Country April/May 2018

WHEN APRIL SHOWERS fall, my spirits soar. Even though my children will make sure the mud room lives up to its name, the rain means it’s time to think about the garden and to make everything I’d imagined over the winter come true. While my spring dreams entail transplanting daisies to my shade garden and putting a barn quilt on my garage, reader Aranda Vance has something much more ambitious in mind. On page 24, she shares her family’s vision for the land they purchased in Virginia after years of searching. With their two boys in tow, Aranda and her husband are building a farm from the ground up. It’s a lot of work—something familiar to the folks at the Hermann Farm Museum. Instead of building a farm, they work…

She’s 70 now, an age when many folks are starting to eye that comfy recliner in front of the TV. But chances are if there’s an old barn coming down anywhere in northeastern Illinois, Marie Roth will be there. Clad in khakis, wearing leather gloves and hefting a circular saw, Marie will pick through the jumble of wood, looking for pieces that, as she describes it, “whisper” to her. She’ll cart off the selected boards to her Long Grove home, where she’ll wash them and allow them to air-dry before fitting the pieces together like a puzzle and gluing them into place. But it’s only when she starts painting the assemblage in the bold, beautiful colors beloved by every American that it becomes clear what Marie is creating. From the…

On the window ledge outside my office, a robin built a nest for three bright blue eggs. My co-worker and I watched two baby birds crack out into the world. Days later, the third one hatched. We named her Runtie. Over the next few weeks, I noticed that Runtie didn’t chirp and her feathers didn’t grow like the other birds’. I wondered if her growth was delayed because she was born last. But one day I looked out the window and saw Runtie bounce out of the nest and onto the ledge. She looked daringly over the edge, and, without warning, parachuted down to the ground, flapping frantically. Nothing bad happened, but I wondered how a flightless baby could survive out of the nest. I didn’t want to think of…

EVERY APRIL I FALL IN LOVE all over again with my forsythias. These shrubs display the most vibrant yellow—so welcome after winter. Their arms reach toward the sky, sometimes swaying in a gentle breeze, lashing back and forth throughout a violent rainstorm, or idly toasting themselves in warm sunshine. Their blossoms are always energetic and cheerful, even on a wet afternoon. Forsythias encourage hope for the new season. “Time to get outside!” they call. “Ride your bike! Put on your skates! Dig in the garden! Go for a walk! Jump rope! Come out and play! Don’t sit inside on this lovely spring day!” Among the first plants to greet spring, these blossoms invite us to admire their beauty. They encourage us to pause, reflect and appreciate the wonderful changes about…

It all started when my mom took me to a rummage sale within walking distance of our house. That day, I paid 25 cents for a classic comic book called “Tales of Sherlock Holmes” and some Ideals magazines that were filled with beautiful poetry and photos. It was the beginning of my love affair with barn and yard sales. While searching for something unique and different, I found a bonus—the wonderful folks I’ve met along the way. These sales have become mini social centers, where diverse cultures and age groups form a collectors’ community. Familiar faces appear at every store or sale. Our love for older and gently used items brings us together. Some of us hunt for crocks, art glass, rare books and grandfather clocks. Others can’t get enough…

HISTORIC NATIONAL ROAD YARD SALE Baltimore to St. Louis Take your time and take in the sights during this annual sale in communities along U.S. 40. After shopping, check out the festivals coinciding with the sale. May 30-June 3 nationalroadyardsale.com BRIMFIELD ANTIQUE SHOW Brimfield, Massachusetts The grande dame of flea markets stretches for a mile through this pretty town. More than 4,000 vendors offer everything from fine European antiques to shabby-chic vintage clothing. May 8-13, July 10-15 and Sept. 4-9 brimfieldshow.com LAKEWOOD 400 ANTIQUES MARKET Cumming, Georgia You’ll find retro mid-century appliances like shiny toasters and blenders at this huge indoor-outdoor market. While there are some upscale antiques, look for less pricey Americana like general store cabinets and memorabilia. Open the third weekend of the month, except December, when the…