Reet is a regular patron of The Free Books Project, and stops by The Free Books Place often. He has many creative projects going on at any given time, so he’s always on the lookout for some good books that ignite his inspired mind. A lot of his awesome work can be found on the website for his animated-series-in-progress, Dreamer’s Playlist.
On top of his hundred-and-one hats, Reet is also quite the nature bug and identified some White Goosefoot and Lemon Clover growing around The Free Books Place, which is actually quite delicious. (This is your official disclosure that The Free Books Project does not condone eating unidentified plants on the property!)
I sent pictures of these surprisingly appetizing plants to the Quaker Meeting House’s own O, who I’d call a farmer in a former life. I thought I could stump her. She took the challenge and ran, texting back with lightning speed not only to confirm she knew what they were, but to provide alternative names: Wood Sorrel for Lemon Clover, and Lambsquarters for Goosefoot. Reet was impressed! I, on the other hand, thwarted! I’m now on a personal mission to have Reet and O meet and talk naturally-occurring leafy greens.
Other patrons who paid us a visit were BJ, who brought her son visiting from the UK this summer. He is a great, Jesus-loving guy who is very proud of his mother, and she of him. They donated some great reads. L from Haddonfield Meeting stopped by with some books, too.
W stopped in with her daughter who is enrolled at Camden County Community College and heard about us. She plans to start a Book Club with some friends at school. She was in luck! Thanks to The Free Books Place staff member Brooke, we had 10 or so copies of Hidden Figures. W said she is going to check out a park in Cherry Hill near a few lower-income housing complexes to see if they will allow a Book Ark to be installed there. W and her daughter volunteered to be it’s Book Ark Stewards, if so.
We know C from Cathedral Kitchen, where Brooke also does a good job of recruiting our patrons. He is usually smiling and spreading his joy to others, and this day was no different. He took up a seat under a giant oak tree with a couple of hot dogs and watched the world go by. I helped him with that task.
All in all, it was a great day. I get such a good feeling when I walk into The Free Books Place and it’s a hub of activity, with various people making connections with others, fingering through the shelves, and L at a table, working on some of her drawings for us to hang up.
My moment of zen and gratitude. Thank you for being here.
Written by: Tom Martin, Executive Director
Edited by: Breanna Ransome, MA