Dunn, Dunn, Duuuunnnn

As promised, today I am giving you a tour of my happy little coffeeshop. It's quite the mild, sunny day today. These long east windows give us a great view of the sunrise on clear days, and let in plenty of natural light later on. I made sure to decorate our window-ledge so that it could be admired from outside the window, as no one will be able to enjoy it from our comfy chairs until after lockdown. And I'm always appreciative of the red color in our branding, when Christmas comes around.

You can see our plaque from that community award, and one of my favorite spots complete with mural, wreath, and seasonal bags of green coffee beans. See the snowman on the Holiday Blend bag is wearing a mask? That has afforded me much amusement. Our Holiday Blend is a mix of Papua New Guinea beans, and honeyed Ethiopia. "Honeyed" coffee is when the bean is dried with coffee-fruit still on it. Rather than being washed off, it dries onto the bean creating a sweet fruity, honeyish flavor. In this blend, the notes come out like cherry, and blend with a spiced cedary flavor. The Honduras is certified organic and fair trade, and is from our Women's Coffee Producers collection.

My other favorite place: the roaster. Such a beautiful and many-splendoured contraption. I have spent countless hours here, keeping up those freshness standards, and that glorious aroma of freshly roasted coffee.

We hang stockings for our employees and do a Secret Santa gift exchange...

No seating during lockdown, and no mingling in close proximity at any time this year.

Beans roasted within the last couple of days, ready on the rail to be gathered into good homes.

Crush me, drown me, drink me dry

Breathe, the opposite of sigh

Black as night, but friend of dawn..

Meet the nemesis of yawn

It's a colorful place, in every way. We're weird here and we like it that way. You can find us dancing awkwardly, curling milk jug 'weights', discussing life's problems, washing dishes while singing badly on purpose, and chatting away with our regular customers. Today Rosemary Clooney sings over the speakers, and we make countless Candy Cane Mochas and Avocado Toasts. My car is next door in the shop getting the power steering hose fixed, and the crank-shaft looked into. Since I spend so much of my life here, I am endlessly grateful that it is such a happy place. Clean and inviting, safe and bumbly. My home away from home.

And after him came next the chill December

Yet he, through merry feasting which he made

And great bon-fires, did not the cold remember,

His Saviour's birth his mind so much did glad 

- Spenser