A week ago, we were pulling in the driveway after a week of visiting National Parks in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. We didn't spend much time in any one place, but we got to go to Great Basin, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Most of the parks that we have visited in the past are actually revisits for me, but this time it was all new. I was totally amazed by the variety of the scenery, and the gorgeous fall colors. It was cold and windy and warm and still--but we managed to escape all rain. We spent a day or two in each park (except the North Rim--that was a drive by), and were lucky enough to find campsites, even without reservations.

I can't pick a favorite between all these parks--they were so unique. And actually, one of my favorite parts wasn't even in a park--it was the drive down Highway 12, between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon. You leave the limestone and desert sage of Capitol Reef and drive up Boulder Mountain, covered with white leafless aspens and verdant pines. Then after descending the other side, you find yourself back in red rock canyon country, and the road goes along a precipice, with a sheer drop on one side to Boulder Creek and on the other to Calf Creek. The cottonwoods and aspens along the creeks were a brilliant yellow, making it clear where the water ran below. Then the road wound down the eastern slope until you were in the canyon, with red rocks towering over you and the aspens shimmering as you passed. It was a memorable sight.

We came home to a whirlwind of unpacking and laundry, knowing that we had less then a day before the power was scheduled to go out again. A huge shout out to Dave, Becky, and the rest of our staff, who dealt with an outage while we were gone. For the last two public safety shutoffs, we have been able to stay open at the store, as part of the Tier 1 area that received power from a backup generator. We are grateful to have been open, but our hearts go out to the many businesses that weren't so lucky. And in a mixed up week, with double our normal customers, and wholesale orders on totally different days than usual, THANK YOU to our awesome employees who stayed calm in the madness and to each of you who were patient with our long lines and slower-than-usual internet.

This week we have a new Sulawesi for you. This is our Sulawesi Toraja Sapan Minanga, from the southern part of the Sulawesi island. It's grown at high elevation, over 6000 feet (that's above Lake Tahoe level, for a local reference). The growers here live a traditional lifestyle, in unique boat-like huts. You can see pictures here, and read about their elaborate funeral rites: it's an amazing story about a culture very different from ours. And yet we are connected by this beverage that we drink. The world of coffee brings us together.

In the cup this has the earthy tones of many Indonesian coffees, with a nice acidity to balance the nutty flavors. You can try it this week with the code below.

In the middle of all the power outages, and days off of school, we also had Halloween yesterday. Can you believe it's the first day of November? Check out our Instagram or Facebook accounts for fun pictures of the downtown Trick-or-Treat event. We had an ancient Greece theme here this year, complete with decor. I think that I can safely say that a great time was had by all--including the deer cousins pictured above.

Enjoy your weekend, and especially the power if you're local. Thank you all for your support--we appreciate you. Cheers!

--Holly Fike