| from the editor |
The sweetest word there is
I’ve always loved the quote by
American author, Laura Ingalls
Wilder; “Home is the sweetest
word there is.” It reaches beyond
a simple, physical definition to
encompass the emotional constructs
associated with the word
– senses of pride, joy, warmth,
and family. A home is so much
more than wood and brick, walls
and bedrooms. It’s a story.
Just look at the literary works
of some of the region’s most acclaimed
authors – Alice Walker,
Raymond Andrews, Flannery
O’Connor and John T. Edge. Their
stories emanate
the sentiments of
home, cultivated
over childhood
years spent in
humble dwellings
in nearby hometowns.
Chip Bell
explores these
foundations of inspiration
on page
13.
Later in this
issue, we travel
along with Judy
Garrison and Seeing
Southern to
discover some of the bucket list
items awaiting in nearby Athens.
Curated from her latest book,
“100 Things to Do in Athens Before
You Die,” she shares her top
10 picks worth the short drive to
the Classic City in our Backyard
Traveler piece on page 68.
A huge aspect of “home” is
sharing it with others. Each year,
Madison homeowners graciously
open their doors and share their
historic homes with visitors from
far and wide, anxiously wanting
to get glimpses of the grandiose
architecture that defines the small
town. For the past two years, the
tours were put on hold for the
safety of public health, but this
year, the Holiday Home Tour returns
in full force. You can read
more on page 59.
I’m always excited to be invited
into the homes and gardens of our
neighbors who are willing to share
innovative interior design and
fresh styles for our home issue.
Interior designer Jade Joyner of
Metal + Petal walked us through
the cozy yet contemporary home
of Paul and Johnnie Nussbaum
and shared her bold selections
that defies average “lake house”
expectations.
We also took
a moment to sit
on the porch with
Charlie Schmitt,
taking in his amazing
view of Lake
Oconee amidst a
brightly blooming
landscape. His son
built the cottage
and he’s quick to
point out all the
special architectural
touches. But
what he enjoys
talking about the
most is the pontoon
at the dock below and how
much his grandkids love going
out for a ride around the lake.
These stories have the sweet
words that make a place home.
It’s hard to fit the nuances of
each of these stories into succinct
sentences, as Wilder did so well,
but we included as much as we
could here, in the pages of our Fall
Issue. We invite you in to explore
the sweet words, stunning photographs,
and warm personalities
that make up our annual Home
Issue.
Enjoy!
/lakeoconeeace.com