Books are as essential as breathing.
The choice of what we curl up with is important.
It can mean the difference between learning something new or uncovering long lost stories from the past. 
photo: Laurie Frankel
Speaking of stories, being read to is like good medicine. Stories have such power, they do not require that you do, be, or act anything. All you do is listen.
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Good books provide comfort, consolation and the companionship that we all crave.
For some, a magazine can be a source of inspiration. Boy, don't we know that!
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On a chaise in the garden, under a beach umbrella, or in a wingback by the fire, books can be an escape.
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The best books are passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps an old favorite that you loved as a child.
There are many other ways to enjoy books besides reading them. We all know that too!
Our blogger friend Brooke Giannetti once bought 1050 leather books, from a friend's house sale. Some for at home and some for the store.
Searching for that next irresistible volume in which to lose yourself can turn book browsing into a meditative art.
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Everyone should have 3 well-paved roads to finding a good page-turner.
A proper bookstore,
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a choice secondhand haunt,
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and a civilized lending library.
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I like my library, I mean it's kind of ok. I'm funny, I like to be the only one on my isle. So many times I have really weird people who always seem to be looking at the same section as me!
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Visiting a secondhand-book store is almost like a religious experience. It is a place where time stands still, hours become minutes and I am literally lost in time. These old places I love!
They are filled with leather-bound and tattered jackets, and the musty scent of dog-eared pages.
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Some secondhand stores are old ramshackle haunts with vague subject categories stacked to the rafters.
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They are certainly worth wandering into though because you never know what you will find.
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The choice secondhand stores have entire rooms devoted to subject categories. Alphabetized according to the author and occasionally in their original jackets.
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Cooking, classics, gardening, art, history, and mystery to name a few. Speaking of cooking, I am loving this cookbook library located in The Tyler Florence Shop in Mill Valley California.
And "check out" this old theatre turned into a bookstore. I wonder if they show movies too?
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Your not so typical espresso bar in New York City.
Put finding a fabulous book on your list this week and always remember to pick one out for a friend.
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We all know about Amazon but I wanted to mention another great online source for books, Abe Books. At Abe, you can pick up this first edition signed copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's for only $6,500 (i know)+ $4.50 shipping.
Their inventory of books for sale from different booksellers includes the world’s finest antiquarian books dating back to the 15th century, countless out-of-print gems, millions of signed books, millions of used copies, a vast selection of college textbooks and new books too. 
Have you read a good book lately?
nightingale or does your idea of the typical field guide have you running for your life like Tippi Hedren in The Birds?
Creating A Family Garden by Bunny Guinness reminds us that there was a time when children's playground equipment did not come pre-assembled!
A small den can also be made by pulling the trunks of young trees together at the top & weaving branches in-between them. As the trees grow they can form a living tree house which changes as it grows from year to year.
Children appreciate small personalized spaces. Even if they've been raised in a spacious home, they will still hanker after a tent! 
I would appreciate a small personalized space too, however, you can forget the tent. Treehouses aren't just for kids you know! Honestly, if this were mine I might never come down. I mean, it's so high and all. 
Ok, let's be nice and play with others. A well-planned garden or yard can be the hub of family life. My friend Brooke has all 4 of her teens harvesting crops in their California garden! If you want to design a treehouse like no other, good news, there are treehouse people! Check with your local tree surgeon too. They really know their stuff!
