When things get a little rough around the edges, I start fantasizing about going back to the land.  I play the Five Acre “Farm” Fantasy game and pretend that The Taste Tester and I could be self-sufficient on that little acreage (yeah, we probably could but…).  My “farm” will have regular row crops and fruit trees and olive trees.  Beehives, of course.  Also some sheep.  And chickens.

Although T3 and I certainly haven’t ruled out fleeing the city for country life, we haven’t made any steps in that direction either.  Instead, I feed the flames of fantasy by reading books about people who have actually made the switch.  If this is your fantasy too (and we’re certainly not alone if the number of titles about this subject is any guide), the following books will make for great escapism:

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver

Fifty Acres and a Poodle by Jeanne Marie Laskas

The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball

The Quarter Acre Farm by Spring Warren (this one is about staying put but growing/eating locally)

Farm City by Novella Carpenter (this is also about staying put and creating an urban farm…I woudn’t keep bees on my balcony, though)