living with books

"You can tell a lot about someone by looking at their bookshelves." (The Millions)

I can't remember where I read about this book, but was thrilled to find it at my local library.

The book offers an interesting peek into personal libraries and bookshelves, including those of Larry McMurtry, Silvia Whitman of Shakespeare and Co., and Emma Straub. I love looking at people's bookshelves in their homes, or even a couple of books casually strewn on a coffee table. 

 Someone is a fan of Philip Roth. He's one American novelist I've never read. How about you?

 I was in awe of the libraries and collections I saw in this book, though I think some people go a little overboard. I mean, I have a lot of books but I certainly don't want to feel like I'm drowning in them.

I have books in every room in my home except for the bathrooms, though the only books in my kitchen are cookbooks. This bookcase is in our guest room. 

 Books on the dresser in the guest room.

Books in the master bedroom. My collection of Madeline L'Engle books are stacked on the bottom shelf.

I keep my poetry books in the living room.

A basket on the coffee table holds my current reads. I rarely read a book twice, but I'm making an exception with The Snow Child. I previously read it in 2013. I donate or pass my books along once I've read them (except for certain non-fiction which I will refer to again), but when I came across The Snow Child at a library book sale for 99 cents, I wanted to read it again since I enjoyed it so much the first time.

 Now if you'll come with my down to the basement, where I have my home library...

 This bookcase contains children's books, most of which belonged to my boys when they were growing up. These aren't all the books they had, of course. These are just the ones I saved. The few Nancy Drew books on the first shelf are mine.

More books on the console-table-turned-bar-cart and a basket of Brian's books underneath the table.

These IKEA bookcases are perfect for our basement! Close to 100% of our books are used. We scout library book sales as well as used book stores. I also buy used books online, either from Amazon or Abe Books. 

I use books in decor, too ~ not just on bookshelves. 

I'd love to hear how you live with books in your home. Do you have specific bookshelves, do you keep books stacked on your nightstand, do you use them in decor? What are you currently reading?

love and staying warm

Hello, friends from brrr cold Illinois! Fresh snow greeted us yesterday and then the temps dropped to -6F with the wind chill this morning.

We've actually had a mild winter up until today, so guess I can't complain. In the meantime, we'll just keep warm in our own ways.

Making warm, comfort food such as chicken pot pie helps on cold evenings.

Or, a pot of black bean and sweet potato chili.

I found a cute shelf for my kitchen wall at Hobby Lobby. I've tried various pieces of artwork here over the years and nothing really worked. Sometimes it takes awhile to find just the right thing.

And I added this sweet paper banner to my kitchen window for a little cheer. It's from Susan Branch (I'm a huge fan of hers!), handmade by one of her staff. 

 Today is Valentine's Day ~ do you have any special plans? Brian and I don't make a big deal out of this day, but we'll have a nice dinner at home with a glass of wine and then perhaps watch a movie. It's too cold to go out, anyway! That's an old photo of us in the frame below. It was taken when we were in Cancun, Mexico 16 years ago.

LOVE TO YOU ALL!

💓

gloomy weather, cheery valentine's day decor

This is what it's looked like here for days on end. Dreary, gray, depressing. Perfect recipe for Cabin Fever and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Looking ahead at the weather forecast, we're supposed to have one day of sunshine tomorrow ~ and it will be 48 degrees! That's a heatwave for us in January. Last year at this time, we were at -50 with the wind chill factor. I will definitely be opening some windows and airing the house out tomorrow.

I don't do much seasonal decorating anymore, but I do like to add little touches around the house. I like Valentine's day because the red and pink add touches of color to the gray winter landscape, there's no expectations with this holiday (we do not exchange gifts or go out to dinner), and HEARTS, of course! 

On the dresser in the spare room...

At the end of the hallway...

In our bedroom...

Hearts in the main bathroom...

In the kitchen, the china cabinet gets some Valentine's Day decor...

And the kitchen table is all set for a snack...

Do you decorate for Valentine's Day or celebrate it in any way?

💓💓💓

levels of cozy

Is winter over yet? That's how I'm already feeling. We've settled into the long string of dreary, dark, gray days and "oh great, another snowstorm" weather alerts. I'm not liking it, but it is what it is, so I'm trying to look at the cozy side of things. At least just for this post.

Fluffy friends indeed. Aren't pets the best?

Cozy, dim lighting...

Something good simmering on the stove (in this case, black bean chili)...

or a baked treat fresh out of the oven...

Afternoons spent art journaling with a loved one (on a rare day of sunshine)...

And good books to read. Always a must.

I'm sure most of you are familiar with Sarah Ban Breathnach's, Simple Abundance. I've been reading this book every year for many years. She just came out with her 25th anniversary edition this past November! It's much the same, just with updated information. I love reading the daily entries. Sometimes I miss a few days and then I have to read a few days worth, but somehow that makes it even better.  Other times I skip ahead and read writings from another month. But I always go back to that day's entry.

What does cozy mean to you in these long, cold, dark winter months? 

words are beautiful

While reading today's email edition of Mindful News, I followed a link to Joanna Goddard's blog, A Cup of Jo. She wrote an article called, What's the Most Beautiful Thing You've Ever Read? 

I was immediately intrigued. I have a fascination with words. Obviously, one of my passions is writing. I'm a voracious reader and keep a running list of beautiful passages I find in books. I do the same with quotes. I enjoy poetry readings. The library and bookstores are two of my favorite places.

As of right now, Joanna's blog has 1157 comments in response to her question! I've only had time to go through a handful of the comments and I've found some real goodies. Of course, those have been copied and pasted into a Word document so I can refer back to them when I so desire.

I thought it'd be fun to ask you ~ my readers ~ what is the most beautiful thing you've ever read? Please share with all of us. It can be lines from a book, a particular quote, a poem, song lyrics, a Bible verse...whatever words have moved you.

{My current reads}

I'll start out by sharing a few of my favorite, beautiful words with you. I had a hard time picking out what to share. There's so much!

QUOTES

Why do people keep asking to see God's identity papers when darkness opening into morning is more than enough?

 (Mary Oliver)

We would be together and have out books and at night be warm in bed together with the windows open and the stars bright.

 (Ernest Hemmingway)

PASSAGE FROM A BOOK

The blueberries were ready now, soft, inky, desperate to stain. And there was the snow, outside my window, smothering the earth. I imagined that all things in life had their singular drives - to stain, to smother, to support, to survive, to nurture. The sink said, Splash me, and the oven said, Stuff me, and the refrigerator, the caretaker, hummed, I am here, I am here. I stood in the middle of my kitchen like the clever oiler of their machinery, but a piece of me wished to be elsewhere. A piece of me wanted to walk into the snow, to disappear slowly from view, to draw around myself in a watertight line. 

(Nora Seton, The Kitchen Congregation)

A POEM

LOVE AFTER LOVE
Derek Walcott

The time will come

when, with elation

you will greet yourself arriving

at your own door, in your own mirror

and each will smile at the other's welcome

and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.

Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart

to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.

Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.

Sit. Feast on your life.

OK, your turn!