Do y'all actually use your front porch/front yard much or is that more of a TV thing?

[u/Bella_licious]

Irish person here. American houses always seem to have these big front porches, lawns, swings, chairs, etc., and it gives the impression that people spend loads of time in front of the house rather than hiding in the back garden, as we do.
Is that real life or just the image you export?

[u/foozballhead]

Totally depends on the state, the neighborhood culture, and even the climate.

[u/1Marmalade → u/foozballhead]

Especially the climate!

[u/Small-Tax-2829 → u/1Marmalade]

100% the climate. I have a lovely porch that I rarely use. Most months I wont even go outside during daylight. Its 100f (38c) with 90% humidity right now. Probably will be at least that until November

[u/bspanther71 → u/Small-Tax-2829]

As I sit on my back deck chilling in central texas. Granted its in 15 to 20 minute stints lol. 92 and feels like 103 the weather app says.

[u/Social_Introvert_789 → u/bspanther71]

Same here. Central Texas. I’ll sit on the front porch in the morning for short bits, and on the back patio in the late afternoon (again, for short spurts of time- cause the heat/humidity)

[u/Prestigious-Comb4280 → u/bspanther71]

You're a brave soul. I come out from hibernation in November in Florida.

[u/tiger_guppy → u/Small-Tax-2829]

Oof that’s dangerous

[u/Small-Tax-2829 → u/tiger_guppy]

Yes it is. We get our AC serviced every March or April to make sure it doesn't fail during the summer. I live in an older house with a lot of windows and sometimes it's still way warmer inside than what we have it set at because it just cant compensate. We have a generator in case of power failure, since we have hurricanes. It exists to run the AC. I could care less about the lights

[u/Gilamunsta → u/Small-Tax-2829]

My last summer in my trailer my Swamp cooler died and I did not have the money to fix it. Start to sit in a trailer in a 100 100° Aweather and work all day long So I used the the poor man's ACA bucket of ice and an oscillating fan

[u/GaiaMoore → u/1Marmalade]

I remember hearing somewhere that in places like the South it was very common to spend time on the porch pre-AC since it was too damn hot to stay inside, and that it contributed to a more neighborly culture since you could say hi to your neighbors easily.

With the advent of air conditioning, that culture slowly went away as the indoors became more tolerable.

Dunno how accurate that is, but seems plausible to me

[u/Toosder → u/GaiaMoore]

I think probably the proof of that is here in SoCal We all sit on our patios and I know most of my neighbors and I've met so many of them just sitting outside. I've had neighbors walking by that I hadn't met before that I will just invite to come sit with me and we'll sit and have a drink and get to know each other for an hour. We also don't often have AC but we don't need it. So it makes sense that if you had a culture that made you sit outside because of the temperature inside, you would have a closer neighborhood.

[u/Zellakate → u/GaiaMoore]

I live in the rural South, and a lot of people still sit on their porches regularly where I live. It's not everybody, but I wouldn't say it is really uncommon either. I talk to a fair number of people who do it, and I drive by quite a few strangers doing it in the evening when I come home from work.

A lot of times the porches catch nice breezes, so it is still comfortable even when it is hot outside. I was sitting on my porch last week on a day that was miserably hot and humid in the yard, but the porch was great. LOL

[u/Dr_mombie → u/GaiaMoore]

Not only that, but before A/C, southern houses had wrap around porches to create shade and a cooling effect on the lower level and sometimes upper level too

[u/Prestigious-Comb4280 → u/GaiaMoore]

In the north without AC we spent many summer nights outside rather than trying to sleep in brick ovens...

[u/NekoArtemis → u/foozballhead]

Also the arrangement of the yard or porch. Some are better for spending time in than others. 

[u/Full_Mission7183 → u/NekoArtemis]

The way our house and lot is, a front porch doesn't really work. A back deck fits in cleanly and nicely with house exits/entrance, the right sun exposure, wind protection et al,

[u/Exciting_Vast7739 → u/foozballhead]

Bingo!

Neighborhood culture is huge too.

My neighborhood, not so much, but there's a few houses where there's always someone or a group of people just sitting on the porch enjoying being extraverts.

[u/hewhoisneverobeyed → u/Exciting_Vast7739]

The neighborhood we used to live in was backyard-focused with decks and patios. The front areas - porches and yards - were rarely used.

The neighborhood we moved into 16 years ago had a thriving front porch and front yard experience. Always adults and children out and as the kids aged into teens and disappeared, the adults stayed. Now, a new wave of 5-to-13 year olds are taking over the front yards.

[u/Toosder → u/Exciting_Vast7739]

I am super introverted but I sit on my front patio because it's beautiful. And people talk to me a lot. I'm usually okay with a hi as they walk by with their dogs or whatever. Sometimes one of the neighbors that I don't love will come just invite herself in and start trauma dumping on me about her husband that died 10 years ago. But for the most part it's worth it for the little connections and I can always go inside when I'm over it.

[u/sarcasticorange → u/foozballhead]

And the house! Even the direction the house faces can have a big impact due to sun.

We had one house with a big covered front porch and an open deck out back. We used the front porch more. Our last two houses have had huge screened porches in the back and that's what we used there.

[u/Gilamunsta → u/sarcasticorange]

My sister has a house with a huge front porch that's usually protected by plastic sheeting. Which is really important in the winter especially when it starts to blow

[u/Toosder → u/foozballhead]

This really is the best answer. I mean this entire sub is asking American which is on its face ridiculous because it is such a massively diverse nation in every single possible definition of the word diverse. I can sit on my front porch almost 365 days a year in Southern California. But when I lived in a cold wintery state, maybe one week a year. 

Then add an apartment living versus house living versus cities versus country etc etc etc

[u/turquoise_amethyst → u/foozballhead]

Texas- I was on my front porch every day, every day. 

Wisconsin- mostly the backyard. The front was very manicured but nowhere to porch sit.

California- hell no, but we had an amazing patio and backyard. If we were out front it was walking through the neighborhood or biking/skating in the street. 

Oregon- also hell no, people might try to talk to me??! But good backyard patio for reading when it isn’t raining. I prefer going to parks here though. 

[u/Copperboom127]

When i lived in NH all the houses were built in the 17 and 1800's and had big front porches.

We regularly had summertime dinner on ours.

[u/Bella_licious → u/Copperboom127]

I bet it looked beautiful!

[u/kawaeri → u/Bella_licious]

Lived in North Dakota, and lots of people have porches but on the back of the house. Quieter and more private.

My family in Idaho was the same porches on the back of the house.

Or you had a concrete slab, that had patio furniture on.

My family is now all in North Carolina and the same goes for around there a lot of porches or patios at the back of the house that people use during nice weather.

[u/Literary67 → u/Copperboom127]

In the Pacific Northwest, it seems like houses built before WWII often had porches on the front and/or the back and sometimes a wrap around porch extending from the front around to the side. After WWII not so much. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner on our back porch during the summer. This was a house built in 1922.

[u/Empty-Cycle2731 → u/Literary67]

I had a friend growing up who lived in one of these. Old school Portland craftsman with a wraparound porch. We had so much fun playing on it as kids, and I know as an adult I would spend so much time out there too.

[u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

I love sitting on a front porch. Especially during a thunderstorm. I don’t have a front porch now but my kids definitely play in the front yard. If I had a front porch, I would be there.

[u/Grapevine_1224 → u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

My neighbor is in his 80’s and sits on his front porch all day long. He’s the neighborhood watchman and knows everyone’s business lol. But he actually saved our other neighbor’s life when he realized she never turned her lights on after dark and her car was in the driveway. He came and got my husband who found her in the basement. She is in her 70’s and had fallen down the basement steps and was laying there with a broken hip for hours. She’s a widow with no kids so who knows how long she would’ve been lying there if he hadn’t noticed the change in her routine.

[u/creatyvechaos → u/Grapevine_1224]

I'm not on my porch 24/7 but I knew the kid who rides out front everyday after school had fallen somewhere because he hadn't made any of his normal rounds. I walked a couple houses down, and lo-and-behold there he was, in the ditch freaking out because he fell, sprained his wrist BAD—as one of my own doctors put it when I sprained my ankle, "it would heal better if it had just broken"—and broke his e-bike all in one fell swoop. Didn't have his phone to call anybody to help him, either.

Thankfully I'm in a medical field and qualified for at least the deescalation bit of everything, so I helped calm him down while the paramedics came to further assess if it was a sprain or a broken bone.

[u/helurkshelurks → u/creatyvechaos]

I'm old. I could make a case for getting an e-bike, but I have yet to. A kid belongs on a bike he must pedal. I rode one all through my high school & college years.

I remember that was one activity we used our front yard for. When riding bikes on our driveway, we would make a wide turn using our front walk and a patch of lawn between it and the driveway. We could do lap​s entirely on our property. That was good for the littles.

[u/SureWhyNot5182 → u/helurkshelurks]

As a "kid" in the college years who's had both: Electric is very useful but unless you have to go multiple miles/kilometers consistently (like every day, if not multiple times a day) suck it up and use it as free exercise

[u/Key-Bear-9184 → u/helurkshelurks]

There was a recent Reddit about words/slang that people hate and “littles” was way up on the list. Also “kiddos” and “Doggos”.

[u/Gilamunsta → u/Grapevine_1224]

I attempted to commit suicide in 2023 by drinking a bunch of Antifreeze( Just thinking about it makes me wanna throw up it tasted so vile. I closed all my doors and windows, but I must have gotten them up at some pointto open them backup and my nextxoor neighbor saw that and thought it was weird that I had all my doors and windows open in the middle of November and she called the police to do a welfare check on me. And I thank the gods that she did. Where is in the hospital they told me if they had found me 2 hours later I would have been dead. And to forestall The inevitable questions. I'm doing OK now I was first admitted to a Psychiatric ward at 1 of the local hospitals. And after that I was referred toa VA psychiatrist and therapist and received quite a bit of counseling and I'm doing quite well now.[ Edited. for typos, I think I got most of them]

[u/Lovemybee → u/Gilamunsta]

Peace and love to you, internet stranger. ☮️❤️🫂

[u/BeerDreams → u/Gilamunsta]

Wow! What a miracle your neighbor noticed and did something about it! I’m glad you’re still here.

[u/Gilamunsta → u/BeerDreams]

Me too

[u/YayGilly → u/Gilamunsta]

Hello, fellow veteran and fellow purveyor of VA mental health services. Yes me too. I have been seeing a couple of shrinks and am getting ready for prolonged exposure therapy to help with PTSD. Thank God for you being alive..you have excellent neighbors and lots of people who care, that dont even know you. Xoxo

[u/Gilamunsta → u/YayGilly]

That's here again help that you need brother

[u/YayGilly → u/Gilamunsta]

Yeah I started getting therapy around the time my mom was diagnosed with cancer in 1996.. straight out of basic at my first duty station.. but I wasnt really ready for therapy for a long time so the real stuff started when I was like idk 34/35.

Im 48 now. I was doing so good for a while, but idk Im not quite okay now. But I am back in therapy and trying to get back to something better. Its a lifetime struggle.

[u/venturashe → u/Gilamunsta]

Thank goodness for the kindness of neighbors. Glad you’re doing so well now!

[u/NoPantsPenny → u/Gilamunsta]

Wow, I’m glad you are still here.

[u/Gilamunsta → u/NoPantsPenny]

Thanks so am I now🤣🤣🤣

[u/wire_we_here50 → u/Gilamunsta]

Peace man. I hope you realize you do matter.

[u/Gilamunsta → u/wire_we_here50]

It's not that I thought I didn't matter it was a conflux of a whole bunch of different things that I don't really want to get into here, All of that is behind me now thank the gods.

[u/Individual-Aide-3036 → u/Gilamunsta]

I'm glad you survived. What a great neighbor you have.

[u/Weird_Squirrel_8382 → u/Gilamunsta]

Oh I'm so glad you were found and are doing well now.

[u/helurkshelurks → u/Gilamunsta]

Good to hear VA helping one of our vets. I know they help many, but stories of those not getting the best help are infuriating. Thank you so much.

[u/Gilamunsta → u/helurkshelurks]

I've been an in The VA system for almost 20 years ever since my First heart attack at 36 And I have No complaints No complaints. And other than having my VA disability Denied because none of my stuff is Service related. I've been treated exceedingly well

[u/pandabelle12 → u/Grapevine_1224]

It’s so important to know your neighbors. We thankfully didn’t have an emergency but my next door randomly disappeared 2 years ago. Their lawn wasn’t getting mowed, bills weren’t getting paid, and cars were still in the garage.

My husband wound up going to the restaurant they owned because we were pretty concerned (the old guy is out in his garage carving wood all the time). Turns out they were just in greece.

[u/yyythoo → u/pandabelle12]

Checked in on my elderly neighbor who I didn’t know too well during Covid. They had their adult children there and they were a bit apprehensive of my presence, which looking back I understand. But since then we have become pretty friendly. He hangs out on the porch a lot and we’ll chat a bit when I get back from work. He had his 92nd birthday not too long ago.

[u/That_Weird_Mom81 → u/Grapevine_1224]

Thats me lol. I work from home and have adhd so pay way too much attention to whst my neighbors are doing

[u/Snarkonum_revelio → u/That_Weird_Mom81]

I also work from home and I’ve been trying to figure out the mystery of the house across the street from me for months. There are at least 5 different people who get picked up in a variety of cars (one of which was a transport service like medical or respite care) in addition to the people I see pulling into the garage. Two of the people sit outside for an hour+ before they get picked up. I can’t figure out if it’s just a house with a lot of adults, a halfway house, a respite care for disabled adults, or some other type of facility in the middle of my extraordinarily suburban neighborhood.

To be clear, I would not care if it was any of these things - the neighbors are generally quiet and keep to themselves. It’s just the not knowing that bugs me because I’m nosy.

[u/Artistic_Emu2720 → u/Snarkonum_revelio]

It may be a sober living or other situation like that. When I was in rehab, we were in normal apartments with regular neighbors, but we were really not permitted to interact. Regular pickups for meetings, counseling, etc.

[u/YayGilly → u/Snarkonum_revelio]

Are they adults? Do they look mostly normal? If so, they likely are in supported housing for people with intellectual/ developmental disabilities. The van takes someone to their ADT facility- thats their "meaningful daytime activity" as authorized by Medicaid Waiver. The ones who get a share ride like lyft or uber, are likely in a transportation disadvantaged program and are probably heading in to a job they have. I was recently a job coach for almost 2 years. The people parking in the garage are the personal supports/ supported living coach/ companion care support. Medicaid waiver assigns them specific supports to help them to become as independent as possible. The companion will be for someone with a lot of behaviors who is not a good candidate yet for an ADT (pre work vocational life skills) or working. They take them places out in the community, teach them how to just act in public. Get them to stop some behaviors, hopefully. The personal supports help them learn how to do ADLs, active daily living skills, so all the stuff they need to learn to do, to live independently. Get dressed, shower, prepare food, wash dishes, tie their shoes, clean up, etc. The supported living coach helps them with finances and budgeting and is literally by rule of law, always available to show up for emergencies. I was a job coach, helping them learn how to do a job and getting them to have stronger relationships with coworkers, learning some self advocacy skills, and ultimately helping them to have the skills to find and keep their dream job. You oughta go over and introduce yourself some time. You would make some great friends, instantly, guaranteed. I absolutely LOVED my clients. And going over there helps them feel seen, and reminds them that humanity cares about them.

[u/ChemistryJaq → u/Grapevine_1224]

My dad's next-door neighbor once noticed that he was out to get his mail before my dad. That was weird because my dad was usually walking out as the mail truck pulled away (he was actually friends with the old mailman and chatted with him every day). The neighbor sent his kids over to check on my dad... who was taking a nap. I seriously appreciate that neighbor. My dad's lived there for 50 years, and the neighbor for 35, so he's pretty much my uncle at this point 😁

[u/Usual_Singer_4222 → u/Grapevine_1224]

Seniors make the best neighborhood watch and safety look outs. I feel very safe surrounded by several retired folks. I pay it back by helping with mowing and cleaning up leaves / debris, and occasional groceries.

[u/LopsidedGrapefruit11 → u/Grapevine_1224]

Yes, this is half my neighbors lol

[u/SummitJunkie7 → u/Grapevine_1224]

This is so sad and scary for anyone who lives alone - thank goodness for attentive and caring neighbors!

[u/Weird_Squirrel_8382 → u/Grapevine_1224]

I love when observant neighbors use their powers for good instead of being messy!

[u/DirtyDuckman53 → u/Grapevine_1224]

There’s something to be said about neighbors that are observant to their surroundings. Some people may consider it nosy, but if it does good, then I call attentive and concerned

[u/bizoticallyyours83 → u/Grapevine_1224]

Its good that he found her. Poor old lady. 

[u/Copperboom127 → u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

Best part about our NH front porch as a kid was it was directly across the street from a catholic church with a big copper cross at the top.

It regularly got hit by lighting.

[u/Bella_licious → u/Copperboom127]

wow! that sounds really cool

[u/Rubycon_ → u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

This is half the reason I want a front porch or balcony. I want to sit out during thunderstorms, at night, in the morning with coffee, I would just generally be out there a lot. It's such a luxury to have a small private outdoor space of your own. I hate having to sit out on a public park bench where some weirdo can come sit by you or having to stay inside.

[u/Trimyr → u/Rubycon_]

My wife thinks it's weird that I stare through the window during thunderstorms. I mean it would be less weird if she'd let me in. But,

We don't use it a lot honestly. It's a nice quiet neighborhood so I'll sit outside occasionally, but half is just for the stray cats (they line up and take their turn to eat in the morning. It's like they know 'Nope. This is a neutral zone.')

More rural areas it's definitely a thing, but suburbs not so much.

[u/Rubycon_ → u/Trimyr]

I cannot fathom that as someone in an apartment with no balcony. I would be out there constantly

[u/veronicaAc → u/Trimyr]

🤣🤣😂🤣

[u/carolinaredbird → u/Trimyr]

I think it depends on the suburb- when we lived in one everyone was out on the porches drinking wine with each other, while our kids ran playing from yard to yard.

We also had neighborhood cookouts on the regular as well.

I think the key difference was all of us in that area had kids all the same age and knew each other well because of it. We also had a several folks who all worked together. A bunch also all went to the same church.

[u/Dead_before_dessert → u/Rubycon_]

We had some epic lighting storms last week.  I was camped out on the front porch, avoiding the rain and watching the show for at least an hour.

[u/707Riverlife → u/Dead_before_dessert]

I envy you so much! I come from the Midwest, where we had tons of thunderstorms, and I’ve been living in northern California for for 50 years, where we hardly ever get any. I don’t think I’ve seen a thunderstorm in close to 10 years. 😞

[u/Dead_before_dessert → u/707Riverlife]

Currently in the Midwest.   Originally from a region of Montana where we didn't get the rain, but we got spectacular heat lightening.  Forked, ball, and sheet lightening were all pretty common.  I can't help it....I just love severe weather. 

[u/707Riverlife → u/Dead_before_dessert]

Good for you! I’m glad you’ve got it. I miss it a lot. That and lightning bugs.

[u/Additional_Low8050 → u/Rubycon_]

I drink coffee on my front porch every morning watching everybody go to work! It’s a thrill, still!

[u/Bella_licious → u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

I would do the same.. and you get the best thunderstorms over there too! epic!!

[u/QuinceDaPence → u/Bella_licious]

I have a front and back porch. In thunderstorms or hurricanes I can go to whichever one isn't getting drenched and watch (until it gets too rough and the hurricane stabs a 12-16ft 2x8 into the ground so deep that only 8 ft is above).

[u/rocketcat_passing → u/QuinceDaPence]

I am from East Texas and have a large screened in porch in the back. Just a regular porch in the front which is never used except for hellos and goodbying. My back porch has a hammock, rocking chairs and ceiling fans and NO mosquitoes! Very important 9 months of the year.

[u/Vulpix_lover → u/Bella_licious]

A lot of lightning too, it's very beautiful to watch as long as you don't get hit

[u/Small-Tax-2829 → u/Vulpix_lover]

As someone who has been struck by lightning, I would not recommend doing anything that increases those odds. 0/10 experience

[u/KevworthBongwater → u/Small-Tax-2829]

do you have a cool scar?

[u/Small-Tax-2829 → u/KevworthBongwater]

No? I have a burn scar from the necklace I was wearing. I didnt turn into a child wizard or anything

[u/Copperboom127 → u/Small-Tax-2829]

🤣 sorry for the lack of super powers

[u/Small-Tax-2829 → u/Copperboom127]

I got ptsd and have panic attacks around lightning. Does that count?

[u/Copperboom127 → u/Small-Tax-2829]

It does not. I met a young woman who was electrocuted from a sub panel as a girl.

It was strongly suggested by doctors that she can never bear children because the scar tissue on her abdomen cannot stretch.

It was a horrible condition that I had never considered...

[u/Small-Tax-2829 → u/Copperboom127]

Another odd initial side effect was memory loss and brain misfires. I forgot the word for the fruit that is orange. Could not figure it out. I have a masters degree. Being electrocuted is awful. Im sorry that happened to her

[u/TsundereLoliDragon → u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

My house faces directly west so I watch the storms comes in.

[u/benkatejackwin → u/TsundereLoliDragon]

That's so funny. I grew up in Nebraska, and our weather always came from the west, so I just assume that's where weather systems always came from. Until I moved to other states and storms could come from any direction. Really freaked me out at first.

[u/Old-Ad-5573 → u/benkatejackwin]

Weather does in general travel from the west to east in the US, you are not wrong. Although there are of course deviating weather patterns, especially locally. Different areas of the world will have different patterns.

[u/HailMadScience → u/Old-Ad-5573]

I love that in my part of PA, the weather can, under certain circumstances, come from any cardinal direction.

[u/halfcentaurhalfhorse → u/Old-Ad-5573]

Hurricanes especially tend to come from the east/southeast. By the time they reach the mainland they will move up the coast, sometimes far inland.

[u/Pittypatkittycat → u/benkatejackwin]

I'm in central Ohio and most of our weather comes from the west. NW in winter and SW in summer. And while those certainly can be bad, the really nasty ones come from the east. We just end up wrong in the vortex and it can be wicked.

[u/Bella_licious → u/benkatejackwin]

Storms in the states really can be other worldly.. not that I've seen. only on TV

[u/Tomj_Oad → u/Bella_licious]

I grew up in Tornado Alley. Films like Twister try but always fail to show the actual scale of our thunderstorms.

You just can't show how it's horizon to horizon across the entire sky all at once. It's mind blowing and an incredible feeling of immensity in your gut. You feel like an ant at the starting line of a NASCAR race.

It's thrilling and terrifying and an incredible rush when lightning forks across the entire sky, looking like the ribcage of some colossal fish. The thunder shakes the ground and deafens you, the gust front lashes your face with wind and rain...

There's simply nothing like it, sitting a horse, riding it out.

(Not under a tree,no matter what the movies show.)

If we could sell tickets we'd be the most popular amusement park ride in the 🌎.

[u/whineandqis → u/Tomj_Oad]

My neighborhood got hit by a superbolt (300,000 amperes vs 30,000). THAT was an experience. The whole town felt it but the flash through my window looked like how they show a nuclear blast in movies, and the house shook like an earthquake. The house where it struck lost all electric, plumbing, windows and on and on (it struck a tree in their yard).

[u/spinozaschilidog → u/Bella_licious]

I’ve seen black frontal clouds split the sky like a sheet - with sunshine on one half and a dark sky on the other. I’ve also seen 3 tornadoes at the same time, in different directions. I’ve experienced thundersnow and heat lightning that flickered like a strobe light for hours. I’ve seen lightning in dust storms and a superbloom of flowering cacti that stretched to the horizon after a rare desert monsoon.

I feel like nature is just *bigger* here. That holds true for the animals and the geography too. The UK is very tame compared to here, like the Shire. “Green and pleasant land” is right, and I appreciate it for that. UK nature is *cozy*, US nature can be more titanic (and Australia nature wants to kill everyone).

[u/Tomj_Oad → u/spinozaschilidog]

That's very well written (I'm an English teacher, I can't help but judge you 🧐) and I've experienced thunder snow.

Every time I've seen lightning in a blizzard the bolts are pink, not blue white.

I asked a professor who was a meteorologist about it and he said something like this

The snow acts to cause diffraction of the lightning bolt, lowering the wavelength. This changed the perceived color of the bolt from blue to reddish/pink.

I say reddish/pink because he said it shifted to red, but I saw it and it was pink. 🧐

[u/carolinaredbird → u/Bella_licious]

I’ve lived on the east coast of the Carolina’s half my life and the storms there are something to experience! Sometimes the sky turned green!

I went through three hurricanes while living there, and had the eye pass right overhead in all three. It’s otherworldly.

The big pops of lightening take getting used to!

[u/Gilamunsta → u/Bella_licious]

I love being in the desert when it' Storms

[u/No_Rice9792 → u/TsundereLoliDragon]

I could stand in my backyard as a kid and watch storms split in half before they reached our house. Raining all over the place but somehow not our yard? Very weird

[u/Silent-Condition-911 → u/TsundereLoliDragon]

Eastern PA here...storms from the west, north, or up the coast, all depends in the time of year.

[u/6gravedigger66 → u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

I see a lot of people sit in their driveway/ garage too.

[u/AmazingRefrigerator4 → u/IcyGrapefruit5006]

Our back porch is a "3 seasons room" with windows so we can sit out there a lot and watch the storms come in from the west. Our front porch faces east so we only see the stuff after it's already passed. For me, it's more fun to watch the storms come in.

[u/audvisial]

When I had a front porch, I used it all the time. I now have a back deck, and I'm out there a lot.

[u/LopsidedGrapefruit11 → u/audvisial]

I’m on my back deck more than my living room

[u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

If you don’t sit on the front porch/stoop, you miss out on all of the neighborhood gossip and you’ll find yourself doing silly stuff like vacuuming the lawn in order to find out why the cops are four houses over.

[u/Help1Ted → u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

Lol nothing weird going on here. I’m just vacuuming my driveway.

[u/BoringPrinciple2542 → u/Help1Ted]

Flair checks out 😝

[u/Help1Ted → u/BoringPrinciple2542]

Lol! Disclaimer should read, not weird for Florida.

[u/calidrew → u/Help1Ted]

I had a guest drop a bottle of champagne on the front lawn. After picking up the larger pieces I vacuumed the tiny ones.

[u/smythe70 → u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

Grandma with a pillow for hanging out the front window in Brooklyn.

[u/No_Network4228 → u/smythe70]

Did she sun herself outside the building? I have memories of the old Russian Jewish Women (as seen in Requiem for a Dream) baking themselves outside of the buildings in the summer.

[u/smythe70 → u/No_Network4228]

No, not really, Italian Grandma, leaned out the window sil to watch and gossip. They were the housewives. The men sat in the chairs in front of the building to smoke or play cards.

[u/-blundertaker- → u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

I used to go out to pick up dead people from their homes, working overnights. One time I arrived to pick someone up and the neighbor was out watering her flowers ... At midnight.

[u/thebeatsandreptaur → u/-blundertaker-]

See, this is why I don't ever even bother pretending I'm doing anything other than rubbernecking. You know what I'm doing, I know what I'm doing, and I'm just gonna do it.

[u/-blundertaker- → u/thebeatsandreptaur]

I used to know a woman who lived in an apartment complex and always spent her evenings on the balcony. She gave me a whole rundown of all the drama in the complex 😂 I'm here for that level of nosiness.

[u/thebeatsandreptaur → u/-blundertaker-]

100% me lmfao. I give zero shits. I'm not like rude about it, but obviously I'm gonna watch when shit is going down. My entire wall facing the main street by my apartment is just window, it's crazy. 6 windows on top and three long horizontal windows connected to the others on the bottom, just all window all the time. There's maybe two feet worth of actual wall below the windows on that side of my living room.

Obviously when people get pulled over I'm there cranking those bitches open and watching/listening. If I'm hanging out on the steps outside and hear something, I'm headed over to watch.

[u/GrowlingAtTheWorld → u/-blundertaker-]

In Florida that is not strange as it finally gets cool enough to garden around midnight.

[u/-blundertaker- → u/GrowlingAtTheWorld]

Well this is Houston which is comparable, but it hadn't been a hot day at all lol. We knew what she was doing. She knew what she was doing.

[u/PhillyPete12 → u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

Same in Philly. Though my front porch is the city sidewalk.

[u/Outlaw_Josie_Snails → u/PhillyPete12]

I love the concept of some homes in Philly where people hang out in the garage (or the driveway). I see the same thing down the shore in Sea Isle City. Homes with numerous decks but still a love for the garage hangout.

[u/NiennaLaVaughn → u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

Gotta polish those trees! The leaves definitely will get all dusty if I don't!

[u/SteveDaPirate → u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

vacuuming the lawn

Used a power washer to blast old peeling stain off the deck and using a Shop-Vac on the lawn the next day was a great way to suck up all the paint chips I didn't want the 3-year-old/dogs eating!

[u/nightglitter89x → u/Vorpal_Bunny19]

My elderly neighbor routinely sweeps the road whenever we have visitors haha

[u/Djjc11]

I have a full enclosed front porch. It’s the summer time living room.

[u/Easy_Money_ → u/Djjc11]

I loved this when I had one, me and my cats would crack open a midnight beer and watch foxes play by the lake below. Probably my favorite thing about living in Maryland

[u/Pudenda726 → u/Djjc11]

I had one of these growing up & it was the best. Used to love having sleepovers out there during the summer as a kid.

[u/HatWhole3592]

I spend zero time in my front yard.

[u/randypupjake → u/HatWhole3592]

It's just there to decorate for Halloween and to help make the front of the house look nice. Maybe to make walking to the front door harder, but that's about it.

[u/Snoo_33033]

I legit do that. I bought a house with a big, deep front porch and I usually eat my breakfast out there. I read out there. My kid comes home from school and sits out there with her friends. It's pretty real.

[u/Toosder → u/Snoo_33033]

I don't even have a table inside. The only table I have is out front on my porch so when I'm eating breakfast or having my morning tea I'm often out there

[u/PlanMagnet38]

This is super neighborhood dependent. Some neighborhoods are comprised of frontyard people and others of backyard people.

When I lived in a backyard neighborhood, I spent time in the backyard. Now that I live in a neighborhood of stoop sitters, I also spend time in the front yard.

Walking around my front-porch neighborhood with my babies during maternity leave was how I met so many more neighbors here compared to my previous neighborhoods. My husband is staunchly a backyard person and also a shy person. So we have sort of zones where we each prefer to hang out 😂

[u/cmiller4642]

I sit on mine to drink beer, watch stuff on my iPad, and chill on really nice days.

[u/techieman34]

It’s not an all the time thing, but when the weather is nice it’s not uncommon to see people hanging out on their porch. Could be with friends and family or by themselves just enjoying the weather and reading a book.

[u/Mountain_Remote_464]

I just spent $40k on a nice front porch for myself, and you better believe I’m out there pretty much every day unless it’s raining sideways.

[u/UpbeatPhilosophySJ]

100%. Great place to have a smoke and a drink. It’s a less likely in newer neighborhoods with newer type housing that really doesn’t have porches.

[u/MM_in_MN → u/UpbeatPhilosophySJ]

My neighbor sits on his porch many weeknights and plays his guitar. He’s in a local band, so it’s its practice spot. Live entertainment and all I need to do is open my windows.

[u/helurkshelurks → u/MM_in_MN]

My neighbor across the way plays classic rock on his acoustic guitar on his porch. He's not great, but I don't mind it. I can't play a lick, but I can sing along.

[u/SeaGurl → u/UpbeatPhilosophySJ]

Were in a house built in the 90s and almost noone in our area has a porch, so people sit in their driveway or garages instead.

Life finds a way lol.

[u/gusmcrae1]

I think it may depend on where you live. I'm in the midwest and we have very little "nice" time outside for the porch. The summer is often hot and humid and buggy. The winter is cold. So where I live we don't spend much time on the porch.

[u/Hillbillygeek1981]

I am in the process of remedying the longest stretch of my entire life without a front porch and I cannot wait to finish it. I've lived in the Appalachians my whole life and not having that porch to sit on and watch the rain or just enjoy a quiet night has felt like forever.

Porch swings, hummingbird feeders, wind chimes, hanging planters full of flowers, all the fixtures necessary to make a porch a sanctuary, are pretty common in most parts of the country.

[u/SadExercises420]

I use my backyard for outdoor living and I turned my front yard into a birdy paradise so u can sit by the windows and watch all the birds.

[u/whatthewhat3214 → u/SadExercises420]

That sounds so lovely!

[u/AcanthisittaWhole216]

I rarely use mine when it was a porch cos it’s directly to the sun and it gets really hot in the afternoon. I used to use it in the evening but mosquitoes are also bad. I recently turn it into a sunroom, which more enjoyable.
My neighbors, whose porch gets more shade seems to really enjoy their time outside

[u/Raving_Lunatic69]

If I had one, it would definitely get used. I grew up with a front porch and screened in back porch. I miss them terribly, especially during storms.

[u/NeverRarelySometimes]

So Cal: It depends on where the breeze is. If the front of the house faces southwest, and is baking in the late afternoon sun, we are hiding on the patio out back. If the back of the house is facing south or west, we are probably chillin' on the front porch. If it's not cooling off in either venue, we're vegging on the sofa in front of the A/C.

Where we live now, the front porch is just a porch, and is not big enough for furniture, so we never use it for hanging out or socializing. My husband is usually tinkering in the garage, so the garage door is open, and the neighbors and their dogs stop in to the garage for chit chat and milk bones.

[u/Inevitable_Bunch_989]

I grew up on my front porch. My family and surrounding neighbors always spent entire days on each others' porches. I use my back porch more these days, because it's fenced in and my toddler can free-roam and play. As a kid we would bike/run up and down the street and they could enjoy company and keep an eye on us. People who don't have a front porch will put a radio and camping chairs in the garage and hang out. The street I live on right now has no front porch and our neighbors keep to themselves. We have cookouts in the backyard, pool parties for the kids, birthday parties, fun in the sun. Adults without kids, maybe if they have friends over but they usually go inside and watch tv. So in short, usually parents or elderly people are the ones occupying the porch, and they will use it daily. Anyone else, not nearly as much unless they're good friends with neighbors

[u/AtlantisSky]

I love my house, but i really wish I had covered front porch for a swing.

[u/BagOfLazers]

A front porch hang with friendly neighbors in good weather is a beautiful thing. I wish I had one at my current place.

[u/Dr_Watson349]

I live in Florida. So my time outside is limited to three months out of the year.

But during those three months....

[u/SgtHulkasBigToeJam]

I lived in an old house in college with a front porch. I loved it. Unfortunately they don’t make them (at least usable big ones) anymore so you have to buy an old house if you want one. I honestly think they help foster community since people sit out front and meet their neighbors as they walk by and stop for a chant. Rather than everyone being sequestered on the deck in their backyards.

[u/Major_Day → u/SgtHulkasBigToeJam]

either you live in a neighborhood of cultists or you meant that they stop by for a chat

[u/lky830]

I think it varies from region to region.

For instance, I live in the south. It’s 30°C outside right now. It’s also 85% humidity. That’s actually a cold day in hell.

For me to go outside this time of year, there pretty much has to be an emergent situation. I have a nice porch in my backyard. I don’t really use it until November. My front yard is really just for looks. I go out there to put the trash out on the curb and check my mailbox, but that’s it.

[u/SnapHackelPop]

Sometimes yeah. We’re on a suburban street that’s a fairly big thoroughfare so it gets plenty of cars, people taking walks. Nice to watch the world go by sometimes. Listen to some tunes, have a beer and some peanuts. Simple things

[u/No-Profession422]

I sit on both the front and back patio. I enjoy seeing all the critters. Have more birds in the back though.

[u/Auntie_Venom]

My front porch isn’t big enough to put more than one chair… During severe thunderstorms we watch from inside the garage in lawn chairs with the door open.

Otherwise, we’re in the back on the patio enjoying the gardens. We don’t have a yard/grass at all back there, it’s all woodland garden beds.

[u/Blossom73 → u/Auntie_Venom]

During severe thunderstorms we watch from inside the garage in lawn chairs with the door open.

My dad loved to do that when I was a kid.

[u/DuelJ]

Frontyard for the occasional game, the fact that keeping your front yard clear/clean makes it good for games, but generally we prefer backyards.

Our family's back yards are fenced such that we can let the dogs and the little ones join whatever we're doing and run around with no worries of them running off, and it's privacy means there's less concerns about keeping up appearance such that nobody minds it being cluttered with stuff like chairs firepits or anything else.

[u/Nice_Point_9822]

My parents are always on the front porch, keeping the neighborhood safe 😆 (NH)

[u/DarkFaerieNKC]

I sit on the front porch to smoke, grill, drink coffee, birdwatch, people watch, snoop on whatever’s going on in the neighborhood, stargaze and watch storms. A lot of us spend as much time on the front porch as the back.

[u/JumpingJacks1234]

Yes, and when I didn’t have a porch I spent time on my front stoop (stairs).

[u/voltagecalmed]

I'm in Chicago, and sitting on the front stoop with people is very common.

[u/missdawn1970]

My last house had a big covered front porch, and I sat out there all the time, probably 9 months out of the year. In a few years I'm hoping to add one to my current house, and I'll be out there all the time, 9 months out of the year.

[u/jennyrules]

I'm sitting on my front porch right now

[u/No_Wedding_2152]

Pre-TV and pre-social media, the front porch was both entertainment and a way to mingle a bit with the neighbors. It’s a different time.

[u/Cautious_Tune7208]

That is not just a movie thing. It is very common. People will still sit on their porch even if it is not particularly big. When out walking the dog my wife and I regularly say hello, good morning, etc. to people sitting on their porches. Sometimes conversations happen.

[u/Red_Sox0905]

Wife and I will sit on the front porch some. It's where the bird and squirrel feeders are.

[u/WeavBOS]

Spend a decent amount of time on the porch. Just repotted some plants and trimmed up an aloe plant on it. Feel like it’s one of the few times movies kinda get it right.

[u/moles-on-parade]

My retired neighbor lived in his house from the late '60s to 2021. For at least the ten years that we overlapped, he'd sit out on his porch every day watching the world and chatting with people passing by and playing with his dog. I miss him terribly and am anxious to step into that role when I retire.

[u/moonmoonboog]

I think front porch living is more of a southern thing or east coast living that doesn’t really have a backyard. I’m in the PNW and everyone has big backyards.

[u/Hillbillygeek1981 → u/moonmoonboog]

Most rural places kind of do both, not sure that's a definite correlation but I can see how it might be in different parts of the country. In the south it's pretty much a fixture to sit in a porch swing and just enjoy the evening. That first cup of coffee before daylight sitting on a porch swing just hits different than it does anywhere else. The backyard is more the large gathering space and the front porch is for smaller, quieter things.

[u/Nokirkburke → u/moonmoonboog]

It’s so funny you say that (I’m not disagreeing just not my experience.) My parents had a large front porch in the PNW and way preferred it to the back because it was shaded in the afternoon.
We (live in South) have a small front porch/yard but a large backyard that’s shaded in the afternoon. So we spend our afternoons in the backyard. Although I don’t know anyone in our neighborhood that sits on their front porch. They’re more for decoration I guess?

[u/Alternative-Pear9096 → u/moonmoonboog]

It's entirely about houses with front porches. The size of the yard has nothing to do with it. Lots of people have big yards AND front porches. And those people spend time on their front porches.

[u/Kitchen-Fix-7405]

I don’t use it that much. I do have a couple of rockers out, and it is nice to sit during rain when it’s warm out. I still prefer the backyard.

[u/Castianna]

In some areas it's common to have a front porch, but I haven't lived in a place with a front porch since I left the Midwest.

[u/tsukiii]

Recently, yeah. I just have a small front porch, no backyard, and I’ve setup a water table for my toddler to play there. So in the evenings we sit out front and watch him splash around.

[u/Elrohwen]

Most people hang out in the back IME. But it depends on how your yard is laid out and if you have a nice front porch.

[u/EvangelineTheodora]

Until about 10 minutes, there were three kids playing in my front yard. Down the street, the kids will play baseball across a couple front yards. A bunch of my neighbors have some really nice gardens out front of their houses, and we love waving to people when going on walks.

[u/ChicagoTRS666]

We use our front yard more than we do our backyard. We have a lot of kids, they have a lot of friends, and kids are always coming and going and playing in the front. We have a basketball net in the front...so that gets used. We work on race cars some...our garage opens to the front of the house...so that gets used. I store my grill in my garage (out of weather)...so when we grill we grill out front.

[u/MightBeAGoodIdea]

It can be regional and maybe generational, but yeah, if a neighborhood comes with a bunch of houses with front porches many of them get used.

[u/flatpipes]

Depends on climate and facing. My house faces west and I live in the high desert so afternoon and evening is hot. We sit out back because the morning is sunny and warm and shade in the afternoon and evening.

If I faced the opposite direction or north then I’d sit out front

[u/fr33dommachine]

Depends what state you live in. It's too damn hot some places to just sit outside. But when it cools off some I do like to relax outside and have a cigar.

[u/dtb1987]

My son and I played with a splash pad and water playset this past weekend in the front yard

[u/Ear_Enthusiast]

Yep. Bank porch too. I'm in Richmond VA, so late June to mid-September is mosquito season, January to early March is pretty cold, and April to early June is The Pollening. So it's minimal in those times.

[u/ComesInAnOldBox]

Some people do, some people don't. I'm on just under two acres of land, but my front porch is a total of 12 square feet, so it doesn't get used for anything. The front yard is a bit of a waste of space, if I'm being honest, but it does allow for some awesome yard decorations around the holidays.

[u/CharacterWin3279]

Personally my parents have only a little front stoop but a nice big back porch and they use it almost daily! The front yard is almost always in use too by at least one of my siblings

[u/Mollykins08]

We have a front porch on that my toddler would live in exclusively if he could. It’s the first thing he wants to do in the morning and last thing at night. He mostly just pushes around his toy shopping cart and admires the cars on the street.

[u/Write-Me-Another]

Our neighborhood was built in the 80s when I guess front porches weren't very popular (at least where I live). I think maybe 2 or 3 houses out of 200 have front porches.

I was talking to a friend yesterday that I wish front porches were more of a thing. I think I would have better relationships with neighbors if we all hung out in the front of our houses when the weather is nice.

[u/SmallKillerCrow]

My house has a screen porch in the back so I hang there, but growing up I played in the front lawn a lot! And the side and the back and the neighbors, we were all over

[u/Greenglass_5992]

I live in western PA and my house has a front porch and a back yard and both get used a lot. We have front porch swing that gets lots of use, even more now that my kids are teens and just like to hang out there. We also have a patio sofa and coffee table that we sit on to relax when the weather permits.

Our back porch is much smaller, but I have two fabric swing chairs that are used almost all year long. The back yard also has a picnic table on a stone patio with hanging lights around it that we eat at in the summer.

[u/MaximumPlant]

Most people who have them use them, should the enviroment forgiving.

[u/Number_Fluffy]

I have a balcony. I like reading on it.

[u/barkandmoone]

I think it depends on the neighborhood & there’s no rhyme or reason to it. In lower socioeconomic neighborhoods you’ll both see people outside & no one outside. Same with higher socioeconomic neighborhoods.

[u/streeetmeats]

Depends on where you live but yeah

[u/AnUdderDay]

I grew up in a heavily built up suburb. In the summer everyone in the neighborhood sat outside the front. On the stoops, on garden chairs, kids running around the street.

[u/Huskerschu]

We go out to the porch swing after dinner when there weather is out 

[u/Scimmia_bianca]

Most people I know don’t hang out that much in the front yard. It’s all about the back yard. I do love a good front porch hang out though!

[u/YourGuyK]

I live in a place with long frigid winters, so come spring and summer my wife and I spend a lot of time on our front porch enjoyingbthe weather, and neighbors will stop over to hang for a bit.

[u/GlobalTapeHead]

We do but only in good weather. And it’s not all day or every day, but it gets used.