF THE YELLOW BUILDING. BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS TIGHTLY PACKED, THE ADJACENT HOMES HAD TO ALL BE EVACUATED. PEOPLE RAN OUT WITH NO SHOES AND NO CLOTHING. THEY ARE BEING HELPED BY THE RED CROSS WHILE OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE. THE REAR OF THE THREE STORY CHELSEA DUPLEX BECAME A RAGING INFERNO, AS RESIDENTS SLEPT. A COUPLE OF 911 CALLERS SAW IT FROM THE BEGINNING. >> IT LOOKS LIKE A GRILL OR SOMETHING CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRST FLOOR PORCH. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFF. REPORTER: BY AFTERNOON, SOME OF THE 30 PLUS DISPLACED RESIDENTS RETURNED TO THEIR COTTAGE STREET APARTMENTS TO GATHER CHARRED BELONGINGS. MARCO RAMIREZ IS PART OF A FAMILY OF EIGHT AND LIVED ON THAT FIRST FLOOR. >> JUST TO START FROM ZERO WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? REPORTER: DID YOU SEE THE GRILL FIRE IN THE BACK? >> THERE WAS NO GRILL. REPORTER: YOU HEARD AN EXPLOSION? >> YEAH. REPORTER: OTHER RESIDENTS SAY THEY HEARD A LOUD BOOMING SOUND, BEFORE SEEING FLAMES AND MANY WATCHED A TEENAGE BOY RESCUED BY LADDER FROM THE 3RD FLOOR BY FIREFIGHTERS. EVERYONE ELSE SCRAMBLED AROUND MIDNIGHT TO SELF EVACUATE FROM THE FIVE ALARM BLAZE. >> THE ENTIRE REAR OF THE STRUCTURE WAS BURNING, THE PORCHES ARE GONE. >> WE STARTED WAKING UP EVERYBODY AND STARTED RINGING DOORBELLS, MY YOUNGER SISTER, AS WELL. >> WHEN I WOKE UP, I SAW THE FIRE AND TOOK THE KIDS AND RAN AWAY. REPORTER: THE FIRE VICTIMS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS AGREE ON ONE THING -- EVERYONE IS PRETTY TRAUMATIZED BY THIS BLAZE. THEY ARE STILL INVESTIGATING. TWO FIREFIGHTERS RECEIVED NONE THREATENING INJURIES, INCLUDING ONE WHO WAS BITTEN BY A DOG DURING THE RESCU

Fire that displaced dozens started on back porch

Updated: 4:48 PM EDT Aug 17, 2022

Four residents and two firefighters were sent to the hospital after a five-alarm fire tore through a multi-family home in Chelsea early Wednesday morning.

Four residents and two firefighters were sent to the hospital after a five-alarm fire tore through a multi-family home in Chelsea early Wednesday morning.

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Fire that displaced dozens started on back porch - WCVB Boston

While Porchfest might center around the almighty porch and our beloved musicians, theres a lot more to the event than meets the eye. As the popular annual event becomes more of a heralded tradition, visitors are finding plenty of ways to enjoy themselves.

Attendees to Porchfest not only come across bands and porches of all ranges and sizes, they also encounter business communities that do their part to make the wandering affairs even more special. What started of as a purely porch-centric event has spread its wings. And in doing so, theres even more to see and do, whether its grabbing a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant, popping into a neighboring boutique, or simply sitting under a tree at the nearest park. The event is an invitation to explore neighborhoods in more intimate and thoughtful manners.

Porchfest is day when people open their homes (the porches) and hearts (the bands) to the public, asking nothing in return except for sharing a heightened appreciation for the cultural joys that embody the undertaking.

In 2022, there are multiple Porchfests taking place throughout Greater Buffalo, starting with Buffalo Porchfest in the Elmwood Village (lead image), set to be held on Saturday, May 21, from 1pm to 6pm. The event is being hosted by the Elmwood Village Association.

South Buffalo Porchfest is also back in 2022, so be sure to save the date Saturday, June 25 (noon to 5pm). The event is hosted by South Buffalo Roots.

Then, later in the summer, Tonawanda City Porchfest will get underway on Sunday, August 28.

Remember, if you have a porch, consider offering it up. And if youre a musician, think about throwing your hat in the ring.

Fans of Porchfest have a lot to look forward to this year. Each of these events is very distinct, thanks to the respective host neighborhoods. At the same time, they are all very much in tune with each other, because they are all built upon the notion that strong neighborhoods and vibrant culture go hand-in-hand. The event allows musicians, music fans, homeowners, and neighbors to band together in ways that wouldnt otherwise be possible. Its kind of a big deal, so be sure to choose your favorite Porchfest flavor, by saving a date.

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2022 Porchfests are a lot more than "porches and bands" - Buffalo Rising

The West Side building where a porch collapsed earlier this week killing one man and injuring two others must be demolished because its not structurally sound, city officials announced Thursday.

The Department of Buildings has determined that the building located at 3418 W. Jackson is not structurally sound and must be demolished. The department plans to work closely with the owners to determine a timeline for demolition and will continue to assist them as they recover from this tragedy, read a statement from the Buildings Department.

The collapse occurred Tuesday, killing Anthony Wright, 53, and injuring two others.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday said the collapse happened at a family home that a brother and sister could not afford to maintain.

What we learned is that a sister and a brother who were living in the family home had fallen on hard times and were not able to keep up the upkeep of their property, the mayor said.

As fate would have it, a truss at the top of the building failed. Part of the faade fell down as they were sitting outside enjoying the warm weather.

A 68-year-old man was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital with crush injuries. A third man, 32, was taken to Stroger Hospital with a broken left leg and injured back, officials said.

If you know somebody on your block that owns their home and has some challenges with keeping up the maintenance, please reach out to me or someone on my team because there are resources available. Weve got to keep Black folks in their homes, Lightfoot said.

On June 29, 2003, 13 young partygoers died shortly after midnight when a three-story porch pancaked to the ground at 713 W. Wrightwood Ave. in Lincoln Park.

Five annual city inspections did not flag the allegedly unpermitted, oversized porch that collapsed on that fateful night.

Five years later, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that City Hall had quietly scaled back the flurry of porch inspections it had ordered in response to the tragedy.

The task force of 39 inspectors created to scour the city for shaky porches was folded back into the Building Departments Conservation Bureau to maintain the integrity of existing buildings.

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East Garfield Park building where porch collapsed to be demolished: city - Chicago Sun-Times

Wet Leg, the buzziest buzz band thats come along in years, have a fun and eminently repeatable origin story. Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, two friends from the UKs remote Isle Of Wight, decided to start a band together while riding a ferris wheel at a music festival, and they named that band after an Isle Of Wight slang term for people from the British mainland. For the past year, Wet Leg have been taking the world by storm, and they just finally released their worth-the-wait self-titled debut. Sometime in there, Wet Leg carved out a moment to return to the Isle Of Wight and to film themselves playing live on a porch.

Wet Leg just shared the video of that 15-minute porch performance, and it sure seems like they made that without any audience whatsoever. The porch itself looks really nice, but the video, directed by Joey Julliard, goes for the intentionally-grainy look. Even without an audience, Wet Leg really show their massive charm in this video. There are all these great little holy-shit-were-doing-this eye-contact moments between Teasdale and Chambers, and the songs continue to slap. Watch the set below.

Wet Leg is out now on Domino.

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Wet Leg Play Isle Of Wight Homecoming Show On A Porch: Watch - Stereogum

Police arrested a Joliet woman accused of pushing her 70-year-old mother-in-law off a porch.

The incident occurred Monday night when Kristin Martinez, 31, of the 8000 block of Harrier Avenue arrived at her mother-in-laws house to pick up her children, police said.

An argument ensued after the victim would not allow Martinez into the residence because of the victims intoxicated state, according to a police news release.

During the argument, Martinez pushed the victim off the porch, according to the release. The victim fell off of the porch to the ground and suffered a serious injury to her wrist.

The incident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. in the 7600 block of Violet Lane, which is in the Kendall County section of Joliet.

Police said they were called for a domestic disturbance.

Martinez was arrested and taken to the Kendall County jail.

Kendall County prosecutors charged Martinez with aggravated domestic battery, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and aggravated battery to a victim over 60.

She remained in jail as of Tuesday.

The mother-in-law was taken to Ascension Saint Joseph-Joliet for her injuries, police said.

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Woman accused of pushing mother-in-law off porch - The Herald-News

If local music legend Aunt Samantha Bumgarner is sitting on a cloud in Heaven, she might put her harp down and sing along from noon until 6 p.m. on April 30 when Music on the Porch returns to the Appalachian Womens Museum in Dillsboro.

This years event is titled Music on the Porch, an Appalachian Homecoming, said Rob Ferguson, a history professor at Western Carolina University and board member at Appalachian Womens Museum. We are trying to emphasize the homecoming theme. Were just excited to see people out there. It will be fun just to gather again.

The event is at the old Monteith Homestead, 100 W. Hometown Place, Dillsboro.

This event was inspired by the fact that we have some world-class musicians from the local community who have learned from their family members over several generations, he said.

Some of those to appear on the porch are the Junior Appalachian Musicians, part of an after-school program that provides young people instruction and performance opportunities in Mountain Heritage Music on traditional Appalachian instruments.

That will be awesome, to have some young local musicians come out and showcase their talents, Ferguson said. They kick off the show from noon to 1 p.m.

From 1-2 p.m. Lee Knight is next on the west side of the old Monteith Farmsteads wrap-around porch.

He is sort of a like a local gem kind of hiding in plain sight, Ferguson said. He is a folksinger and musician going back decades. He lives in Cullowhee and has traveled the world making music with some of the most famous folksingers of the 20th Century. He knows and has played a lot of the old songs.

Another local is balladeer Susan Pepper, a professional old-time musician set to perform from 2-3 p.m. She holds workshops for children and adults to teach them old-time music, Ferguson said.

She closed out the festival in 2019, he said. Shes a regional treasure. If there is anybody in the county right now carrying on the old ballad traditions, its Susan Pepper.

From 3-4 p.m. is Kornbread Kreek, led by Steve Estes, who knows the entirety of Bumgarners music catalogue and is known as a local expert on her music, Ferguson said.

Kornbread Kreek is really is steeped in local and more broadly, Appalachian roots music, he said. Theyre always a fun time.

Peppers friend, Sheila Kay Adams, might bring the most star-power to the event when she cranks up at 4 p.m.

Adams is a full-on celebrity in the folk music community, Ferguson said. Shes from Madison County and has won many awards for her ballad-singing and her banjo playing. She has played at the Smithsonian Folk Festival and many other major venues.

Pepper joins Adams on the stage to close out the show from 5-6 p.m.

The Pressley Girls were on the card when the posters were printed, but had to cancel.

We hope to have them back in 2023, Ferguson said.

Tickets are on sale now for $15. Children 12-and-under are admitted free. Some of the proceeds from the event will go toward building an exhibit in the Museum focused on music.

The exhibit will focus on more than Samantha Bumgarner, though of course she is going to be a big presence in there, Ferguson said. The exhibit will focus on Appalachian music and Appalachian women musicians specifically.

During her life and musical career, Bumgarner traveled to New York City to make a record; to Del Rio, Texas, to appear on Dr. John Brinkleys radio show; and to the White House to perform for President Franklin Roosevelt and the King and Queen of England. She also entertained thousands during 32 years of headlining Ashevilles Mountain Dance and Folk Festival, starting in 1928 and continuing through 1959.

The Appalachian Womens Museum encourages attendees to bring a lawn chair or blanket to the event. Dogs are welcome. Parking is free across the tracks in Monteith Park. Its a rain or shine event. Food trucks will be onsite

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Music on the Porch brings the old sound to town - The Sylva Herald

Those memories are priceless, especially since the house I grew up in didn't have much of a "settin' porch" it was just a walkway to the front door, which we never, ever used to enter the house.

In the days before air conditioning, people used porches as a necessity to escape the stifling heat of the kitchen or upstairs bedrooms. Many homes even had "sleeping porches" because the air outside was cooler than the air inside. These days, people don't sit on porches as much as they once did, watching the busy world around them while waving a cardboard funeral-home fan beneath their chins and making philosophical commentary.

Although air conditioning and busy lives threaten their existence, I hope porches never go out of style. They are more than just gathering places; they are the lap of the household, warm and welcoming.

We still need porches and below I listed 11 reasons why.

Click here to read more about why we paint porch ceilings haint blue.

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Reese's is bringing back its popular peanut butter lovers cups for a limited time - Southern Thing

Memphis Police said they found Clyde Dear on a porch, claiming it was his aunt's home. Investigators said it wasn't.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man wanted in a bank robbery in West Memphis was captured after leading police on a chase into Memphis Wednesday.

According to the affidavit, police in West Memphis, Arkansas, responded to a robbery at Evolve Bank & Trust just before 10 a.m. Wednesday. There was a tracking device in the money that was stolen, and police tried to stop a 2019 Dodge Durango which the device was pinging to. They said the driver refused to stop and took off into Memphis.

The chase ended in the area of Vance and Boyd, where they said the driver stopped and tried to run away. They found the Dodge Durango behind an abandoned home. The affidavit said police saw money scattered in the truck and leading through the backyard of homes. They said they found the truck was registered to Clyde Dear but had a stolen license plate. They then found a bag of clothes matching the description of the bank robber, and under the bag was more money and a gun.

Officers said they spotted a man in dirty clothing walking between houses then sitting on a porch of one of the homes on Boyd. They said the man, later identified as Clyde Dear, told officers it was his aunts home, but they contacted the homeowner who said they did not know Dear.

Dear was arrested and West Memphis Police identified him as the suspect in the bank robbery. They said about $30,000 total was taken in the robbery.

Dear is charged with convicted felon in possession of a handgun, intentionally evade arrest in an auto, possession of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony, theft of property $10,000-$60,000, ad theft of property $1,000 or less.

His bond was set at $50,000.

Bank Robbery Arrest300 Block of Boyd StreetReport #2204005502MEMEMPHIS, TN On April 13, 2022, at 0957 hours, West...

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Suspect in West Memphis bank robbery leads police on chase into Memphis, caught sitting on porch - WATN - Local 24

If you havent heard, the current real estate market is expensive. Like, really expensive. And no, I dont mean its expensive somewhere else like in California, or even Dallas. Im talking about everywhere, including Sulphur Springs. Prices are increasing daily, and homes are flying off the market before the folks next door notice a For Sale sign in their neighbors yard. And unfortunately theres no projected improvement anytime soon.

So what are we to make of all this? Why should you care about housing prices? What is your family supposed to do when youre struggling to buy something? There are so many questions I get asked on a regular basis and today I have some answers.

The thing is theres not enough space in this article for all of them. However, what I do want to focus on is the first-time homebuyers. Bad news first? Now is the worst time to be a first-time homebuyer in decades, and possibly in the history of this town. The numbers dont lie. Over the last 5 years, median reported sales prices of single-family homes have increased a whopping 58.3%, (NTREIS) while the median household income has only increased 26.4% (US Census Bureau).

This in turn means that your dollars are worth less, and you cant buy as much house as you once could. In fact, if you bought a house 5 years ago, theres a good chance you wouldnt be able to afford it today. So, you might think If houses are more expensive than ever, gas is skyrocketing, my Walmart bill has doubled, and I havent gotten a raise in 2 years, how am I supposed to make it to next week!? Let alone buy a house! And theres no direct answer I can give on thatbut take a breath, I have some tips that could help you navigate with a clearer mind.

Keep your sanity by realizing that the prices you knew 5 years ago are gone. And likely never coming back barring a major catastrophic event. But it is also true that our problems are not unique, and some areas of the country have it worse.

When considering buying a house, as competitive as it is, a great agent will keep you sane. Having a loyal, trustworthy real estate agent who will go the extra mile for you is priceless. Use every tool at your disposal starting with a good agent. Bonus points if they are an experienced lender.

When it comes to getting a mortgage you dont need 20% down or anywhere near that much so please be careful with out of town lenders. Part of keeping your sanity here in Hopkins County is by understanding our rural real estate market is unique. And out of town lenders (especially out of state lenders) arent privy to how farm and ranch properties work. I would love to get into more details about this but trust me, it helps working with banks that are familiar with our area. If you do go out-of-state, be prepared for a process that can be extra stressful that could possibly end with a negative experience.

Now that youre armed with a knowledgeable and trustworthy agent, youll need to find a house. And in this market, it takes a combination of patience and swift action to decide whats best. Like I mentioned earlier theres a good chance that house will be sold very quickly. Keep the crazy out of the hunt by communicating with your agent! They can set up automatic searches tailored for you so you receive automated emails the moment a house hits the market. An agent also has available tools to assist you in finding those properties that meet your criteria and help specify options.

The homebuying process is one of the most heavily regulated processes in the country. There are legal guidelines, inspection periods for due diligence, and other various rules that real estate agents have to abide by. A real estate agent should do everything within their power to provide protection for you during this process. By hiring a good one, youll keep your sanity as your agent handles the burden of the contract negotiation process.

The local market has unfortunately been a sore subject for several years. But this is my hometown and Im not here to speak on the horrors of markets like the Bay Area or Toronto. I am only here to help put everything into perspective for those that may be unaware. In my opinion, these high prices are unfortunate because the median income can no longer afford the median house.

For this article, I included homes only on 5 acres or less to prevent skewing the numbers from typical single-family homes below:

There are numerous causes for this, but the result always ends with working class families consistently being expected to do more with less. As much as Id love to propose solutions, my goal for this article is to spread awareness. Perhaps, you will come away with a better understanding and insight of the recent trends.

Although affordable homes are harder to find, rest assured that they do exist. With a little patience and the right people on your side, you can make it happen!

God Bless.

About the Contributor: Jed Walker works full-time in a family-owned business of Real Estate Appraisers. After getting a Bachelors degree from Sam Houston State University, Jed left a successful sales career in Dallas to return to the business his knows bestreal estate. Combining both the mindset of an appraiser and a real estate agent allows him to bring his unique perspective and approach to the home buying process. He understands that buying a home is not just a financial investment but an emotional one. Add to that, his patience and quick on the draw updates are just a small part of what sets him apart from those just looking for a commission check. Jed also knows how best to market your home, land, or commercial property in the most efficient manner, both in price and time.

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5 Tips to Stay Sane in the Real Estate Market - frontporchnewstexas.com