Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2022 i Country Living

Growing up, I was not a fan of road trips. In the days before myriad digital distractions—or, as the kids like to say, “back in the 1900s”—car rides always felt so looooong, although my sister, Katie, and I did enjoy competing to see how many cows we could spot outside our respective car windows. (To this day, I still feel oddly giddy when I see a field full of cattle.) In recent years, however, I’ve become our family’s back-road ambassador, unapologetically shuffling everyone into the car in the name of countless small-town escapes and delightful detours en route to bigger-dot destinations. We’ve sipped milkshakes at Turnage Drug Store in Water Valley, Mississippi; perused the shelves of Page and Palette, a third-generation bookstore in Fairhope, Alabama; marveled at the Big Oak…

Room to Rock At 660 feet long and 20 feet wide, the sprawling structure has ample space to watch a July 4th fireworks display over Lake Huron. Handcrafted Seating There are always at least 100 white rockers at the ready. The wicker models are made by North Carolina-based Troutman Chair Co. Soaring Ceiling Painted Dewkiss by PPG Paints, the porch’s skylike blue color is said to keep birds from nesting under the 40-foot-high overhang.…

The CL Fixer-Upper Scale MOVE-IN READY NEEDS MINOR IMPROVEMENTS INVEST IN A DECENT DRILL PUT THAT CONTRACTOR ON SPEED DIAL $299,000 Warrenton, NC 4 BR; 2 BA; 2,483 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: With a huge deck for grilling, space for the kids to play, and a firepit, the backyard is hard to beat. Inside, you’ll find an equally impressive brick fireplace, custom living room built-ins, remodeled kitchen and baths, and pretty wainscoting. Plus, it’s nestled in a beautiful historic district! AGENT: Randall Robinson; lakegaston.com WORK REQUIRED: $275,000 Manhattan, KS 4 BR; 2.5 BA; 2,501 SQ. FT. WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT: This spacious Cape Cod has been lovingly cared for by the same family since it was built, and it shows! Situated on three city lots, it has a…

HERE’S YOUR ALL-ACCESS PASS TO OUR FAVORITE HOUSE TOURS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. If you’re the sort of house-obsessed person who can’t resist peeking inside a well-designed country home—whether it’s a lovingly restored farmhouse, a charming antiques-filled cottage, or a rustic lake cabin—then you have officially stumbled upon old-house heaven. That’s right: We’ve rounded up our all-time favorite houses from issues past and present that you won’t find anywhere else. So, kick back and enjoy all the Country Living All Access house tours right here: Plus, it’s just one of the many perks you’ll get to enjoy as a Country Living All Access member. Learn more at countryliving.com/signup or scan to become a member today.…

Named after the Utah national park, Zion was a playful 12-pound, rolypoly, tumbly lump of adorable, as all puppies are. When we brought him home in May 2020, he was such a delight—in a world that was otherwise very much not—that I would have let him get away with anything. But. That adorable face, those giant paws—I swear, four of those 12 pounds were paws—were attached to what would one day become a hefty, 90-pound German Shepherd. There was no way around it: I had to train this dog. Plus, I wanted to train him. Like, all the way train him. Zion was going to be that dog—the one who waits patiently outside the coffee shop and is happily welcomed on any farm. Who wears a leash, but never really…

1 How nothing says “summer” quite like kids feasting on watermelon from the rind 2 Singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” before the seventh-inning stretch 3 Delightfully dated gas stations that hearken back to days of telling the attendant to “fill’er up” 4 Claiming a stool at a smalltown soda fountain, such as Gruene General Store in Gruene, Texas 5 July 4th festivities, from patriotic parades to fireworks fanfare (See pg. 34 for more ways to celebrate.) 6 Braking for the neighborhood lemonade stand and seeing a little face light up when you say, “Keep the change.” 7 Savoring every chance to serve dinner outdoors (Check out our best backyard cookout recipes on pg. 43.) 8 The happy abundance that is a colander filled with freshly picked cherries…

“WE WANTED TO TURN AN OUTDOOR SPACE into an outdoor room,” says Country Living Editor-in-Chief Rachel Barrett of her underutilized patio that had become a bit of a catchall for kids’ toys and grilling gear. First, she installed breezy curtains in weather-resistant fabric by Sunbrella (ballarddesigns.com) to better define the seating area—and block out the intense late-afternoon sun. A console (antiquefarmhouse.com) skirted in an easy-to-clean striped Sunbrella fabric (left; ballarddesigns.com) keeps bags of charcoal and other necessities within reach of the grill but neatly hidden. To make the rest of the backyard feel cohesive, Rachel curtained her kids’ playhouse in the same durable striped Sunbrella fabric as the sofa cushions (ballarddesigns.com), while topping a wraparound bench and Adirondack chair (countryliving.com/polywood) with equally stain-resistant—and cozy!—cushions and pillows. “I needed a material…

New Excuses To Go Antiquing Consider this your permission to stock up on all things red, white, and blue. № 1 Soda Crate Centerpiece Stack vintage soda crates for some height, then add an assortment of glass soda bottles. To make the pinwheels, cut two pieces of ribbon that are twice as long as the width; sew pieces together to form a square. Cut small slits from the corners toward the center. Hot-glue the alternating points to the center, top with a button, and attach to a dowel. (Tip: Use Dritz Fray Check to prevent fraying.) № 2 Bandana Blanket Collect nine same-size bandanas (here, 22 by 22 inches), sew together in a 3-by 3-inch grid, then secure to a piece of waterproof canvas such as Ottertex. Add a quilting…

“I LOVE ANY EXCUSE TO swing around a sparkler,” says designer Lela Rose (lelarose.com) of her pyrotechnic proclivities during the Fourth of July festivities on her Texas ranch. Handwritten star-shaped invites with stitched edges (below) establish the event’s relaxed spirit—a feeling reinforced with beers iced down in a wheelbarrow, neckerchief party attire, and old-school vintage finds, including a wooden ice-cream maker-turned-planter. Even classic summer sides like coleslaw and baked beans, with the addition of unexpected ingredients such as root beer and peanuts, “evoke a spirit of baseball game pastime,” says Lela. Single-serve metal sheet trays lined with gingham wax paper (pinklemonadeparty.etsy.com) make it easy for guests to pile on all the fixin’s before they take to benches softened with ruffled pillows (heathertaylorhome.com) and raise a glass of sangria to the…

The historic Main Street storefront in Wardensville, West Virginia, had been many things over the years—a lumber mill, a feed shop, an antiques mall. To Paul Yandura and Donald Hitchcock, though, it looked like possibility. The couple, who met in Washington, D.C., had been regularly vacationing in nearby Lost River since 2008. Drawn to the verdant mountain scenery, a much-needed respite from their busy careers in politics, they moved to the area full-time in 2013 and got their real estate licenses. As fate would have it, the Wardensville shop was their first commercial listing that year—and their first in-town purchase. After a few months of light renovations, they opened Lost River Trading Post, a 5,000-square-foot general store stocking exclusively American-made products that has since become a gathering spot for tourists…

Q. My dog gets anxious during fireworks. How can I calm him? —Kathy T., Brenham, TX A. The boom of fireworks is exciting for us but absolute Armageddon for animals. When dogs are scared, they run, making Fourth of July the most common holiday for pets to escape and get lost. Keep your pup enclosed in a familiar room indoors, play soothing music, and, just in case, make sure they have a collar with ID and a microchip. If your pet is particularly sensitive, talk to your vet about calming medication.…

Q. What’s the best way to dish out ice cream on a hot summer day? -R. Woodward, Greenville, SC A. It just requires a little prep the day before. First, dip your scoop in lukewarm water—it’ll make for a cleaner scoop—and place single servings of ice cream onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper; wrap with plastic wrap and freeze. When you’re ready to serve, transfer the baking sheet to an ice-filled cooler, then position your cooler in a shady spot. Your scoops should be good to go whenever the sweet cravings strike.…

If you’ve ever whiled away a rainy afternoon reclining in a rattan porch rocker—a dog sleeping at your feet, ice cubes clinking in your glass, bluebirds in full chirp—then you already know that wicker is more than an intricate weaving technique. During summer in the country, wicker is a way of life. A long beloved staple of porches, patios, and unfussy interiors, wicker furniture is refreshingly devoid of pretension. In fact, its modesty only magnifies as it gracefully wears its age—think coloring that’s a bit faded by the sun, a slightly peeling coat of paint, or the occasional unraveling of a reed or two. Those so-called flaws speak to years, possibly decades, of putting alfresco furniture to its intended use: seats taken, cocktails consumed, and summer storms savored. In other…

Object Lesson Banner Beginnings: While the earliest version of our flag first flew in 1776, the Continental Congress didn’t codify it as the U.S. flag until the next year. The Flag Act of 1777 unified a young country under a banner of 13 alternating red and white stripes—one for each of the 13 colonies—and 13 stars to represent each state. Star Student: In 1958, 17-year-old Ohioan Robert Heft spent more than 12 hours sewing his 50-star flag design for a class project. While he only received a B-for the final product, his teacher promised to raise the grade if Congress adopted his design. With the help of his congressman, Robert brought the flag before President Eisenhower, and the U.S. officially adopted it on July 4, 1960. Color Code: Each hue…

Leaders of the Pack Between the 1940s and 1960s, long-distance travel transitioned from trains to automobiles and airplanes, and lighter handheld suitcases replaced hefty steamer trunks. Today, sought-after vintage styles include pinstripe luggage from OshKosh (center right) and Samsonite’s white-trimmed “Shwayder Bros.” line (pink and teal), which was named for the company founders. Multipiece sets can fetch up to $700, while individual cases range from $40 to $250, depending on size and condition. ’Round Yonder The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 established the U.S.’s interstate system and cemented our love of long-haul road trips. Travelers were eager to bring home mementos from new destinations, and decorative plates became a top-selling souvenir between the 1950s and 1980s. Lattice styles (center) and smaller sizes are rarer finds, but value is often set…

OBJECT LESSON: TEPCO U.S. Naval China WHAT TO KNOW: In 1918, the Technical Porcelain and China Ware Company, or “TEPCO,” was founded by Italian immigrant John Pagliero in El Cerrito, California. What began as a two-man crew quickly expanded into a full-scale working factory by 1930, and TEPCO became a household name producing thousands of pieces of pottery by hand every day for both hospitality and residential use. Their introduction of new techniques—transfer printing, airbrush, stencils, and under-glazed decals—brought a variety of up to 50 patterns to household dinner tables. TEPCO was also amongst several restaurantware manufacturers commissioned to produce custom dinnerware for the Navy and during WWII supplied china to the U.S. Pacific fleet, where every day up to 30,000 pieces boasting nautical motifs made their way onto ships…

The Setting: A speakeasy-turned-summer camp resort in Elkhorn, Wisconsin (campwandawega.com) Around the Table: Owners David Hernandez (who attended camp here back in the day) and Tereasa Surratt, their 11-year-old daughter, Charlie, and a cohort of a dozen-plus creative friends from Chicago who also own nearby properties on Elkhorn Lake Divide and Conquer: “We like to take a potluck approach to the menu with our friends who live on the lake,” says Tereasa. “Several years back, one of them put together a cookbook featuring our favorite recipes.” A few longtime standbys include Red Hots & Spanish Peanuts Snack (think trail mix with a kick!), Grilled Steak with Chimichurri, a Simple Locally Grown Green Salad, and Toffee S’mores roasted around an 8-foot bonfire and branded with a vintage W branding iron (shop.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com…

“Practice your freestyle in one of America’s largest Great Lakes…” …and 13 more ways to dive head-first into summer Java Nice Day: Hot summer mornings call for cold-brew Caramel Snowballs from Uncommon Coffee Roasters Take to the Lakes: Saugatuck boasts plenty of ways to cool off. Wade into Lake Michigan from Oval Beach, frequently touted as one of the best in the country, or feel the wind in your hair with a ride down Kalamazoo River on a 1959 Bell Boy Banshee from Retro Boat Rentals (opposite). Hit the Shops: Along Butler Street, American Spoon offers inventive pantry essentials made from Michigan-grown ingredients. One block up at Sea Bags, the roomy totes are sewn with upcycled boat sails (bottom left). Have Lunch Your Way: Many Appalachians moved to Michigan in…

Walter Gray must have missed the memo on retired lake living. After 37 years of work as an engineer, building two homes, and raising three children, he and his wife, Kelly (@talk ofthehouse), were poised in the spring of 2018 to downshift and downsize in middle Georgia. The lakeside cabin the couple had long coveted had finally come up for sale, setting the scene for a new era of hiking, boating, and entertaining friends, kids, and grandkids. But the 1949 structure needed work, and Walter’s background and go-getter personality made it impossible to relax before the chores were complete. “Walter is a skilled woodworker who can handle any home-improvement project but prefers building canoes,” says Kelly, a retired teacher. “I have the vision and handle all the painting, but prefer…

Charred Tomato Soup WORKING TIME 30 minutes TOTAL TIME 1 hour 10 minutes (including standing) MAKES 4 to 6 servings If tomatoes aren’t at peak ripeness, adding a tablespoon of sugar in with the water will help round out the flavor. This recipe also makes great leftovers, as it tastes even better the next day. 3 pounds very ripe heirloom tomatoes, halved and cored1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing tomatoesKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper3 large garlic cloves, chopped1 medium yellow onion, chopped1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish2 tablespoons red wine vinegarSour cream, for serving 1. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill cut sides up, until soft and bubbly, 4 to 6 minutes; cool completely. 2. Heat oil…

Country Classic PAGE 14 Designer Ken Fulk; kenfulk.com. PAGE 15 TOP Sea Roost; searoost.com. BOTTOM Designers Erin & Ben Napier; erinandbens.co. PAGE 16 Designer Max Humphrey; maxhumphrey.com. Makeover Takeover PAGES 22-23 Curtain hardware; highlandforge.com. Fabrication Sassy Slipcovers & Decorating; sassyslipcovers.com. PAGE 22 “Indoor/Outdoor Sheer Panel” curtain panels in Sunbrella White, Suzanne Kasler “Orleans” coffee table, “Ceylon Teak” sofa, Sunbrella “Canopy Stripe” in Cornflower/White sofa cushions, Sunbrella “Floral Cornflower” patterned pillow fabric, Sunbrella “Dade Blue” striped pillow fabric, and Sunbrella “Dade Blue” grill station skirt fabric; ballarddesigns.com. “Zinc Top Rolling Potting Table” grill station; antiquefarmhouse.com. Coasters; propertableco.com. PAGE 23 PLAYHOUSE Sunbrella “Direction Dew” floor pillow fabric; sunbrella.com. Sunbrella “Canvas” in Cornflower bench cushion fabric, Sunbrella “Dade Blue” striped pillow fabric, Sunbrella “Floral Cornflower” patterned pillow fabric, Sunbrella “Canopy Stripe” in Cornflower/White curtain panels, and Sunbrella “Canvas” in Cornflower bean bag fabric; ballarddesigns.com. Country Living…