Home > Blogs > Barbara S. Duncan > Barbara Duncan's blog

Sleeping porches? Searcy Arkansas is hot but we have air conditioning now.

By Barbara S. Duncan

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage

June 27, 2010 02:21 AM

My car says it is 104 degrees outside!

My car says it is 99 degrees outside!

My friend says we're having August weather right now in June. No one argues that it is not HOT, HOT, HOT in our neck of the woods.

So driving by these two houses in Searcy Arkansas reminds me that when they were built there was no air conditioning. These were sleeping porches.....or at least I have been told that they were. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

In this area nighttime does not bring a lot of relief from the heat so folks could climb up to these areas and gain a bit more comfort.

I love central heat and air!!

Sleeping porch

Re-Blog

Comments(19)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Wallace S. Gibson, CPM

Gibson Management Group, Ltd. - Charlottesville, VA

LandlordWhisperer

I grew up in SC and my grandparents had a sleeping porch * the COUSINS loved visiting because we got to sleep there like "puppies" all scrunched together on 2 big beds.

Jun 27, 2010 02:26 AM

Fernando Herboso - Associate Broker MD, & VA

Maxus Realty Group of Samson Properties - Clarksburg, MD

301-246-0001 Serving Maryland, DC and Northern VA

It's amazing how people just to live many years ago without all the comforts we have now. . like indoor plumbing!

Jun 27, 2010 02:30 AM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

I have always wanted a sleeping porch. Having said that, I doubt if I would sleep out there NOW, as you said the temps. might cool down to 75 at night! That is not comfortable sleeping weather.

I remember one August day in Searcy, probably early 50's.....we didn't have a.c. just an attic fan. Mother and Daddy made a "pallet" (folded quilt) in the hall, and laid down there to take an afternoon nap....The attic fan was running. Mother says it was ll4 degrees in Searcy the day I was born, August l936. I remember a contest conducted by the newspaper, THe Daily Citizen.....giving a prize to the person who predicted the day the temp. surpassed l00 degrees.

I am so grateful and thankful to the Lord God who allowed man to invent central heat and air.....and window air conditioners.

Jun 27, 2010 03:26 AM

Cindy Jones

Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA

Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News

When I was a wee laddie I spent many a summer vacation sleeping on the screened in porch at my grandparents house in Walnut Ridge AK. It was hot and humid but I thought it was was like camping out only with a bathroom close by.

Jun 27, 2010 04:53 AM

Bill Saunders, Realtor®

Meyers Realty - Hot Springs, AR

www.BillSellsHotSprings.com

That, and with the early "technology" of the double hung window, being let down from the top, allowing any breeze to whoosh the hottest air in the house out...

We didn't have the sleeping porch, but I sure do remember that attic fan!

Jun 27, 2010 05:48 AM

Don Thompson

Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

I couldn't resist showing our sleeping porch in Yosemite last Wednesday. Actually, this is a tent cabin.

I brought my portable porta-potty I've had for 40 years or more. I even have bags with Japan printed on them. The temperature in the cabin at 6 a.m. was 59 degrees. Quite comfortable. The day high was 88 degrees. Our cabin was 478.

In 1970, these tent cabins cost $7 a night. This one, the cheapest and only accommodations to be had in Yosemite, was $120. How's that for inflation?

We had to put everything with a scent in the bear proof lockers outside the cabin.

Tent Cabin

Jun 27, 2010 06:09 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Godmother,

When I am elected, you will be able to live in the White House for free. Bag all this real estate stress and get to campaigning. By the way, did you see that SupperKate is backing down.

Godson

Jun 27, 2010 08:36 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Wallace, that's interesting. I love picturing all of you bunched up like puppies!

Fernando, I wish everyone had to experience a little hardship. They'd be more appreciative!

Anita, amen. I still find people who love those old attic fans and strangely they still are in fairly new houses. I personally do not like them because they suck in everything from outside. I loved your comment because it was so vivid! Did you win the prize?

Jun 27, 2010 10:47 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Cindy, sounds as if you did have a little luxury living there.

Bill, see my attic fan comment above and how people still admit to liking them.

Don, thanks for the pictures. Do you mean you traveled with that porta pot? What did they say at the airlines or did you drive up there. You are the most traveled family on this blog site and perhaps in the state of Arkansas.

Nutsy, count me in!! White house here I come. Hope it has an air-conditioned sleeping porch. If supperkate is down, don't disturb her or she'll come up swinging and aiming for your noggin.

Jun 27, 2010 10:51 AM

Don Thompson

Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

Drive? No way! We did drive to Yosemine from Reno and that was 4 1/2 hours. Drove through Tioga Pass at

9945 ft. I packed the porta-potty in the suitcase. No problem with checked baggage.

Park Entrance

Jun 27, 2010 12:19 PM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Don, you are a blog subject yourself. Wonder how many people pack porta potties? LOL

Jun 27, 2010 02:37 PM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

Don: when the airline authorities confiscate your luggage, please do not tell them who you are, or where you live, and who your friends are.

Jun 28, 2010 01:39 AM

#12

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Anita, thanks for the BIG laugh about Don and the contents of his luggage. I agree with you 100%.

Jun 28, 2010 01:58 AM

Don Thompson

Donthomp Associates - Sunnyvale, CA

Paula says to tell everyone how wonderful it was to not have to traipse to the public restroom in the middle of the night while the bears were roaming around foraging for food.

Jun 28, 2010 02:33 AM

Anonymous

Anita Fuller

Easy for Paula to say how wonderful it was not to have to traipse to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but what about poor Don? What was he doing while she was "NOT TRAIPSING"?

Having just said that, I am leaving for Canada and fishing at Souix Lookout next week. We, too, (Bob and I) will be in a tent together....not as luxurious as Don and Paula's but a nice, comfortable tent I'm told. Bob has his homemade (by our son) porta-potty, too. Hope I'm a heavy sleeper!

ActiveRain just may kick you off yet, Barbara. (or censore you).

Jun 28, 2010 04:10 AM

#15

Charles Edwards Bentonville

Coldwell Banker Harris McHaney & Faucette 479-253-3796 - Bentonville, AR

AR REALTOR, Bentonville Real Estate Agent and Broker

Hi Barbara, Once again this is a great ARKANSAS BLOG! I love all the old Arkansas houses with 2 front doors for better ventilation in warm weather...have you blogged about htose yet?

Jun 29, 2010 08:23 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Don and Anita, thanks for the laughs. I absolutely refuse to write a blog about who has the bestest portable potty. I am also not jealous that I don't have one. There is no telling, however, what is in my husband's hunting supplies.

Charles, I'm not sure what those were. Perhaps that blog is for you. Were they side by side? Did the house have two fronts? Puzzled here..........

Jun 29, 2010 08:38 AM

Elizabeth Bolton

RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA

Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Barbara ~ I *love* sleeping porches - wish I had one! It's been hot and humid - it hit 100 yesterday - here in Massachusetts and we don't have a/c. I'm all for the old fashioned ways of keeping cool - like ice cream! and sleeping porches.

Liz

Jul 07, 2010 03:59 PM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Liz, I didn't know it could get 100 degrees in Massachusetts! And no a/c! You may need to get shipped South!

Jul 08, 2010 01:05 AM