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Dear Reader,
My Grandma and Grandpa Hale were the two people who brought love in my life when I was growing up. Feeding squirrels in front of their house, baking, picking berries and apples in their backyard, riding with my grandpa on his daily gas route for the county, driving to the antique store in Fennimore and visiting cemeteries (sounds strange, but actually it was very interesting looking at the ornate headstones and Grandma would "introduce" me to long-gone relatives). Spending time with my Grandma and Grandpa created loving stories that I still carry with me today--especially the story about shoes.
If you enjoy today's column you'll find more stories like it in my book, "Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life." I'm giving away three copies to readers. To enter the drawing, go to: http://tinyurl.com/DRbookaday and if you used to visit your grandparents, I'd love to hear your story.
When I was a kid, I used to love to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Hale's house in the summertime. It kind of felt like I was going to summer camp at an orchard: red raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, grapes, apples, pears, strawberries and popcorn--they all grew in their back yard. My grandparents lived in the city, but nothing was built up behind their home yet, so their backyard was more like the back forty.
Every morning it was the same routine. I'd stumble down the stairs, still half asleep, walk into the kitchen, stick my head out the side screen door and yell, "Good morning Grandma." And she'd set aside her berry boxes, and come in and make me scrambled eggs and toast. (Was I spoiled, or what?)
Grandma had already been up for a couple of hours picking raspberries--she had to--because at around 9 o'clock, neighborhood customers would start stopping by. She had a great word-of-mouth berry business. "Pocket money"--Grandma called it--"shoe money," I called it. Because every time I visited, she'd dip into her berry money, and I'd never go home without at least one, sometimes two, new pairs of shoes.
There was a shoe store off the downtown square, and when we walked by it, we both knew what was going to happen. We'd walk right by, and then I'd back up a bit, and stand in front of the store window looking at the shoes on display. Grandma would walk back, stand next to me and ask, "Do you need a new pair of shoes?"
"Well, I kind of like those shoes in the corner there, maybe I should try them on? Yea, I could probably use a new pair of shoes."
About that time, the shoe man would recognize us, and wave us in. Because from past experience, he knew for sure he was going to sell a couple of pairs of shoes, real soon.
I dug out some photos of Grandma Hale and me. If you'd like to see them, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/berry.html
* Congratulations to the winners of A Hundred Summers by Guest Columnist Beatriz Williams: Heidi Zoll, Jeanne Engel, Cheryl Gill, Martha Preecs and Brenda Briding.
And the winners of Guest Columnist Kris Kennedy's book giveaway are: Mary Robinson, Kathleen Mcnerney, Dorie Furman and Heidi Zoll.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@EmailBookClub.com
***** AUTHORBUZZ *****
The Quarryman's Bride (Fiction) by Tracie Peterson
Emmalyne grew up loving Tavin MacLachlan, but tragedy strikes ending their plans to marry. Years later Emmalyne realizes she's still in love with Tavin, but her obligations make their love impossible--at least without some help.
Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on The Quarryman's Bride to find out more about the book and the author, Tracie Peterson. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.
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