Back Porch Stories

Ever been to a fair? State, local or otherwise? Have you ever won a prize somewhere along the Fairway? Chuck Stead did... with a little help from a special friend we'll never forget.If you'd like to order copies of "Back Porch Stories", (they make great Christmas/Chanukah gifts), just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

Hooky: What happens when curiosity outpaces sitting in a classroom at a desk. It's an age old problem. However, if your Hooky adventure takes you into a wooded cove where a world class story teller spends his days, it just might be worth it!If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a 5 Star rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Kindergarten has begun. The tears and homesick laments have passed and Chuck is slowly but most assuredly developing his very first posse! He's also experiencing his first out of home disciplinary experience. But what happens when discipline turns out to be kind of... fun?

Remember way back to that very first day of kindergarten? It's both exciting and challenging as we all must learn for the first time what it feels like to be away from the family and home we know and love. And yet, it is as important and meaningful a right of passage as birth itself. So sit back, relax and remember the way it was on your "First Day".If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us That 5 Star rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Is the world getting bigger, smaller... or is it our place in it and what we do to it - and to each other, that changes our perspective of its size. This very podcast is just one example of how we can expand and multiply relationships like never before. No matter how you look at it, when all is said and done... we need each other. So, with that in mind, thanks so much for coming back to share yet another Back Porch Story.If you'd like to order copies of "Back Porch Stories", just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

Today's story speaks to how hard we communicate with, and where we find, God,.. however that elusive deity may present herself. For some a church has a steeple, for others it lives in the still beauty of a forest, the shimmering reflection in a lake, or the powerful motion of an ocean. For as long as we've walked on the earth we've tried to share a common spiritual experience with moments of fulfilling success and painful, sometimes violent failure. Maybe it has something to do with the unique way the spirit touches each of us - and that includes agnostics and atheists. Still, we keep trying and that in and of itself seems a noble pursuit. Here now is the story of Tessie and Walt's best efforts at that sharing. Funny, heart warming and honest... See if it reminds you of someone.If you'd like to order copies of "Back Porch Stories", (they make great latevChristmas/Chanukah and New Years gifts), just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

Every once in a long while, if you're very lucky, and the planets align just so, you get a visit from a loved one long gone. It takes a dream to make such a connection but only the best kind of dreams. Because for one brief shining moment they're back, and it's almost like they never left. Thank goodness for dreams...Please join our friend and musician, Joe Rosolen, our theme music composer, Scott Louis, storyteller extraordinaire, Chuck Stead, and yours truly, Joe Sireno for our first Back Porch Stories podcast of the new season. If you'd like to order copies of the "Back Porch Stories" Book, just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

Sometimes a candle burns so bright its light remains in your heart and mind forever... even long after the flame subsides. Such was the way with the star of today's story, Chuck's sister, and my cousin, Terry Stead. A feisty, bold young lady with a brave heart and a remarkably beautiful smile which she wore, thank God, almost always. She could be courageous or gentle, adventurous or peaceful. But suffice it to say, she always matched the moment with the full measure of her wonderful self. Until we meet again,Terry... This week's story is for you.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Join Chuck, Joan, Muffin and friends for a story many Christmases ago when train sets took young boys and girls on adventures never to be forgotten. And don't miss another great performance by our musical Pod Mate, Joe Rosolen and his wonderful Dulcimer.If you'd like to order copies of "Back Porch Stories", just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

Today marks our final episode in the 3 part Solstice Stories Series, and not a minute too soon coming just 6 days into Chanukah, one day after the December Solstice and two days before Christmas. I guess you could say when it comes to the holiday season, we've got you covered. So on behalf of our story teller, Mr. Chuck Stead, our Musical Composer, Scott Louis, our special guest and Dulcimer artist, Joe Rosolen, may we wish all a happy and healthy holiday and a wonderful new year. Join us for more Back Porch Stories in 2023!If you'd like to order copies of "Back Porch Stories", (they make great last minute Christmas/Chanukah gifts) just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

This week offers part 2 of our 3 part Solstice Story Series. Stories about that season when days grow dark early and the flame of hope becomes ever more important. A time when families reset and strengthen the ties that bind and children ask the eternal question: Is there really a Santa Claus? If you'd like to order copies of "Back Porch Stories", (they make great Christmas/Chanukah gifts) just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And hey, don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

Today's Podcast is Part 1 of a three part series of Chuck's "Solstice Stories". They touch on may things but what they do best is give us cause to remember our own stories and those times of happy innocence when dreams came true and hopes remained deeply rooted that Santa was on his way. Also, premiering at the end of this and the next two week's podcasts, our friend Joe Roselyn joins Chuck, Scott Louis and yours truly for the Solstice Stories, and contributes a very special gift to us all at the end of each podcast. If you'd like to order copies of "Back Porch Stories", (they make great Christmas/Chanukah gifts), just click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow and join us each Friday for the next Back Porch Story... and spread the word by sharing a link with friends and family. And don't forget to give us that coveted 5 STAR RATING!!!. Thanks for listening.

Today we meet the hunter, a man who treats his armaments with sacred care. Who takes only appropriate weapons to the woods. Who, despite years of skilled usage, still goes out to sharpen aim and skills, and who passes down his art and skill to the next generation with the greatest of care and purpose. If only the owners of over 410 million guns in America did the same. If only there were a gun ownership association that promoted responsible ownership as opposed to reckless gun company profits. If only life mattered more than money.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

When the body passes, what becomes of the spiritual essence of a human life? What becomes of a lifetime of hopes, dreams, aspirations, and purpose. Who will keep you alive in their hearts and minds? Who is... watching you? Who will tell your story?If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

How does a story teller become one? It may start with a curious nature but it requires a desire to observe and remember the people, places, and things most of us tend to forget. It also helps to have a father who allows you to become his "silent sentinel" and who encourages you to empathize with and so remember that lives and the people who live them matter, no matter what their station, past or future.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Sometimes crossing an established line is the hardest, smartest, and best thing you'll ever do. Change isn't easy, but when it promotes justice, it's always worthwhile.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Remember getting into relatively harmless mischief as a kid, and the sheer joy on those very rare occasions when you got away with it. Climb atop the porch roof with Chuck and Ricky and rope swing yourselves into another unforgettable story.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Well, it's just about Halloween in these parts and when it comes to storytelling, that's the holiday that never stops giving. Join dinosaurs, clowns, hobos and bats as they bravely take on the streets of Hillburn one Halloween night at the start of the 1960's.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Get ready for some great fun this week as Chuck's older sisters, Joan and Muffin, who have been featured in many of his Facebook stories and Season One Podcasts, join us for some laughter and cherished memories. You'll also get a chance to meet Powder Puff, the beloved show horse that Joan trained and rode proudly through the streets of Hillburn and Suffern. So, hold on to those reigns story lovers, this one's going to be a fun ride.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how our Stories remind you of your own. Thanks for listening.

Ever wonder why people you haven't met seem a bit scary at first. This story suggests that all we need do to overcome the fear is to take a walk through the forest of our uncertainty and say... "Hello"! (It also helps to bring along a few slices of grandma's delicious homemade chocolate cake

When does a story begin and end? Who sets those moments in time? And if remembered in a young boys heart and offered with honor years later, does the story ever really end? Are our lives tethered to our bodies? Or can we live forever in the hearts and minds of those we touched? Only the storyteller knows for sure.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

This is a story about generations both younger and older. One generation determined to take center stage... and the other just as determined not to step into the wings. Sometimes it can be a full blown dog fight for tribal supremacy but no matter what side you're on, moving on is hard to do.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like, and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

Chuck tells us of the first Deer hunt of the season, a kind of spiritual right of passage as it were... and what the NRA stood for back in the 1960's as opposed to what it has become today despite the best wishes of its responsible members.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

Remember when a great Christmas for a family of 6 could be had for about $200 and all the love two great parents could muster? Well, this was that Christmas!If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

Meet the family on Second Street which might well have been called "Stead Street" given that virtually everyone who lived there was a member of the Stead extended family. Listen in on the porch to porch conversation that was life on Second Street, Hillburn, NY in 1956.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

There's definitely something in the air and Pop Stead, the Heebie Jeebie man, Both smells it... and tells it.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

Pop Stead holds court once again with a tale from Native American folklore that tests the limits of Tessie's patience while fanning the story telling flame that now burns in young Chuck Stead.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

There was one brief shinning moment... and it happened at a bowling alley just outside of Hillburn, NY. Join us for the second by second story of Walt's Nearly Perfect Game.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

In our third installment we meet family and friends on the front porch in the middle of a multi directional conversation about what was, what never shoulda' been, and where that brand new interstate may lead us tomorrow.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please Subscribe, Follow, Like and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story... and if the spirit moves you, give us a rating and tell us how the story relates to your life experiences.

In this second episode we learn about the humble beginnings of Pop Stead in a story told mostly in his voice.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please subscribe and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story.

In this inaugural episode of the Back Porch Stories Podcast we learn of a challenging birth, how Chuck got his name and all about "The Heebie Jeebie Man" himself, Pop Stead, Chuck's grandfather who lit the story telling flame that still burns today.If you'd like to order a copy of "Back Porch Stories", please click here:https://www.bkstr.com/ramapostore/product/back-porch-stories-159491-1Please subscribe and join us each Friday morning for the next Back Porch Story.