A room with a view.

In between pulling coffee samples from the roaster,  I have a look see out the window.

The wheat is in.

Farmer Dave just finished drilling 90 acres past the house late yesterday afternoon.   He's happy and I was happy to grab this photo.   I just love it; the trees, the tractor and the little bird house.   Another cool but beautiful day on the island!

Yesterday's Espresso!

Is packaged and ready for review!

Who would have guessed

that you would see this many egrets behind a mulcher on a coffee plantation?  This is another photo from the Kaanapali plantation in Maui, Hawaii.  It was just crazy to me that we would see these birds here of all places.  We have quite a few egrets, here on our island in Oregon. In fact I counted 8 a one time in one of our fields this winter.  I believe the variety we have is the Great Egret. You will see them hunt for mice, voles and such in the fields, but you will never see them grouped together like this bunch.

Speaking of birds, the geese and sandhill cranes are almost gone now.   Our crops can use the break and start growing.  Wahoo, its Spring!

Brenda

Did you know...

that with the exception of Hawaii and Puerto Rico, no coffee is grown in the United States?  A coffee tree requires a mean temperature of 66-77 degrees farenheit.   Interestingly, the coffee trees I saw in Maui reminded me very much of a Holly tree w/o the sharp pointy leaves.  

I wonder if there has been any luck growing trees for production in greenhouses?  It would certainly help satisfy the county requirement of retailing primarily what can be raised and grown in Oregon.  Something to think about.

In other news, the soil here on the island is still too wet to plant - just a few more dry days will do.  So in the meantime we will enjoy the daffodils and cherry and peach tree blossoms!

Happy Easter,

Brenda

Many Uses for Coffee Filters

* Cover bowls or dishes when using the microwave.

* Use instead of paper towels when cleaning windows or mirrors - coffee filters are lint-free!

* Filter broken cork from wine when corks breaks up on opening.

* Use to wrap fragile christmas ornaments.

* Place a coffee filter in a cast iron skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust between uses.

* Use to apply shoe polish.

* Prevent a popsicle from dripping.  Poke a hole or two in filter and slide popsicle stick through.

Next time you are at the Dollar Store p/u a pkg or two.  I think you get a couple hundred in a bundle.  All these uses for cents on the dollar.