If you’ve been around here for a while you know I like things that are “a little extra,” as the kids say.
Why have a standard bus stop bench in front of the library if you can have one that looks like an open book?
This bench sits in front of the main library in Chillicothe, Ohio. Here’s a view of the back.
Good for the library for adding whimsy to an everyday thing! Life would be more interesting if we all took a page from their book!
If you are fortunate enough to be a guest at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs and are a book lover, there’s a very special place to see. It’s called Pourtales Library and it’s located just off the main mezzanine in the resort’s main building.
I had seen a photo online but was still delighted and enchanted to see it in person for the first time. We were fortunate to be there for the first time when no one else was around.
It’s a small place with big character and an elegance that comes from something that feels both timeless and almost medieval. There’s a massive fireplace with a crest. Floor-to-ceiling shelves are stuffed with books that were donated by a longtime Broadmoor guest.
There are delightful reading nooks built into bookshelves and a warmth that makes you want to sit down and stay. There’s even a ladder!
Time didn’t allow me to sit and stay but I did take time to browse the collection a few times. It’s an eclectic assortment of old and new available to guests on the honor system. Some of the books are truly strange and others are perfect for browsing at a place like this.
I liked everything about this place including the name. Incidentally, it was named for Prussian Count James Pourtales who was a driving force in the development of Colorado Springs and the construction of Broadmoor Casino. That casino no longer exists but was the precursor to the hotel that exists today.
It’s like something from a storybook. If you ever get to stay at the Broadmoor, I hope you will seek out this space and rest a while amongst the books. You will love it!
PS: If you’re into woodworking, you might find this 2020 article about the redo of this library interesting. The woodwork is pretty special!
As seen outside a library in Pittsburgh. Every place needs a Kindness Zone
Happy Sunday, friends. Maybe make your own Kindness Zone.
Today’s story was supposed to be about a cool library I visited last week. Unfortunately, I chose to take on a home improvement project last night and worked kind of obsessively to make as much progress as possible.
Consequently, I failed to carve out time to write that story. Since this blog is more or less a daily writing exercise, there is typically no safety net of stories in the can.
All I can say is sit tight. We will go to the library and some other interesting places soon. Maybe I’ll even show you what I am working on here! Meanwhile, my laundry room, kitchen and dining room are a total disaster and there’s much work waiting for me tonight!
On that note, I will leave you with wisdom from Winnie The Pooh’s Eeyore.
Could be worse. Not sure how, but it could be.
Have a great day, friends. We will go to the library soon.
Doesn’t this look peaceful? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to sit in this room with nothing to do but to wile away the hours with a book from one of those shelves?
This library is in Lithopolis, Ohio and is well worth a visit if you’re in the area. I wrote about it once and you can read that story here.
A quiet place in a beautiful old building to just sit and think sounds so welcome right now. There are some days when it feels like I have no quiet at all.
One of these days, maybe I will leave my phone in the car and sit here for a morning to just read and think. How luxurious!
Some people look for amusement parks and casinos in their travels. I seek out churches, bridges, bookstores and libraries.
Mackinaw Island is thought of primarily as a summer destination but it’s also home to a year round population of about 500. The library has shorter hours during the winter but it does stay open.
This location, right on the lake, dates to 1992 but the island has been served by a library since 1936. We were there on a Sunday so we didn’t make it inside but the exterior is charming.
I stood there for a moment imagining life as a librarian in this quaint island community. The thought was fleeting since I don’t care for crowds of summer tourists and the isolation may not be the best for me.
Someday I’ll go back on a weekday for a look-see inside!