Ask the Author: Wanda Baxter
Answered Questions (2)
Wanda Baxter
Who my father's real parents were, and the story of both of their adoptions -- if they were adopted. Is our last name really our last name? We don't know for sure.
Wanda Baxter
I wrote the following for The Miramichi Reader for their "Why I Wrote ..." series. I thought I would share it here as well.
Why I Wrote If I had an Old House on the East Coast:
In 2005, my partner Randy and I fell in love with and bought an old house in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. We were first-time homeowners (read: deer in the headlights), and we knew little about farmsteading. A lot of If I had an Old House on the East Coast stems from that first year living here: learning as much as we could, working like DIY fanatics, clearing the house of rumoured ghosts (!), scrambling to manage the gardens and orchard as they came to life in the spring. And I wrote it from the point of view of those starry-eyed, new, old-house owners we were.
I was also inspired by Lizzi Napoli’s If I had a Mas in Provence, a beautiful little book I bought in the south of France many years ago, and still treasure. I was inspired by Napoli’s appreciation of place and simple pleasures, and how she invites her reader in to share her world too.
But the main reason I wrote If I had an Old House on the East Coast is that I kept wondering why this part of the world, and these enduring old houses in our midst, are not appreciated as much as they should be. I wanted there to be a book that shone a light on our old houses and our slower-paced, appreciative way of life – like Lizzy Napoli’s book does about the south of France. I wanted to make something sweet and beautiful (and yes, nostalgic) about where and how we live, and to acknowledge the amount of work, craftsmanship, and mettle that went into constructing these old buildings. I wanted to express gratitude for what we have, and maybe inspire others to appreciate small details of rural living the way Lizzi Napoli inspired me. Finally, I wrote If I had an Old House … because I found just the right artist to collaborate with. I was fortunate to partner with Kat Frick Miller – who shares my love of old houses and gardens and the east coast – and whose graceful watercolours transformed my words and ideas into beauty.
Why I Wrote If I had an Old House on the East Coast:
In 2005, my partner Randy and I fell in love with and bought an old house in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. We were first-time homeowners (read: deer in the headlights), and we knew little about farmsteading. A lot of If I had an Old House on the East Coast stems from that first year living here: learning as much as we could, working like DIY fanatics, clearing the house of rumoured ghosts (!), scrambling to manage the gardens and orchard as they came to life in the spring. And I wrote it from the point of view of those starry-eyed, new, old-house owners we were.
I was also inspired by Lizzi Napoli’s If I had a Mas in Provence, a beautiful little book I bought in the south of France many years ago, and still treasure. I was inspired by Napoli’s appreciation of place and simple pleasures, and how she invites her reader in to share her world too.
But the main reason I wrote If I had an Old House on the East Coast is that I kept wondering why this part of the world, and these enduring old houses in our midst, are not appreciated as much as they should be. I wanted there to be a book that shone a light on our old houses and our slower-paced, appreciative way of life – like Lizzy Napoli’s book does about the south of France. I wanted to make something sweet and beautiful (and yes, nostalgic) about where and how we live, and to acknowledge the amount of work, craftsmanship, and mettle that went into constructing these old buildings. I wanted to express gratitude for what we have, and maybe inspire others to appreciate small details of rural living the way Lizzi Napoli inspired me. Finally, I wrote If I had an Old House … because I found just the right artist to collaborate with. I was fortunate to partner with Kat Frick Miller – who shares my love of old houses and gardens and the east coast – and whose graceful watercolours transformed my words and ideas into beauty.
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