Things I Love: Coffee and Mugs

I am starting a new series on this blog: Things I Love.  It will cover just about anything, but the point is to highlight things I love and cannot live without.  I don’t know how often this series will be posted, but the posts will be tagged as “Things I Love.”  The series does not include the topics that already have their own tag on the blog, such as planners, bags, yoga, knitting, etc.  The posts will be more random.

So, without further ado, here is the first post in the series.



One of the things I truly cannot live without is coffee.  YUM!  First, let me say that I love hot drinks in general, whether it is coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or apple cider.  I just find hot drinks so soothing and comforting.  There really is something to putting on a pot of coffee or tea to drink your blues away, nothing like holding that warm mug in your cold hands, and definitely nothing like breathing in the hot vapors of whatever is your drink of choice.  It is so relaxing to me.

I started drinking coffee during my second year at college.  I was so homesick for my then-boyfriend, someone I knew from home.  He was away at college too, though far away from me.  I started drinking coffee as a way to find comfort.  I have used it in this way every since and made a daily habit out of it.

Obviously coffee is always a great pick-me-up because of the caffeine.  Sadly, I have come off the caffeine—my choice—but I am so glad I did.  I feel so much better—less jittery, I am able to wake up in the morning without dragging myself to the coffee pot (though it is the first place you will find me after waking up), and I don’t have sleeping issues.  It has also helped lessen the effects of myanxiety, though it will never cure it.  However, even with the lack of caffeine, I still could not part with my morning and lunch time coffee.  So I have switched to decaf.  Usually, when I have tea, it is in the evening, at which time it must also be decaf so as not to keep me awake all night.  Despite the fact that I’m no longer partaking in “real” coffee, I still love it and couldn’t live without it.

My coffee of choice for home is Green Mountain Coffee, made in Vermont (thisis why I love it, though it’s also good coffee, in my opinion).  There are many flavors and varieties to choose from, though there is only a select few options at my local grocery store.  Just recently they stopped carrying the GMC decaf, so I’ve had to switch to Starbucks, which is not a problem for me as I love their coffee too (I stop at one store or another several times a week for my latte of choice which is currently the Pumpkin Spice).



My ultimate, all-time favorite brew-at-home coffee is GMC’s Wild Mountain Blueberry.



It doesn’t really taste like blueberries, but while brewing it smells heavenly, like (obviously) wild blueberries.  It reminds me of summer in Vermont, so what’s not to love?  Unfortunately, I cannot get it where I live, and it is not available in decaf.  But I can order it from the company, and I will drink it once in a while (I can have caffeine without getting re-addicted so long as I don’t have it more than two days in a row).

Not only do I drink a lot of coffee, but I also have many mugs to put my java in.


These are just my “specialty” mugs—it does not include the mugs that match my dishes.

Every year when we go to Vermont, I always buy a mug.  I now have quite a collection.




This year, I bought the last mug they had that I liked and didn’t already own (how sad).  But maybe next year they will have a new selection to choose from (my husband is hoping that they don’t).  My absolute favorite Vermont mug is the cream-colored one with the moose.




There are two reasons for this: one, because it was the first one I bought, and two, because it has a moose on it.  Moose are my favorite animals.  I have yet to see one when in Vermont, but I always keep my eyes peeled, searching the woods as we drive.

I also have a couple of mugs I bought just because I liked them.



The red flowered one is actually from Starbucks.  I bought it mainly because I didn’t have any red mugs (this was prior to buying the red Vermont mug).  My husband thinks it’s girly, doesn’t know why Starbucks would ever sell something like it, and refuses to use it.  I have to say that it is not my favorite mug, but I still like it okay, so it stays for now.

The yellow mug I got for my birthday one year, after seeing it in a local kitchen supply store.  There’s nothing special about this mug except that it’s yellow.  Yellow is my favorite color—it is so sunny and cheery!  I had to have a yellow mug just because.

The final mug I own is my most recent acquisition and my favorite thus far. 



A friend gave me this mug for my birthday, along with the package of Wild Mountain Blueberry coffee.  The mug is hand-crafted (in the USA—something you don’t find often anymore) and each one is different from the rest.  




I love the cream and brown tones, swirled together, like coffee and cream (though I use milk because I can’t stand the filmy feeling cream leaves in my mouth and on my teeth).  The texture of the mug is so smooth.  I often run my hands and fingers over the mug itself while enjoying my coffee (much like most of us do with Filofaxes).

If you are a coffee-lover and drinker, I urge you to check out Emilia Lives Life, as she often talks about coffee as well.  In addition, Sandra, SNARLing, and Rori are fellow coffee lovers.

I raise a steaming mug to you, my friends—cheers!

Comments

  1. I had to give up ordinary coffee over 25 years ago, it was sending my heart in to overdrive (170bpm) if I had a couple of cups of it. I have been drinking decaffinated ever since.

    The quality of decaff coffee has improved over the years... or I've just got used to it! But I can make quite a strong coffee without any of the side effects which is nice.

    I tend to carry sachets of decaff if we are going out incase people don't have it. Or I stick to water/fruit juice.

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  2. I L-O-V-E coffee mugs too! In fact, your collection shames mine, because my "addicition" has been going on since I don't even know when, and I don't even know how many mugs I actually have. Even worse - I don't just buy souvenir mugs or one of a mug that I like. I actually buy them IN PAIRS. "Why?" you ask? It's simple, and crazy, there are two reasons: 1) wouldn't it be nice to have matching mugs when I would have a friend share a drink of coffee or a mug of tea with me; and 2) what if I never see this again, if it breaks, it's gone. Enter a collection of mugs that is so big, there are at least 15 in two different kitchen cabinets, and a couple dozen more in boxes (at least). Oh, and I can't forget the ones I have at my parent's house for when I come to visit. Wow! It's a good thing mugs are cheap!

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  3. OT, but FYI - on google reader some of the spaces between words on your blog disappear likethis.

    When I was a teen I used to collect mugs from garage sales and the like when forced to spend time in upstate NY with nothing to do. My price limit per mug was $.25. Now I only have two mugs from Alice's (wedding gift), two plain white mugs from Ikea, and a (fancy) inherited tea service. I only make starbucks coffee at home b/c my bff works there and gives me free coffee all the time (they get to take home a pound a week and she never uses it).

    -Dasha

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  4. Steve - Yes, if I have one cup of regular coffee, I definitely feel it. But with my headaches, the regular often helps to alleviate the pain. So in those situations, it's a "which is worse" scenario. When I first started with the decaf, I could definitely tell the difference between it and regular. Now, the decaf doesn't bother me so much, especially if it's quality coffee. I carry my own coffee too - Starbucks Via. I usually have one regular (in case I get a migraine) and one decaf in case I'm at someone's house.

    Sheila - Oh no! My husband would disown me if I came home with TWO of each mug! As it is, he complains about the number we have (and sets of dishes too - we have three full sets, though two were hand-me-downs from my grandmother). I may have to weed my collection soon. I do own other mugs collected at various stages of my life but I very rarely use them, so maybe it's time...

    Dasha - Hmm, I don't know how to fix the spacing issue. I'll research that. Thanks for letting me know!
    I love the plain white dishes from Ikea. I'd be tempted to purchase a set, but again, my husband would not be happy with that. Plus, with all the mugs and dishes I already own, I'm not sure where I'd put them. I'd love to have an actual tea/coffee/dessert party one day and use a semi-fancy set. Free coffee from Starbucks? Can't go wrong with that!

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  5. When I told the hubby about this post, he corrected me by saying, "there are BOXES of mugs in the basement." Whoops! I haven't bought any in a couple of years (although I was tempted this past weekend), so that's great! :)

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  6. Wow, entire boxes! Okay, you are going to have me over for coffee, lady! ;)

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  7. Love this post! Thanks for mentioning me as I do indeed share this hobby (lifestyle?).

    I used to be a big time mug buyer, and I still love to snag interesting mugs at craft fairs and university art department mug sales. I have bought less lately as I haven't traveled much or seen any mugs I love enough to buy.

    Take care!

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  8. Thanks Sandra! It's definitely a lifestyle, much like Filofaxes. =)

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  9. Time for the next "Things I Love" post yet? I'm looking forward to it!

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  10. Roanne - you are in luck! I just posted one. =) I'm glad you enjoy them.

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