Cool find: Garden and Gun magazine

I know...Garden and Gun as a magazine title makes you wonder.

I was swapping some airline miles for magazine subscriptions and was curious about this title. After a little research, I thought it seemed like a good risk. After all, it wasn't money and I really try to have a broad sampling of magazines in the house.

Oh, what a pleasant surprise!

I love this magazine for the beautiful photography and the well-written articles. The profiles of towns, artists, restaurants, and gardens are really top-notch.

The most recent issue profiles women and the piece on Dolly Parton is a treasure. If you are reading the second part of that sentence and laughing, you really need to read the article. I am sold. Dolly may have an outer shell that draws ridicule; the inside is a savvy business woman, a generous philanthropist, and a beautiful soul.

Back to the magazine...I really, really love the photography. The articles on the landscape in the south have a conservation element that really appeals to me. The profiles of towns always make me want to pack my bags. And, they talk about southern food - bar-b-que in the issue before last. You can't go wrong with bar-b-que.

The gun aspect was my biggest concern, yet it strangely feels like home. Growing up in a family of responsible hunters, I appreciate a magazine that shows off bird dogs and talks about the outdoors with what seems to be deep appreciation.

I kind of miss that aspect of my life. Several cold fall mornings began with an early wake up, wrapping up in a sleeping bag, packing a book and sitting in a pick up to spot birds with my brother. I did more reading than spotting, but I can tell a prairie chicken in flight to this day.