I Miss Loving Country Living

I've been a huge, and I mean HUGE, fan of the monthly American magazine Country Living for years now. I saved each issue and read over them dozen of times, savoring the amazing photography and inspirational ideas. Whenever I opened my mailbox to see the latest issue waiting for me, I knew there was a relaxed two hours ahead, with a comforting cup of tea and my doggy curled up beside me. I would drink in each page and feel that sensation of 'WOW' wash over me. I even loved the letters from the Editor-In-Chief, especially when Nancy Soriano held the position; she seemed to share my enthusiasm for the changing seasons, and for turning simple things like the first snow or a small farmhouse into a celebration of the senses. She and her staff also managed to make a dream of mine come true: I wrote to them about one of my favorite authors, Susan Branch, and told them that she lives in a gorgeous old house on Martha's Vineyard. I expressed how much I would appreciate seeing her and her home featured in their magazine, and sure enough, some time down the line, I received word that both would be gracing their pages for a lovely fall edition. This reaffirmed my conviction that Country Living was run by people who listened to and appreciated their reader's input.

Lately though, Country Living has begun to feel like any other magazine, something I read once and then forget about. There is nothing which grabs me, consumes me, makes me want to live within it's pages. Especially this latest September issue, which, to my disappointment, had not a single pumpkin, yellow leaf, or mention of autumn that I can remember. There was lots of furniture, lots of pillows, lots of stale decorating tips and renovations. But nothing that gave me that giddy feeling, nothing that had me caught between savouring each inch of every page and at the same time desperate to turn it to the next where there was bound to be something beautiful and heart-warming.

I understand that publishing a magazine full of magic twelve months a year must be very, very hard work, and yet I never thought to expect less from Country Living because of it's unsurpassed record of making me swoon each and every time. I am hopeful that my beloved magazine will soon return to it's old glory, though I can't shake the nagging feeling that the October issue, which used to be my absolute favorite and most anticipated of the year, will end up being a large disappointment. Let's hope that's not the case.