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.

Thank you all for such wonderful and insightful comments to my post this week on Kindness. If you missed that post, you can see it here. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things that happen this week. So pull up a chair, grab a beverage and let’s get started.

Though it is still SO hot here (107.5 degrees as I write this), I put up our Fall wreath this week. Surprisingly I still had the Spring wreath up on the front door, as this summer flew by so quickly and never really felt like summer to me. The autumn colors of the wreath against the blue door works somehow and just makes me happy. “If I build it they will come” is my mantra for hoping if I do some decorating, the season will change.

Grapefruit Peel Vinegar Cleaner

Inspired by Lisa, from Fresh Eggs Daily, I am trying my hand at making a cleaner that I could use in the hen house. Since chickens have sensitive respiratory systems, using bleach or other harmful chemicals would not be a good idea.

Apparently, the Orange Peel Vinegar cleaner is very popular on Pinterest, but at the time I didn’t have any oranges, but lots of grapefruits. Combining grapefruit, white vinegar, cinnamon sticks and vanilla beans, the concoction is ready to use.

I am trying it for a few weeks to see if it’s worth sharing with a longer, more detailed post. But I can tell you, it smells divine! Now let’s hope it works. To see Lisa’s post on this, click here.

A Great Haircut

What is it about getting a haircut that just makes you feel fabulous? I was so long overdue and looking a bit shabby. But my favorite stylist and long-time friend, Roscoe, just does his magic and voila! I have a fantastic haircut. I swear, if I could bottle him up and sell him, I’d make a fortune…he’s that good! Also it’s hard to take a selfie of the back of your head..ha!

New Shows to Watch

This movie, Gunsmoke Milkshake, reminds me of Lemony Snicket due to its interesting editing. With a strong cast of female characters, it has humor, relationships and a bit of violence. I did think it is well done and for someone who doesn’t watch movies often, it is entertaining. It can be found on Netflix.

My preference is to watch a television series, where I am only sitting for an hour at a time. Professor T on PBS is about eccentric criminal psychology professor with a brilliant mind, but also several neurological disorders, which makes him very complex and unpredictable. Enjoyable, so far!

My Next Home?

I am always dreaming of a home with a view like this. There is something about the water that I crave, which is interesting as I live in land-locked Phoenix. When I saw this photo (place and photographer unknown to me), I said “this is it!”. Does anyone recognize this photo or where it was taken? A girl can dream, right?

New Products

I did find these Chocolate Coconut Almonds at Trader Joe’s and quite frankly, I am afraid to buy more. It is very easy to consume the entire container. If you love Almond Joys, then this is the treat for you. You probably didn’t know that I used to work for Cadbury U.S.A. and we owned Mounds and Almond Joy. The fastest 5 pounds I ever gained was my first month working there~consuming candy bars fresh off the production line. These delicious morsels, that taste just like the candy bar, are good frozen, too.

Never go to Costco starving, which is what I did this week. In search of a new television, as ours was fried at the cabin due to a lightning strike, I grab this bag for something to nibble on during the ride home.

They are delicious with 10 grams of protein per serving and naturally lactose free~10 crisps equals 150 calories (but the crisps are rather big).

Made by Sonoma Creamery, there are other flavors too! Highly recommend as they would be delicious on a charcuterie board.

Dreamy Vacation Rental

Check out this dreamy English cottage which is available to rent in Devon, England. If making travel plans wasn’t so sketchy right now, I would be booking this for next Spring/Summer.

It looks like something out of a fairy tale. This cottage is owned and decorated by Elizabeth Hay, an interior designer who trained at Colefax & Fowler.  Immaculately restored and bursting with quintessential English country charm, the historic Grade II thatched cottage is surrounded by two acres of private grounds boasting orchards, a babbling brook, and a secret garden.

The cottage sleeps five, and guests have optional access to a beautifully decorated annex, a former livestock barn now converted to further sleeping accommodations. The annex provides ancillary sleeping space and will house an additional four guests. You can read more about this little slice of heaven here and learn more about booking reservations. 

Well that’s a wrap! Have a wonderful and relaxing weekend, my friends!

So many people are posting fall items now, but quite honestly, it’s hard to think of autumn when it is over 100 degrees. Inspired by this dilemma of a hot summer but longing for cooler temperatures, here are two seasonal tablescapes, utilizing some of the same elements, but creating two totally different vibes.

There are two talented women who encourage me to think out of the box when setting a table. Chloe from Celebrate and Decorate oozes of talent and innovation. You may recall, Chloe using a large antler shed last November and making the centerpiece of a gorgeous table out in our orchard. See that post here.

Though I have never met Bonnie Chase from Bonnie Chase Designs, I follow her on Instagram and drool over her beautiful tables. Check her out at @bonniechasedesigns. So channeling my inner Chloe and Bonnie, I set forth in creating a summer and fall tablescape.

Summer Tablescape

In the most recent My French Country Home box, the theme for August is Saint-Tropez. (If you are unfamiliar with this quarterly subscription, see more information here). A pretty raspberry and white striped fouta is made exclusively for My French Country Home and is just stunning. What is a fouta, you ask?

The fouta is a piece of thin patterned cotton or linen fabric of Yemeni origin used in many Mediterranean countries and Yemen. Among other uses, they were worn, by both men and women, wrapped around the body while at the public baths in 19th-century Syria. However, this large fouta is perfect as a tablecloth.

Starting with a green basketweave dinner plate from Pier 1 Imports, I add my cherished Wild Strawberry pattern teacups from Wedgwood. I bought these at Harrod’s in London many moons ago. The embroidered “C” napkin is an online order by Jan de Luz linens in Carmel, CA.

There is something very summery about pink and green~perfect for a Sunday breakfast. Pink flowers, such as these very fragrant star lilies are cut short and placed in glass juice glasses. Have you ever seen this multi-petal lily before? My husband did buy them at AJ’ Fine Foods.

My trusty Wallace Napolean Bee flatware adds a bit of gold to the place setting. I just purchased another set of 8 as I find I am using this all the time. I cannot say enough about this flatware! You can find it here.

Since this is a breakfast table, I add my Wedgwood tea pot and sugar bowl. Pink etched glasses from Pier 1 are perfect for water (or wine or mimosas?).

I do like to add something a bit whimsical and unexpected to the table. Meet my bejeweled frog box. I don’t really like knick-knacks, but this little guy just makes me happy.

So here is my summer breakfast table for two. Now let’s move into the fall season.

Fall Tablescape

This wool blanket reminds me of fall tailgating parties and has all the luscious colors for the season. I will use this as my tablecloth. Here are some similar wool blankets. You can use many things as tablecloths-shawls, scarves, throws or a piece of fabric. Use your imagination!

Utilizing some of the same elements as my Summer breakfast table, it’s easy to change it up a bit for Fall.

Here you can see I am using the same green basketweave plate, but am adding a clear gold rim salad plate (from Leslie Roy) and Villeroy & Boch yellow and green plates and an espresso cup and saucer.

Same silverware, different napkins. These hemstitched yellow linen ones are from Sferra. See them here. You can also find similar ones on Amazon here. The wine glass has autumn tones in the stem but I cannot recall where I purchased these.

For flowers, orange hue roses and alstroemerias (from Safeway) are cut short and again, put into small juice glasses. Our huge pine tree in the front yard is dropping gorgeous pinecones every day. Using items from your yard or garden is such an affordable way to add nature to your centerpiece.

Even the frog looks at home in his new habitat!

Overall, just a few additions and you can use your dishes to change the look of the table from season to season.

Wherever you live, I hope you are enjoying the end of summer or the beginning of fall. Here it will be hot for several more weeks, but as it does every year, the cooler climate will be here before we know it.

Have a happy Tuesday!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday #675 and Thursday’s Favorite Things #560

Though I am not ready to give up on summer yet, I feel I could easily welcome cooler Fall temperatures. It doesn’t get Fall-like here in the Valley of the Sun until late October. We seem to be hotter now with all the new growth and development, which is unfortunate. I recall cooler weather in mid-September when I first moved here. Fall decor is on the store shelves and typically, by the time I am ready to decorate everything is gone.

Front Porch decor

So today I would like to share some inspiration as we dream about apples, sweaters and falling leaves. The front porch is always a fun place to decorate and the wreath is the first item that goes up. Since our front door is wider than a standard size, our larger wreath is an investment. As a result, I store them carefully year to year. I love the rich fall colors and surprisingly, they do work with my light blue front door.

Or you can make a wreath using some natural materials from nature. To see my blog post on this, please click here.

Adding fall plants like wild grasses or coleus creates an autumn tapestry of textures and shades.

Pillows and Blankets

Pillows and blankets are an easy way to bump up your fall theme. This is a welcoming spot by the front door to sit and just relax. You can find great pillows on Etsy or Amazon here. And I love this blanket from Amazon too.

Fall DIY

Making fall trees (see post here) is a simple DIY utilizing all the fall foliage that can be found at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Keep some of your outdoor branches and with a drill and glue gun you are good to go!

Fresh cut branches with colorful autumn leaves in a large glass vessel can provide an instant change in season. Since we don’t really have these lovely deciduous trees here in Phoenix, I cut branches on our trip to the mountains each October.

Accessories

A few years ago, I discovered these amazing candles by Rosy Rings. They are works of art~beautiful to look at and smell great too. This autumn candle is Spicy Apple and you can see the slices of apple, cinnamon sticks, leaves and berries in the wax. You need one, right? See it here.

Adding a few pieces of seasonal art brings new color to any room. Here is a painting I did a few years back…my first pumpkin!

Decorating Shelves

I love adding a bit of fall decor to each room, but one of my favorite spots is the antique Hepplewhite secretary from the late 1700s which sits in our living room. From my Johnson & Johnson plates to the pheasant soup tureen, everything about this vignette screams autumn.

Last year I made fabric pumpkins, to replace the ones damaged by creepy bugs. This DIY is really easy and if you can get your hands on real pumpkin stems, then the possibilities are endless.

We have a huge pine tree in our front yard and for the first time it is dropping big, gorgeous pinecones. I cannot wait to figure out what I am going to do with this pretty gifts from nature.

Last year I did bleach pinecones and the results are a bit different but perfect for a more monochromatic theme. And you can use them into the Christmas holiday too. See that project here.

Well hopefully I have your fall decor juices going. I think my focus this year will be on making some of the mantels truly spectacular.

Do you have a favorite fall theme or color? Are you more traditional in the shades of oranges, reds and browns? Please share any fun projects that you are doing.

Happy Wednesday!

I always appreciate it when you share my pins on Pinterest. Thank you!

It is SO nice to be home and able to write a Saturday Meanderings again. Sorry for being absent the last few weeks, but it’s been a bit frenetic. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s catch up with all new and exciting things that are happening.

Trip Back East

As I have mentioned before, I am flying back and forth to Connecticut to settle up my aunt’s affairs. The good news is that upon arrival, the hydrangeas are starting to bloom. The bad news is the excessive high temperatures and equally high humidity are unbearable in my aunt’s home ~which is not air conditioned. Plus there is no internet. Groan.

But with only a few minor injuries and very sore muscles from moving furniture, I did get a lot accomplished. When the long flight back to Phoenix landed late at night, I was just SO HAPPY TO BE HOME. My sweet husband picked me up at the airport and on the way home this happened….

While we are waiting on the exit ramp for the light to change, an out of control white pickup truck traveling at excessive speeds comes out of nowhere and lands perpendicular on the front of our car, A nasty 5 car pile up and fortunately no one is injured~which is almost hard to believe. Since this is an open investigation I can’t share much more, but 3 hours later, we are finally able to go home, stunned, shaken and glad to be alive.

Another Watermelon Recipe

If you missed the blog post last week about my favorite watermelon recipes you can find it here. We are consuming so much of this delicious fruit, which is a delightful on our hot days. Here is another recipe adapted from Ambitious Kitchen. I cut corners and make this Watermelon Frosé a bit easier and it is equally delicious.

Freeze 4 cups of watermelon (cut into 1″ cubes). I froze mine on a cookie sheet. In a blender (I use my Vitamix), add the watermelon cubes, 1 bottle of chilled Rose wine and a squirt of agave syrup (optional) and blend until slushy. You may need to stir it up a bit as you go. Serve with a fresh mint sprig. Yum.Yum.

Frozen Dog Treats

You can buy frozen dog treats in the freezer section of your grocery store (like Frosty Paws). However, if I cannot recognize an ingredient or if there are more chemicals than actual food, I don’t buy the item for us (or our dogs).

It is easy to make your own dog ice cream using plain yogurt and peanut (or another nut) butter. Mix the yogurt and peanut butter (use whatever quantities you like) until well blended. Place in small containers. As an added bonus I put in a cut up Greenie (or similar dog treat) in the middle. Place in freezer.

I really need to purchase some paper cups in lieu of plastic ones. The dogs do chew up the cups and I do not want them to swallow any plastic. There appears to be a good selection here.

Did You Know?

We have several chickens in our hen house, and those gals are still laying quite a few eggs even during the heat of the summer. When the hen lays the egg, it comes out with a wet coating that dries instantly. This coating is called the “bloom”.

The bloom is the first line of defense in keeping air and bacteria out of the porous egg shell. If an egg is washed, the natural barrier is removed, which accelerates decay of the egg.

Unfortunately, commercial egg growers wash their eggs before sending them to market. If you buy eggs at the farmers market or other places other than your local grocery store, you may want to ask if the eggs still have their bloom.

Since we do sell our eggs to friends, I recently had these cute tags made up that I place on the top of each carton. The tag explains that we do not wash our eggs here at Bella Terra, because the bloom keeps the egg fresher longer.

Prior to using the egg, if you wish, you can wash them. Though you don’t need to refrigerate unwashed eggs, we refrigerate our eggs regardless. If you have ever been to other country, you will notice that they do not refrigerate their eggs, but stack them up for sale. I’m guessing that’s because they leave the bloom on.

These cute tags are designed by Jen Gregory from Simple Modest Mom and printed by Impact Printing Services here in Phoenix.

New on the Internet

Hester & Cook have new vinyl floor mats that I am considering. My sweet friend, B.J. owns a few of these (purchased from another source) and she loves them.

Currently my small rugs by the doors by Dash and Albert are looking a bit sad, so maybe this would be a good alternative. Does anyone own a vinyl rug? Thoughts?

When it is 113 degrees, it is very difficult to think ahead to Fall. But we are starting to see more autumn posts and inspiration, as Back to School is right around the corner. Yvonne from Stone Gable just shared a lovely post full of fall decorating ideas. Her photos are stunning and you can see it here.

A few posts ago I stated my desire to have a care free summer. Well, that certainly hasn’t been the case. In addition to being absolutely swamped with absorbing an entire household from my aunt, I spend countless volunteer hours on our neighborhood association board. It’s been a bit stressful and I am praying for it all to settle down soon. My therapy is being in the kitchen and with 60 lbs. of Roma tomatoes and a sink filled with fresh basil, it’s apron time for me this weekend.

If you missed any of my posts this week, you can find them here:

Dividing Irises (and see my friends’ gardens too!) and Room by Room ( a tour of our front hall)

Have a happy one, my friends. And stay safe out there.

If you enjoy this post, please feel free to share on Pinterest. And you can follow me too @lifeatbellaterra.

Happy Saturday, friends! I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine. From the food to the family to the weather, it couldn’t have been more perfect! I am so happy you are joining me this morning for Saturday meanderings~a glimpse into the previous week’s activities.

The Turkey

We always buy a big turkey for this holiday. Whole Foods provided the 22 pound organic bird. When I picked it up, I asked if the butcher could break it down for us, however, the turkey (though fresh) was too frozen to cut it apart. This is the first Thanksgiving my son is able to convince me to try cooking it this way. So Benjamin (a big, strong guy) googled how to break down this bird and I can say, it isn’t for weaklings. So happy he is home to do this!

Again, we used the dry brining method on the turkey 2 days prior to cooking. This year we added a different dry brine recipe that has many more spices.

I can honestly say this is the BEST TURKEY EVER! Cooking a 22 lb. turkey took 2.5 hours. And it is delicious! Moist breast, crispy skin, perfectly cooked thighs….just yummy.

Here is the link to the Bon Appetit recipe in case you want to try this. Also, I highly recommend you have your butcher break down the bird or find a handsome, strapping young fellow to do so.

The Table

The weather has been very chilly (for us) in the mornings, but the day time temperatures are perfect. On Thanksgiving Day it was 71 degrees and we decided to set up the table outside on the back terrace. We’ve never eaten our holiday meal there, so it was very pleasant and gave us the space we needed.

My son’s girlfriend, Delaney did the lettering for the place cards. Aren’t they pretty? Calligraphy will be on list of new things to tackle in 2021. Anyone else want to do that?

The Cocktail

I love this picture so much that I thought I would share this cocktail. Created in the 1970s at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, the Jungle Bird is a tropical rum cocktail featuring a bitter hint of Campari. Recipe below.

The Desserts

Our dessert selection includes pumpkin and cherry pie. My husband is responsible for the pumpkin as he has his “secret” recipe. The cherry recipe is straight from Oregon Fruit’s website. No fancy cakes this year.

Cashmere Problems

With the change in temperature, I find myself reaching for sweaters to wear in the morning. One of my favorite gray cardigan is cashmere and when I put it on I discovered dreaded moth eaten holes. I’ve never had moth damage in the closet before. Sadly, we also have a cedar closet and some of the items in there have moth damage too.

So after reading a blog post from Between Naps on the Porch, she suggested buying a cashmere bag to store your sweaters. I will try this and see if it works for the very few remaining cashmere sweaters that I have.

Christmas Jammies

As you well know, Christmas holiday decor and celebrations do not start here at Bella Terra until after Thanksgiving. In order to welcome in the new season, I just bought these fun red/white striped pajamas from Soma. The pants have pockets and a drawstring waist~so very comfortable. Even though these pajamas are featured in their catalog, I could not find them online. However, the store at the Biltmore Shopping Center does have them in stock. Plus Soma has an extensive collection of other pajamas online.

Family Photo Holiday Card

Does anyone else have difficulties getting the family together for a photo? At least this year we didn’t have to google how to set the timer and have someone run back to the group before the camera clicks! Anyway, it is time to write the family holiday letter and get the card created. The annual goal is to get cards in the mail by December 15th.

Well that wraps up the week. If you are a reader, please check out my post this week on Reading and Relaxing here. Please enjoy the last few days of November. The holiday decorating begins and next week I want to show you the gorgeous mantels my blogging friends created! Stay safe and warm!