Dear Liza,
After a brief flirtation with the sun, our faithful wet weather has returned. Saturday morning, we all ventured out for some coffee and pastry. Three sets of boots and three umbrellas went trudging down the hill to The Frog.
This funky old Craftsman style house at SE Belmont and 25th was called the Portland Coffee House for years, then became The Rocking Frog. The Portland Coffee House must have had a literary bent, too, because some of the books at The Rocking Frog still bear the stamp!
We love it for the freshly made doughnuts and coffee, but mostly for the cozy ambiance. The walls are lined with bookshelves which invite reading, thinking, and literary loitering. The small copper topped tables are filled with small groups of soft voice chatters or silent readers.
And on a wet chilly day, the warmth and conversation is irresistible. We looked at books randomly pulled from shelves. I found “ The White Cliffs”, a novel in the form of short poems. It was written by feminist author Alice Duer Miller, whose writing encouraged America’s entry into World War II.
Next, I pulled up “Ultimate Topiaries”, whose pictures of sunny, and even snowy, gardens, raised my February spirits. Reading always leads to conversations and we had, and overheard, quite a few.
When it was time to leave, a young lady at the next table noticed my Hufflepuff scarf and we had a delightful conversation about how the world needs helpers, not just heroes. Griffendores get all the attention for their battles, but we Puffs clean up afterwards and make dinner.
We had more errands to run during the day, but we were fueled and warmed by our hour in The Frog. We could do anything.
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 