I have been subscribing to a literary gardening magazine since early 2000. It was the first magazine in which I had been published. Recently, its founder, Pat Stone, retired. The magazine has been bought by a large publishing company and I just learned that I can no longer get print editions.
The price has increased dramatically and rather than being published only four times a year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) it is now produced monthly. I had moved and discovered that I was missing issues. I never received the usual subscription renewal offer in the mail; but I was suddenly being inundated with daily emails from the new editor. When I at last contacted them, I learned that the print edition was no longer available, so my only option is to subscribe to the online version, or drop my subscription entirely.
I like to read in bed in the evening as it helps me to fall asleep. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I read some more so that I can fall asleep faster. I am told that reading online is more environmentally friendly, although I have my doubts. Millions of worn out or obsolete electronics end up in landfills. The substances used to make the batteries are clearly not environmentally friendly. While the rest of the world becomes deeper and deeper entrenched in their phones and other devices, I prefer to limit my time on them. I dislike the way these devices lure us away from the present moment. I resent the time I must spend sorting through emails and the hours wasted while I am pulled away from the real world, often without realizing it.
I still have a large library of books filling my bookshelves. I love to buy books to add to my collection. When my girls were young, and also my grandchildren, I frequently bought them books as gifts, in hopes of instilling in them a love of reading. It comforts me to be surrounded by books, knowing that I can pick one up whenever I want to. I often refer to my many gardening books for information. Mostly, I love knowing that I can curl up in a chair with a book or magazine and a cup of tea to sip on. But, clearly, I cannot curl up with my phone or my computer. I have tried; but it is downright uncomfortable!
