photo by Charlie London

This artist, who consented to having their photo taken but wished to remain anonymous, took advantage of the beautiful weather today to paint Faubourg St. John in a beautiful light.

photo by Charlie London

This man, who did not want to be identified, was out enjoying today’s beautiful weather while gathering inspiration from the bayou.

Camelias are blooming throughout the city. This shot was caught on Grand Route Saint John.

photo by Charlie London

This artist, who consented to having their photo taken but wished to remain anonymous, took advantage of the beautiful weather today to paint Faubourg St. John in a beautiful light.

Posted on Faubourg St. John on Facebook during the meeting.

Review of Project Nola crime cameras by Algiers Neighborhood rep happening now at FSJNA’s quarterly meeting in the Black Gold room at the Fair Grounds.
***
Awesome cookies and soft drinks, bottled water too provided by the Fair Grounds at the FSJNA meeting happening now in the Black Gold room at the Fair Grounds.
***
Vince Booth is talking about Jazz Fest at tonight’s FSJNA meeting happening now in the Black Gold room at the Fair Grounds.
***
NOPD’s Capt Ursin is talking about the NOPDs presence in Faubourg St. John at the meeting happening now in the Black Gold room at the Fair Grounds.
***
If you live in FSJ and someone blocks your driveway, there will be tow trucks dedicated to removing cars like this. Call the neighborhood action line that only works during Jazz Fest for folks blocking driveways, cabs picking up illegally etc. The number is (504) 942-7799
***
Mona McMahon is talking about FSJNA’s finances at the meeting now in the Black Gold room at the Fair Grounds.
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Jim Danner is reviewing public safety issues in FSJ now at the meeting in the Black Gold room at the Fair Grounds.
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Only contact vbooth@boothandbooth.com until April 10 about streetlights and abandoned cars around Jazz Fest. Do it now. 311 after April 10. Streetlight out? Send the number on the pole (example PQ101) and the exact address of the light pole to vbooth@boothandbooth.com Call 311 with the same info. Abandoned car? Send the exact location, license plate if any along with a photo to vbooth@boothandbooth.com Call 311 with the same info.
***
Brenda London is talking about the renovation of Desmare Playground. Architectural renderings from Dyna Play are here now in the Black Gold room at the Fair Grounds.

***
Don’t miss this opportunity to find out what’s happening, ask questions and learn how you can help.

You’ve likely heard about FSJNA’s extremely successful FEED THE FIRST program.
(More in the link: http://fsjna.org/2014/02/feed-the-1st-3/)

Did you know that’s just one of many fun opportunities you have to make a difference in your community?
The Porch Crawl is coming up. Do you know someone who could donate? Do you have ideas on how to make it better? Would you like to help make it happen? Want to know more about the Porch Crawl? Check out last year’s successful event at http://fsjna.org/2013/06/porch-crawl-2013/

Join your neighbors this TUESDAY, March 11 in the Black Gold room at the FAIR GROUNDS. There will be lots of snacks and great drinks (sorry, the guys noted above won’t be there).

This Tuesday, you have the opportunity to attend the Quarterly General Membership Meeting of the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association will take place on Tuesday, March 11th at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is meeting at the Fair Grounds Black Gold room this Tuesday, March 11th at 1751 Gentilly Blvd. at 6:30 p.m.

IV. Guests
Jazz Fest Update

V. Committee Reports/Updates/Actions (if any)
Membership Outreach Committee – Update
Landscape Committee – Update
Treasurer’s Report
Public Safety – Update
Re-Bridge – Update
Zoning Committee – update

VI. Old Business
From Floor

VII. New Business
From Floor

VIII. Adjournment | FSJNA Executive Board Meeting to follow.

FSJNA Executive Board Meeting will cover the following items:
Approval of February 2014 Executive Meeting Minutes
Approval of 2014 Budget
Old Business
Rebridge CEA
Project NOLA
Meeting date changes
New Business
From Floor
Adjournment of FSJNA Executive Board Meeting

Bayou Boogaloo sets 2014 music lineup

Posted by Kevin Allman @NOLAKevin on Thu, Mar 27, 2014

Big Freedia, Eric Lindell, Rosie Ledet and The Zydeco Playboys, Sweet Crude, Vox and the Hound and about two dozen other bands have been announced for this year’s Bayou Boogaloo, the 9th annual weekend festival on the banks of Bayou St. John in Mid-City.

This year’s Bayou Boogaloo will be held May 16-18 on three stages around the bayou. The event features an art market, local food vendors, a bike pub crawl and the popular Rubber Duck Derby.

Full list of performers under the jump. For more information, see the Bayou Boogaloo website.

Big Freedia

Eric Lindell

Rosie Ledet & The Zydeco Playboys

Nigel Hall & The Congregation

Mike Dillon Band

Tank & The Bangas

Sweet Crude

Bobby Paultauf Band

Gillet & Singleton

Big Chief Juan Pardo & Golden Comanche Mardi Gras Indians

Cry You One

Gravy Flavored Kisses

Washitaw Nation Mardi Gras Indians

King James & The Special Men

Mister Fred’s Round Pegs featuring Lynn Drury, Beth Patterson, Mark Mullins, Craig Klein and John Fohl

Waylon Thibodeaux

Jamie Lynn Vessels

Cardinal Sons

Vox & The Hound

Kid Merv

Funk Monkey

Dex Daley & Jam X

Bert Wills

Red Wolf Brass Band

& MUCH MORE TBA!

The bands at the BAYOU BOOGALOO will definitely grab your attention. Check out some great art there too… May 16-18

Just after 1pm on Wednesday, November 20th, 3 males stole a bicycle from my neighbors’ porch in the 1500 Block of Crete. Two of them acted as look-outs while the third went up the stairs & grabbed an unsecured bicycle off of the porch.

My next-door neighbor has a man working on his house & was kind enough to put himself out there by notifying me & 911 on what he saw concerning the theft. I passed the information on through Dispatch via my radio. I was unable to chase down these guys as I am off full duty until next week due to an injury.

First District Police Officers, Sgt Ricci Fayard, Officers Kenneth Thomas, Dwight Sallier & Detectives Daniel Hiatt & Patrick Kennelly did an excellent job in responding to my call for assistance & apprehended the perpetrators on Paris @ Industry Streets.

My neighbor’s renovation guy put himself out there & agreed for me to relocate him to the place of apprehension in order to identify the stolen bicycle & the perpetrators. The perpetrators are not just bicycle thieves, they come from an area of the city known as Mid-City Killer territory, which is inclusive of S Rendon, Ulloa, Baudin Streets, bordered by Tulane/Carrollton/Jeff Davis. The bicycle & perpetrators were positively identified & the perpetrators were placed under arrest. The detectives advised me we’ve had an uptick in burglaries & thefts in our area & they will look further into these perpetrators concerning these other crimes. First District Police responders did an Excellent Job today as well as the renovation man for my other neighbor who witnessed this crime.

I just want to let all of you know I am very proud of the response by our First Police District & very proud of the fact a man, who doesn’t live in our neighborhood, decided to step up & identify these perpetrators. Granted, a bicycle theft is not a huge crime in the grand scheme of things, but THE TEAMWORK BY THE OFFICERS & MY NEIGHBORS WAS OUTSTANDING AND TRULY WONDERFUL! I love our little Neighborhood & will always do my best as a Citizen & an Officer to keep us safe.

Just a few reminders for Crime Prevention:

1. Always lock up your Property (bikes, homes, cars).

2. Always keep your front & back porch lights on (it doesn’t cost that much, electricity wise).

3. If you think you’re coming home after dark, keep a couple of lights on inside your home before you leave.

4. Always be aware of who & what is around you when you get home, day or night.

5. Have the Fair Grounds Patrol meet you at your house when you come home. More in the link:
http://fsjna.org/about/fairgrounds-patrol/

Thank you, Neighbors!
Thank you, First Police District!

Everybody be well & keep safe.

~Liz on Crete

Click on any photo for a larger view.

HENRY JOHNSON

WILLIAM BROWN

ROMLALICE SHAW

http://tinyurl.com/TICKETS-FOR-TREES

The Bayou is Our Oyster | Hosted by MotherShip Foundation

Browse the gift certificates which will be available at the silent auction on November 14.

http://tinyurl.com/SILENT-AUCTION-NOV14-FOR-TREES

Every year in May, MotherShip Foundation brings 30,000 people to the banks of Bayou St. John for the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Music and Arts Festival. But have you ever wondered what MotherShip Foundation does after Bayou Boogaloo? Well, for the past year MotherShip has been establishing partnerships, securing sponsors, and raising over $30,000 to support its “Restore the Bayou Canopy Campaign.” With five new 200-gallon live oak trees planted along Bayou St. John earlier this year, the project has already exceeded its original goal of replacing the four live oaks that were damaged during Hurricanes Katrina and Isaac. And we’ve got more good news. This fall, MotherShip Foundation is investing another $11,000 to plant one 300-gallon live oak along with two massive 670-gallon live oaks. Yes, indeed!

On Nov. 14, 2013 from 7-10pm, MotherShip Foundation will host a fundraiser and auction benefitting the Restore the Bayou Canopy Campaign. The event will take place at Pearl Wine Co. in the American Can Building and will feature entertainment by local artists TBA. In addition to the musical entertainment, Marlin Miller—the artist who carved the public art sculpture out of the dead oak tree on the corner of Orleans Ave and Jeff Davis Pkwy—will also be at the event to share his story and auction off a few or his one-of-a-kind sculptures. Tickets, which include wine and food, are $50 for individuals or $75 per couple—with one hundred percent of the proceeds benefiting the Restore the Bayou Canopy Campaign. Following the fundraiser on Nov. 16, all are invited to witness and celebrate the major tree planting on Bayou St. John.

On Nov. 14, 2013 from 7-10pm, MotherShip Foundation will host a fundraiser and auction benefiting the Restore the Bayou Canopy Campaign.

The event will take place at Pearl Wine Co. in the American Can Building and will feature entertainment by Trio Mollusc featuring Ed Volker of The Radiators w/ Michael Skinkus and Joe Cabral. In addition to the musical entertainment, Marlin Miller—the artist who carved the public art sculpture out of the dead oak tree on the corner of Orleans Ave and Jeff Davis Pkwy—will also be at the event to share history and auction off a few or his one-of-a-kind sculptures. Tickets, which include wine and food, are $50 for individuals or $75 per couple—with one hundred percent of the proceeds benefiting the Restore the Bayou Canopy Campaign.

On Nov. 16, all are invited to witness and celebrate the major tree planting on Bayou St. John.

http://tinyurl.com/TICKETS-FOR-TREES

Below from Melinda Shelton

MotherShip founder Jared Zeller said the auction coincides with a benefit Nov. 14 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Pearl Wine, in the American Can Company, 3700 Orleans Ave. “Restore the Bayou Canopy” is an ongoing project to plant trees along Bayou St. John. The foundation, which sponsors the annual Bayou Boogaloo, has raised more than $30,000 to plant and maintain new trees.

Individual tickets for the Nov. 14 event are $50, and $75 for a couple. Trio Mollusc, with Ed Volker, Michael Skinkus and Joe Cabral, will play, and there will be food and beverages, Zeller said. Here’s the real deal: 100 percent of the proceeds go to the campaign.

Zeller said foundation and boogaloo supporters planted five oak trees last year, and on Nov. 16, they’ll plant one 300-gallon live oak and two 670-gallon oaks.

For more information, visit mothershipfoundation.wordpress.com, call 504.488.3865 or email president@MotherShipFoundation.org.

Weddings on the Magnolia Bridge have become extremely popular.

This wedding included a brass band processional down the bayou.

It was quite a parade!

Join us Friday, November 15 from 5:30-7:00 pm for the Final Fall Vino on the Bayou!

Relax with a glass of wine and delicious food, while enjoying the sunset on Bayou St. John!

Music will be provided by the Panorama Jazz Band and Poppy Tooker will be signing copies of her book Louisiana Eats!

LLS Members: $10
Non-Members: $15
Individual tickets may be purchased at the gate. Special Fall Vino packages and group tickets may be purchased in advance on our website.

Big Chief David Montana, Chief over Bayou St. John helped celebrate the planting of several large oak trees on Bayou St. John.

Earth, Wind and Fire were all invoked at today’s dedication of the new oak trees on Bayou St. John.

Huge oak trees were planted on the bayou today (Nov. 15, 2013). Celebrate tomorrow at 10 a.m.

photos by Charlie London.

The items pictured below were found in the holes dug for the trees planted today.

Restore The Bayou Canopy Tree Planting Ceremony

Hosted by MotherShip Foundation

ED TOUPS DONATES LARGE OAK TO BAYOU ST. JOHN
http://www.itbusinessnet.com/article/Largest-Live-Oak-Ever-Donated-to-New-Orleans-to-Be-Planted-On-Bayou-St-John-2918547

See the big tree planting this Saturday, November 16, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. on Bayou St. John at Orleans Avenue.

click on the poster for a larger view

Buy the 2014 Bayou Boogaloo poster by visiting the link–>  http://thebayouboogaloo.com/shop

The 2014 Bayou Boogaloo Commemorative Poster by artist Jacques Soulas is a Gouache on Paper depiction of a typical day at the Bayou Boogaloo.  Seen from the perspective of bicycle riders approaching the festival, the 2014 poster celebrates the relaxed, natural and activity rich environment of Bayou St. John.

The pastoral image is faithfully reproduced as a SilkScreen Print.  The poster measures 24″ x 13″ and is printed on Mohawk Superfine art paper in 6 brilliant colors surrounded by a pastel eggshell color border. The edition of 300 signed and numbered prints is sure to be a Sold Out collectible.

Soulas, a French native and Bayou St. John resident, owns Cafe Degas restaurant on Esplanade Avenue not far from the Bayou Boogaloo site.  He paints mostly in oils in a style similar to contemporary realism. As a medium, Gouche is similar to watercolor but modified with chalk to add opacity and reflective qualities. The focus on cyclists for this year’s poster is in reference to the long-anticipated ground breaking of the Lafitte Corridor bike path that will connect Bayou St. John to downtown New Orleans.

***

Bayou Boogaloo comes once again to the banks of scenic Bayou St. John in one of the most unique neighborhoods in New Orleans. Come out to the shores of the “urban bayou” to experience New Orleans greenery and some of the best music, food and crafts the city has to offer. The festival is in it’s 9th year and takes place over the weekend of May 16 -18. Admission is FREE.  More in the link:  http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/festivals/musicfestivals/bayouboogaloo.html

***

Big Freedia, Eric Lindell, Rosie Ledet and The Zydeco Playboys, Sweet Crude, Vox and the Hound and about two dozen other bands have been announced for this year’s Bayou Boogaloo, the 9th annual weekend festival on the banks of Bayou St. John in Mid-City.   More in the link:  http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2014/03/27/bayou-boogaloo-sets-2014-music-lineup

***

This annual New Orleans festival brings over 35,000 locals and visitors for live New Orleans music from three stages, sample delicious New Orleans food, and get a taste of unique local culture at the Boogaloo Art Market.  The Bayou Boogaloo Festival 2014 is a family-friendly event with a kid’s stage, games and activities for children.  More in the link:  http://hotelmonteleone.com/events/mid-city-bayou-boogaloo-2014-friday-may-16/

***

I’m going to tell you the top five reasons to head on over to Bayou Boogaloo in Mid-City, which runs from May 16-18 and is FREE.  Details in the link:  http://www.gonola.com/2014/05/02/top-5-reasons-to-go-to-bayou-boogaloo-in-new-orleans.html

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In keeping with its “zero-waste event” practice, which aims to decrease the event’s environmental impact on our community, patrons are urged to take public transportation, ride a bike or walk to the boogaloo.  Learn more about the Bayou Boogaloo in the link: http://blog.nola.com/new_orleans/2014/05/bayou_boogaloo_planned_nopd_1s.html

Special events include:

Bicycle Pub Crawl, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Bicyclists will meet between 9-9:45 a.m. at Morning Call in City Park, and then set off on an adventure that includes stops at bars, hangouts, and points of interest. This fundraiser for the Mothership Foundation and Mid-City Volleyball has a suggested $20 participation donation. Wheel Fun Bike Rentals will rent bikes to non-owners. To register,  send an email to Peter Hickman at phickm@gmail.com.

6th Annual Zulu/Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Run-To-Ride 5K, May 17. The race begins at OPSO headquarters, 732 N. Broad St., and ends at Zulu headquarters. To register call 504.239.1531.

Bicycle Second Line, May 18, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bike Easy sponsors this safety monitored,11-mile ride that starts and ends at Bayou St. John. It’s free for Bike Easy members or $15 for a t-shirt/entry. There are stops at Backstreet Cultural Museum and Rouses in the CBD. To register email info@bikeeasy.org or call 504.861.4022.

NOPD 1st District crawfish boil

Josef Wright with the Greater Mid-City Business Association said the group is accepting monetary donations to help pay for a crawfish boil James Clesi Catering is hosting for NOPD 1st District officers and their families. While the May 18 event isn’t open to the public, Wright said it’s “a way we can show our appreciation for the officers, who don’t get enough of that. …These people risk their lives every day to protect us.”   To make a donation, contact Wright at 504.339.3277.

***

In addition to the Bayou Boogaloo, the MotherShip Foundation pursues its mission through working with neighborhood groups, nonprofits, and other organizations to implement neighborhood improvement projects throughout the year. Previous projects have included building playgrounds, supporting community sports initiatives, planting native habitat-building and erosion-preventing marsh grasses, and replacing trees that are lost during hurricanes.  More in the link:  http://www.flavorus.com/event/Bayou-Boogaloo-Festival/239038

###

by Charlie London | http://fsjna.org | http://katrinafilm.com

Since the beginning, the Bayou Boogaloo, held on the banks of Bayou St. John in New Orleans during May, has had a mission to give back to the community.   The first Bayou Boogaloo in 2006 was a healing effort for the community.   Many folks were still rebuilding their lives and their houses after “the storm”.   The Bayou Boogaloo was a welcome respite from the daily grind.   It provided much needed fun for both adults and children.

One of the often forgotten aspects of the Bayou Boogaloo is its emphasis on zero impact on the environment.  I’ve personally witnessed the meticulous cleanup after the event.  One would never know the music festival ever took place because the area is left as clean or cleaner than it was before the event.

The Bayou Boogaloo has promoted solar energy, recycling and encouraged folks to consider the environment.   The Bayou Boogaloo has led by example.   Several huge oak trees have been planted along the banks of Bayou St. John leaving a lasting positive impact on the environment and the community.

The Bayou Boogaloo gives back in other ways too!  The event helps neighborhood organizations raise funds for their operations, has helped build playgrounds, has supported community sports initiatives, helped plant native habitat-building and erosion-preventing marsh grasses, and replaced trees lost during hurricanes.

The City even recognized the Bayou Boogaloo’s founder, Jared Zeller, with a proclamation for promoting an economically and environmentally sustainable event.

Join the Bayou Boogaloo this Friday, Saturday and Sunday May 16-18.  The Bayou Boogaloo is more than just a music festival, it’s a community building coalition!

BAYOU BOOGALOO Art Market:
http://fsjna.org/2014/03/bayou-boogaloo-art-market/

BAYOU BOOGALOO Music:
http://fsjna.org/2014/03/bayou-boogaloo-music-lineup-released/

BAYOU BOOGALOO Poster:
http://fsjna.org/2014/05/2014-bayou-boogaloo-poster/

photos by Charlie London
The 2014 Bayou Boogaloo is one of the best ever. Perfect weather and great fun… The 2014 Bayou Boogaloo is bodacious!

http://thebayouboogaloo.com/

Since the beginning, the Bayou Boogaloo, held on the banks of Bayou St. John in New Orleans during May, has had a mission to give back to the community. The first Bayou Boogaloo in 2006 was a healing effort for the community. Many folks were still rebuilding their lives and their houses after “the storm”. The Bayou Boogaloo was a welcome respite from the daily grind. It provided much needed fun for both adults and children.

One of the often forgotten aspects of the Bayou Boogaloo is its emphasis on zero impact on the environment. I’ve personally witnessed the meticulous cleanup after the event. One would never know the music festival ever took place because the area is left as clean or cleaner than it was before the event.

The Bayou Boogaloo has promoted solar energy, recycling and encouraged folks to consider the environment. The Bayou Boogaloo has led by example. Several huge oak trees have been planted along the banks of Bayou St. John leaving a lasting positive impact on the environment and the community.

The Bayou Boogaloo gives back in other ways too! The event helps neighborhood organizations raise funds for their operations, has helped build playgrounds, has supported community sports initiatives, helped plant native habitat-building and erosion-preventing marsh grasses, and replaced trees lost during hurricanes.

The City even recognized the Bayou Boogaloo’s founder, Jared Zeller, with a proclamation for promoting an economically and environmentally sustainable event.

Join the Bayou Boogaloo this Friday, Saturday and Sunday May 16-18. The Bayou Boogaloo is more than just a music festival, it’s a community building coalition!

BAYOU BOOGALOO Art Market:
http://fsjna.org/2014/03/bayou-boogaloo-art-market/

BAYOU BOOGALOO Music:
http://fsjna.org/2014/03/bayou-boogaloo-music-lineup-released/

BAYOU BOOGALOO Poster:
http://fsjna.org/2014/05/2014-bayou-boogaloo-poster/

Learn about James Pitot in the link:

http://fsjna.org/2011/12/james-pitot-and-the-lafitte-corridor/

by Conrad Abadie

I am pro-tree plantings along Bayou St. John. But, that does not mean that the neighbors fronting the bayou should not have some say. I encourage them to notice that the lower bayou, from Mirabeau to the lake, has trees. It also has more animal life. One of the contributing factors, is the trees. There are migratory and native birds that find roosting spaces. You will see egrets, herons and ospreys in greater numbers. Seasonally, you will see migratory ducks and more pelicans. The trees not only provide cooling shade for shore animals, including humans, but for the fish along the shoreline.

For those who think the bayou “never had trees” I suggest you refer to page 5 of this post-K study that was done by experts. http://fsjna.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Bayou+Plan+2006-small.pdf

Bienville and the natives had to dodge cypress while navigating the bayou. In the 90’s when we asked for the bayou to be lowered to have access to the bottom for major cleanups, large cypress stumps were exposed. North Lopez was once called Encampment Street. There the developer of Faubourg St John sent the clearing crews to make camp at the original Bayou Road, now Bell Street, to begin the clearing of the cypress swamp. Much of that cypress was milled nearby for construction of homes throughout the city.

On page 13 in this link is a list of recommended trees. Deciduous trees, such as cypress, provide shade in the hot months, color in the Fall, and bare in the Winter. Trees prevent soil erosion, prevent subsidence and do so much more.

Surely, there must be some areas along the bare expanse of the bayou where trees would be welcomed. It is important for the bayou.

***

Many thanks to Jared Zeller for spearheading the idea and for putting large trees along the bayou. Let’s return all of Bayou St. John to its original glory! Learn more in the link –> http://fsjna.org/2013/11/big-trees-on-the-bayou-saturday/

Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church invites you to participate in their Fall Dinner and Raffle where you might win 10,000 dollars! Only 300 tickets will be sold.

Enjoy ham, turkey, sweet potatoes, dressing, green beans and desserts along with your choice of beer, wine or soft drinks which are included with your meal.

Donate to a worthy cause, enjoy a great meal with your neighbors and friends and anticipate the possibility of winning that $10,000 raffle on November 8th!

artwork by Jane Hill

Sometimes, it’s important to simply enjoy what you’ve got.

“I ARISE IN THE MORNING TORN between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world,” wrote the essayist E.B. White, “This makes it hard to plan the day.”

Ah, that’s the dilemma. You live in a nice place. But it could be nicer—if only the park were fixed up or the traffic slowed down, if the schools were better or the business district brighter. So what to do first? You’d like to plop down on a bench for a while, soak up the sunshine, listen to the birds sing or kids play, and just watch the world go by. But you really ought to be organizing a meeting, handing out flyers and enlisting volunteers for the big event.

Actually, it’s important to do both. Without taking time to truly savor your neighborhood, you lose touch with why you love it in the first place. Soon, all you see is what’s wrong. And that quickly diminishes your effectiveness as community advocate. No one is inspired by harried, humorless, negative leader who would really rather be doing something else.

On a strategic, as well as a personal, level it’s smart to take a long stroll every evening, linger at the sidewalk café, stop for a chat with neighbors, and just generally revel in all the great things your community offers. Otherwise, what’s the point of living there?

IN THE IRISH HILL NEIGHBORHOOD OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, THE PROFESSIONAL PORCH SITTERS UNION IS COMING TO ORDER. Crow Hollister, who founded it, explains in Orion magazine that the organization attracts hard-working activists, professionals, artists, mothers, revolutionaries, gardeners. “People like you. They work hard, volunteer in their community, sit on boards, have schedules to keep and chores that need tending.” Each meeting follows an agenda, but there is nothing written on it. Iced tea is served, followed by beer. Stories begin to flow. Andy brings up how his neighbor was visited by the windshield wiper fairy. Hillary talks about an article coming up in her self-published zine Bejeezus. Mike has got the inside scoop on how to get concrete bench tops for free. Then, Hollister reports, “ A neighbor walking her dog is enticed to join us. A lot is getting accomplished.”

The Professional Porch Sitters Union began on the porch described above in 1999 and now features chapters across the country. Hollister encourages you to start your own, keeping in mind that the organization is governed by only one rule: “Sit down a spell. That can wait.” He’d like to hear how it goes, but don’t sweat it if you don’t get around to writing him.