The title of my blog is meant to suggest, among other things, the tension in my personality and preferences between city life and country life. There are things I love about each, and things I miss when I am immersed in the other life. One of the things I miss most about my urban existence is cafe culture, which was always a big part of my life when I lived in cities. In fact, in 25 years in cities, I almost never had coffee at home, in spite of having coffee 2-3 times a day for most of that time.
Walking in the city, probably heading to or from coffee! Downtown Toronto, October 2006
Of course it is not only about the coffee (and treats!): in the city 'going for coffee' was about the whole experience. First is the walk: I could choose from various places to go, at varying distances, the exercise and sight seeing along the way. Then it was about the time spent in the cafe: people watching, reading, drawing, reading!
Cold weather never stopped me! Downtown Toronto February 2007
Slogging through the slush, heading to or by Eaton Centre, Toronto, February 2007
Now of course, coffee is generally at home, apart from take-out on shopping days, or sometimes before work, generally consumed in the vehicle- this has been a new experience for me, as city life had little to do with cars for me, and my country childhood involved very little in car food or drink. My grandfather was the distance driver, and we had regular roadside stops at diners or from the back of the camper! Regular trips to town were not as often as these days, and usually involved stops for coffee/lunch in restaurants.
Coming out of Starbucks, Red Deer, Alberta, March 2014
The plus side, of course, is that I can take my breaks outside, mostly when I'm outside working already. Usually I would just pause for a moment or two for a few sips from the thermos, standing or perched on a bench, but since last fall, I've taken to keeping a couple of folding patio chairs in my work areas. Now I will actually sit for a couple of minutes, lean back, enjoy the sights and sounds around me (trees, sky, birds, wild plants or gardens..). I still miss sitting in cafes, but these coffee breaks outdoors are among the highlights of my days! Here's a short video with a few words from a recent break, enjoying the birds and weather, and some recent stills.
Coffee break spot in my main wood cutting area on the acreage; February 11 2018
Coffee break in my main wood cutting area on the acreage; Cold day-- changed into the big coat after shovelling snow; February 11 2018
Not the most exciting view around, but not bad for the view from my break chair-- towards the winter sun, sunsets if I'm out at the right time.. February 11 2018
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