Editor’s letter

Late summer is upon us. The August doldrums. Everything feels heavy and slow, and the mass of home-repair projects I planned, for when it finally stopped raining… hasn’t happened.

We’re doing much of our own work this year and it’s a learning process, complicated by supply-chain problems. Some projects are waiting for a key component to arrive, and some haven’t been started; they’re waiting for the first lot to get done.

This issue of Our Country Home is about learning. Start with the foundation, then build on it, slowly and steadily, until your project is done or your homestead created. But that foundation has to be in place first, and then everything can be added in, brick by brick.

We start off with Jane Anderson’s joyful introduction to the former Bradstan Country Hotel, now a private home. It’s Insta-worthy, magnificently decorated, because owners Scott Samuelson and Eddie Dudek have the knowledge and experience to make it work.

Then there’s Kristin White’s homestead. She exhorts us to plan, plan, and plan more, because the lives of your animals depend on you.

Jude Waterston is back, with macaroni and cheese. Developing recipes requires experimenting: what’s the best pasta? The best cheese? Let’s try this, let’s try that. The final result is wonderful, a far cry from the box mac-and-cheese I grew up with.

And since it is still the age of COVID-19, let’s talk about ventilating our homes. The 1970s-era oil crisis demanded tighter houses to save on heat, but that led to a whole other set of problems. Architects Robert and Victor Dadras talk about the importance of air circulation to keep us all healthy.

Barbara Winfield rounds out the issue  with her decorating workshop. Learn from Barbara, who has decades of experience, and remember why nothing is better than a good teacher.

Until next time, please take care of yourselves, and enjoy summer’s waning days.

Annemarie Schuetz, Editor

Our Country Home