Rainy Days are for Reading
There is something about rain tapping on our steel roof that makes me want to curl up with a cozy blanket and a good book, and this summer, with more than our fair share of grey days, I’ve had plenty of time to read and think. Lately, I’ve been thinking about the stories waiting to be found in the books tucked inside those creative Little Free Libraries scattered across the countryside.
If you’ve never stopped at a Little Free Library, September seems like the perfect month to plan a peek inside one of these tiny community treasures.
Several times a month, I pass a cute, custom-crafted Little Library sitting atop an old tree stump at 544 Lower Oak Leaf Road, between Lyndhurst and Athens, and the other day I finally took the time to stop. The library was packed with books of various genres, with access doors on both sides of the thoughtfully made, double-sided Little Library. The top door held more books, including kids’ books, a series of comics, and more for kids to explore. I selected a Spiderman comic for a young Spiderman fan I know who is quick to devour any comic he can get his hands on.
The quick stop motivated me to continue my drive and search out a Little Library I had seen in a social media post a few weeks ago, announcing the new installation of “The Little Magic Free Library” at 300 Greens Road off Hwy #32 just outside of Seeley’s Bay. With Magic and Library in the same title, how could I not want to check it out?
The Little Magic Free Library is Michelle Millar’s way of adding a little bit of magic to her community, along with her blog ‘Little Magic Life.’ For more about Michelle’s health and wellness blog/business and her offerings, visit www.littlemagiclife.wixsite.com and follow along on social media.
Michelle’s husband helped bring her Little Library dream to fruition by building it from “an old dead tree and extra shingles” from their house build. She notes that everything was recycled, reused and given a new purpose, and she couldn’t love it more.
While visiting the Little Magic Free Library, I selected a book that spoke to me: ‘Signs - The Secret Language of the Universe’ by Laura Lynne Jackson. Though the library is just getting started and its shelves are not yet filled, I believe visitors like me will return with more to leave than they take, and the right stories will find their way onto the shelves to be shared. As if by magic, visitors will feel inspired to join the community of The Little Magic Free Library.
Over on Old Briar Hill, on the edge of Rideau Lakes Township and Leeds and the Thousand Islands Township, sits the Old Briar Hill Little Free Library at 521 Old Briar Hill. It is perhaps the pinnacle of all Little Free Libraries, with its own Facebook following, a guest book for visitors to sign and leave comments, free balloons, bookmarks, and a constantly changing selection of new and used books.
Angela Bray Kelman, the owner of Old Briar Hill Little Free Library, is an avid reader, school bus driver and TLTI municipal councillor. She keeps visitors interested by including reviews and more on the dedicated Facebook page. She is grateful to her father, who lovingly created the library for her, area residents and visitors to enjoy.
You can look for a Little Free Library by searching www.littlefreelibrary.org, where thousands of registered libraries are pinned across neighbourhoods around the world. But the real delight is discovering the Little Libraries you may have driven past a hundred times without ever stopping.
Consider taking the kids on a drive, exploring the Little Free Libraries in the area, and letting them choose a story for themselves while sharing one of their own. Then the next time it rains, which we know it will sooner rather than later, you and your kids or grandkids will all have a new-to-you book to enjoy.
Perhaps the most beautiful thing about a rainy day is that it gives you time to slow down long enough to find the stories waiting for you.
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