If I had an old house on the East Coast I would fall in love at first sight.
It would grab me by the heart, and not let go.

With introspection and deep appreciation for the East Coast, this inspirational gift book shares a dream, in words and images, of falling in love with an old house and breathing new life into it. Exploring, with lyrical prose, everything from an old house's foundation to its layers of antique wallpaper to its decades-old gardens bursting with wildflowers, this lyrical book is a love letter to a vanishing way of life. Fully illustrated with gentle watercolours from celebrated local artist Kat Frick Miller, If I Had an Old House on the East Coast also includes practical tips for the old-home-owner, from how to clear your home of ghosts to instructions for making rosehip jelly and maple syrup.

Wanda Baxter lives on an old farmstead in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, with her long-time partner, Randy, and two happy cats. When she bought an old farmhouse in 2005 her father asked, "Why in the world would you buy an old house?"; sometimes she wonders. Built in 1783, the old house is an endless project, but it is also magical. Wanda has a Masters degrees in English (with Creative Writing) and Environmental Design, and works as an environmental consultant. She is a long-time member of the band Cut, Split and Delivered and she feels honoured to have had the chance to work with Kat Frick Miller on this book.

Wanda Baxter's profile page

Kat Frick Miller is an artist and freelance illustrator originally from Brampton, Ontario. She received a BFA in Visual Art from NSCAD University in 2009. Her work reveals a deep connection to place, exploring local architecture, social history, and the objects, spaces, and practices that constitute rural life. She can be found on the beach, on the farm, or on the wharf soaking up the whimsy of her adopted home of Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. For more of her work, visit katfrickmiller.com.

Kat Frick Miller's profile page

• Winner, The Coast's Best Book of Halifax, Gold

"The book should be a fixture in every realtor's sitting area, and have pride of place in B&B guest rooms throughout Atlantic Canada." Rural Delivery, Book Review