IT'S CLEAR when our latest issue reaches rural mailboxes across Canada, because that triggers a flurry of phone calls and e-mails. It's lovely to have this sense of community, and to receive your feedback and suggestions for keeping Acreage Life fresh, useful and inspiring. Sometimes people call to straighten us out, as happened when we mistakenly identified the glorious butterfly on our cover last spring. I had the opportunity to thank many people who kindly let us know we'd goofed. (For the record, it was a Milbert's Tortoiseshell, and I think I could now pass the test in distinguishing it from the Monarch. Even in the dark.) More often, readers want to tell us we've hit the mark with something of particular interest to them. It's rewarding to know how welcome we are in the homes of those who are making their lives beyond the city limits. One of our respondents, renowned artist Ken Danby, later agreed to become the focus of a story. Sadly, the feature our photojournalist Michael Raine envisioned after visiting the Danbys' beautiful, Guelph-area property last summer was not to be. We're responding to Ken's recent, untimely death with a tribute to the man and his love for the land. More often than you would imagine, there are serendipitous links amongst those who take the time to contact me. On September 6, two people in Campbellville, Ontario, received their fall issue of Acreage Life. Their subsequent calls to me came within 15 minutes of each other. These people are practically neighbours, but they don't know each other. Both were responding to Helen Lammers-Helps' article about geothermal energy. John wanted to know more about geothermal applications, and installers in his area. Colleen let me know she enjoys every issue of our magazine and, as the owner of a solar business, she wondered if we'd be doing a story on solar products. I was able to tell her we were working on such a piece for this issue. Another reflection of our Acreage Life community is the obvious pride readers take in their properties. We received numerous entries for our "Show Us Your Best Side" photo contest. All revealed a passion for nature, the outdoors, and gardens and homes in the country. Among the subjects that caught the photographers' eyes were pets and wildlife, children, storms, gardens, ponds, and sunsets. Many entrants included notes about the pictures. One woman explained the lovely house shown amidst an emerald-green pasture had been built by herself and her partner. "Neither of us had building experience, otherwise we probably would have made it smaller," she added wryly. Another contestant said the lake she photographed is their very own: "We have a 15-acre lake stocked with rainbow trout, and a 60-foot dock to dive off into the lake." A stunning aerial photo of a river cutting through dense forest is captioned "View from our kitchen window." A vista like that has got to add appeal to kitchen duties. It was with some difficulty that we chose the winners: see our showcase on page 12. Of course, you're all winners, as demonstrated by the pictures of your own little pieces of paradise. Thanks for sharing your vistas with us. Check out Sheila's new blog, here.