My lovely home office is second to none, so here I share some photos of the writing space that inspires me every day.

Welcome to Letters From Windermere, where I write about:

• HISTORY: mostly Western Canada history.
• WRITING: updates on Finding Flora, and my future plans.
• BOOKS: I recommend a good book every month.

Welcome to My Home Office

This post was originally written five years ago, in July 2020, and little has changed since then. But because I have so many new subscribers, and I am asked so often about my writing space, I decided to share an updated version.

My home office is located next to the living room and the kitchen (which unfortunately makes it all too handy for snacking.)

It’s accessed by an antique wooden door, which my parents salvaged from the historic Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford.

To read more about my home: Ten Ways to Make a New House Look Old.

My home office has windows on all three sides, which makes it very bright and cheerful. I can never bear to pull the blinds and block the sunshine, so sometimes I even work with one hand shading my eyes so that I can see my computer screen!

On the shelf over the windows in my home office is a row of silver trays that I collected from thrift stores and used at my daughter’s wedding.

When I am tired of staring at my screen, I retire to my reading corner at the other end of my home office.

I bought the chair at a second-hand store in Harrison Hot Springs, B.C.  I painted the woodwork white and paid a small fortune to have it recovered (the upholstery used to be green and orange).

In the past twelve years we have acquired five grandchildren, all living in our town of Invermere, B.C., so my home office also serves as a play room.

I bought the wooden rocking horse above at a second-hand store in Fort Langley, B.C. and carried it back to our hotel on my head because my arms were full!

I picked up the doll house at a garage sale in Qualicum Beach, B.C. for thirty dollars. It has provided hundreds of hours of fun for the grandkids.

(If you follow this newsletter, you know that I am nuts about vintage treasures.)

I also use the seating area to read to my grandchildren, so there is always a basket of books beside the chair, many of which belonged to our own girls.

Speaking of books, I usually have this children’s book on display. My name is spelled in an unusual way (blame my mother), so I scooped up this book about a teenaged aviator named Elinor Smith.

It reminds me to soar every day!

On the windowsill beside my desk are photos of my adorable grandkids, three girls and two boys. Their smiling faces always brighten up my day.

Through the window on the left, you can catch a glimpse of my log cabin. See more photos here: Log Cabin Fever.

On the fourth side of the room are two sets of bookshelves. I could easily fill four or five of these, but I try to keep my collection curated.

We also have bookshelves in my husband’s office, the family room, both guest bedrooms, and even my log cabin!

Hanging on one of the knobs is my tiny mascot Rosie the Riveter, which I picked up at a shop called Goats on the Roof in Coombs, B.C.

Read about the women who worked in munitions factories during the Second World War here: Bombshells and Bomb Girls.

Another of my wartime mascots is this little teddy bear which I purchased from the RAF Museum in Hendon, United Kingdom.

On my tabletop are roses from the garden, my vintage-inspired desk lamp, my land line (used primarily to locate my cell phone, which is rarely found in the same place twice), and my precious Heather’s Pick mug. My novel Finding Flora was “picked” by Indigo CEO Heather Reisman as one of her favourite reads!

No doubt that’s one of the reasons that Flora has now been on the National Bestseller list for TWELVE weeks!

I ordered this pencil holder online because I thought it was so darned cute. I have a weakness for vintage typewriters.

To keep myself organized, I have an online calendar, a wall calendar, a phone calendar, and an old-fashioned paper desk calendar. And I still manage to forget appointments sometimes!

(To answer your question in advance: yes, my office is always this tidy. I can’t collect my thoughts unless my home office is in apple-pie order.)

Finally, here’s the notice I have on my home office door — not that anyone pays attention to it!

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On the Book Trail

I had an enthusiastic audience last month at the Peachland Art Gallery, where I presented a slide show about homesteading.

After my talk, the volunteers served a lovely tea.

I often post photos of my book events on Facebook and Instagram, and you are welcome to follow me there or send me a Friend request.

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Coming Events

Please note: Although I love to meet with readers in person and online, because I’m starting the research for another book, I can’t schedule any more events until further notice.

I’m still waiting to hear back from a couple of places, however, so bookmark this page for updates: Events.

A literary tour de force, this 2016 novel by American author Amor Towles is like fine dining for the mind. It is rich and complex, and deserves to be read slowly, but it is never tedious. A member of the Russian nobility is confined to house arrest in 1920 after the Russian Revolution, and for the next thirty years he experiences life and love and the unfolding political drama from his vantage point inside the walls of a luxury hotel in Moscow.

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Friends, I am currently enjoying the Land of the Living Skies in sunny Saskatchewan! I have two book events planned here, plus a visit to my family’s farm near North Battleford. I hope you are enjoying a lovely Canadian summer, wherever you are.

Warmly, Elinor