Since then, I’ve discovered our neighborhood is full of these Little Free Libraries, and it does help to build a sense of community in the neighborhood.
Gem was particularly fond of this lighthouse themed library. She brought her mermaid so she could check it out, too.
Another of our favorite libraries is actually two Little Free Libraries: one for kids and one for adults.
There is quite an active community around these book exchanges. There is a facebook page for local fans and Architects without Borders is sponsoring a design competition for the structures that house these libraries.
Gem decided she would like to donate some of her books to one of the little libraries.
Gem: I want to give these books to other kids who don't have any books.
Me: That's a very nice thing to do.
Gem: Well, these books are bad
Me: why are they bad?
Gem: Well it's not nice to hop on people, its not nice to mess up people's houses, and kids should never cross the street without holding a grownup's hand
The day started out with a plan, and it was all Gem’s idea. We were going to go on a walking tour of all the beautiful flowers in our new neighborhood. And, I would bring my camera, so we could take pictures and use them for a blog post.
My little unpaid intern is really starting to pay off.
We got off to a good start.
But, after a while we came across this:
And inside, they had this:
They also had books.
The walls were lined with old classics
and my little girl was entranced
We spent hours in the doughnut shop, and I got to share with her some of my childhood favorites.
The garden tour / photo walk can wait for another day.
There is a local family that goes all out with their Christmas decorations every year. Santa frequently stops by to pose for DIY photos, and they even have a snow making machine installed on the side of their house. They also collect for the NW Harvest food drive every year.
Every where you look is decorated, every square foot of the lawn. Aaron and I marveled at how much was involved. Not just the electricity, but the hours of work that must have been involved. I can’t even wrap my head around the planning, organization, and storage considerations for this annual project.
Gem marveled at the whole thing, too. “Mommy, Mommy, look, look!” Over and over again. Everything was so amazing.
It is a bit gaudy, and definitely over the top, but that’s part of the appeal. I love a little exuberance every once in a while; it can be so freeing and refreshing.
