August 7, 2025: The Side Story

Growing up, we had a screened side porch.

It was mostly overlooked, with peeling paint on the steps and spiderwebs in the corners. Then one day, my dad decided on a change.

So we transformed it into an actual room with walls, lights, bookshelves, and a couch and computer. The neglected porch became our family’s office. From useless to useful, just like that.

Something similar happened this week with a thin strip of land between our house and the neighbor’s. We’ve always called it “the side yard,” but it was more of a boundary. Overgrown and tree-choked.

Then we started cutting back the thicket. A couple of trees came down, and we hauled away vines and brush. Beneath it all, we saw possibility. A place somehow missed for years.

This afternoon, Jake brought out the power washer and made the area shine, blasting grime off the house and fence.

Suddenly, we have vision. Maybe a hammock or a winding path, or perhaps potted herbs, smooth stones, and string lights. Once a jungle, now a blank canvas.

There’s something satisfying about reclaiming space, discovering what was always there.

Sometimes the biggest changes come from clearing, not adding. Pulling away the layers and noticing the beauty beneath the mess.

Every home (and life) has forgotten corners worth recovering. There are often spaces that we dismiss as unimportant, but they hold potential if we give them a second look.

What you ignore doesn’t go away. It just waits.