Summertime and the Reading is Easy

by Carol

Summer is here, and to me that means some good, good readin' (to paraphrase the Beach Boys.) When I was growing up my mother's house had a screened in porch where I could be found with my nose in a book from morning to late night. I always enjoy Dotti's pictures of her grand daughter reading - because that was me. And the porch allowed the comfort of inside with the air and smells and birds of outside - what bliss! My house has a deck - but I am not screened in, so come evening, the bugs chase me inside.

Fairy Tale cottage
La Pluie de Roses, Giverny, France

But I have a new fantasy now. On my recent trip to France, I stayed in a perfect guest house. From the intriguing sign on the flowered wall; to the first  fairy tale view as you open the iron gate. From walking down my little stone path to entering my lovely room (which was really almost a suite!) Throw in a neck-deep bathtub and a beautiful breakfast room for we guests, it was almost perfect. 

I followed one of many paths around the property. Each path was different. You might walk on soft pine needles, or view the restored barn-house next door You might visit a pond with frogs so loud that we thought it had squealing a pigpen in the back.

The frog pond

Breakfast is served.

 But one path in particular took the almost right out of that sentence above! For I discovered - a reading room in the woods! It had billowing white curtains, and a big warm comfy love seat, a pile of blankets and pillows, and a tiny wood burning stove for when there is a chill in the air. But it also opened up onto a patio for warm summer nights. And it was stocked better than a fishing hole - ! - stocked with magazines and books and news clippings. Our hosts Phillippe and Elizabette told us to use it anytime, - even sleep there if we chose to leave our gorgeous rooms. Philllippe brought us some fresh white wine when we did. Sigh.... it's really just short of a miracle that I ever came home!

How great is this????

So, I'm just telling you now - that if I ever win the lottery, I am going to fly Carol Hart and Leigh Love out to my house and have them build a garden with paths leading to my own personal reading room - and then, unless you all join me there, you may never hear from me again.......

How about a picture or a comment about your favorite book you've read this summer? We all love to read here and it's always great to add to our reading lists. Some of my summer reads are pictured above. My absolute favorite this summer is not pictured because I read it on my Kindle. It's called  All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. What a GREAT read!

The welcoming committee!