Some women never lose their first ardor for home. They are perennial brides, their wedding day having been the entry point into a universe that is ever-new and stimulating. Affection this strong cannot help but inspire others. Lydia Sherman grew up on an Alaska homestead and then became a housewife in the West. She has been blogging since 2005 and has a large and loyal following, for her simple crafts and sewing, her reflections on home in a world that disdains domesticity, and her memories of a rugged Northern childhood. Her blog, Living at Home, captures the soul of the American home. This is our tradition. This is our heritage, so often hidden from view. Here are selections from Lydia at her best: 

From The Woman in the Window, Sewing:

Because the neighborhood was so dark and lonely, I always felt a warm reassurance upon seeing the woman in the window, sewing. I cannot explain all the thoughts I had but here are some: somehow, I thought that she was very brave. She was not ashamed of her homemaking and was not self-conscious about being seen in the window, sewing. It brought back memories of my mother singing while she swept the front porch. The other feeling was that it somehow made the world better. It showed that no matter what the current news media hype or world threat was, the woman in the window was still going about her daily work and taking her duties seriously. And still another feeling it gave me is one of wanting to go home and be very creative and industrious. The sight of her in that window was like a light in the darkness.

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