Dear Yankee | June 2017

   The “she-sheds” article [“A Shed of One’s Own,” May/June] hit close to home. Several years ago, my wife and I made a quality-of-life move from the Phoenix metro area to the cooler climes of north-central Arizona. In the process, we downsized from a modest tract home to a log cabin of less than 1,000 square feet. Fortunately, our new homestead contained a 250-square-foot outbuilding, which my wife claimed as her quilting studio. I was relegated to a corner of this building until such time as I was “evicted.” As part of the eviction negotiation, I agreed to renovate her studio and build a shed of my own. My wife’s studio became her “sanctuary” and the envy of her quilting buddies. Every Tuesday morning, she and her friends get together in her studio and work on quilt tops. As for me, my shed went from a storage facility to a “quilting annex” because our longarm quilting machine is housed there. Not to worry, the longarm is mine, as I do all of the quilting for my wife and her friends in what is now called “Pete’s Shedio.”

Peter Plante Pine, Arizona

A Hearty Thanks

   Just wanted to let you know that we think you are doing a fine job with Yankee, as it continues to become ever more complex in terms of the stories it tells and the people it introduces to its subscribers, like us.

We were on-again/off-again subscribers for a number of years, largely because it felt like the magazine was succumbing to a tired formula and seemed to have way more ads than articles, as time went on.

In the last several years, however, we have noticed a fresh, new direction, with more-in-depth stories and articles, newly invigorated offerings like those on cooking and classic New England recipes (I use your Chatham Pier Clam Chowder recipe now, and it is fabulous), and a thoughtful, balanced editorial viewpoint coming through loud and clear. The changes are wonderful.

I especially commend you for publishing the story about the transplanted Californian-turned-Vermonter chief of police and the tragedy he told the truth about in his small town [“The Conscience of a Chief,” September/October]. The post-Irene flooding in southern Vermont was another beautifully covered event [“After the Flood,” August/September]. And your recent story about Lewiston and its newest immigrants was exceptional [“City of Hope,” March/April]. Thank you for all of them.

Rob Vavasour Guilford, Connecticut

I’m one of the 80,000 [Student Conservation Association volunteers] who can thank Liz for the outsize impact she’s had on our lives, and the millions who can thank her for conserving our public lands. Her spirit is generous, her convictions about young people’s potential and the value of nature are true. Read this article if you want more hope and inspiration in your life. –Craig

I was the Yellowstone project manager who had the great pleasure of accepting Liz’s crew application and sending her the package of instructions we sent to more than 400 volunteers who helped us rebuild trails and bridges in the park. I also remember a lovely Sunday afternoon at her home, many decades ago now. She served me iced tea with a sterling silver straw, and she regaled me with very much the same story she recounts here. Brava, Liz! Brava! –Helen

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