Front Porch AF

Ep.33 Mangia! Gina Sicilia on Italian Cooking, Business & the Blues

Join Kelli and Sue and their guest Gina Sicilia as they blend blues music, Italian cooking, and entrepreneurship in a wide-ranging, fun conversation. Gina recounts how home-cooked recipes turned into Gina's Skinny Italian—low-carb sauces and pastas sold at markets, online, and in grocery stores—while sharing cooking tips and food-business insights.
The episode also includes JazzFest highlights, community work with youth music programs, candid conversations about aging and end-of-life planning, and practical advice on hospital advocacy.
Follow Gina on Facebook at @GinasSkinnyItalian, and keep up with all things Front Porch at FrontPorchAF.com. Cheers, y'all!

Ep.32 Una Acre Farm: Organic Farmers on The Bend

On Earth Day, Kelli and Sue chatted with Tonya and Michael Bradford of Una Acre Farm about their move from city life to Neely's Bend and building a small, sustainable farm. They cover organic no‑till practices, crop rotation, CSA shares, farmers markets, chef partnerships, egg production, and front‑porch delivery.
The episode highlights practical tips for reducing food waste, supporting local agriculture, and connecting community through seasonal produce and market stories.
Food to nourish body and soul. UnaAcreFarm.com
Also ... pheromones and cats, the FODMAP diet, and a Mailbag to die for. More at:
FrontPorchAF.com

Ep.31 Hands On Nashville's Jann Seymour: Small Acts, Big Ripples

Jann Seymour of Hands On Nashville talks with Kelli and Sue about connecting volunteers to 200+ nonprofits, coordinating disaster response, and how even a single act of service can create lasting ripple effects in a community.
They cover training and logistics for volunteer crews, long-term recovery timelines, local programs like Shower the People and SAFPAW, and close with neighborhood news and a bonus auto-harp performance.
Oh, and talk of JazzFest, birthday present mistakes, and bad eyebrow dye jobs. All this and Drink of the Day, too.
More at HON.org and of course, FrontPorchAF.com

Ep.30 Nicki Bluhm: Rockstar Farmer, Neighbor

Kelli and Sue sit down with musician and horsewoman Nicki Bluhm, also their neighbor, to talk about her new album ‘Rancho Deluxe’, her move to Neely’s Bend from urban California, viral van videos, and her journey from West Coast tours with Grateful Dead members to local “Rocky Tonk” nights with The Neely’s Band.
They also discuss Nicki’s farming life, her work with horses, and a recent project that pairs musicians with environmental causes — including efforts to protect wild salmon from harmful sea‑cage farming.
Of course, no show is complete without Neighborhood Notes, this time including fingerprint follies for Sue, a keyed truck for Kelli, and news that an African restaurant has opened down the Bend.
Tune in and help solve all the problems of the world—cheers, y’all!
More at NickiBluhm.com and FrontPorchAF.com 

Ep.29 Cory Younts of Old Crow Medicine Show: A Musician in Music City

Kelli and Sue welcome their neighbor, Old Crow Medicine Show multi-instrumentalist Cory Younts, for a relaxed conversation about growing up in Nashville, his drummer father, making a living as a musician, life on the road, and the band’s storied song “Wagon Wheel.”
The episode mixes neighborhood banter, drink-of-the-day fun, local recommendations (including a burrito tip), and behind-the-scenes stories about touring, instruments, and Old Crow’s upcoming shows and new record. Keep up with the band at CrowMedicine.com
And no episode would be complete without Kelli’s power tools ... this time, it’s yet another chainsaw to add to her ever-growing collection. Sue doesn’t have power tools, but she did do a cameo in a music video filmed at Dee’s—as an elderly barfly. Type casting, for sure.
Grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join us for a cool hang. Oh, Cory sticks around to do a bonus piano tune—watch for it on our socials. Cheers, y’all!
More at CrowMedicine.com and FrontPorchAF.com

Ep.28 Homeowner's Insurance: What You Need to Know

Everything you always wanted to know about homeowner's insurance but were afraid to ask ... Join Kelli and Sue with their guest, independent insurance agent Johnny Shelby, as they break down homeowner's insurance in the wake of Nashville's recent ice storm.
Get practical, local and general advice on when to file claims, choosing deductibles, guaranteed replacement cost, umbrella policies, roof and tree coverage, and protecting collectibles.
Clear, actionable tips for homeowners who want to avoid common pitfalls and make informed decisions about their coverage.
But wait, that’s not all you get on the Front Porch AF podcast! The standout Drink of the Day is the $5 Biker Bar Bloody Mary that Sue got introduced to on her recent trip to Florida.
Neighborhood Notes include Kelli’s Golf Outing coming up in April in support of Metamorphosis, Beautifully Changed, an organization providing housing for women in transition.
And Sue ‘fesses up that she got nabbed by TSA for trying to smuggle a lethal weapon on board her Florida flight. Nope, not a gun. The can of pepper spray Mark gave her for Christmas! TSA confiscated it and gave her a talking-to. At least they didn’t throw her in the hoosegow!
For more: FrontPorchAF.com
Come grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join Kelli and Sue while they solve all the problems of the world ... cheers, y’all!

Ep.27 Sue Gets a Gun: Firearm Safety —and Responsibilities

Kelli and Sue (notably not drinking in this episode because (a) it's morning and (b) there are firearms involved) first cover neighborhood updates and post-ice storm tree-removal scams, then follow aging hippie, bleeding heart liberal Sue’s journey into handgun ownership with an in-depth interview with Aqil Qadir of the Citizens Safety Academy about living the armed lifestyle responsibly, permit options, safe storage, and practical training.
 
Kelli has been shooting since she was a small child, when her father took her and her brother hunting. Today, she is an avid hunter and shooter. As comfortable as Kelli is around firearms, she still takes classes to keep her skills and knowledge up to date. She and Sue are firm believers in the Second Amendment, the responsibilities that go along with those rights, and sensible firearm regulations.
 
Aqil Qadir is the founder and lead instructor of Citizens Safety Acadey. His background as a firearms instructor started at age 12, teaching urban youth in his father’s gun club. He followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming an NRA Certified Instructor at the age of 22. He has been training both civilians and law enforcement for more than 25 years. (Class information, online resources and more at CitizensSafety.com
 
Episode highlights include safe storage and transportation tips, pepper spray as a de-escalation tool, women’s classes and training pathways, and a bonus video of Sue learning to handle and load her new handgun.
 
Pull up a chair, grab a drink, and join us on our audio front porch for a terrific conversation and food for thought. Cheers, y’all!
 
More at FrontPorchAF.com.

Ep.26 From Dolly to TikTok: Stacie Huckeba on Social Media, Style, and Authenticity

Kelli and Sue introduce their new video studio set-up, share neighborhood updates—like the Snack Friday Cookbook, the Love is Deaf Valentine’s event, and snowy storm adventures (among them, burying a cow with Kelli’s mini-excavator)—and read listener mail.
Then they welcome special guest Stacie Huckeba, renowned photographer (Dolly Parton, Michelle Obama, Public Enemy, Todd Snider, to name a few) and filmmaker turned TikTok influencer, who discusses authenticity on social media, style inspiration for women over 50, honest brand reviews, her personal reinvention and weight-loss journey, and the responsibility of creators when addressing social and political issues.
The episode closes with an invitation to come back for a bonus segment with Stacie, because they couldn't fit all her good stuff into just one episode!
More about it all at StacieHuckeba.com and FrontPorchAF.com

Ep.25 Nursing and Healing Music with Megan Palmer

Megan Palmer, nurse and musician, joins Kelli and Sue to talk about her journey into nursing, palliative care, and the nursing crisis, and how she uses healing music, songwriting, and therapeutic touch to support patients and colleagues. The episode mixes neighborhood banter with thoughtful conversation about compassion, creativity on the job, and practical steps to care and connect. 
The YouTube/FrontPorchAF pod has a bonus extra of Megan doing her song "Center of the Center," exclusively for our Front Porch AF family.
Cheers, y'all!
MeganPalmer.com
FrontPorchAF.com for more photos, videos, and action points.

Ep.24 Live from Dee's with Music Outlaw Elizabeth Cook

We open our 2nd season with a live show from our home-away-from-home Dee's Lounge — with special guest Elizabeth Cook, music outlaw and all-around badass woman.
We celebrate the new season with not only our regular audio podcast, but also a VIDEO of the live show on YouTube.
Elizabeth Cook has appeared more than 400 times on the Grand Ole Opry, has put out several acclaimed albums, has had her own fishing show on tv (!), is an outlaw country DJ—and now has a film set for national release.
Daughter of a moonshiner, former accountant with Price Waterhouse (true), and East Nashville habitue, Elizabeth brings a whole new spirit to "down home." Tune in for Elizabeth's unique take on music, radio, film—and fishing—while sharing a cocktail with Kelli and Sue.
And a video bonus: Elizabeth performs three songs ... two of them brand new, and one by her late dear friend and East Nashville legend, Todd Snider, "Play a Train Song."
Elizabeth Cook's "Apron Strings" airs on the Outlaw Country channel on SiriusXM, and check out Elizabeth-Cook.com for more, especially about her upcoming film The Easy Kind and a new album, too!
Pull up a chair, grab a drink, and join us on our audio front porch for a terrific conversation and food for thought. Cheers, y’all!