<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SrketggNpoI/AAAAAAAABfw/Lp3STZ7t0aY/s1600-h/DSC07081.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/SrketggNpoI/AAAAAAAABfw/Lp3STZ7t0aY/s400/DSC07081.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384368596666132098" /></a>Before I announce <a href="http://www.blogger.com/tashadoestulsa.com/2009/09/cupping.html">the winner of six months' worth of free joe from Tulsa's own Topeca Coffee</a>, I want to post here a few of my favorite coffee stories readers posted here yesterday as part of the giveaway.<div><br /></div><div>As if <a href="http://www.kjrh.com/weather/default.aspx">the weather in Tulsa today wasn't perfect cause for a cup of coffee already</a>, these stories will definitely make you crave a nice, tall cup of the brown stuff. Grab one before you jump in; I'll be sipping right along with you. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a coffee tale that made my eyes widen:</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3945477808/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/3945477808_041e487d49_o.png" width="820" height="139" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Wait. What? Wow.</div><div><br /></div><div>Feel like having your heart stirred? Order up: </div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3945477616/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3498/3945477616_206f9d01af_o.png" width="822" height="154" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Have you taken the time to appreciate the small things in life today? Because maybe you should.</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3945478124/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/3945478124_6490d5dee3_o.png" width="822" height="154" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's one that will have you longing for a slow, quiet morning with your grandparents:</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3944695017/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2642/3944695017_f4aebac16a_o.png" width="825" height="137" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Here's a longer one from by dear, precious friend Wendy, a first-generation Guatemalan American who has coffee practically coursing through her veins:</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3944694913/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2551/3944694913_1aeaecc99a_o.png" width="816" height="233" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>This is the one I couldn't help but re-read...and re-read again (it's long but so, so worth it):</div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3944694841/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3442/3944694841_220e9c8b8f_o.png" width="816" height="666" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Last but not least, a recipe from <a href="http://www.andsosheblogs.com/">the object of my stalking tendencies, Carrisa at And So She Blogs</a>: </div><div><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3945477728/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2615/3945477728_6ce66e95f7_o.png" width="830" height="296" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Yum, yum, Carrisa. Thanks for that.</div><div><br /></div><div>I really, really hope I never have to judge a writing contest. Obviously, I'd be horrible at it. See why I wanted <a href="http://random.org/">Random.org</a> to do my bidding? I love stories, period, even (especially?) the crazy ones about war paint and donkey heads.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of the 33 stories submitted in the comments of yesterday's post, 30 slid in under the deadline. So, I asked the lords of randomness to please and randomly generate for me an integer between 1 and 30. </div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3944694081/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/3944694081_1fde997107_o.png" width="163" height="184" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The 17th person to submit a story was: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://crustygasguy.blogspot.com/">Yogi!</a></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/3945477554/" title="Topeca Contest 0909 by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3509/3945477554_4a6c3672dd_o.png" width="811" height="728" alt="Topeca Contest 0909" /></a></div></div><br /><br />Glad you think Topeca is awesome, Yogi, and it's extra awesome that you work just across the street from the cafe. That'll make collecting on this prize that much easier.<br /><br />Speaking of Yogi, he has <a href="http://crustygasguy.blogspot.com/">this really great blog, Yogi's Den</a>. If you all enjoy reading TDT, you'll get a kick out of his stuff, too. He has a great eye for weird Tulsa stuff, and you'll get sucked into all the stories about SuperPizzaBoy. Good times.<div><br /></div><div>Thanks again to everyone for playing. Keep your eyes on this blog for news of when you, too, can get your own free coffee cupping experience at Cafe Topeca. It won't be long. </div>