Bridging dreams and deadlines: summer projects on a budget

Footbridge made from repurposed wood
Kerri-Lee Mayland
Footbridge made from repurposed wood
Walking along the stream at our Lakeville cottage, I’m reminded how even the smallest design details can hold a story.
A little footbridge connects our cottage to my in-laws’ home next door — a Cape Cod that has been in the Mayland family for decades. It’s crooked and a bit meandering, but the bridge is also charming, practical, and meaningful. It was built using the weathered boards of a deck we took down at our old home in Philadelphia before moving full-time to Connecticut.
That repurposed wood, driven up the Taconic and rebuilt over a babbling brook, is now something our kids have crossed since they could toddle. It stands as a reminder of how DIY projects can connect generations, places, and even budgets.
Summer, for many, is the season of plans both big and small. Maybe you’ve dreamed of turning the unused corner of your yard into a retreat, or finally fixing the railing on the front porch. Perhaps it’s time for a fresh coat of paint in the living room, or maybe you are toying with the idea of an entire renovation. How do you turn your plans into action while staying on time and within budget?
Start with what I call the wander test. Walk your space like a guest — a judgey one. Bring a notepad or your phone and record what you see and feel. Where do you linger? What looks tired? What catches your eye in all the wrong ways? That’s often where your energy and money should go first.
Don’t skip the planning stage. Too many people dive into a project midstream, get overwhelmed by costs or delays, and end up walking away. Build in time to dream, but follow it with a dose of spreadsheet reality. Create a rough scope of work. Ask friends and neighbors what similar projects have cost them. And most importantly, prioritize. Not everything needs to happen at once.
I always tell my design clients, “Let’s make a big picture plan, then chip away as you choose.”
Teamwork makes the dream work, but that doesn’t always mean hiring the biggest name in town. Interview a few contractors, designers, or handypeople, and look for chemistry, good communication, and reliability. A smaller, more flexible crew may be just what your project — and your wallet — needs.
If you’re hiring a designer, lean into their expertise not just for style, but also for strategy. Designers can rework a space using items you already own, source materials at a discount, and phase the work in a smart, efficient way.
That little footbridge in our yard didn’t cost a dime in materials.It just took time, vision, and, in my case, a husband willing to bundle and bungee-cord the wood into the back of his pickup and drive it into the Litchfield Hills.
It’s tempting to let another summer slip by with a to-do list left untouched.But think of the spaces around you as more than projects — they’re the backdrop to your family’s future memories.
So, if your yard or home is calling out for a little love, answer it. This could be the summer you finally get it done, beautifully and within reach.
Kerri-Lee Mayland is an Emmy award-winning news anchor and designer. She lives in Lakeville.
July 25 — Deputies arrested Vicente A. Mejia, age 48, for Felony Driving While Intoxicated subsequent to a traffic stop on Route 55 in the Town of Dover. The subject is to appear in the Town of Dover Court at a later date.
July 26 — Deputies responded to Fairway Drive in the Town of Pawling for a mother-son domestic dispute. Matter resolved without further police intervention.
July 28 — Deputies report the arrest of Abigail C. Sprague (36) for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the third degree subsequent to a traffic stop in the Dover. Subject to appear in the Town of Dover Court at a later date
July 30 — Deputies report the arrest of Elizabeth J. Meuller, age 71, for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the third degree subsequent to a traffic stop in the Town of Pawling. Subject to appear in the Town of Pawling Court at a later date.
July 30 — Deputies responded to 7 Fish St. in Millerton for a father/daughter domestic dispute. Matter resolved without further police intervention.
PLEASE NOTE: All subjects arrested and charged are alleged to have committed the crime and are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are to appear in local courts later.
If you have any information relative to the aforementioned criminal cases, or any other suspected criminal activity please contact the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 845 605 CLUE (2583) or Email dcsotips@gmail.com. All information will be kept confidential.
LITCHFIELD — John Richard (Jr.) Krupinski, of Winsted, Connecticut passed away on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at Hartford Hospital.
Born on Jan. 13, 1948, in Torrington, Connecticut he was the son of John Joseph Krupinski and Eleanor (Kavesky) Krupinski. John grew up in Litchfield, Connecticut and graduated from Litchfield High School in 1967. While still in high school, John was a member of the Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department.
John joined the Air Force in 1968 and was honorably discharged in 1972 as a Sargent. John went on to work for the State of Alaska with the Department of Fish and Game as well as being an Alaska State Trooper. Upon returning to Connecticut John worked for the State of Connecticut as a Deputy Warden for the Forestry Department.
John loved the outdoors, was an avid fly fisherman and from a young age enjoyed tying his own flies. John was known as the best fly tier in Northwest Connecticut. John also competed in Archery, receiving numerous trophies.
John is survived by his daughter, Cheryl L. Bentley, sister, Karen J. Krupinski, and brother, Thomas J. Krupinski. John was preceded in death by his parents, John and Eleanor Krupinski, his wife, Margery Hull Krupinski, and their beloved pets.
Calling hours will be held at Thurston Rowe Funeral Home, 283 Torrington Road, in Litchfield, on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. A funeral service with Military Honors will be held at Hillside Cemetery, 76 Walnut Street, in Torrington, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025 at 12:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Farmington River Anglers Association, Housatonic Fly Fisherman’s Association or Trout Unlimited, Northwest Connecticut Chapter.
To send the family online condolences kindly visit www.thurstonrowefuneralhome.com
LIME ROCK — Lisa Mae Keller of Lime Rock, Connecticut, passed away peacefully at her home on July 26, 2025, following a yearlong battle with cancer. Lisa remained at home between lengthy stays at Smilow Cancer Hospital – Yale New Haven. Throughout Lisa’s ordeal, the family home was a constant hub of love and support, with friends and relatives regularly dropping by. Their presence lifted Lisa’s spirits and helped her stay positive during even the toughest moments. The family remains deeply grateful to the community for their unwavering kindness and encouragement.
Born on June 2, 1958, in Bridgeport to Mae and Robert Schmidle, Lisa graduated from Newtown High School in 1976. Lisa first attended Ithica College to pursue a degree in fine arts concentrating on opera. Drawn to a more robust and challenging curriculum, Lisa transferred to Whittier College, Whittier, California earning a Bachelor of Science degree. It was in 1988 that Lisa met and married Robert (Rob) Keller in Newtown, Connecticut. Together, they embarked on a remarkable journey. The couple started small businesses, developed land in Litchfield County and welcomed in quick succession their sons Baxter and Clayton. The growing family discovered the long-abandoned historic Lime Rock Casino in 1993, while attending a race at Lime Rock Park. The couple found it difficult to commute for work while raising a family and restoring a vintage home. Lisa persuaded her husband that chimney sweeping was a noble profession, leading them to purchase the established business, Sultans of Soot Chimney Sweeps. She later leveraged her role into ownership of the largest U.S. importer of vintage Italian reproduction gun parts. Even as her entrepreneurial ventures expanded, Lisa continued managing the pick, pack, and ship operation for Kirst Konverter, though she sold the remainder of the business prior to her illness. Lisa will be remembered for her business acumen, community service, and being a trained vocalist with the Crescendo Coral Group of Lime Rock. Lisa tended the extensive gardens around the home and curated an art collection that adorns the walls within. Baking cookies was a passion. Countless cookie packages were sent world wide to each son and their military friends while deployed. It is still undetermined in the Keller house whether the Army or Marines leave less crumbs. At Christmas, the Lakeville Post Office staff would post over 80 packages of cookies to lucky recipients, while receiving a tray for their effort. Unable to bake cookies in her last year, Lisa selflessly compiled and self-published “ Pot Luck at The Casino”, a 160 page book of all of her favorite recipes, sent to everyone on her cookie list. It was a true labor of love.
A love of pearls and turquoise inspired Lisa to design and commission heirloom quality jewelry to be passed down thru the generations. Visitors were often gifted Tahitian pearl jewelry and knowledge gleaned from years of research. Travel plans for further pearl and gem study were cancelled when Lisa received her cancer diagnosis.
One of her most enduring passions—and a decades-long devotion—was embracing the role of American mother to the young German football players on scholarship at Salisbury School. Unable to return home during holidays and school breaks, the boys found a second family with the Kellers. Lisa did what any mother would do: baked endless batches of her legendary cookies, cooked countless home-made meals, and often counseled the young men through the trials and tribulations of young love. Years later, and with families of their own, they still make it a point to ‘swing by’ and visit ‘Momma Lisa’ whenever they’re back in the States.
Lisa is predeceased by her parents and is survived by husband, Rob, and two sons, Baxter (Elizabeth) and Clayton (Brette), two grandchildren, Isabel and Ezra, two brothers Robert, Jr. (Pam) Schmidle, Paul (Wendy) Schmidle, and multiple nieces and nephews. Grandson Ezra was born and met Mama Lisa just days before she passed.
A graveside ceremony will be held on Aug. 9 at 11 a.m. at the Lime Rock cemetery, with a reception at the Lime Rock Episcopal Church. A celebration of life will be held at the family home, The Historic Lime Rock Casino, on Oct.11, 2025 at 4 p.m.
All are welcome to both events. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to SalvageUSA.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the special operations active duty and veterans community.