Monday already? Come have a seat, friend!

This week, we’re thinking about what we leave behind. A dog-eared book. A garden full of someone’s favorite flowers. A goose statue that somehow holds more meaning than it should.

Every shared story, act of kindness, or silly porch gift adds to the legacy we build together. This issue is a reminder that showing up with love, snacks, or even just a smile - matters.

Let’s fill the porch with good things.

Today's Issue Includes:

• Chattanooga's Upcoming Events

• Community Spotlight: Granny's Garden Library

• Stuff I Saw on the Internet: The Encyclopedia Britannica

• Deep Thoughts with Bubby: Can you Leave a Feelin’ Behind?

• Clementine's Corner: Porch Goose Palooza

• Wrap Up

What’s Goin’ On in the Scenic City?

Community

• Make. Play. Read. Learn Finale Party
  July 19 @ First Horizon Pavilion, 10 AM – 12 PM
  The Chattanooga Library is throwing a celebration for all summer readers! If you logged 600+ minutes you get a prize, plus booths and more family fun.
  🐛 Wiggle Over to the Party

• Artful Yoga
  July 20 @ Hunter Museum of American Art, 1:30 PM
  A $5 donation gets you into this all-levels yoga class led inside the Hunter’s galleries. It’s part art, part mindfulness, and all good vibes.
  🌿 Strike a Pose

• Letter Writing to Officials
  July 20 @ East Lake Park, 6–8 PM
  Join community members in writing postcards to local leaders about urgent issues and migrant justice. Supplies provided.
  📢 Put Pen to Power

• Ice Cream Crawl by River City Company
  July 18–20 @ Downtown Chattanooga
  Cool off and explore local scoop spots like Clumpies and Milk & Honey! Visit multiple shops to enter to win gift cards and frozen prizes.
  🍦Chase the Chill

Music & Entertainment

• Chattanooga Noise Night
  July 18 @ Stove Works, 8 PM
  This free monthly showcase is for fans of experimental sound, outsider genres, and DIY vibes. Expect live music, visual art, and an all-welcome atmosphere.
  🔊Bring the Noise

• Emo Nite with Lux
  July 18 @ Broads Lounge, 8–11 PM
  Break out the eyeliner and tell your mom it was never a phase. DJ Lux will be spinning all your 2000s feels at this nostalgic scream-sing dance night.
  🖤OOH WAH AH AH AH

• Salute Your Jorts!
  July 19 @ WanderLinger Brewing, 2 PM–2 AM
  It’s a denim-drenched day of live music, Jell-O wrestling, food & drink specials, and a “Best Jorts” contest. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.
  👖 Jorts Before Sports

• Why Caged Birds Sing Art Show
  July 19 @ La Paz Chattanooga, 6–8 PM
  Over 50 pieces of local and regional artwork (featuring our friend Laurie Geisen!) on display and up for auction, plus live music by Ana Chela. Free to attend and full of heart.
  🎨See the Stories

Outdoors ‘n’ Stuff

• Hot as Hades Market
  July 19 @ Chattanooga Choo Choo, 10 AM – 5 PM
  This spice-lover’s dream includes hot peppers, fire sauces, and chili-laced goodies from all over. Free to attend — just bring a tolerance for heat.
  🌶️ Feel the Burn

• St. Elmo Maker’s Market
  July 19 @ The Tap House, 5–9 PM
  Shop handcrafted goods from local makers, sip something cold, and explore the St. Elmo scene near the Incline and Clumpies.
  🍋 Shop the Block

Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about? Wanna talk about how cool your weekend was? Tell us all about it! We’d love to yap it up and holler all about it from the porch! Just reply to this message, or send a separate one to [email protected]!

Hand-Picked Community Spotlight: Granny’s Garden Library

Alright porch, gather ‘round for a goody. This week, we wanna tell you ‘bout a little free library that’s sproutin’ up in a backyard not too far from here. This one’s a full-on love letter, hand-delivered to a mama who grew gardens and stories in equal measure.

Known as Granny’s Garden Library in honor of her mom, our bud (and fellow Porch Pal) Brianna is makin’ a place where her kids can go “call Granny” anytime they miss her. It’s quiet, beautiful, and the kinda thing that makes ya sit still for a minute and remember the people who raised you up right. But hey, a library ain’t just for one family. Here’s where you come in:

Help Fill Granny’s Garden Library!

Me and Clementine are collectin’ books to help get this lil’ library off to a strong start. Ya got any extras lyin’ around? Favorites that yer willin’ to part with? Wrote one yourself that ya wanna toss into the community to read? We want 'em!

Here’s what we’re lookin’ for:

• Picture books, chapter books, or anything for kiddos

• Books with heart, humor, or a sweet lesson tossed in

• Books for Grown-ups, even banned and diverse books welcome

• Or even educational books (them ones with the pictures rock!)

Just click a poll option and we’ll reach out to ya directly, or you can start the conversation and send an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Granny’s Garden Library”, and we’ll coordinate a pickup one way or another!

Ain’t got any books, but still wanna help? Well we gotcha covered there, too! Brianna also created an Amazon Gift List that you can contribute to instead. Anything you can do to help celebrate her mama’s memory and keep a reminder of her life around for her family and the rest of the neighborhood to enjoy is just what we’re all about here at Chattynooga.

Stuff I Saw on the Internet: The Encyclopedia Britannica

Did you know that before there was the Internet, there was the encyclopedia? Oh yeah, I’m talking all the information on everything in the world all written down in ABC order in a whole bunch of big ol’ books. The encyclopedia went digital way back in 1994 and Wikipedia’s been a thing for almost as long. While World Book still releases an updated print edition every year, most other encyclopedias are exclusively online nowadays. Which brings me to the unsung hero of this journey for information: The Encyclopedia Britannica Facebook Page.

Technically, yes, there is more to the online Encyclopedia Britannica than just their Facebook page. They actually have a really cool website that’s just chock full of INFORMATION. It’s got all kinds of documentation and data about art, history, people, animals, travel, and more! There’s a section for daily history, fun facts, news articles, and even games and quizzes.

But I’m not here to talk about that today. At the risk of sounding like a boomer, FACEBOOK IS WHERE IT’S AT. Every single day, the Encyclopedia Britannica shares little tidbits of informational and educational magic. It’s all the stuff you never knew you needed to know! Cool facts, heartwarming historical stories, mini science lessons, timelines and diagrams and infographics, even the occasional meme. The other night I was showing Bubby a post they shared about quicksand and before I knew it, I’d been scrolling for an hour. 

The EB feed brings all the best of the encyclopedia right to your computer screen. Don’t believe me? Go check it out. I guarantee you’ll find something that makes you go, “Huh! Who knew!” I’m telling you, this stuff is highly educational and mildly addicting. Knowledge is power, y’all. Go learn somethin’ dang delightful today!

Deep Thoughts with Bubby: Can you Leave a Feelin’ Behind?

Okay so, I been thinkin’. Like real thinkin’. Like… layin’-on-the-trampoline-starin’-at-the-clouds kinda thinkin’. And the question in my head is this: When you leave this world, what actually stays? I ain’t talkin’ ‘bout your toothbrush or that one sock that disappears in the dryer forever. I mean the important stuff.

Lemme put it this way, y’know how sometimes a room still feels like somebody, even after they’re gone? Like ya walk in and it smells like their shampoo and barbecue chips and you half expect ‘em to yell, “Who left the screen door open again?!” Yeah. That kinda feeling.

I think maybe we leave behind ourselves. Not in a ghost way (although that would be kinda awesome, like a lil’ bumpkin Casper floatin’ around chuckin’ MoonPies). I mean in the way we loved people. The way we showed up. The stuff we did when we thought nobody was watchin’. Like tellin’ dumb jokes to make someone laugh when their heart feels squishy. Or always savin’ the last biscuit for yer best friend, even when you really wanted it. Or that yer cousin’s favorite dinosaur was an ankylosaurus, and sayin’ “bless you” every time someone sneezes, even if it’s a dog.

That’s the kinda stuff that sticks. Like glitter. Or pasketti sauce on a white shirt.

I might only be a youngin’ accordin’ to my Pappaw, and yeah I still mix up existential and exoskeleton, but I think I’m onto somethin’. Maybe the best thing you can leave behind… is a feelin’ that somebody was loved real good.

And if someday I’m not around, I hope folks remember me as that kid who asked weird questions, shared his snacks (unless they were Oatmeal Cream Pies, I won’t share those even if it were Lil’ Debbie herself), and made 'em laugh even when things were a little wonky. That’d be a pretty good ghost version of me.

With alla that said, what’s a feelin’ or quirky thing about yerself that ya hope people associate you with whenever they think about’cha?

Reply with yer thoughts, we’d love to hear ‘em!

Clementine’s Corner: Porch Goose Palooza!

My mom said we couldn’t get another dog, so I’m gettin’ a porch goose instead. Now you might be thinking, “Clem, what the heck’s a porch goose?” Well boy am I glad you asked!

A porch goose is a goose that sits on your porch. And it wears cute little outfitsI know, MIND BLOWING. I’ve been seeing them all over town on people’s porches and knew I had to get on that silly goose train.

Turns out, porch geese are nothing new. Back in the 80’s, they were all the rage in the Midwest US. There’s even a real life Porch Goose Club of America that has more than 200,000 members! That’s a big ol’ gaggle of porch geese!

People are real creative with the outfits they’re gussying up their geese with, too. I’ve seen everything you can think of, from vintage to trendy, jerseys to animals, even themed for seasons or holidays! A whole bunch of ‘em even have their own Instagram pages and what not! It’s a whole dang porch-goose-enomenon!

Do you have a porch goose? Are porch goose play dates a thing? Let’s chat porch geese, people! Speaking of, my goose still needs a name. I’ve been noodling on Gertie, Lula Mae, Dolly Honkin… Bubby’s even threw the name Ol’ Cap’n Flap Flap in the mix. Got an idea for a name (or a snazzy little get up) for my new porch bestie? You gotta reply to this email and let me know. I need all the ideas!

You stay flappy, Chattanooga!

Thanks for bein’ here bud. Let’s get our day goin’.

Whether you’re dropping off books for Granny’s Garden Library, showing up in jorts to support your neighbors, or just taking a deep breath on the porch before the fireflies come out — know this:

You're leaving something behind. A laugh. A light. A little honk of hope.

Thanks for bringing your good stuff to the porch everyday.

See y’all next week, pals!

— Bubby & Clementine