Home can be a place you love and a palace of mixed feelings. But at its best, home is the place where you can be seen and feel understood.

As we kick back in the folding chair with a frosty glass and some porch music, we’re thinking about all the comforts of home. Writers Jesmyn Ward and Mitchell S. Jackson trade stories about recreating the places they grew up. A dozen nonprofits make a home away from home. And some beloved assets of Portland’s parks system — its arts resources — get ready to transition off the city budget.