Dear Reader:

Winter is the time to reflect on our lives and be thankful for our many blessings. Family and friends play a pivotal role during this season, and the New Year is often a time of retrospection. If all is well with your life, be grateful, and reciprocate with a bit of kindness. Pick up the phone and call that relative you’ve distanced yourself from. Or find it in your heart to forgive a friend and heal any bitterness between you. It’s a great way to start a new year.

Now is also the time to think about those you don’t know, who have lost their homes or their livelihoods. If you have a job and a house, be grateful and give something to those who don’t. Volunteer at a senior citizens’ home or a homeless shelter. Adopt a pet. Become a big sister or brother. Checks are always nice—and necessary for nonprofits to survive—but they don’t compare to the light in a person’s or a pet’s eyes when they see you.

Of course, this season is all about home and hearth, and we’ve got those covered with stories on house blessings, creating a healthier home, birds and feeders, wine cellars, soup recipes and home theaters. And for those who stress out around the holidays, see the article on home spas. With products like whirlpools with massage-table covers, rainfall showerheads, steam showers with targeted water jets, saunas and other “ahhh” things, your stress will melt away.

For those who can’t wait for spring flowers to arrive, you may not have to if you read Panayoti Kelaidis’ piece on winter’s wonder flowers. As outreach director at Denver Botanic Gardens, Kelaidis knows which plants can handle their nips of frost.

As always, thanks to our wonderful Boulder County residents who so graciously agreed to share their lovely homes with us. Oscar and Irma Salem’s house is a testament to human vision, grace, creativity and the lost art of true, Old World craftsmanship. Trust me, you’ll never see another house like this.

Bill and Marrin Sampson’s tiny, century-old kitchen was in serious need of a makeover. The couple was determined to preserve its Victorian heritage, and they succeeded quite handsomely.

I’d also like to thank the many readers who responded to our survey at www.homeandgardenmag.com. Your comments have been so helpful, and we’re encouraged by your overwhelmingly positive responses. If you haven’t taken part in the online survey, please set aside a minute to respond. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions, and you’ll receive a free Home and Garden™ card for your efforts that entitles you to discounts at local retailers.

Finally, I’d like to point out our new magazine design. The whole staff has worked diligently on it, and one of my many blessings is having a great group of people to work with. We hope you’ll find the new look as inviting as we do. Let us know!

Sincerely,

Carol S. Brock, editor
Boulder County Home & Garden Magazine
homes@brockpub.com


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