It’s a beautiful morning; a bit cooler, less humidity, sun shining, Scootie (one of my many nicknames for my girl) is tucked in under my legs. She’s waiting for Don to get up. She spends the first part of her morning with me and then when Don heads down the stairs, she moves into her second position of the morning. She splits her time between her parents. Like all dogs, she is happiest when she’s with her pack, preferably both of us.

Going up and down the steps is a little tricker for her these days, her joints ache, she often needs an assist from one of us and she sleeps more during the day. She seems to hit her stride in the late afternoon and evening. Her hours have changed. But goodness, when she is feisty and doing little pounces and that twinkle is in her eye – she’s right back to her younger self.

Lots of color in this end of the garden at the moment: rudbeckia, bee balm, phlox in white and purple. (It has reseeded and some of the newer growth is purple. Love that.)

I’m taking pictures of the liatris while I can…it doesn’t last all that long and it’s so pretty.

Hello bumblebee.

Thanks for your input on the whole K-Cup thing the other day. We’ve now learned that many of the cups are biodegradable (good news) and that those of you who use them like the convenience of one cup at a time, all the different flavors available, and some of you think it’s the best coffee you’ve ever tasted. That’s why I love the dialogue that goes on in the comments section  – we learn from each other. Everyone has their own way of making coffee – it’s a very personal thing, don’t you think? And of course, since this is my personal blog, I’m always going to lead with my thoughts and opinion about a particular subject.

Some of us use a drip coffee maker, some use a French Press, some use individual cone filters, some use K-Cups, some use a percolator. I’ve sampled them all. Some of us make coffee at home, others buy it from Starbucks or some other establishment. We’re happy with our particular ritual of using freshly ground Peet’s. I brew my batch when I get up. Don brews his when he gets up. If we both happen to get up at the same time, we brew a bigger batch. And everyone is happy.

Remember the days when coffee was made in a percolator and if you happened to order coffee while dining out, it was just basic coffee? No flavors, no grandees, no coffee to go, no lattes…just a cup of Joe? A coffee culture has a boomed in the last fifteen or twenty years.

Even so, I rarely order coffee outside my home. I have my ritual. No coffee after 12 noon or it impacts my sleep that night. I make it as soon as I get up because I am not a morning person and I need a cup or two to get me going. I like the ritual of sipping it in my blogging chair, catching up on emails, reading the increasingly depressing headlines, starting to craft a blog post. I like strong, dark roasts – especially French Roast – but the roasts at Starbucks are too strong for me. My first thought when I’m on the road is: Is there a coffee maker? That used to be a real problem. Did the hotel room have a coffeemaker? Or did I have to pull on some clothes and go out to the nearest coffee shop? Did I have to order pricey room service in order to get some coffee? Now, most hotel rooms have a small coffee maker. And actor/artist housing always has a coffee maker. I’ve been known to measure out exactly how much coffee I will need for, say, three days on the road, and pack it in a tupperware-like container, along with some filters and a measuring spoon. Coffee, toothpaste and toothbrush. The essentials for travel.

If you drink coffee or tea, what is your daily ritual?

This bee knows what he prefers, doesn’t he? I wonder if bees have their individual preferences as to pollen? Hmmm.

Happy Tuesday.