Happy Martha-versary

Tonight I thought I would pull out the MS Living issues I have for August, including the July/August issues. Not that it's a lot, just 4 issues not counting this year's. But in doing so I realized that it has been 10 years since I started reading Martha Stewart's flagship publication. If you do the math that means my first issue of Living was from July/August 1997. And if you bother to do any extra math, it means I bought my first issue when I was 16. My first issue is still to this day my favorite. I will always keep it, and even considered tracking down a copy for the most recent favorite things swap (but it proved a little too difficult since I thought of it late in the game). And from that first issue I fell in love. I almost couldn't believe it as my eyes went from the pages of the 'collecting' article's glossy photos to the rustic green jug vase on my window sill that I had inherited from my grandmother, and back again. Frankoma pottery isn't rare, especially in the southwest, or expensive. Still the mere idea that I owned something featured in the magazine was inspiring. Hey, remember, I was sixteen. And from the moment I read through the feature on zinnias they have been my favorite. This issue also introduced me to Ina Garten as she laid out a delightful summer harvest party before me. So, for the past 10 years I've been dreaming of living the Stewart style life. I'm not quite there yet, but I can still flip through the pages and be inspired. Inspiration...it's a good thing.