Joy Hall

Trying to remember ME

I have always been a fan of the artist and author Susan Branch.  I admire the freedom with which she designs her books and the stories she shares.  I was amused by one story in particular...the night she met the Beatles and to what extent she and her friends went to in order to make it happen.  I won't ruin the story for you. 

Reading about her escapades took me back to my "Beatles" experience.  I really wasn't a fan...I was just a little on the young side when they hit the scene.  However, my best friend from across the street had an older sister, Kathleen, that was just "wild" about George.  Of course, Jean and I wanted to identify with the older and cooler crowd so we picked out our favorite Beatle and began collecting the cards that came in large gum packs.  Wow, I hadn't thought of that in years!

A few weeks ago, while rummaging though a box I retrieved from the house I grew up in after my Mom passed away, I found a yellowed piece of notebook paper with my early handwriting on it.  It was a letter I had written to John Lennon letting him know just how I felt about him....hmmm....I guess I was more infatuated than I remembered.

Here's the letter:

Dear John Lennon,

I am very sorry my handwriting isn't very pretty, but I am only 9 years old.  My birthday is August 26th.

When you were on the Ed Sullivan show, when it was a film, I saw it.  That was the only time I knew you were on TV.

I am listening to the radio.  When I hear you sing, it makes me like you more.  When I see your pictures, I kiss them.  I got your (pictures) and the other Beatles.  I especially wanted yours.

Would you please write back or just send your name that you have written.

P.S. I love you.  I just heard you sing.  I put my ear to the radio to hear you.

Love,
Joy

It's funny that I don't remember caring that much about the Beatles, but evidently at the time I thought I had fallen in love.

Snowday

This morning we awoke to find the ground covered with snow.  The plow trucks had not been by yet so there was absolutely no sign of where the road was as my husband left for work.  With coffee in hand I headed to my studio which is at the front of our house.  We have a fabulous view as we sit on a hill overlooking the town.  As the snowplow arrived and began clearing the cul-de-sac, my thoughts went to our first "snowday". 

When my oldest son had just started high school and my younger son was in middle school, we moved across the country.  All of their lives had been spent in a hot, tropical climate.  Our move took us into an area that experienced all four seasons.  As winter approached we got to have many new experiences.  As the first warnings of snow came, my sons had their fingers crossed as we watched  school names scroll across our tv screen for cancellations which would result in a “snowday”.  We had heard of this thing called “snowday” but had never experienced it.

It was on this first snowday I discovered how wonderful a hot soup can be.  Our very first snow was a treat!  Our new yard had a wonderful hill that was perfect for sledding.  Since we had never experienced this activity, we were  excited and ready.  We lined up our newly bought saucer-style sleds and headed down our hill.  Being new to this activity, we had no idea of exactly how far we would travel  after blasting off from the top of the hill.  To our surprise, it took us down our hill, under a row of low-branched trees and all the way down to a neighboring house which thankfully, stopped us.  After we had figured out how to “steer” our sleds, we spent many hours that first snow enjoying our winter wonderland.

By the end of our day, we were cold and famished.  Sledding proved to be a lot of work!  We had not realized how long we had been sledding and how very cold we were.  I had come into the houser earlier that day and started a pot of meatball soup.  Needless to say, everyone was cold and had worked up quite and appetite.  The soup was ready and waiting.  This was the perfect end to our first, of many, snowdays.

Here is the recipe:

Meatball Soup

1tbsp butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed tomato soup
1 (10 1/2 oz.) can condensed chicken noodle soup
1/2 cup water
1 lb. ground beef or veal
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
2 slices bread

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute’ onion until tender.
Stir in the tomato soup, chicken noodle soup and the water; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer.

Meanwhile, combine the ground beef, egg and milk in a bowl.  Break the bread into very small pieces and add to the bowl.  Mix together well.

Shape the meat mixture into small meatballs and drop them into the soup mixture.

Continue to simmer, uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Serves 6

Coffee, Tea and Thee

There’s a coffee shop in the town I live in that serves the most aromatic and richest flavored coffee.  The shop is located on the main street that runs through town and is nestled between other quaint shops such as an antique shop, an old book and map store, a few art galleries and even a unique flower shop that carries orchids, art and finches.

When you order hot tea, you are not handed a cup of hot water with a tea bag.  You do get the hot cup of water, but the tea bag is especially prepared at that moment.  This takes extra time, but in my opinion, well worth it.  The server will take a small bag made out of filter paper, spoon an exact amount of fresh tea leaves into it, fold the bag, press a “stir stick” through the end and hang it across a mug of hot water.  This is so good on one of our many snowy mornings…like today.

The coffee from this delightful place is worth going out of your way for.  As often as possible, I drive into town, park behind the old post office and walk the short distance to the shop.  (I haven’t mastered parallel parking which is what I would have to do if I parked close to the coffee shop.)  I purchase a pound of the fresh coffee beans to take home and sit and enjoy the free cup that comes with it.

There’s just something wonderful about coffee and tea.  Maybe it’s the charming places you find good teas and coffees…maybe it’s the company you keep while enjoying it, or maybe it’s the rich flavor and aromas you savor when having a cup by yourself while reading a nice book.  All good!