My Top 5 Places to Read

Every January I begin my countdown to the last 1/4^th of the year. Despite crunching leaves and crackling ice and hot chocolate, easily my favorite part of the last part of the year is the reading weather. The atmosphere makes me want to curl up with candles and blankets and read. That being said, I thought it would be fun to travel to some of my favorite reading places:

1. This is the Wade Center in Chicago. While I ran/plodded regularly, I would always always always stop and sit on the bench in front of the center. I’m not sure if it’s still there, but a trellis/border/thing grew around the bench shrowding it with flowers during the spring. Inside the center contains the desk of CS Lewis and Tolkien and the wardrobe that inspired the Narnia series. I swear I could feel the creativity flow from the bricks.

2. This technically isn’t a “spot”, but still one of my favorites. I love to listen to an audiobook in the car while driving through the mountains. Especially when the aspens have turned gold and the light is shining down and the book pace is picking up. Gah! DGH and I have been listening to the Harry Potter and Miss Peregrin series this way.

3. I grew up in the foothills of California. I loved grabbing yogurt and settling in on our porch to watch the sun rise above the mountains with a good book. The roof stretched out so I could read there in the rain, too. Sometimes, early autumn days, I’d sit on our swing set and read to a rhythm.

4. I found another quiet spot along the Platte River in Colorado. There’s so many nooks and crannies to hide away in. You need to read there on a cooler day so the sun doesn’t cook ya, but it’s nice if you can find a spot close to the water.

5. Right now, I’m in love with reading in my library. I won’t show an actual picture because it’s of, you know, my house. But there’s a maple out front that turns fire red. Granted, all the red’s fallen off, but I still like the pattern of the branches. I’ll throw open the windows and sit with a massive cup of tea and furry blanket. My pups will sleep at my feet and my heart goes all goopy with warmth. I won’t move until the book is finished.

Do you have any favorite reading spots?