Forget the numbers. It's the one-to-one that matters.

Are you on Facebook?  It certainly is the rage these days.  Post something and it's out there for all the world to see.  Though Facebook is definitely pretty amazing, I prefer my correspondence to be more personal, one-to-one. I suppose there are times when we want to reach many people at once.  Perhaps we have general information to share, then Facebook is great, but life seems sweeter to me when I'm turning acquaintances into real friends by reaching out to them one by one.

Real friendship requires a certain amount of intimacy and writing a letter is one great way to create that intimacy with another person.  A hand written letter is also a genuine modern-day luxury because it offers us the chance to slow down, sit still for a while and be reflective.

I'm not the only one who prefers 'the personal touch'.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta, one of my "dead friends", was a great advocate for life with 'the personal touch'.  Teresa said, "Forget the numbers.  It's the one-to-one that matters.  Be kind in words."  I'm always pleased when bona fide saints happen to agree with me, and I like to think I'm actually continuing Mother Teresa's work here on earth for though I may not always be there for the sick and dying as she was, I sometimes am.

I try to send get well cards with encouraging letters tucked inside to those who are ill and I write letters to people in hospice.  One of my favorite cousins received my daily letter during the seven weeks she was in hospice.  Susan, who happened to be one of my  favorite pen friends, wasn't up for in-person visits, but hopefully my daily letter visits were able to show her I cared without disturbing her.  This was my way to  brighten her last days just a little bit.  Her daughter Stephanie would sit by Susan's bedside and read my letters too, and now Stephanie, who never had been into letter writing herself,  is  now keeping in touch with me by letter as her mother did.  I think Susan would like that.

Sharing little personal things (all sorts of them) along with a little bit of love, can enrich our life and the lives of others.  I love to cook and bake, but I know not everyone loves these activities so I wouldn't share my favorite recipes with all my letter friends, only with the cookers and bakers.  These foodies will also share their favorite recipes with me and this sharing is great fun for us!  Are you a cooker or baker? If you are you might like the recipe my pen friend Wendy passed on to me.  Wendy lives in Michigan and though her daughter went to The University of Michigan and one of my sons went to Ohio State University, we still manage to be friendly letter friends.  (In case you don't know, these two schools are fierce rivals.)  Wendy's recipe for an  Asparagus-Ricotta Tart sounds good to me and I bet it looks great too with the asparagus spears decorating its top.  It seems quite simple and easy and I'm happy to share it with you should you be interested in cooking:

ASPARAGUS-RICOTTA TART

Pour mixture of 15 oz. ricotta cheese, 4 eggs, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup milk, salt and pepper into a 10 inch non-stick oven safe skillet.  Top with asparagus spears, trimmed to fit and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  This recipe serves four people,or one very hungry person.

[caption id="attachment_3170" align="aligncenter" width="225"] A letter can change your life[/caption]Speaking of foodies and sharing through letters, I would like to share a blog post written on January 14, 2012 by cookbook author Susan Branch.  Susan says a letter changed her life.  She writes:

"A long time ago when I was told that my first book was going to be published, I was beside myself with shock and happiness.  I hadn't met Joe yet, [her husband] I didn't have Martha and Lowely [her cats I think] in my life; I knew very few people on the island, [Martha's Vineyard] so I was alone, jumping up and down in my kitchen when it happened, getting on the phone, screaming for joy into the ears of my parents and friends in California! [because as you know sharing doubles the joy]  But that even pales (slightly) to what happened a few months after the book came out.  It was a day I'll never forget... a freezing January afternoon.  I'd gone to the post office to pick up my mail, parked my old green Volvo in front of a grey snow bank and left the engine (and the heater) running.  I picked my way over dirty parking-lot ice, through the glass doors of the post office;  it seemed like just a normal winter day;  I was feeling a little isolated and alone on the island, freezing, dark, grey, wintry Martha's Vineyard.  I was still a relatively new transplant, a stranger in a strange land.  When I got back to the car, I flipped through my mail and saw a pale blue envelope with a return address I didn't recognize, written in an unfamiliar handwriting.  It made me curious, of course, so I opened it right away.  It was a letter from a woman I didn't know telling me, in the most beautiful words imaginable, how much my book ("Heart of the Home") meant to her.  I couldn't believe it; I sat there in the snow and cried tears of gratitude.  Suddenly, my world had changed ;  I wasn't isolated!  I wasn't alone!  My heart overflowed with happiness;  I clutched that letter to me, would have hugged it if it was bigger!  It had never occurred to me ever that someone might take the time to write and tell me they liked my book. IT CHANGED MY LIFE."

See?  I'm not kidding when I say a personal letter can change your life or the life of someone else.

[caption id="attachment_3172" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Letters are intimate sharing much like the sharing of secrets being whispered to another.[/caption] Our world is getting so impersonal.  People in the same room will prefer to text rather than speak to one another.  In days gone by people might not have had texting and email, but they had more in-person visitation.  How many people have dropped over to your house for a personal visit recently, perhaps with a pretty bouquet of flowers? How many people have recently invited you for an intimate dinner at their house?  How many people have you invited over for afternoon tea?  Face to face communication in the home was common years ago.  Secrets were shared.  Ideas were exchanged.  News was reported in person.  One-to-one communication was at its best!

Visiting, dinner parties, afternoon teas, all lovely social traditions, and I'm all for bringing these traditions back into style.  When people of the past could not get together in person the next best thing was to hand write a personal letter.  Well, the good news is, though we have all sorts of modern communication today it is still possible, and most delightful, to partake in these old world ways.  These things are delightful because they involve the human touch.

Just as candlelight remains a romantic alternative to electric light, or as a wood-burning fireplace creates superior ambiance to a gas heater, a hand written personal letter, created by one person to one person, remains a great way to foster intimacy in a relationship.  Writing a letter is a great way to show someone we're thinking of them and we care about them.  I'm sure Mother Teresa would agree, for unlike Facebook, in letter writing we forget the numbers and reach out to one soul at a time.  If we add great love to our letters, well, that's all the better.

So go find some paper,  a pen, and write a letter to someone you care about.  Make it personal.  Make it pretty.  "Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart".  That's William Wordsworth's advice, mine too, and I bet Mother Teresa would third that advice as well.  Just do it!  You'll be glad you did and so will the lucky recipient of your letter.

[caption id="attachment_3174" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A letter from Michelle[/caption]

So, as my pen friend Michelle of Washington D.C. recently wrote, " That is all for now. Hope we can keep the Post Office busy from now on.  Until the next time, I'll put a pot of tea on and think of you."

The Letter Writing Ritual

What is a ritual?  The Mirriam-Webster Dictionary defines ritual as an act or series of acts regularly repeated in a set precise manner.  Wikipedia tells us the term ritual is sometimes used in a technical sense for a repetitive behavior systematically used by a person to neutralize or prevent anxiety.

Well, I find letter writing in general  to be a great anxiety neutralizer because as I step off the fast track, sit myself down, reflect on my life situation and share that reflection with a friend in a slow careful manner, I become more calm and at peace.  And in this calm thoughtful state it's easier to focus on the positive, fighting off the negative.  Rushing destroys grace, but mindful relaxation cultivates grace and when I'm in this 'state of grace' life seems more manageable and more beautiful too.

 But with all there is to do how do we make time for writing letters?  The answer is simple.  We decide to make letter writing a priority and we create a letter writing ritual.  After all, life is a series of choices and we are the creators of our life, the ones who make those choices.  Though modern life can easily fill up our day with a swirl of "to do's" we have the power to say STOP if we choose to use that power.

But what exactly is a letter writing ritual?

A letter writing ritual is the carefully planned approach we create in regard to the who, what, when, where  and how that's involved in our letter writing process.

When we pay close attention to all the details of our ritual, making these details orderly and pleasing to our sensibilities, we then elevate our letter writing activity into the realm of a peak aesthetic experience.  So let's talk about how one would create such a ritual.

THE WHO

In order to get right down to writing when the time comes it helps to know just who will be getting the next letter.  Having a list of letter recipients in place helps with this matter, and only you know who should be on your list.  As you receive letters you can certainly enter the names of these letter friends  - and favorite friends might be put on a priority response list.   But you might also like to add the names of others - your children, elderly friends and relations - anyone you care about, people who may or may not write back to you.  Your list could include the names of people who need a get well letter or birthday letter. Think through all the people you know.

You can begin a new correspondence by writing a first letter to someone you know and like asking lots of questions so they have reason to write back to you.  Be creative.  There might be people you know who need a little encouragement, deserve a little praise.  Write to children.  Everyone loves to get a personal letter.   Give a little creative thought to the matter and design a system that will help you know just who is to get your next letter automatically.  This systematic list created by you will  truly make it easier to get right down to writing when you finally have the time to write.

I like to keep a special list containing the names of  people who send me a Christmas card each year.  I might not have the time in busy December to send all these people a card with a personal letter inside, but if their names are on my list I will get around to them sooner or later.  Lists are helpful.

THE WHAT

What kind of stationery do you like to use?  Maybe you always send greeting cards with letters inside those cards.  Maybe you use monogrammed stationery.  You might design your own papers.  Perhaps you create photo note cards.  There are so many wonderful types of stationery for our letters.  If you're like me you enjoy using all sorts of materials.  In order not to spend a lot of time deciding just what papers to use each time you write it is helpful to have these choices organized in some way.  Maybe the decision is easy for you because you always use exactly the same light blue paper with dark blue ink, but if you're like me, you'll need to decide in advance what approach you'll take in using your materials. It's fun to take stock of the possibilities and design your own approach for then when it's time to write a letter you'll go directly to the paper, postage stamps, sealing wax and inks without time spent deliberating the choices.

THE WHEN

The Bible says there's a time for all things under heaven, but unless we set appointments for these things they often get pushed back, pushed in, and sometimes pushed right out of the picture.  In order to guarantee regular letter writing it helps to have a  set time each day, or at least each week.  Just as we brush our teeth each morning or cut the grass each Saturday, having an appointment set with pen and paper makes letter writing happen.

I write one letter first thing every morning as I enjoy that first cup of coffee.  I rise early to be sure I am undisturbed. Then later in the afternoon when I'm ready for a break, I know it's time once again for a little letter writing.

Some people with full time jobs enjoy writing their letters after dinner when their day is winding down. It doesn't matter when we write, but it does matter that we have a regular time for writing.  Without a set time established other tasks will try, and usually succeed, in squeezing themselves into the picture as they squeeze  your letter writing  out the picture.

THE WHERE

I think it's important to write our letters in a pleasing location.  I can't imagine enjoying my letter writing time as much as I do if I were sitting before a sink full of dirty dishes or in a room that's messy. In order to encourage peaceful uplifting thoughts a peaceful uplifting setting usually works best - at least this is true for me.

My morning letter writing time during warm months is enjoyed on my porch for it's here I have a view of nature in all it's glory.  I find trees, birds, green grass and skies fine companions for letter writing. They keep my thoughts fixed to the lovelier things in life.

But when the weather turns cold  writing  letters in my library with a fire burning in the fireplace feels cozy and comforting.  My good friend  Bruce  always lit a beeswax candle at the start of his letter writing.  He also sat before a window so he could focus on the sky. He would describe its beauty at the start of each of his letters.   Putting yourself in a place that soothes the savage beast in you (and we all have those little beasties unnerving us)  will undoubtedly make your letter writing time more pleasurable.

THE WHY

Why do we write letters?  Well, as we reach out to others we're reaching into ourselves.  Flannery O'Connor, the Irish novelist, said she doesn't know what she thinks till she sees what she writes. Writing is like that.  It helps us think.  Until we sit ourselves down in quietude and reflect a lot gets past us.  Most of my creative ideas occur to me while I'm writing.  As I share my enthusiasm for projects, appreciation for favorite things, as I react to my friend's enthusiasm and appreciations, I feel energized.  But writing also helps us relax.  Writing helps us share.  Writing exercises our intellect.  It is art.  It can become a ministry as we show that we care about others.

To write any  letter is a complete treat, a treat for the writer and a treat for the lucky recipient.  But to have a  letter writing ritual in place not only safe guards our letter writing time making it automatic, but it also makes the process richer and more satisfying because  all the details are worked out in advance and designed exactly the way we like them.  Paying close attention to these details involved in letter writing truly elevates our activity to the level of a peak aesthetic experience.

Yes it does!

Make new friends but keep the old

[caption id="attachment_3092" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My letter from Lana[/caption]Have you made any new friends lately?  I have.  My newest friend is Lana.  She is from Arizona.  I think it's pretty nifty that a girl from Ohio (me) can meet and make friends with a girl from Arizona (Lana) without even leaving my house.  That's The Art of Letter Writing for you.  I met Lana through the organization known as The Letter Exchange.  What a lovely letter she recently sent me in response to one of my search letters to her.  (In case you don't know or remember what my search letters are let me explain.  A search is a first letter I write a person in answer to their ad  found in The Letter Exchange magazine)

Lana's  paper, her hand writing, and the words she shared in her first letter to me were all a delight.  The first paragraph of Lana's letter read like this:  "How wonderful to discover your letter in my mailbox. Thank you for putting a smile on my face.  Such unexpected surprises add zest to one's day and are surely some of life's simple pleasures."

Well, right back at you Lana.  Getting Lana's letter sure put a smile on my face too, and I agree wholeheartedly that such unexpected pleasures add zest to life.

I must've mentioned a love for afternoon tea in my letter to Lana because this tea bag turned up in her letter to me.  How thoughtful of her!  I could have opened the tea bag and brewed a cup of tea to enjoy while reading her letter.  Well, I'll surely do that as I write my next letter to her.

But the tea bag wasn't the only  present Lana sent me.  She also sent me a friendship book.  It seems Lana was reading my blog and came upon the post I wrote about friendship books.  This is what she had to say on the subject:

"I was taken with your post about Friendship Books.  I am unfamiliar with them but excited to learn.  Included you will see my first attempt.  This was a small gift enclosure card.  May I ask you to send me a "real" FB?  And would you please pass along mine?"

[caption id="attachment_3096" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Lana's very first friendship book, but I'm sure not the last one she makes.[/caption]

I'll surely tell Lana what a very sweet friendship book she made AND that her friendship book is as REAL as friendship books get.  She signed it, added her address and  noted a few of her favorite things - letters, animals and travel.  Now it's for me to sign the little book and of course I'll be sending it on in my next letter.

[caption id="attachment_3097" align="aligncenter" width="225"] The last page of Lana's friendship book[/caption]

One day Lana's friendship book will return to her because on the last page of her little book she added her name, address and this colorful message:  Please return to.  The friendship book will return to her with the names and addresses of people anxious to become her newest  letter friends. This friendship book will really get around as it travels from pen friend to pen friend.  If you are one of my pen friends it just may turn up in your mailbox!   Now wouldn't that be fun?   But if you don't get Lana's  friendship book make a few of your own and get them going, spreading friendship around the globe.   You'll then have the opportunity to make  wonderful new pen friends as I have with Lana and other lovely people.

But no matter how many new friends we're  lucky enough to make it's great to stay true to old friends too.  You've heard the saying -

Make new friends, but keep the old.  Some are silver, some are gold.

There's a lot of wisdom to this saying.

[caption id="attachment_3102" align="aligncenter" width="225"] One of Joy' s lovely letters to me[/caption]

I'm guessing Lana is silver and Joy is gold. Joy is one of my favorite pen friends.  I've been writing to Joy for quite some time now.  She is a breath of fresh air.  Joy had been living in Switzerland 'till recently. Now she lives in South Carolina. The lady gets around!

[caption id="attachment_3099" align="aligncenter" width="300"] One of Joy's very pretty letters to me.[/caption]

Yes, Joy gets around and she stays pretty busy too.  Lately she has started a new enterprise.  Joy has gone into the post card business.  For a long time she's enjoyed photographing things of beauty, turning pictures into postcards in order to delight her pen friends.  Well, lately she has decided to spread the joy beyond her circle of friends ... to people like YOU!

[caption id="attachment_3104" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Joy's business card[/caption]

The other day I received two of her new business card in a letter.  I checked out her website which had sample pictures of the cards she has for sale, and I was quite impressed.  I think Joy's cards would be delightful presents for anyone who enjoys correspondence.  You might like to investigate Joy's website for yourself:

www.instilloimages.com

When you view Joy's photography you will probably agree with me - that she has a real eye for beauty. Whether her subjects come from her former European surroundings or from nature or from wherever,  Joy's postcards are lovely to behold and they would be a pleasure to receive.  I keep telling  Joy she was given exactly the right name for she really is joy personified.  That joy could possibly come from all the beauty she focuses on in her life.   I have heard it said that if we look at enough beauty the beauty becomes us.   And beauty and joy go hand in hand.

[caption id="attachment_3107" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My letter to Joy[/caption]

Today it's my turn to write Joy.  I don't know what's more fun, writing her or finding one of her charming letters in my mailbox.  That's how The Art of Letter Writing is, isn't it?  Old friends, new friends, giving, receiving - sharing joy.  WONDERFUL FUN!

I can not imagine how dull life would be without letter friends.  I hope you have a hand full of your own, and I hope you are always open to adding more friendship to your life.  That's because...

"A friend is a person who knows the music of your heart and reminds you of it when you forget."

 Albert Einstein

Slow down! You move too fast

Have you noticed how the tempo of modern life seems to be moving faster and faster?  This is especially true in the area of communication.  I'm all for new inventions, but must we throw out everything old in order to enjoy the new?  Most people will say they don't write letters because letters are just too slow!  But what's wrong with slow?  People dashing around fast and furiously would do well to slow down now and then.

Many people enjoy hiking or taking  leisurely walks through a park.  I sure do, do you?  I suppose you could drive through a park quickly, but that drive certainly wouldn't be as satisfying and sensual an experience as a walk. When we walk we see nature up close.  In walking we're more able to appreciate the beauty around us.  We enjoy the fragrance of nature.  We stretch our legs and wake up our muscles.  Our thoughts run freely as we walk and in this peaceful state creativity flourishes.  We don't need to take these walks, but if we partake in them our life is richer.

Well, just as no one is telling us we must take walks, no one is telling us we must write letters either, but people who have discovered both activities are surely richer for experiencing them.  Both walking and letter writing give us great exercise, the kind of exercise we modern folks need to be at our very best. Walking gives us a healthy physical workout and writing a letter, though also physical,  gives us  social, intellectual and spiritual exercise as well .

Both walking and letter writing are truly work, but pleasurable work, and this work is good for us.  But you know how work is.  It takes a little effort.  Also,  if a person hasn't  tried either activity they don't know what they're missing AND if a person is out of shape, either physically or intellectually, they will struggle a little at first, but that struggle is worthwhile.

No pain no gain

We all know why sitting around too much makes us fat and lazy.  Well, never thinking, never reflecting, never sharing our deeper thoughts with others, makes us intellectually sluggish and inarticulate.

To slow down and sit still now and then is good for us, especially if while we're sitting we're doing more than watching television.  If we choose to write a letter we're using physical skills, social skills, intellectual skills and spiritual skills.  I've told you before that  letter writing is a complete treat, well, it's also a complete workout.  It's healthy!

Writing a letter may be a slow activity, but nothing is good nor bad.  Tis thinking makes things so. Where some people think a letter's  slowness is a fault, I know it's a blessing.  I don't mind the time it takes for my letters to reach their destinations and my letter friends don't insist I rush to answer their missives. Speed is not the most important thing in all personal communication.  Thoughtful expression trumps speed.  Caring and sharing trumps speed.  The personal touch trumps speed.  Art play trumps speed. Having  a chest full of  lasting, intimate messages tied up with ribbon trumps speed.

 Hand writing a letter is a slow, pleasurable physical activity. It is certainly not instant messaging.  It is so much more than that.  Handwriting is art.  When we slow down and take our time to write a personal letter the process for the writer is like an intellectual massage, or doing slow physical yoga, or enjoying  a long friendly chat with a friend over coffee. or spending time in prayer for our penfriend.   If we limit our venting in a letter (though a little is sometimes good for the soul) and focus instead on positive, beautiful thoughts, we come away from our letter writing time refreshed and inspired.  I know I do.

So, if you've not been writing letters, thinking they were too slow and old fashioned an activity for modern you, well, just think of these words from Robert Frost.  He says,

"There's absolutely no reason for being rushed along with the crowd.  Everyone should be free to go very slowly."

Modern man thinks he loses something - time - when he does not do things quickly; yet he does not know what to do with the time he gains - except kill it

Erich Fromm

Country Inn Day - "Adventure Day"

[caption id="attachment_2991" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Dreary skies over Cleveland[/caption]Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hale , nor very dreary skies can prevent me from enjoying a Country Inn Day.  My Country Inn Days are delightful escapes from routine.  If you know me, you know I have all sorts of Country Inn Days.  There are "Spa Days" and "Culture Days".  I sometimes enjoy "Nature Days" or "Sharing Tea Days" where I invite new and old friends to my personal Inn for relaxed conversation and tasty tea treats.  If the weather is really wicked I may stay cozy and warm and have an "Inn Day" where I hibernate, enjoying my favorite simple pleasures at home, or if the weather's only a 'little' wicked I'll partake in a "Hudson Day" where I take advantage of all that my historic Hudson has to offer me. BUT I sometimes have "ADVENTURE DAYS"!  On Country Inn Days marked for adventure the only rule is that I must go off to explore places totally new to me, and on this particular Country Inn "Adventure Day" I am headed to the near west side of Cleveland, The Tremont area, to be precise.

[caption id="attachment_2985" align="aligncenter" width="225"] A street in downtown Cleveland[/caption]

I head north and drive for about 35 minutes and eventually end up at one end of  downtown Cleveland near the baseball stadium.

[caption id="attachment_2986" align="aligncenter" width="225"] The Lorain-Carnegie bridge[/caption]Making a quick left I cross over the Lorain-Carnegie bridge which has the impressive sculpture of Henry Hering  decorating it.  The sculpture is titled Progress in Transportation and was created in 1932.  A very tall figure is holding  a carriage.  I would've liked to take a better picture, but (shhhhh) I was driving after all.

[caption id="attachment_2987" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A mural depicting famous Clevelanders and sites[/caption]

Once over the bridge I found a parking lot, parked, took a short walk passing this neat  mural on an old building, and  headed for a coffee shop I admired in the past, but never visited.

[caption id="attachment_2989" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sorry, but I didn't catch this coffee shop's name[/caption]

I stepped inside and was pleased with the ambiance I found there.  I ordered a cappucino and settled in at a table near the window.

I loved the windows  of the coffee shop that allowed me to look out at people who passed by.   The sun came and went as did the raindrops,  all the while I sat sipping,  cozy and happy inside the shop.

[caption id="attachment_2993" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Great Lakes Brewery with its blue awnings[/caption]

Just last week my husband joined me and son Rory for a meal at The Great Lakes Brewery.  Rory lives in this neighborhood called Ohio City.

If the weather was just a little bit better I might have sat outside having my coffee on the sidewalk, but inside was very nice just the same.

[caption id="attachment_2984" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Today's stationery designed expressly for Katie[/caption]

I pulled out my fountain pen and got busy writing my daily letter.  This letter is going to my son Patrick's friend back at UCLA.  Katie is a dear girl and a very smart dear girl.  She is working on her doctorate in statistics.  The coffee shop was quiet with only a few people present so I sipped, wrote, and enjoyed the view out my window.

[caption id="attachment_2992" align="aligncenter" width="300"] An impressionistic view of the coffee shop situated behind me[/caption]

Coming to this coffee shop could've been enough to satisfy the rules of "Adventure Day", but the morning was young and there was so much more to see and do in the area.

[caption id="attachment_2988" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A courtyard looking out at the Old 1925 United Bank Building now housing one of my favorite restaurants, The Crop Bistro, and Penzey's Spice Shop[/caption]

I walked over to Penzey's and browsed around the store.  I love to cook so all their products interest me.  Many have suggested recipes attached.

[caption id="attachment_3050" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A few of Penzey's products[/caption]I purchased a large jar to hold my crop of basil (once I dry it) and I needed to stock up on their Country French Vinaigrette salad dressing base which I love.  I also bought  a 'shallot-Pepper seasoning' which is supposed to be good on fish, vegetables, chicken, pork or veal.  We'll see.  I also purchased a seasoning called 'Sunny Paris' which is made up of purple shallots, chives, green peppercorn, basil, tarragon, chervil, bay leaf, and dill weed.  All that in such a little jar!  I put the 'Sunny Paris seasoning' on my eggs this morning and liked the taste very much.  If you don't have a Penzey's nearby you can order online at www.penzeys.com

[caption id="attachment_2995" align="aligncenter" width="225"] The West Side Market[/caption]

From Penzys I crossed the street to enter The West Side Market.  Its origins date back to 1840 and that makes it Cleveland's oldest publicly owned market.  You should google it because it's a pretty neat place.  If it's food, you'll find it there.  But though I could easily make  the rest of this post on The West Side Market, I had new places to investigate.  I hopped in my car after browsing the market and headed to the area called Tremont.

[caption id="attachment_3004" align="aligncenter" width="225"] One of Tremont's historic churches[/caption]

Tremont is one of Cleveland's oldest neighborhoods.  It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  It is just west of the Cuyahoga River and south of Ohio City.  In recent years many people have been moving to Tremont, restoring its old houses, building new residences, opening restaurants and shops of all kinds, and it is becoming "the place to go".

I drove around for a while looking at old houses that were restored and old buildings that were turned into condos.  I saw a lot of new construction too and I bet in 20 years Tremont will be even more interesting a place than it is now.  But I was getting hungry.  It was lunch time  and I also needed to find a  map in order to  better understand the town's layout.

[caption id="attachment_3008" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Halle, my girl Friday - and it WAS a Friday too[/caption]

Just then, exactly on cue, who happened by, but a sweet young woman named Halle.  She was crossing the street and I flagged her down to get a little information.  Well, Halle was so very nice and so very friendly.  (That's Ohio for you!)  She was on her way to a shop that usually had maps so I said "hop in" and off we went to that shop.  But just my luck, the shop was all out of maps, so Halle gave me all sorts of directions, as well as a great suggestion for lunch.  It was funny too, she said she just took some relatives from Hudson to the restaurant that she was recommending to me.  I said, "Hudson?  I"m from Hudson!"  That was a coincidence all right.  I told Halle she was so nice, when she next visits her relatives in Hudson she'll have to look me up.  I gave her my card and she promised to call me. ( If you're reading this Halle how 'bout an email hello?  I'll write you one of my friendly letters once I have your address.)  I was so happy meeting Halle on my "Adventure Day".  There's nothing like making a new friend.  Halle and I hugged good bye, and off I went to the restaurant she recommended.

[caption id="attachment_3014" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Some new looking condos[/caption]

I parked my car right across from these condos and walked over to Lucky's Cafe.

 Halle said Lucky's was featured on the Food Network and Cleveland's iron chef, Michael Simon, was crazy about one of their breakfast dishes.  Oh boy, this is exactly what "Adventure Day" is all about.

[caption id="attachment_3025" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Lucky's Cafe[/caption]

Before I stepped inside I had to stroll around Lucky's garden just next door.

How fun to see such a lovely  garden in a city neighborhood.

There were also picnic tables set under an awning so dining could be enjoyed outdoors on nice days, but not today, though it was clearing  up a little.

Being a lady who loves art play I really enjoyed all the sunflowers painted on the wall of the outdoor eating area.

[caption id="attachment_3020" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Lucky's counter[/caption]

I walked inside and liked the looks of the place.  The old counter was very handsome.  You can get breakfast all day at Lucky's and it's also a full service coffee shop.  I love my coffee shops, but I was really hungry by now.  It was time  for lunch.

[caption id="attachment_3022" align="aligncenter" width="225"] My server, Kelly[/caption]

Kelly stepped up and we had a nice chat.  She just recently moved to Cleveland.  She was a college girl. She not only told me about all the great homemade goodies Lucky serves, but she also went out of her way to find me those maps of Tremont I was seeking.  I tell you, Cleveland people are soooo nice, helpful, and friendly.

[caption id="attachment_3046" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My very own Tremont map[/caption]Kelly suggested I order the Reuben sandwich for everything in it was made right there - fresh as could be.  I took her up on the suggestion.

[caption id="attachment_3023" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My Reuben and home made chips[/caption]

The sandwich was delicious and my time at Lucky's was very pleasant...

especially because  there were fresh flowers at my table.  Don't you appreciate restaurants going  the extra mile providing floral beauty in addition to good food?  I sure do.  I will definitely return and bring a Hudson friend or two with me, or invite Halle to meet me here for a nice little lunch or coffee. Wouldn't that be fun?

[caption id="attachment_3021" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Impressionistic rear shot of Lucky's dining room[/caption]

I could've enjoyed staying for dessert, but I wanted to find the local bookshop before I had to leave Tremont returning to Hudson.  One of the customers heard me asking directions (even though now I had a map) and she called out the exact route I should take.  Like I said, Clevlanders are very friendly people.

[caption id="attachment_3031" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tremont's cute book shop[/caption]

I found the book shop easily.  Don't you love book shops?  It was a cute old building and I sure love old buildings and historic preservation.

[caption id="attachment_3032" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The bookshop's courtyard[/caption]

I bet this place fills up on a nice day or evening.  I think I saw something about  entertainment and refreshments.  But today wasn't such a nice day, so I went inside.

If I lived in Tremont I would be here all the time.  I liked the chairs and tables tucked here and there for cozy browsing.

[caption id="attachment_3045" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A restaurant to try[/caption]There was so much more to see and tell you about, like all the restaurants run by top Cleveland chefs.  Cleveland really is becoming a foodie location.

[caption id="attachment_3035" align="aligncenter" width="225"] A wine bar to try too[/caption]There are lots more places I will need to look into, visit for drinks or dinner, but it was getting late and I had a forty-five minute drive home, and things to do back at the inn, but I will surely be back to Tremont one of these days,  because it's a really fun location.

And it's so very close to downtown Cleveland, but when you're in this little old town you can't imagine a busy city is so very near.

I hope you step out of your daily routine now and then and have a Country Inn Day of your own.  It might be a totally relaxing day where you stay home alone in your private inn or a day where you enjoy culture, nature, or afternoon tea with friends,  but whatever it involves, a Country Inn Day will take you away, and when you return to your normal routine, it will be with renewed contentment.

If you don't believe me,  have yourself a Country Inn Day and see for yourself.

Life is short.

Seize the day!