News From Jamul Haven

December was a busy and fun month. We had our annual "Gingerbread Party" where we provided the materials and children had an opportunity to build gingerbread houses and candy trains. The following week was our annual Christmas carol sing-along party, during which guests and friends gathered around the piano to sing traditional Christmas carols.

For those of you who were able to stay during December, you were treated to a tour of the entire main house where Marianne decorates each room with a theme. Now the hard part...taking all of those decorations down!

The winter flowers are going in and, with the rains that we've had recently, it's a race...between us and the weeds!

Amy Lowell Slept Here (continued)

Sorry about the text being cut-off last week. Somehow most of what I wrote dissapeared. Anyway, I'll repeat last week's installment but with the full text!

Last month we learned a bit about the poet Amy Lowell and read some of her diary entries about staying across the way from the Dabney's Fayal Ranch. This month I'll continue to quote from a letter from Mrs. Raymond Emerson written in April 1971 from Concord Massachusetts.

"Our life was busy but cheerful and serene, just the life for a 12 year old child. I looked after the poultry and rode about the ranch. As you know the only vestige remaining is the old, wide wooden barn, which was one of my especial haunts. It was full of hay and the horses lived in a corral beside it. We often had to search their mouths for barley beards, stuck in their gums. The farm horses always went in pairs, Jim and Nancy, Bob and Fanny, Don and Ned, etc. Miss Dabney often let me drive with her with the light driving horse, Josey, to El Cajon to get supplies. This was a small town, just a main street to the railroad station.

I can never forget the evenings, Miss Dabney playing the piano and singing Portugiese songs, the sun setting behind Mt. Helix.

In May, 1902 the ranch was sold. We packed up and left the Fayal Ranch for good.

In This Issue:

Upcoming Local Events

Selected fun San Diego events that are worth a trip.

thru 1/26 - Get Aboard for Cannon Battle between tall ships battle on the bay Come join the crews of the tall ships and revel in the experience of tall ship sailing while we engage opposing ships in a Cannon battle at sea.

thru 3/1: VAN GOGH: Brush with Genius is a new IMAX film that takes audiences across Europe and into the heart of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings. Playing Daily.


For information about any of these events, email us!

Jamul Haven Specials

Reserve a room and romance package for Valentine's day, and receive a free celebration package. Just mention this special in the comment section when making your reservation.

Innkeeper Update

William's play Pound will be performed in New York on 26 January. If you know anyone in the area who would like to attend, let us know.

William's poetry book "Thoughts I Left Behind" received an honorable mention at the New England Book Festival and the DIY Book Festival, and his book "The Giant Book of Poetry" was a runner-up for best anthology at the DIY Book Festival.

Liz has reported in to her next duty station at Whidbey Island, WA and her husband Daniel has followed her out there and is currently searching for a job in the area.

John and Regina will both be celebrating birthdays during January.

In The News

For links to articles and reviews, visit http://www.jamulhaven.com/links.html.

Hints from Yesteryear

Hints from "The Everyday Cook-Book," (c) 1889 and found in the Jamul Haven Angel House.

Pounded glass, mixed with dry corn-meal, and placed within the reach of rats will banish them from the premises; or sprinkle Cayenne pepper in their holes.

Recipies from Yesteryear

Recipies from "The Everyday Cook-Book," (c) 1889 and found in the Jamul Haven Angel House.

Stuffed Fillet of Veal with Bacon

Use skewers to pin a 5 pound boneless veal into a round. Bind securely with soft tapes. Fill the cavity left by the bone with a force-meat of crumbs, chopped pork, thyme, and parsley, seasoned with pepper, salt, nutmeg and a pinch of lemon-peel. Cover the top of the fillet with thin slices of cold cooked, fat bacon or salt pork, tying them in place with twines crossing the meat in all directions. Put into a pot with two cups of boiling water, and cook slowly and steadily for two hours. Undo the strings and tapes. Brush the meat all over with raw egg, sift rolled cracker thickly over it, and set in the oven for half an hour, basting often with gravy from the pot. When it is well browned, lay upon a hot dish with the pork about it. Strain and thicken the gravy, and serve in a boat.