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!

Lunch with a few of my friends - a few of my "dead friends"

[caption id="attachment_2966" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The gang's all here! I'll take my place and lunch time can begin.[/caption]

I hate to eat lunch alone so I'll often invite a few friends in to join me - usually these are "dead friends".  If you know me at all you know all about my "dead friends".  You know I meet them in all sorts of ways - through the work they've done, the books and films which tell their stories and through their letters.  My 1853 house is always alive with the spirit of interesting people, both living people and those who have moved out of sight, but never out of mind.

At lunchtime, I pull out leftovers from the night before and prowl around the house in search of a few "dead friends"  to join me at my table.  Because I have lots and lots of books about lots and lots of interesting people it's never very difficult to gather spirits together, and once we're together my "dead friends" never fail to delight and enlighten me with their stories, facts, and personal philosophy.

Today my luncheon guests are Julia, Harry, Ludwig and George.  That's Julia Child, Harry Truman, Ludwig Van Beethoven and George Bernard Shaw.  They're all sharing with me as I enjoy my pasta and wine.

[caption id="attachment_2972" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Bucatini All' Amatriciana with Cabernet Sauvignon[/caption]

It's a good thing my guests weren't hungry because I had just a little pasta leftover from last night's dinner.  But I bet they would've liked some if circumstances were different.  You might like to try this recipe yourself for it  really is delicious and I'm happy to share.

Bucatini with bacon and tomatoes

Ingredients/ serves 4  1/2c. chopped pancetta bacon, 2 T. solid vegetable shortening, 1 small onion, finely chopped, 2 c. peeled, seeded, chopped firm-ripe tomatoes, salt and white pepper, 1 lb. bucatini or other pasta shapes, 1/4 c. grated pecorino cheese.

Process  Put on plenty of salted water to boil for pasta.  Put pancetta in a saucepan with shortening and onion and fry until bacon is browned.  Add tomatoes, season lightly with salt and white pepper and cook briskly for about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile,, cook the pasta until al dente, drain, transfer to a bowl, add cheese and sauce, stir and serve hot.

YUM!

This yummy recipe came from a favorite cookbook called "The flavors of Italy" by Simonetta Lupi Vada.  I love to cook and I have zillions of cookbooks, and a few are even written by my luncheon guest, Julia Child.  But Julia wasn't in the mood to talk about food today.  She had other things to say.  She was telling me (by way of a letter to her friend Avis) about life with her husband Paul as they packed to move to Marseilles.

This little tidbit I'll share with you, along with other Julia stories, are contained in the  book, "As Always, Julia".  This book is composed of Julia's  letters to Avis DeVoto, her pen pal and literary mentor.   Edited by Joan Reardon.  it is easy to read the letters and feel Julia is writing them to me.  Here's one example. Julia writes:

"Yesterday we did photographs, of which there were hundreds and hundreds. Today it is books, of which we have a like amount.  I never want to throw anything away and Paul wants to throw everything away; so between us it works out quite reasonably.  Paul says women want to keep everything because it is their nesting instinct.  Maybe he's right."  (Yes, I agree with Julia.  I do think Paul is right about the nesting instinct women have.  What do you think?)

 Well,  all this domestic talk bored Ludwig to death, so he left and went into the next room to play some of his sonatas.  The sonatas  were a lovely musical accompaniment to food, wine and lunch time chatter with the others.  (That reminds me.  There's a great movie called "The Others" with Nicole Kidman.  It deals with the subject of "dead friends".  You might like it.)  I don't know if Julia, Harry, and George like Beethoven's sonatas, but I played some in college and I find them very appealing.  It's better though that Ludwig stayed at the piano.  He  was never much for friendly chit chat.

 Meanwhile, Harry, who was quiet through Julia's words, now decided to tell a story.  Like Julia, he was able to  communicate with me by way letters, letters captured in books.  I happen to have quite a few of such books being a lady of letters myself.  I will share with you a bit of what Harry shared with Bess and me,

[caption id="attachment_2968" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Harry and Bess[/caption]

all from a book simply called "Dear Bess".  It is edited by Robert H. Ferrell.  The book contains letters from Harry to Bess Truman 1910-1959.  Here's the  story Harry told me at lunch.  He says:

"I had an adventure yesterday. ... a most awful good-looking girl came driving down the road like mad and said her dog had jumped in an open well up the road and would I come and get him out. ... I got in the buggy and went with her, got a ladder, and I went down and got the dog - a fox terrier.  There were about a half-dozen women tearing around the top of the well all the time trying to get the dog to climb ropes and jump in a bucket.  They were a most awfully pleased bunch when Dudley arrived at the top in as good condition as ever except for a good swim.  The ornery cuss shook himself while I helped him and I looked as if I'd been rained on.  They were very profuse in their thanks and I believe the old lady and the girl would have kissed me if I hadn't made a hurried getaway..."

I enjoyed Harry's story.  He is a very sweet man and he enjoys sharing simple daily life happenings.  But when it is George's turn to share he tells very different tales, and he loves to spout philosophy.   If you know George as I know George you know he is not much for village chatter.  He and Harry are very different types, but that makes lunch with them so much fun.  Add  Julia  and Ludwig and lunchtime is even more fun.

[caption id="attachment_2971" align="aligncenter" width="225"] George Bernard Shaw[/caption]

George did like the ladies, especially the actresses he worked with, and thanks to one of them, Molly Tompkins, I have an entire book of  letters, letters  he wrote to her from 1921 through 1949.

George is able to share a lot of his  philosophy with me  (and you too) thanks to these letters.  If he and other "dead friends" weren't letter writers we could not possibly get to know these talented people of the past nearly as well .

[caption id="attachment_2970" align="aligncenter" width="225"] One of George's letters[/caption]

In case you've not been true to yourself lately, in case you've been copying other people, in case other people have been trying to mold you their way,  then you might like to hear what George had to say to me and Molly Tompkins on the subject of self.  George said:

"I think you will have to begin making experiments with your own way of doing things.  You must not take the bit between your teeth all at once all the time ... There is only one way of getting your own way; and that is making your own way  convincing in action.  It is quite possible that your notion of doing the thing is the right notion, but that you have not yet got skill enough to put it across; and so for the moment you must do as others do, but in the end you must make yourself something more than a marionette worked mostly by somebody who is not a successful actor, or author or critic or connoisseur or anything else that commands an unquestioning deference."

There!  Got That?

Be an original

I like it!

All my "dead friends" are originals and that's why they are such wonderful companions for lunch, dinner, afternoon tea, coffee, cocktails ... whatever.   I hope you use your imagination and spend quality time with friends who are originals too -  living or "dead friends",  and of course I hope you are working at becoming an original yourself.

Don't be afraid to do your own thing, even if it's a little unusual - unusual like having lunch with "dead friends".  Use your imagination and have fun.  You only live once!

Letters add zest to life!

William James, the 19th century American philosopher, once said, "As long as there are postmen life will have zest."  Does your life have enough zest?  Zest is good.  Zest is great!  It's not the good looks of those postmen or their winning personalities (although having friendly, good looking postmen never hurt anything), but no,  it's the presents they deposit in our mail boxes that add zest to life...

[caption id="attachment_2949" align="aligncenter" width="300"] For me?[/caption]

presents that arrive in packages like this 8 by 12 inch package pictured above.  My postman deposited this goodie in my mail box the other day.  It came from my pen friend Tracy who lives in Guildford, England.  The package could have contained a large juicy letter, a very large letter by the huge size of the package, and a large juicy letter would've  been just fine with me, but no!  This package contained something different.  I bet you're wondering just what.   I enjoyed wondering myself, and I tell you, this sort of  wondering  truly adds zest to life.  After all, who doesn't enjoy a present?

[caption id="attachment_2947" align="aligncenter" width="225"] A blue tit[/caption]

I opened the package to find this birdie looking back at me, a life size blue tit.  Of course it wasn't a live birdie.  How could that be?  But it was a very special birdie because when I opened the card it began to sing its unique  and cheerful song for me.  Seeing this beautiful birdie and hearing its music was really quite a delightful surprise, especially for one who  love birdies - and I do.  Do you?

[caption id="attachment_2954" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tracy's note to me[/caption]

In Tracy's note she explained how she couldn't resist sending me this birdie card because the blue tit is one of her favorite feathered friends.  These birds nested in her bird box and 6 fledglings hatched out.  I know that sharing doubled her joy and her sharing brought joy to me as well.

Writing letters will present things to us we never expected to see and letters will teach us things we never expected to learn.  From Tracy's card I learned that the blue tits colorful mix of blue. yellow, white and green make it one of the most attractive resident garden birds around. I learned almost any garden with a peanut feeder will attract blue tits, and as Tracy said, they breed in nest boxes.  In winter they form flocks with other tit species and a garden bird table with four or five sitting together at one time is not unusual, in fact, you may even see 20 tits feeding at one time.  All I know is I  better get myself a peanut feeder so I can soon see these birdies in my own garden .

All the material goodies used in letters make it a physical delight -  birdies singing, even Tracy's cute note paper with its very English "Secret Garden"  look - sweet and romantic.  And of course letter writing is social.  I get to know more and more about Tracy in every letter.  Letter writing means learning.  It is very intellectual for letters  teach us things we might never bother to learn any other way.  And there's a spiritual aspect to letters too.

[caption id="attachment_2951" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My thank you letter to Tracy[/caption]I had to create a letter for  Tracy right away thanking her for that birdie card.  I created one of my polka dot letter packages for Tracy.  I placed my written letter inside a sheet of folded polka dot card stock and tied it with ribbon in a matching color.  Now I'll  have to keep my eyes open for some delightful little gift to send to Tracy, a gift that will brighten her day just as her gift brightened mine.

It's not about the price of the gift.  It's about our thoughtfulness.   Just a little bit of joy sent with or even without a letter really can make someone's day.  It sure made my day to receive that birdie card. Thinking of others and  trying to cheer them is always a very nice thing we can do.  Thinking and caring about others as we write letters and send goodies to each other is a spiritual gesture.

So I hope you notice whether we're at the giving or receiving end of letters there's  a juicy zest that spritzes forth from them making life just a little bit better for everyone concerned.  Postmen (and Postladies too) play a big part in all this happiness.  So I hope you see how William James was spot on when he said,.

"As long as there are postmen life will truly have zest!  "

The "Letter Luncheon"

[caption id="attachment_2933" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A letter from Renee[/caption]

Today I'm writing my daily  letter to a new pen friend, Renee.  Renee lives in the Adirondack region of New York state.  I met her through The Letter Exchange, that wonderful letter writer's group I've mentioned to you before. Renee and I have a lot in common.  We both enjoy spending time with family, reading, cooking, gardening and partaking in afternoon tea.  We also share an interest in art, music, history and world cultures.  It won't be  hard to think of things to write about in our letters to each other.  I hope you too have pen friends with whom you have so very much in common.

[caption id="attachment_2930" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Today's stationery[/caption]

I whipped up some stationery  for my letter to Renee, for that's always a most enjoyable activity in itself, but then I got on with my writing.   It wasn't long, maybe an hour later, that four pages were filled with friendly words.  Even without a lot of things in common letter writers manage to find many things to share, that's because thoughts run freely when writing - from past to present to future to imagination. Letter writing really helps us reach into ourselves as we reach out to others.

[caption id="attachment_2923" align="aligncenter" width="225"] My letter to Renee[/caption]But Renee and I have something else in common.  We both have the distinct feeling that we were born too late.  Do you ever feel that way too?  If you love beauty, decorum and excellent manners you just may feel as we do.  Modern culture does not seem to appreciate many gracious values and customs of the past. Personal touch between people has slipped away, entertaining in our homes, visiting each other, and of course, letter writing .  Another thing is the way we dress ourselves, at least here in America - so casual, casual sometimes leaning toward careless.  Just yesterday I was visiting with my friend Olive who hails from Dublin, Ireland.  She recently returned from a visit to Ireland and France. Olive was saying that  people in Europe dressed up so much more than Americans.  She noticed the Europeans she visited even dressed up for picnic barbecues.  (That would be me.  Would it be you too?)

I'll have to ask Renee where she stands on fashion, but I know where she stands on letters.  She loves them just as I do.  I'm sure Renee gets good mail most every day because she's a letter writer as I hope you are too.

Some people get terrible mail, poor things.  All they find in their mail boxes are bills and advertisements and appeals for money.  If they're lucky they might also get magazines and a few interesting catalogs, but so many never enjoy the pleasure of letters.  It's so sad!

In Alexandra Stoddard's book, "Gift of a Letter", she tells about a man who replaced his mailbox with a garbage can.  Besides saving steps, he was making a statement for all to see.  He felt his mail was pure garbage!  Obviously this poor man was not a letter writer.  If only my letter writing friends knew his address.  We could send him some lovely letters and treat him to excellent mail.  We could change his life!

[caption id="attachment_2922" align="aligncenter" width="225"] One days mail delivery - an excellent mail day![/caption]

Every now and then I have what I call a "Letter Luncheon".  I had such a luncheon just the other day. You see, I was about  to sit down for a little refreshment around noon when I noticed the mail truck pulling up to my door.  That little white truck is always a most welcome sight.

I dropped everything and high-tailed it to the mail box at my door and "lo and behold", five pen friends were there coming to call on me.  They were there in the form of packages, letters and post cards. I was so happy to see them!  That day's lunch would not need a book or magazine to keep me company.  I had Tracy from England, Tamra from Oregon, Amelia from Minnesota, Lana from Montana and Connie who was writing from her trip in Ireland.  Oh Boy!  Company for lunch!   A "Letter Luncheon"!

I spread my great mail around the table, and as I munched my salad I had a wonderful visit reading letters from great friends. "Letter Luncheons" are truly delightful happenings because sometimes you may not be 'up' for going out or dressing up or inviting living, breathing people over, but you're still quite 'up' for visiting  friends in a spiritual sort of way - sharing thoughts, sharing  essence.  Thoughts and essence are easily shared, sometimes best shared, in letters without any bodily assistance.  And this is why many of my closest friends happen to be letter friends ("dead friends" too).

In some cases I have no idea what a favorite pen friend even looks like, and I could care less.  I wrote to my dearest friend Bruce Youngblood for over ten years before I knew he was black.  Who cared what color he was anyway.  It's spirit that counts.  Black, white, red, yellow... tall, short, slim, fat... these things matter not to letter friends.   But unfortunately, looks will sometimes affect in-person relationships - prevent them from happening in the first place.  It shouldn't, but it does.

If you haven't enjoyed a "Letter Luncheon" lately, OR EVER, (gee that's too bad), but all is not lost.  A "Letter Luncheon" could still happen for you if you start writing letters.  And you can take the matter into your own hands by creating your very own "Letter Luncheon".

 Here's how:  Simply  sit yourself down at your next noon time meal with paper and pen at your side. Eat a little,  Write a little.  Eat a little.  Write a little, eat, eat, eat, write a lot, write a little more.   You're writing notes and letters to friends in between bites.  You'll be having your own "Letter Luncheon"!  Then send those letters off, and before you know it, the friends you've written will be at your door returning the favor of a visit.

How do I know?

It's because

When you give good things come back to you

The Art of Letter Writing - A Complete Treat

Just as Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey writes in her book, "A woman of independent means",  I have found that a rich life exists in letter writing, separate and untouched by life's usual demands.  I love letters.  Maybe you do too.  Letters make me happy --- writing them, reading them, designing the stationery for the letters I write, or talking about letters to individuals and groups.

I feel that I have two lives:  There's my life with family, local friends, music work, and personal interests, interests  like  house, garden, cooking, entertaining etcaetera etcaeterorum.  But then there's my life in letters.

My letter life exposes me to a completely different  set of people along with their various interests.  I meet Hindu nuns and Harlem cops as well as people living in far off places that I have never and probably will never visit.  These people and places become important to me.  As I've mentioned before, I even make a lot of "dead friends" through letters, "dead friends" being  people of the past whose letters I read and relate to.  My "dead friends"  seem quite alive and lively to me, more lively than a lot of living, breathing people I know because many people walking this earth lack spirit.  My "dead friends" are loaded with spirit. In fact, they're 100% pure spirit.   And great friendship requires the  sharing of spirit however and wherever we find it.

Most people of the past who could write did write letters, so it's easy to find books filled with the letters of famous and accomplished people.  As I read many of these letters it's very easy to imagine that  great artist, statesman or  author is writing to me.  (It really is good to use our imaginations.  Do you use yours regularly?  An imagination is a terrible thing to waste.)

Do you enjoy outings with friends?  If you're like me, outings for lunch with local friends offers spice to life, but I also enjoy outings with letter friends and "dead friends" too.  These last two groups make no demands and can be delightful company on any outing.  I will tour or shop just as long as I please and when it's time for a coffee break or lunch I find a place with a quiet table and there take refreshment as I write or read letters.  I'm always thinking of what my elegant "dead friend" Lord Byron said.  I've mentioned his words to you before.  Byron said only in letter writing do we have solitude and society simultaneously.  He's so right.  I love to be with people and I love to be alone, but for me the most fun is to be alone with people and I can best experience this with letters.

I always make time for letters.  You've heard the idea of eating dessert first.  Well, my letter writing is the dessert in my day so I write one letter first thing every morning with a cup of coffee.  Another time may be the perfect time for you to write your letters or do other favorite things, but finding and then guarding that time is most important if we expect to be happy.  With care we really can keep our favorite activities separate and untouched by life's usual demands.

So you see, letters are a big part of my daily happiness, but it's funny, when people would ask me why I loved letters so very much I couldn't come up with  a reply in 50 words or less.  I loved letters, yes, but how to explain the why?   Then one day I found that answer.  I was reading Steven Covey's book, "First things first".

Covey explained how we humans have physical, social, intellectual and spiritual needs.  Some activities we choose will speak to one or another of these needs, but if we can find an activity that addresses two needs at once, or three, or even four, well, that is a very worthwhile activity and a synergy is created. And what is this synergy you may ask?

SYNERGY

 is a word which comes from the Greek meaning "working together".  It is the interaction of multiple elements in a system to produce an effect different from or greater than the sum of their individual effects.

That's when it hit me!  I love letter writing so very much  because in one activity I address the physical, social, intellectual and spiritual elements of life all at the same time.  Every day when  I sit myself down, pick up pen and paper, and write an artful, thoughtful, caring letter to another human being I am exercising all aspects of my humanity in one delightful time-honored art form.

So now when people ask me why I love letter writing so much I tell them that letter writing is 

A COMPLETE TREAT

because

it is a satisfying physical, social, intellectual and spiritual activity all in one.

Think about it.  IT'S TRUE!

Apples and Oranges

[caption id="attachment_2884" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Which do you like?
I like both[/caption]

As I was sitting in my kitchen this morning gazing at the apples and oranges on the table, my mind started to wander.  I got to thinking about the expression  people use when comparing two very different items.   They often say, " These things are like apples and oranges."

I started thinking about all the many things in my life that are as different as apples and oranges, and how this rich mix of ingredients helps to make my days so fun and interesting.  One of those ingredients, letters, is old style, but I also enjoy many new style methods of communication as well.  Both together give me the potential for optimum sharing.  Technology and The Art of Letter Writing do not have to be an "either/or".  They can be a "both/and".  Like apples and oranges they're very different from each other, but both styles of communication have much to offer us.

 Most people today think about technology quite a bit.  They think about it, talk about it, dream about it, and spend lots of their money buying it, but I doubt if  most modern people  ever think about the Art of Letter Writing.  They've either forgotten letters ever existed or they never discovered the delight of letters in the first place.  Out of sight means out of mind and out of mind means dead and gone.  But I happen to know from experience both forms of communication exist today and both are quite wonderful.  I know this because I use both forms of communication every single day,

Technology vs. The Art of Letter Writing

Apple vs Oranges

One mode of communication travels very fast and the other very slow.  One is composed swiftly and the other is composed in a gracious, leisurely manner.  One form of communication encourages reflection and the other is saying "Get on with it, hurry up!" One is machine-made and the other is handmade. One is lasting and the other is here today and gone in an instant.  One focuses on communicating brief ideas and the other encourages ideas to flow on and on  in a  stream of consciousness manner.

 One is Technology and the other is ART.

[caption id="attachment_2871" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Styles change[/caption]

I suppose there will always be  people who like only what is shiny and new.  But others of us enjoy and appreciate the good and beautiful from every era.   And there are so many fine things from the past to enjoy - old movies, old fashion designs, old architecture styles, old books... the list goes on and on.   Museums are filled with old treasures and people flock to see these things, but some old things can be embraced and incorporated  right into our modern lives.  Letter Writing is one of those old, but very valuable things.  Letters can be enjoyed today just as they were enjoyed  in days of old.

George Du Maurier, the French-born, British cartoonist and author of the late 1800's said,

AN APPLE IS AN EXCELLENT THING --- UNTIL YOU TRY A PEACH

And I say,

WRITING AND RECEIVING EMAILS AND TEXTS ARE EXCELLENT THINGS --- UNTIL YOU WRITE AND RECEIVE ARTFUL, EXPRESSIVE, HANDWRITTEN AND VERY PRECIOUS PERSONAL LETTERS.

 I would hate to have to choose between apples and oranges or apples and peaches.  Wouldn't you?    I would also hate to have to choose between new and old styles of communication, but luckily I don't have to choose and neither do you.  Both forms of communication co-exist in my life very nicely offering me the best of new and old worlds.  They're both there for you too.

[caption id="attachment_2870" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Today's letter to Tamra[/caption]

I start my day with reflection, a little art play, and then I'll compose a handwritten letter to a friend.  I'll do a few things and  later check my e-mail.  I'll do a few more things and the mail arrives -  lovely letters from friends who live all around the world.  More things are attended to, and perhaps I'll write a post for my blog,  and so the  day proceeds -  activity to activity, punctuated with breaks for communication, both old and new-style communication.

Live richly.

Have an apple.  Have an orange,

Use your computer, but also slow down and write a thoughtful letter.

Old and new

A rich mix