Coffee in the Cool Shade

 Soon the greenery will come back out and my watergarden will once again look like this.

When that happens I want to buy a laptop so I can sit by this pond to work online.

We are still working on this pond and have been for at least six years.  Our plan is to have it done before we're too old to work on it anymore. 

Today I am taking my hot fresh cup of hazelnut and cream out to the swing to enjoy.  Come join me for coffee often.

Coffee, the Social Drink

The first thing I say to any visitor in my home is, "Would you like a cup of coffee?" and I am delighted when they say yes. When I serve the coffee and if it is one of those wonderful tasting pots of coffee, my guest and I seem to have a much better conversation. We both feel happier because the coffee is so delicious.

There is nothing as good as a fresh cup of coffee right after a breakfast of eggs and bacon. That coffee is magnificient and the cup that follows is almost as good but all coffee for the rest of the day does not measure up. If you have someone sharing that after-breakfast coffee with you, you know it's going to be a magical day ahead.

Two Coffee Species

Few coffee drinkers know that all coffee is not the from just one species -- there are at least two main species: coffea arabica and coffea canephora. Both are known commonly as Arabica and Robusta respectively.

Naturally, the biggest difference between these two species is taste. Robusta coffee is higher in caffeine and some say has an inferior taste. Nearly eighty percent of the coffee sold in grocery stores are arabica. Brazil grows arabica, or has up until now because profit was in lots of coffee beans over some quality coffee beans.

The coffee plant is a woody perennial evergreen that belongs to the Rubiaceae family. Because it grows to a relatively large height, it is more accurately described as a coffee tree.

The Other Power of Coffee

Making a pot of fresh coffee and sharing it with a friend on a dreary cloudy day is much more than just sipping on coffee.  The very act of preparing coffee says to everyone involved that they are accepted by all.  As I make a fresh pot of coffee during the day after working for hours, I anticipate the joy of relaxing with my feet up and sipping on a hot cup of coffee with real whipping cream added.

I can get a lot done while I wait for the coffee to brew.  It takes about three minutes for my coffee to brew up.  I can get all the dishes put away out of the dishwasher, sweep the kitchen floor, and light a candle before the pot signals it is done.  I work like a streak of lightening but I do get it done and that makes the coffee taste even better.