Since I returned from my week in Connecticut, it is taking me longer to get back into the swing of things. And I’m feeling a bit tired too which doesn’t help when you have a great deal to accomplish. But it is Saturday and welcome to Saturday Meanderings where we just chat about all sorts of things. High hopes for a relaxing weekend.

Style and Class

I love it when I find a resource that takes the time to make things extra special and beautiful. Recently I did order these beautiful velvet pumpkins from The Caroline Chateau. When I opened the package, a lovely handwritten thank you note with a sprig of lavender in the gold wax seal became my first impression of this vintage decor site. Isn’t it pretty?

And the pumpkins are truly beautiful~in colors of copper, bronze, slate blue, navy and indigo. This color combination will be perfect in my living room and as you can see, the pumpkins pick up the colors in the rug.

The faux stem is gorgeous too! You can find these pumpkins (and in other colors) at The Caroline Chateau website here.

Ava Grace Gifts

When I find someone or someplace that goes out of their way to provide excellent service with unique items, I must share it with you. While in Connecticut last week, I viewed an Instagram reel by Tracy from Ava Grace Gifts reminding everyone to send a care package to their college student.

My third (and last) child is a junior in college and I suddenly realized that I have never sent her a care package (bad mother feelings). So I quickly called Ava Grace and within an hour, they pulled together fun items for her and shipped it out that same day.

I first discovered this truly wonderful store when we were back in Simsbury, Connecticut in the fall of 2019. Just by happenstance, we walked in and I immediately fell in love with many of the high quality and one of a kind items. Since then, I follow Tracy on Instagram @avagracegifts and if you are looking for something different (from jewelry, clothing, baby items to home decor), check them out here. Tell Tracy I sent you!

New Front Gate Wreaths

For the last several years, I have been putting in the same autumn wreaths on our front gate. They are looking tired and faded. During a recent trip to Costco, I found these great 30″ fall wreaths at a decent price of $39.99 each. And I think they are an appropriate scale and a huge improvement over the old wreaths!

Here’s a link to Costco but please note they are $49.99 online vs. the $39.99 we paid in store. It also appears to come in a neutral/white version too.

Surprise from Mother Nature

At my aunt’s house in Connecticut, a bald-faced (or white faced) hornets nest appeared in one of her large rhododendron bushes against the house. This nest is HUGE and very active with hundreds of bees. Since it was at waist-level and not too far from the road, I did call an exterminator to remove it.

I always hate to interfere with something like this, but these hornets are aggressive and sting multiple times. Since many children walk to school along the street, I feared someone would be curious and disturb it.

The exterminator said it was the largest nest he’s ever seen~about the size of a big truck hubcap. Isn’t it amazing that little small hornets could make something so large? As a side note, no good bees were harmed with this removal.

My Soil Test Results

I will be writing a separate blog post about this, but within days of sending in my garden soil sample, I got the results. This test is very easy to do yourself and I highly recommend it if you are concerned about your soil’s integrity. Here is the link to the My Soil testing kit. More to come about this.

Some Questions

A few people are asking how I make my the edges of my pie dough ruffly (is that even a word?). I use this fluted pastry wheel when I cut my dough into strips for the basketweave design.

My mother had one and I fondly remember her using one. Here is a resource.

Two New Books

With all the traveling I am doing lately, I am burning through novels quickly. I would recommend both these books.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave is on the New York Times Bestseller List #1. According to Entertainment Weekly this is “a gripping mystery about a woman who thinks she’s found the love of her life-until he disappears. This novel has over 4.5 stars with over 40,000 reviews. You can find it here.

Mrs. Rochester’s Ghost by Lindsay Marcott is a modern and twisty retelling of Jane Eyre, a young woman must question everything she thinks she knows about love, loyalty, and murder. Personally, I love the setting which is a cottage on an estate near Big Sur. Again, it has 4.5 stars with over 8,000 reviews on Amazon. Find it here.

Other Haircut Photos

A few of you are asking for additional photos of my haircut. Here is a front shot. Also, the way Roscoe at Pucci Salon cuts it I can either flip up the sides or take a large brush and roll them under. Hope it helps.

Here’s the back again.

Well that wraps it up for another Saturday Meanderings! Hope we all have a super relaxing weekend. I could certainly use one.

If you missed my posts this week, here they are:

Five Fabulous Fall Recipes here

A Powerful Stain Remover here.

Though my own Father is happily with my Mom in heaven, I am married to a wonderful man who has filled the big shoes of being Dad to our 3 children. Although my husband ALWAYS tells us No Gifts, it’s hard not to want to show him some appreciation on this one special day a year. Here is a Father’s Day Gift Guide to help you select the perfect gift for that special father in your life. Hard to believe that June 20th is just around the corner.

Matching Shirts

This is one of my favorite pictures of Scott and Benjamin wearing matching Reyn Spooner Hawaiian shirts. Benjamin, now 25 is wearing his Dad’s shirt…sniffle…and his little shirt is in a time capsule in his closet. Not sure if Reyes Spooner still makes matching Father/Son shirts, but here the link to a good selection on Amazon. Wouldn’t this also make a great Grandfather/Grandchild gift?

For the Cook/Chef

If your Dad loves cooking or grilling, these red pepper flakes are highly recommended by my son. This Colorado company chooses the absolute best and most flavorful chile peppers from around the world. They focus on flavor first and heat second and each shake bursts with character. For a nice selection of product or sets ranging in price from $11.95 and up, click here.

My son would LOVE one of these pellet smokers and highly recommends this particular product. Surprisingly, these smokers come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. So if your Dad is a techie and loves to smoke meat, then this is the gift for him. With 1070 square inches of cook space, there’s plenty of room to cook anything from briskets and pork butt to beer can chickens and turkeys. Starting at $1,999+. See their website here.

For more affordable options for pellet smokers, you can find the resource here.

Like to Read?

Though I do love the feel of a real book, the convenience of having multiple novels in one transportable cover, is rather miraculous. I own a Kindle Paperwhite and I love the fact that I can read it in bright sunshine at the beach. But the newest version is WATERPROOF! So reading in the pool or bathtub is now an option! Click here to see this incredible gift. From: $129.99.

A Unique Gift for the Camper/Hiker

At only 2.2 lbs, this Akka axe is ideal for overnight wilderness trips and fantastic for clearing forest trails. The axe head is hand forged and made from Swedish axe steel. Featuring a long, curved 24″ American hickory handle, this axe has exceptional leverage and power in a lightweight package. For a selection of Hults Bruk axes and hatchets, click here.

For the Best Dressed Man

There is nothing better than a good belt that is designed for everyday use. This full grain belt is cut directly from 12-14 oz. hides. The edges are then hand burnished and waxed, giving the belt a clean finished edge. All leather is sourced 100% from USA tanners and proudly made in the USA. Love the Lifetime Guarantee and 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Here is their website.

When I was working full time, men were always comparing their watches….perhaps like women with shoes? Nonetheless, watches are the only jewelry most men wear. This IWC Portugieser Chronograph has a stainless steel case, automatic self-winding with a gorgeous green watch face (my husband’s favorite color). Clearly an investment and someday a family heirloom, it is priced at $7,950.00. Click here for their website. For more IWC watch options, check out the display on Amazon here.

Coffee and Whiskey?

I know we LOVE coffee here at our household and our absolute favorite coffee machine is the Breville Nespresso Creatista machine. The Nespresso Creatista Plus offers freshly brewed coffee as well as delicious authentic espresso. The Creatista can turn into your personal latte maker with the attached milk frother, allowing you to create top quality latte art in your kitchen. I highly recommend this machine! You can find it here.

For the man who loves coffee and whiskey, Jameson has infused their Irish whiskey with natural cold brew coffee. According to Jameson, each serving is equivalent to about half a shot of espresso. It’s flavored with 100 percent Arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia, with tasting notes touted to be “toasted oak and dark chocolate.” You can either drink it chilled over ice or in a cocktail. I am unable to find it on Amazon, but it appears you can purchase it at Target, Total Wine and check your local grocery store.

Entirely Handmade in the USA. This bulletproof 2 oz. shot glass is from the father and son team at BenShot. They are a family run team of artisan glass-makers, employing a full team of veterans, hunters, and gun enthusiasts. We use a real 0.308 bullet when we make our glass. It is solid copper, (completely lead-free). A unique gift and conversation piece for the Dad in your family. You will find it here. 

For the Golfer

Who needs a sweaty old golf glove when you can get a new one for just $29.99? This comes in an array of colors to match your Dad’s golf outfit and can be found here.

Time to Pamper

The minute we step up our exercise program, the aches and pains also increase. We own one of these massagers and it is really impressive. There are various heads with different intensities for a variety of ailments. This model can be found here for $129.99.

Father’s Day is just a week and a half away and many of these items you can purchase online and have delivered straight to your door. Just a reminder that if you do purchase some of these items, I may get a small stipend for sourcing this for you. It will not change or increase your cost. Thank you.

Happy Wednesday my sweet friends!

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Has anyone else had a strange week? Is there a full moon? Anxiety levels seem to be up this week and I am SO happy it is the weekend. Happy Saturday to you and thank you so much for joining me for another week of Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all things taking place this week.

If you have had a crazy week and missed my two blog posts you can see them here. The Room by Room series featured our master bedroom (click here ) and if you are thinking ahead to Memorial Day you can find patriotic table inspiration here.

A Week of Flowers

This week I received two beautiful flower arrangements. One from my blogging friends expressing their condolences about the death of my sweet aunt. This white themed bouquet is full of lilies, ranunculus and snapdragons. You have heard me rave about The Bouqs before and these flowers did not disappoint. Thank you, friends!

The next arrangement arrived yesterday from a local florist, Camelback Flowershop. Typically local florists tend to be expensive and the bouquets are underwhelming. But I must say this stunning arrangement from my sister, Joanie, is just gorgeous. The color combination of dusty pink with a soft orange is unexpectedly unique. Roses, tulips, wax flowers, ranunculus, stock, hydrangeas and pincushions create different textures and aromatic scents. Such a thoughtful gesture!

The sunflowers planted from seeds from Floret Farm are bursting in the garden now. A bit of a low yield, but I am so happy to see some results of my planting labor.

Recycling Flowers

This week I made another big batch of chicken potpourri with dried flower petals, lavender and calendula. Now that the weather is getting hot, we tend to see more bugs in the hen house. Placing the potpourri in the nesting beds does help in reducing the pests. Plus I think our eggs taste better when laid on a bed of rose petals!

Results of the Fast Metabolism Diet

Several posts ago I shared the book, The Fast Metabolism Diet by Halie Pomroy. This 30 day program allows you to eat a lot (3 meals and 2 snacks per day) without counting a calorie or fat-gram. There is a great deal of scientific information (which, quite frankly I skipped over) about the mechanics of the body and how the metabolism works. The purpose of the program is to keep your metabolism guessing in a very specific and deliberate way.

The author states you can lose up to 20 lbs. in 28 days and I do believe you can. Eating specific foods on specific days is the key (i.e. Monday and Tuesday, lots of carbs and fruit). Haylie also claims that not only will you lose weight but your cholesterol will drop, blood sugar stabilize, energy increase, sleep improve and stress melt away.

Actually, I did enjoy this program. I do not recommend it if you are traveling or on holiday. The challenges for me include eating every few hours, which is hard if you are on a plane or staying with friends. Do this program when you are at home and can control your environment. I didn’t lose 20 lbs. but I did lose somewhere between 10 and 13 lbs. (different scales). The recipes are tasty and fun. I am now off the program for 10 days and haven’t gained a pound….so I’m hoping this means my metabolism is fast again?

Going forward, I may do this the first week of every month because I do like the structure of it. If you decide to try this, please let me know what you think.

Did You Know?

According to an article published by theKitchn.com the best place to store cucumbers is….drumroll please……room temperature and not in the refrigerator. This is based on a study by University of California, Davis, which determined that cucumbers are sensitive to temperatures below 50°F. When stored at room temperature, cucumbers thrive and last longer. Stored below 50 degrees, they’re prone to developing “chilling injuries,” including water-soaked areas, pitting, and accelerated decay. No wonder my cucumbers don’t last long.

How Often to Clean your Sheets?

In a recent article by Food 52, the question is “how often do you wash your sheets?” According to the National Sleep Foundation, it’s best to wash your sheets once a week. Why? Because because your bed collects lots of stuff while you sleep ~sweat, skin cells, soil, food crumbs, makeup, dust mites… you get the picture.

Pillows collect the same icky stuff mentioned above so the recommendation is to wash them every 6 months (pillow cases weekly).

Blankets or duvet covers should be laundered 2 to 3 times a year~think seasonally. Time to do laundry.

Thinking Ahead to Summer

Remember when you were a child and school was finally out and you were so excited about summer? Those lazy, hazy crazy days of summer that seem to have lasted forever? I want to re-create that this year. It is so insufferably hot in Phoenix that most of the summer is spent indoors in air-conditioning. Though we do have some travel plans, I am longing for cool days at the cabin, easy brain-candy summer books to read and lots of watermelon.

Shortly I will be creating my summer reading list so if you have a book that is not controversial, not political, but a fun read (can be a mystery or thriller), please do share. And the goal is to start painting again! I don’t understand why I am not painting so getting motivated again is definitely a goal.

Well that wraps up this edition of Saturday Meanderings. After a controversial week, I am turning off my phone and just chilling. Cannot wait! Sending you big weekend hugs!

With the onset of cooler weather, what better way to relax than to curl up with a great book and a blanket? Add a cup of tea and I’m in! Even though I read every night before bed, I long for lazy days where I can do so for hours on end. It has been too long since I have posted about reading and relaxing, so here is my latest list.

My son’s girlfriend is here for the Thanksgiving holiday and we are talking books. There are so many I love and so many that have fun stories attached. Today I want to share some of the new books I am read and ones that I would definitely read again.

Because the world is already filled with complicated nonsense, you won’t find me reading about anything political or socially divisive. My reads are ways to get lost in the chapters of a book that is pure entertainment with some knowledgeable tidbits built in.

Latest Reads

Once I find an author I like, I tend to read each and every book they have written. Elin Hilderbrand is an American writer who novels typically are set in or around Nantucket. She recently branched out with her trilogy set on the Caribbean island of St. John. If you are looking for an escape from reality, you will love these!

• Winter in Paradise~link here
• What Happens in Paradise-link here
• Troubles in Paradise-link here

Another series ( 4 books) is Elin’s Winter Street Inn series. Set in Nantucket around the holidays, this is the perfect series to read this time of year. Since we will be visiting Nantucket in June 2021, I am enjoying this immensely.

• Winter Street~link here
• Winter Stroll~link here
• Winter Storms~link here
• I’ve yet to read Winter Solstice~link here

I love a good psychological crime thriller. Caroline Mitchell is a #1 International Best selling author. Her book, Silent Victim (which I haven’t read) has been #1 seller on Amazon. This set of 3 books is based on Detective Inspector Amy Winter and her sorted past.

• Truth and Lies~ link here
• The Secret Child~link here
• Left for Dead~link here
• Not published yet Flesh and Blood

Oldies but Goodies

If you love art and history, this is a must read. I read this book before we took a Baltic Sea cruise. When we toured St. Petersburg, Russia and went to the Hermitage, this book proved to be invaluable. Truly, one of my favorites. The Madonnas of Leningrad written by Debra Dean. Click here for the link.

A recent magazine of this next book is as follows: Perhaps the ultimate quarantine read . . . A Gentleman in Moscow is about the importance of community; the distance of a kind act; and resilience. It’s a manual for getting through the days to come. Old hotel, history, what’s not to love? A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Link here.

I recently recommended this book to a friend and she is loving it. Probably the best page turner I’ve come across……ever. What makes this even more exciting is that this is the first novel this author, Karen Cleveland has written. The author is a former CIA analyst in counterterrorism and uses her knowledge in her books. Need to Know by Karen Cleveland. Link here.

Local Favorites

My sweet neighbor and friend, Barbara Hinske recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. Barbara lives in one of those gorgeous houses that inspired her Rosemont series. Not only is she a wonderful person, but she loves gardening, cooking, decorating and of course, writing.

I am currently reading the 7th book in the Rosemont series. Click here for the link. This series needs to be one on the Hallmark channel. Stunning old house, crime and mystery, friendships, love and loss, her novels have it all.

Guiding Emily is inspired when Barbara toured The Foundation for Blind Children, which is a state of the art facility here in Phoenix. Such a great story and the link is here.

Naturally this could be a much longer blog post as I love to read. My dear friend, Kristin from White Arrows Home posts her favorite books more frequently than me. To see more book recommendations from Kristin, click here.

What are you reading? Please do share! I wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving. With some hopefully planned down time, you will find me curled up and reading.

Here is a peek into our home office. I have not shown this room before, probably because it tends to get messy! The home office is located upstairs between my art room and the master bedroom. As much of our home interior is painted white and neutral colors, the office space is more masculine and dark, reminiscent of an old law office. My husband uses it primarily as his main work area.

The office is a highly functioning U-shaped space with French doors leading out to the wrap around outdoor terrace. This second story location provides expansive views to the east, south and west. To see more about this terrace, click here.

The custom-made cabinets are stained a cherry/ebony color with a high gloss finish. When designing the space, we needed lots of book shelves and filing space for important documents and records.

On one side of the short U, is the copier station. All the business supplies are stored below~file folders, binders, copy paper, ink and back up school supplies.

On the other end of the U, is a small secondary workstation. Even though I don’t do much of my work there, I do consider it my space.

Here is where I display a collection of watercolors of a previous home. When I lived in Alameda, California in an 1894 Victorian, a group of plein air painters asked if they could conduct an art class in front of the house. Four artists spent the day with their chairs and easels carefully studying the lines of the house.

Each painting expresses a different perspective. But since I couldn’t decide which one I liked the best, I purchased all four of them.

Located below the bookcases are numerous filing drawers which are perfect to keep all the required documents like taxes and titles.

The main workstation has access to the desk and computer station by way of a swivel chair. Sorry for the photo quality~lack of natural light.

An old pottery crock holds all the blueprints to the property. It is time to go in and clean out old tax records and documents again. I try and do that every 3 years or so, but it is an easy job to drop down to the bottom of the procrastination list.

I hope you enjoyed seeing our home office and forgive me for the less than high quality photos. To read more about the restoration of the 2nd story master bedroom, bath and office, click here.

Part of me is tempted to paint all the cabinets a high gloss blue, but again, there is a long list of other projects that require attention. This one would be a fun design change, but certainly not necessary. What do you think?

Wishing you a great Tuesday!

This post shared with Charming Homes & Gardens Party #21

The summers in Phoenix are so hot. Unlike most areas of the country, it is comparable to our version of winter. We stay inside where there is air-conditioning 24/7. Any outside activity takes place early in the morning or late in the evening. The streets are free of traffic as many people leave town for cooler temperatures.

I actually like the summers here. My theory is that the intense heat kills all the germs brought in during our tourist season. It is easier to get restaurant reservations and the rhythm of life slows down.

Summer is also the time I can catch up on movies, new television series and of course, light-hearted reading. Nothing like cozying up to entertainment when it is triple digits outside. So if you have any great recommendations, please share. To see a previous summer reading list, click here.

I must admit, I do love movies that have fabulous settings and positive story lines. Since the world is filled with such turmoil right now, I cannot stomach movies that have vulgar language, gross stereotypes or extreme violence.

It is my personal need to surround myself with beauty, hope and kindness. I need more Nancy Meyers movies! If you haven’t seen her movies, they are a must (i.e. The Holiday, It’s Complicated, Baby Boom, Something’s Gotta Give, Father of the Bride, The Intern). It may be a summer of watching these over again.

I also love a good mystery or movie with terrific acting. KNIVES OUT (Prime Video) is wonderful “whodunnit” with all the unusual cast of characters. You can’t go wrong with Daniel Craig, Don Johnson, Christopher Plummer, Chris Evans and Jamie Lee Curtis!

We just watched THE GOOD LIAR with Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen which was excellent. Anything with Helen Mirren is generally fabulous so next on my list is Catherine the Great , Woman in Gold, The Queen, The Leisure Seeker and the television series, Prime Suspect.

Since the Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies, we just watched JUDY, the story of Judy Garland. It is an amazing performance by Renée Zellweger and I wouldn’t be surprised if she is nominated for an Academy Award. However, Judy Garland’s life was a bit doomed from the beginning, but her talent was truly one of a kind.

Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a heartfelt tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner).  It has a solid cast of characters ~~Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Kathy Baker and Gary Cole. Ratings weren’t great but I found it enjoyable.

Since it is not my nature to sit for long periods of time, I prefer to latch onto a good television series. New ones include:

THE STRANGER , a British television series (on Netflix) with 8 episodes released this year. It’s quite the mystery.

And Netflix’s DEAD TO ME, which just released Season 2. Lisa Cardellini is a walking disaster but oh so lovable.

Here is a list of Television series I would recommend.

BROADCHURCH – Netflix 2013-2017. British crime drama series. So disappointed this was cancelled.

CALL THE MIDWIFE-PBS, BBC One, Netflix. Midwifery and family life in 1950s in East London. Just released Season 9

SHETLAND- Prime Video, BBC One, 2013-2018 Murder mystery set in Scotland.

FATHER BROWN-Prime Video, BBC One. In its 8th season. Mystery set in the Cotswolds.

THE GOOD WIFE-Hulu, 2009-2016. Scandals and corruption with Julianna Margulies

THE ROOKIE-ABC, a 40 year old becomes a rookie on the LAPD. Two seasons so far and hoping they do a third.

So what are you watching? If you send in your suggestions/recommendations, I will compile a list to share.

Happy Tuesday! I hope to make some more apple related recipes this week as I have a refrigerator filled with ones from our tree.