Corner View - Out Your Backdoor or Window

The theme for the Corner View this week is "out your back door or window." When we first moved in to our house so many years ago, there were no other houses around us in all but one direction. When we looked east, we could see the mountains (what we call mountains anyway). That was thirteen years ago, though, and things have changed. A lot! But we knew that they would, and, for the most part, we still like where we live.

When the weather is nice, we spend a lot of time outside -- planting flowers and pulling weeds and all the general upkeep that a yard requires. And we have turned our patio into an outdoor room of sorts. Weather permitting, we have our coffee out there on weekend mornings, and sometimes during the week when there is time. We feed and watch the birds, read books and magazines, and drool over seed catalogs. We take our granddaughter for rides in her wagon, blow bubbles for her to chase, run races, and create wonderful pieces of artwork with sidewalk chalk.

We cook outside a lot, and a lot of wine and beer has been enjoyed there. We've had three wedding receptions in our yard, and many Easter brunches. And in between, I've even napped out there on occasion. Unfortunately, it's getting too hot now to spend much time out there, but I do sit at my desk and have my coffee while looking out the window.

For other corner views, visit here.

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana,denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, ruth, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa,britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, jillian, doobleh-vay

Corner View - Part 2

Although there are plenty of Starbucks coffee shops, and a great little local spot (where I love to go sometimes just by myself for lunch with my book), most days I have my coffee at my desk at work (photo at left). I have a cup at home while getting ready (see previous post for a favorite cup), but always take a thermos with me to have a second cup to (hopefully) drink a little more slowly and savor a little longer.

There is a coffee pot at the office (eeww!) but I'm a little snobbish, I guess, about my coffee. I like it with a flavored creamer (fat free of course!) and now that it's getting to be summer time, I may even drop an ice cube into my first cup, otherwise it's just too hot to drink it.

I do have a couple of favorites at the coffee shops too, but I save them for special treats or when I need a pick-me-up at lunch on an especially tough day. (Cinnamon Dolce Latte - YUM!) During the winter time, I like to use my stovetop espresso maker to make a perfect little cup for warming up on a cold afternoon. I've considered getting a single cup coffee maker, like a Keurig or a Senseo, for my desk at work, but didn't want to pay the price for a good one at the time. (and the bottled Starbucks cappucinos do in a pinch!)

Be sure to indulge in all the other coffee hot spots - jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, nicki, ruth, mcgillicutty

Corner View - preview

Will have to expand on this tonight after work, but for now . . .

One of my favorite coffee cups

A sad, sad, sight . . . coffee all gone!

Cheers everyone!

Corner View - the Great Outdoors

The Desert Southwest - U.S.

I just ran across Spain Daily's Corner View weekly posting. And I love it for so many reasons.

The gorgeous photographs and notes from all over the world are reason enough to visit each blog each week. It's educational too. I have a large world map in my computer room, which used to be my son's room, and I have marked all of the places that he has lived and to which he's traveled with black map pins. I've actually thought tonight about getting a second, smaller map to put up here above my computer (in fact I think I have a paper one that came with a subscription to National Geographic last year) to keep track of where all of my fellow bloggers are and where their beautiful pictures come from. (Has to be a different map than my son's; his is special just for him.)

And I also love seeing these places and faces and things from another person's point of view. For example, at Spain Daily's Corner View post this week, there are charming pictures of Vitoria's city sidewalks and sidewalk cafes. I would have walked right past the bicycle rack and never seen a photo there, but it's great! And I love the photo of the two men - that yellow t-shirt and those red chairs - so interesting! I guarantee that tomorrow wherever I happen to go, I'm going to look at things differently.

In the meantime, I have a couple of photos from near my home. And I look forward to next week's Corner View!