Making Cappuccino Without the Money Machine

It's a rainy day here in Kansas City and that's excuse enough for me to slow things down a bit and drink an extra cup of coffee (or two). In fact, I was ready without the rain, considering that I spent most of the day yesterday digging a really big flower bed intended for some Sparky marigolds. Just me, a spade and a robin who apparently has a very hungry family to feed.

Is it possible to overfeed a nest of young robins?

I have no idea yet how many mouths we've got, the nest is very high among some electricity poles. It's just pretty wonderful that this time of the year (when I have this compulsion to dig) coincides so perfectly with this robin's need for worms. I dig a trench while he's at the nest, then step back to rest and watch him hunt in my ditch until his beak is full. I'll admit it took me a couple of days to figure out that I ought to share some of my earth worms with this guy. Still, up until that day, we were able to forge a friendship solely based on the grubs that I tossed his way.

Which has nothing to do with a cup of coffee other than the fact that I've got one here near the keyboard as I type. But, since we're busy sharing good things, here's a simple recipe that might make your morning a bit more cheery. Cappuccino (which is basically Espresso with some frothy milk) isn't that hard to concoct on your own without an expensive cappuccino machine.

The steps? Brew your coffee extra strong. Heat a cup of skim milk and a teaspoon of sugar in your microwave and then whip the milk up to a froth before you add it to your mug of coffee. (A blender helps.)

Step-by-Step:

• 1 cup of skim milk
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 1/2 cups of strong, fresh coffee

1. Brew your coffee strong. Blend the sugar and the milk and heat it for 1-2 minutes in your microwave.
2. Blend the heated milk + sugar mix in your blender for 1 minute or until a fluffy foam appears.
3. Pour the coffee into your cup, two thirds full, and top it off with the heated froth

Now drink up and get chatty. The world is ready for you to participate.