We found the it at a newsstand in the Houston Airport before a quick family trip.
Remember when ideas arrived in the mailbox? Long before Pinterest boards and Instagram saved folders I would dog ear pages or even tear articles out - keeping them for future use. Elementary school me would read my parents' subscriptions cover to cover, taking in every recipe, garden tip, and perfectly styled room like it was a lesson in how to build a beautiful life. Magazines weren’t just something to flip through; they were something I studied.
Reader’s Digest and Guideposts were two subscriptions I’m certain my grandparents gifted my family. Both were tiny magazines compared to other publications - but they were big on storytelling.
Jokes, life hacks, and the kind of human-interest pieces that reminded you the world was still full of good people doing good things - that was Reader’s Digest. (The occasional medical articles often led me down the path of an inaccurate self-diagnosis).
Guideposts was the magazine that showed up when you needed a little encouragement, a reminder that faith and kindness could get you through just about anything. Filled with personal stories of perseverance and everyday miracles, it made you feel like everything was going to be okay.
Better Homes & Gardens was the kind of magazine that taught you how to make a meal from what was already in your pantry, recipes that were practical but still made you feel like you were making something special. It had gardening tips that didn’t assume you lived in some perfect climate with endless time and a greenhouse. It was real advice that made you believe you could turn a patch of dirt into something beautiful.
Then there was Southern Living, where the house plans made me dream about the kind of home I would have one day. I could picture the kitchen, down to the cabinet color, before I was old enough to cook a real meal on my own. And their recipes had me planning my own dinner parties in my head long before I even started high school.
But Garden & Gun, that was Southern elegance I couldn’t resist. The magazine itself felt expensive. Thick, matte pages filled with photography that made everything from homes, gatherings, and even a well-worn pair of boots feel impossibly glamorous. It celebrated the South in a way that felt grand but familiar - polished but lived-in. It represented a lifestyle. The kind that made you want to lean into the details - light the good candles, serve a proper cocktail, and appreciate the craftsmanship in the things you filled your home with.
I never imagined I’d see a reference to myself inside those pages. But here we are.
Sallie Lewis, in her latest Garden & Gun piece, wrote about Round Top - the magic of this town, the way people from all over the world gather here, and the undeniable charm that keeps them coming back. Tucked within that story, she mentioned Sapana.
Round Top has always been special, but to see it recognized in print like this - and to be part of a piece that captures the energy, the creativity, and the community we are building here is humbling It’s exciting - a little surreal.
Raising my glass today to the magic of magazines, to the towns and people they highlight, and to the fact that sometimes, the world you used to only read about ends up including you.