My Love Affair With Books

This month's shopping spree!

From my earliest memory as a child, I loved books. I remember walking around the house with my favourite children's storybooks pretending to read them, convincingly so, because I had memorized every page. I still have many of those classics.

Mom used to read to my older sister and I most nights. And sometimes Mom or Dad would set out our record player in the hall between our bedroom doors, and play one of our stories on record, for us to relax and fall asleep to. I remember one of my favourite stories Mom read to me was The Hobbit.

As a kid it was such a treat to spend hours in a book store with my family, browsing the lifetimes of knowledge at my finger tips, excited at the idea of learning something new, or having my imagination swept away by a wonderful story. Even after all these years, I'm just as content to spend an afternoon in a book store.

Yesterday I visited Dartmouth Book Exchange, Coles, and Chapters with a list of books in mind that I wanted to check out. I couldn't resist buying a few (see photo to right)! Last night I started reading Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy and love it already.

In the past year, 2 books I read stand out for me in a powerful way. They are Breath by Tim Winton, and Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad. There is a beautifully moving trailer for Breath. I hope this becomes a movie some day. Watch it here...

My journals ~ for my notes, thoughts, and sketches

Journals have endless possibilities, too. I have a book for everything- to record all my sales in at Seaport Market, and what I need to print or order for the following weekend. One journal is where I sketch all my new painting ideas in, especially if I'm planning a large solo show and I want to capture a certain theme. I have a journal that is specifically used as a "guest book" where my fans can share their contact info and comments. A tiny journal is kept in my car to keep track of my mileage and gas for my business. I have a notebook where I write my daily/weekly/monthly "to-do" lists, plans, and notes. And finally I began writing in a journal every night before I go to sleep to help clear my head and energy. I've found this to be my saving grace, lightening my spirit, allowing my creativity to flow more freely.

In my living room on an antique table sits my atlas books and globe, a huge stack of surfer magazines, and some great handy reference books.

My living room

At the top of the stairs overlooking my living room is a wide open hall, that we've converted into a library with floor to ceiling shelves to house my growing collection of books.

My "reading room" in the upstairs hall, overlooking the living room.

A glimpse into my collection... from travel books to novels, anatomy, art history, how-to's, and yoga.

Here is a lovely YouTube video to leave you with called The Joy of Books...

What's in your treasured collection?