Thanks IEF and Mommyof1 for the welcome!
I agree the web really is not a suitable replacement for magazines. Honestly, when we are putting something to print it forces us to be more aware of the quality. I love some of the blogs out there, but so many are just ...blah. The magazine started in response to the fact that there really weren't any that just focused on the homeschooling, rather than this or that religious path. There is nothing quite like holding a real, physical magazine in your hands...
We are very safe from the fires, most are in the LA area and north, we are east of San Diego. That said, we're on high-alert and ready to go if we need to, areas nearby were burnt during the Cedar fire and others in 2003 and 2007.
I may do that, we do sometimes feel alone in the independent thing here in California. Seems like most people have gone to charters, and we just can't bring ourselves to be told what to do...