Front Porch Sittin’ in Liberty County

We celebrated the first official day of fall last week. Yes, we understand it’s still hot outside, it is south Georgia what do you expect? The first official day of fall is celebrated between September 21-24 each year because it is the autumnal equinox. What does this mean? On the equinox the sun will rise directly in the east and set directly in the west illuminating earth from pole to pole, where are other times of year it rises and sets more to the north. Some other food for thought, while this was our first day of fall, in the southern hemisphere it was the first day of spring! And all of this lovely scientific explanation to bring you to the “why” we love fall in Liberty County!

It’s the best time of year to sit on the front porch! The worst of the heat has passed, the mosquitos are starting to go away, and you can sit on those iconic front porches and relax! Now as to what happens on a front porch, we’ve compiled a list of our top 5 porch sittin’ activities for you in Liberty County!

1. Have a cool drink! Now whether that’s a tall, ice cold glass of sweet Georgia tea or a slightly more adult beverage like a beer, sitting outside always seems to make a beverage go down smoother and with more flavor!
2. Read a book. Who doesn’t love a good book while listening to the birds tweet and the squirrels chatter, which always sound clearer and crisper in the fall? It is the perfect time to sit on the porch swing and pick up a copy of the popular 1982 Alice Walker classic “The Color Purple” or a more modern Georgia author, Karin Slaughter and her newest “Cold, Cold Heart” and read the afternoon away!
3. Rock in a rocking chair. No, rocking in a chair doesn’t make you a granny! It is soothing and sure to help you slow down your frantic pace. They were made famous in 1955 by President John F. Kennedy, even though they were around long before Kennedy became president. He loved the chairs because he had back problems, so who knows, you may get some medicinal value out of yours as well!
4. Meet your neighbors. You and I both know that people are more likely to walk up to a house that has actual folks sitting outside. In today’s world everyone is a little leery of just knocking on someone’s door. Want a chance to get to know your neighbors? Grab a chair and pop a squat, people will surely drift over soon!
5. And then always a favorite Southern pastime, saved for the end of the list as probably the most popular porch sittin’ activity…gossip. Now, now you know we all do it! While all gossip isn’t all bad, southerners undoubtedly take it a step further with colorful colloquialisms and idioms. Some of my favorites:
   • a) She was madder than a sprayed roach! (this can refer to state of emotion or the sanity of the person)
   • b) That _______ (insert clothing item here) was so tight it looked like two pigs wrastlin’ under a blanket. (it might be a smidge too tight)
   • c) He/she was higher than a Georgia pine. (self-explanatory)
   • d) She’s madder than a wet hen in a tote sack. (she’s pretty upset)
   • e) Fine as a frog hair split four ways. (she’s a pretty girl cause that’s hard to do)

So as the weather gets slightly cooler and the sunsets get every prettier, we hope you enjoy your porch sittin’ in Liberty County with either one of the pastimes we’ve mentioned or that you create your own!  Happy fall y’all!

**Photo credit to Buddy Maertens, 1948 Hinesville**

-Leah Poole, CEO of the Liberty County Chamber & CVB

The Right Blend Blog is written by two different authors employed by the Liberty County Chamber/CVB. As we are able, we rotate weeks and each write about our individual experiences, opinions and let our writing reflect our personalities and creativity. All content provided on The Right Blend blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.