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 Photo by Julia Layton |
Home&Garden departments winter 2007-08
Dear Reader: Winter is when we’re supposed to curl up by the fireplace, sip on homemade soup and hot cider, and strengthen family ties. But it’s hard to concentrate on such leisurely activities when every day the headlines announce shocking news: murders at malls and churches and an avalanche of other atrocities. Although the reasons behind these events are incomprehensible and unfathomable, I think a lot of these disturbing actions can be traced to unhappy childhoods in uncaring homes. That’s one reason why it’s so very important to create a warm, nurturing and loving home for your family. That’s our philosophy at this magazine, and the reason behind the many different articles we present each issue. In this issue, for example, we encourage you to limit your child’s computer games and instead further their creativity and deepen their bond with you by creating a craft corner. You’ll learn how to make one and what to stock it with by reading Lisa Truesdale’s article on page 76. You’ll also discover your inner child when you wield scissors and glue to make a rocket ship or binoculars from cardboard tubes (don’t worry, the article tells you how to accomplish this, and more). Another way to engage youngsters is to teach them about hydroponics. Remember when you were in kindergarten and planted seeds in a Dixie cup? I still remember the rush of excitement I felt when I saw a baby plant unfurl from the oh-so-tiny seed I’d buried in soil. Hydroponics puts a new twist on the Dixie cup by getting rid of the soil altogether, and it’s something you can do indoors all winter. After you and the kids watch those fresh herbs you “planted” spring up, you can harvest your hydroponics garden and make a pizza together with fresh toppings from your garden. Learn how to grow when it snows by reading Lisa Marshall’s article on page 46. Making a house “home” involves myriad individual choices. But while you’re deciding on plants for the yard (see page 18 for sprucely suggestions), cabinets for the kitchen (see page 80 for a homeowner’s tips on avoiding remodeling chaos) or a hearth for the home (see page 86 to see the many options available), don’t overlook the bigger picture: that each of our homes is part of a global home called Earth. In that spirit, we try to include an article in each magazine about ways to green your home. In this issue, learn why the grass is greener (on the roof!) by reading Tyera Eulberg’s article on page 24. As usual, a generous “thank you” to the homeowners who shared their houses with us, so that their décor might inspire your home in some way. Sheila and Orley Paxton’s Boulder loft is chic, contemporary and a true reflection of this dynamic couple, as they designed and custom-built the loft from scratch on their own. Probably every Coloradan is familiar with Michael Dunahay’s home, the odd spaceship-like structure that looms above I-70 in Genesee. And I bet everyone has wondered, “What does that house look like inside?” Flip to page 64 to find out. It’s “weird, wild stuff” created by architectural genius Charles Deaton. More photos of this home are available online at homeandgardenmag.com, along with an online-only article featuring local chefs’ recipes for sumptuous soups and stews that you’ll want to make this winter. As you cozy up to the fireplace, consider the many ways a house becomes a loving home for the sake of your family and friends. But also consider the many creatures who are tragically losing their homes (and their lives), like Arctic polar bears and Congolese gorillas, to greed and corruption and things that can be prevented if we all make our voices heard. Sincerely,
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