I enjoy my morning coffee as much as I look forward to an afternoon glass of red wine and even on a brisk winter morning, I step out onto the porch (usually barefoot), coffee in-hand and greet the day.  I've found that like wine connoisseurs, serious coffee aficionados are drawn to  coffee label designs and descriptions and slogans.  My palate finds flavored coffees and creamers distasteful.  Recently while eating lunch at The Coffee Cabin in Blairsville, GA, I overheard the owner explaining the caffeine difference according to bean color.  The paler the coffee bean, the higher the caffeine.  The process of roasting burns off the caffeine. Coffee studies have found that drinking coffee in moderation boosts memory, concentration, and mental health. (I just failed that coffee test as I had to return to the article twice to recall what I just read!)  Like wine labels, coffee descriptions make you feel special about your choice.  Words like full-bodied beans, superior quality, and rich aroma, grown under mountain shade, hand picked and washed with crystal clear spring water certainly sway me to purchase the coffee.  "Life is short.  Stay awake for it!" 

During our last visit to Kansas City,  my daughter-in-law, Jen, introduced me to some new reds that I hadn't yet tried. While at the local wine tasting, she nudged me get out of  my rut and introduced me to some different labels.   Wine labels are like eye-candy. There is a sea of choices when selecting wine. Labels range from beautiful artwork and sleek elegant designs to the use of humor.  I find them fascinating reading.  I think it would be fun to write a wine description.  The latest Petite Sirah I purchased overflows with dark blackberry and plum flavors with a dash of black pepper spice and jammy boysenberry.  Another wine abounds with lush blackberry, black cherry, followed by hints of brown sugar and vanilla on the smooth lingering finish.  The Wild Horse label blends rich aromas and flavors of blackberry and cherry with hints of cocoa and clove.  Reading wine labels is as good as browsing the inside cover in search of the next novel.

Since retiring eight years ago and getting my rheumatoid arthritis in remission, I've added teas to my days.  There were times in Florida when gazing out the classroom windows, the winter rains and dreary skies put me dreaming of a warm cup of tea, a good novel and my Mother's quilt wrapped around my shoulders.  Then one dreary rainy day into my first year of living on the mountain, the light bulb went on over my head and I realized that I could do what I dreamed of on rainy days.  Like choices of wines and coffees, there are a plethora of teas on the market.  At the moment I have eleven containers of tea that I drink according to my mood or activity and three other boxes tucked away that I should give away because they don't appeal to me anymore.  I also make fresh ginger root tea with tumeric and honey after my doctor recommending ginger and tumeric for autoimmune inflammation. 

There are no interesting pictures of wine bottles to post.  We just made a run to the recycle station a few hours ago so by now the the artsy labels are laying under more wine and beer bottles.  And the coffee I'm drinking now is Yuban organic, nothing to write home about or post a picture of, but it's a good strong coffee, even when I mix it with a decaf to lessen the caffeine effect. 

So besides the quick run to the recycle station, I've been blogging between cooking.  We've had a good rain and have a chance of severe thunderstorms through the night.  It's a good day for cooking up some of the foods in the refrigerator that are close to the "use-by" date. 

Oven roasted Brussels sprouts.  I had purchased the whole stalk a few weeks ago and this is what was left.  Cliff's not crazy over them but I love them roasted at 400 degrees with salt and pepper. I never ate Brussels sprouts until recently after reading about their nutritional value.  Actually, I've been snacking on them while finishing this up.

"Last-of-the-freezer-turkey" soup with turkey stock, carrots, onions, celery (ugh!  my tongue doesn't like the texture of soft celery so I mince it), onions, bay leaf, garlic ( throw cloves of garlic in everything), potatoes, and chopped collard greens.  When I reheat this for one of our meals, I'll add a small amount of Thai Kitchen red curry paste, good for the gut.  Tonight I've planned veal, sweet potatoes, and a medley of vegetable, which means whatever is still hanging around in the vegetable drawer.  The rain has stopped for now and I'm finishing my tea.