The Tangled Tale of Hart’s Heaven…er, Heart’s Haven…

From the Column: Falls Facts & Foibles

by Belle Eyre

Angel Falls Trumpet/Staff Writer

Angels? Yes, of course! At least one per person…

Love? Well, rumor has it this place is some kind of mystical “gateway to romance.” No one who lives here is immune…and sometimes even visitors fall under its power, completely unprepared and often unwillingly.

Family legend? Oh, yeah. And a beautiful little quote to keep it living on and on forever.

All that, in one little rental complex, nestled in the shadow of the Angelina National Forest in East Texas? Absolutely—if the rental complex in question is Heart’s Haven.

The place is owned by landlord Andrew Hart. (He doesn’t like cameras, but think Clint Eastwood in his more mature days.) He’s a crusty old bachelor, not big on conversation, but some folks believe he does speak with angels. While Hart doesn’t bother to so much as acknowledge those whispered rumors, neither does he deny them. And more than one reliable witness has seen the man talking to…well, nobody!

Hart lives in a huge old manor that fronts the property. When his grandparents opened a boardinghouse there, back in the 1800s, it was known as Hart House. Andrew and Lily Hart did well at the business, and Lily made the best chicken pot pie—to say nothing of her apple pies!—for miles around. Yet, not a bachelor in the area would allow himself to be tempted by the lady’s culinary expertise, because it seemed every time a man stepped through the door of Hart House, he came back out with a gal on his arm. Truth, folks!

Lily lovingly stitched a tapestry—it still hangs in the big house—with the words, “May love find all who enter here.” The current Andrew had those words carved into lovely wooden signs that hang over the trellised gate of all eight rental cottages. And even today, they seem to have some kind of…I don’t know…love magic? Seriously. Most of the tenants do fall in love while living there—and quite often, they fall for each other. (Good thing most of them aren’t aware of the Heart’s Haven legend before they move in! Chances are, those lovely little apartments would sit empty a great deal of the time. Now that would be doggone shame…!)

Oh, and about the name of this place. You see, Andrew Hart meant to name his little rental community Hart’s Heaven. His name, and his opinion about the heavenly beauty of the area—to say nothing of his stunningly beautiful flower gardens. But when he called someone out to carve the big sign that hangs out front, next to the main highway leading into Angel Falls, something (Someone?) must have had other ideas. You see, the sign maker turned up three sheets to wind, and put the ‘e’ in the wrong word. The result was Heart’s Haven, and old Hart—frustrated and completely out of sorts—never bothered to have it changed.

That’s how four men and four women came to be living in a place called Heart’s Haven. Of course, we can’t let their stories go untold. You can watch them all fall in love, despite themselves, starting October 10^th with Jewels for the Kingdom. Here’s the line-up, for you romance lovers:

            October 10^th—Jewels for the Kingdom (by Delia Latham)
            November 9^th—Operation Breathless (by Marianne Evans)

            December 12^th—Leap of Faith (by Tanya Stowe)

            January 18^th—Dance with Me (by Mary Manners)

In the meantime, it seems old Hart has placed another ad in the Angel Falls Trumpet. With his eight tenants almost certainly becoming just four couples, it looks like he’s going to have some empty cabins pretty soon. They’re inexpensive, spotlessly clean, very comfortable…and tenants are almost guaranteed to never again feel lonely.

Want a tour? I’ll be happy to show you around. Just remember, sometimes the romance touches visitors too…

 Here we are at the first cabin, which just happens to house the newest Heart’s Haven tenant, Pia Peretti. Think she’ll invite us in?

Knock, knock…

Blurb from Jewels for the Kingdom:

Pia Peretti’s past could destroy her future. Thanks to her pre-Christian lifestyle, she can’t marry a believer, and she won’t marry a non-believer. Minister David Myers wants to help Pia release her guilt and trust that God has forgiven her...but the young minister is working through his own trial of faith.

After a failed counseling session with a wounded soul, David's confidence is shaken. He accepts a new pastorate, and moves to Angel Falls to find a haven for his wounded heart.

Is it possible these two hurting hearts are meant to mend each other’s brokenness with some divine intervention?

Come back tomorrow to visit with author Delia Latham!