grace grits and gardening - ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

old school or simply old? (yes Keurig and I are parting ways.)

January 8, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

Today I’m thinking about the difference between old school and simply old. Have I reached that point where groovy new things have passed me by? Several things have me wondering. (And p.s. this is not a sponsored post.)

Yesterday my blogger friends, Laurie and Jacqueline, mentioned two different things on Facebook that stumped me. A Wacom Pen and a Kombucha drink. Huh? Never heard of either. Am I’m living beneath an Ozark rock? Please tell me you don’t know either.

Not only do I not know about this pen and drink, I don’t really care that I don’t know. Another sign of life moving on by.

Combine this unknown pen and drink with the shiny yet old school Presto percolator delivered to my doorstep yesterday, and I’m on a old fashioned, downhill slide. (I do still shop via Amazon so perhaps that’s a point on the side of still breathing.)

Old school percolator vs. Keurig.

Do NOT say you don’t know what a percolator is. Even if you don’t. Look it up.

Yes, I have a percolator. It’s electric so not completely dark ages, but sitting beside my fancy Keurig (that turned out to be not so fancy because breaking after only two years is never fancy), it looks very old school.

Keurig and I are parting ways. Yes, we can still be friends. I will be happy to see you at hotels and at the Bat Cave, but on a daily basis, not. You sort of wore me out.

I feel relieved.

Ours was a short love affair, but I take full responsibility. I changed. I came to realize the more I write, the more coffee I drink. Those annoying, expensive cups began to pile up in my garbage. Would Hemingway fiddle with those cups? I think not. Plus, if we are being honest, there was only one brand/flavor I really liked. It was easy to find in Dallas, but nearly impossible to locate in Fayetteville.

On this bright, clear 7 degree Fayetteville morning, I’m enjoying my first cup of freshly ground Arsaga coffee.

The rich aroma fills my house.

I have a steaming pot ready and waiting which is good because my downstairs is only 57 degrees. I cannot figure out the complicated thermostat that is apparently permanently programmed for chilly. (Another sign of aging, but seriously, why can’t thermostats simply have an on and off switch with a lever for temperature control? Yes, I’m rambling = another sign? Sigh.)

So. Am I a coffee snob? Maybe.

Arsaga coffee – Winter Blend.

I want to buy freshly ground local coffee or grind my own. I want to smell it. And the sound of coffee percolating? Ahhh, lovely.

Mainly, I want a coffee pot that brews super hot, flavorful coffee. Even if it’s old school and not the coolest thing in town.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis url=”http://wp.me/p58902-1gv”]Keurig and I are parting ways. Sorry, I changed. #Presto #oldschool #percolator @ArsagasCafe [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Humble Pie – Black Coffee

saying goodbye to Christmas

January 7, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

Confession. I enjoy putting away my Christmas decorations as much as I enjoy bringing them out of storage. Possibly even more. Soon after Santa visits, the tinsel begins to look tired. Decorations turn to clutter. This downward spiral happens quickly for me. By New Year’s night, I’m done.

On January 2, John and I removed the ornaments from the tree. This part is a bit nostalgic. We take a little extra time to reminisce over favorites—every ornament has a story.

Each year, I consider leaving out certain decorations for a few more weeks—those that lean toward winter rather than Christmas. Going from decorated to bare can be jarring, even for me.

This year I left out two snowmen related things. And what happened? We immediately received a dusting of snow. I’m not taking credit, but sort of I am. I also left glittery stars hanging from white branches in a vase. This was a complete oversight, but I’m okay with the stars for a while.

Our fir tree is now laying out on the curb in the frigid cold. From the front porch, I can still see a few sparkly icicles. It was a great tree.

The clean house feels a bit empty. After the holidays, there are always blank spaces that make me wonder what was there before Christmas? And since we haven’t been in this house all that long, I’m really having that problem this year.

In an attempt to add life back into the house, I snagged up this small houseplant at Lowe’s. At $4.99 on the clearance aisle, it was the only after Christmas sale item I bought anywhere:)

So how about you? How are you doing this first week of 2015?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Muddy Waters – Cold Weather Blues

January Focus

January 5, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

January is the month to focus on starting projects, new beginnings, planning, cleaning, organizing. It’s a great month to buy a steam mop—yes it is—because Lucy and Annabelle constantly track up the kitchen floor. Since my My One Little Word for 2015 is Focus, I’m focusing on specific January goals.

In January, I plan to focus on my health. For whatever reason, the last three months of 2014 were a bit sickly for me. A constant cough drained my energy. Bronchitis held on for weeks. Now I’m headed back to yoga. My goal is 4-5 times per week. Help me stick to it—ask me if I’ve done my yoga. Please. And I plan to eat more mindfully and drink more water and green tea. And take a multi-vitamin. I’m not very disciplined about taking vitamins.

In January, I plan to focus on our yard. We have a new fence to contain the curious schnauzers. The fence was a Christmas gift to ourselves. Although it will be too cold and wet to plant much of anything, I can dream and read and plan. I want to build a compost too. Maybe behind the garage.

In January, I will focus on editing my manuscript (as soon as I receive it back from my editor). This may be more of a February goal, but my mind is forever thinking about this. I’m editing a few short stories that need attention too.

In January, I will focus on organizing photos. My friend, Beth, shared her photo solution using thislife.com, and I plan to explore it further. My photos are out of control.

What will you focus on in January?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Van Morrison – Brand New Day

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