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.

Is anyone else noticing an increase in rude behavior in the world? This past weekend we were at our cabin in the mountains for Labor Day. It is a wonderful community and has been for as long as we’ve owned a cabin there.

On Saturday night, there was an outdoor concert at the clubhouse. It was a beautiful evening with music and dinner. Two women mistakenly thought I “cut” in front of them on our way to pick up our meal. They instantly attacked me in such an aggressive way. Quite frankly, I was speechless at the intensity of their anger. Fortunately, another kind soul witnessed it and was equally appalled.

So I think it is time again to share my post on Kindness. Is it a post-COVID behavior or are people just so unhappy? It feels so uncivilized to me to lash out at someone you don’t even know, without giving someone the benefit of the doubt. What have we become if we cannot be kind to each other?

Kindness is one of those things that spans all barriers~~socio-economic, education, language, age and religion.  It costs NOTHING yet its benefits are priceless.  It may be easy when someone is mean or cruel to react in the same way.  But kindness is the opposite.  Its effects can lower the temperature of a situation or put wind under someone’s wings.

Kindness has been top of mind lately because I seem to see less and less of it in today’s world.

When recalling kind gestures that have left an indelible mark on me, two come to mind. They both came at a time when I had experienced great loss.

A few years back, my Dad came to live with us in Phoenix after my Mom passed away.  Our more moderate winter weather and sunshine seemed the perfect remedy for Dad vs. grieving alone in the cold Connecticut winter.  

Unfortunately, after 5 months, in May 2015, he passed away here in our home.  When the funeral home came to pick up his body, we watched these two strangers enter into this extremely personal and difficult time. They carefully and gracefully wrapped my father’s body in a beautiful tapestry cloth.  When they were getting ready to move him onto the gurney, one of the men slowly tapped my Dad’s leg, as if to say, “Hey, buddy. It’s time to go and we will take good care of you”. It was such a simple act, but letting my Dad go emotionally was hard enough.

But that simple, loving gesture, allowed me to entrust a total stranger with my Dad, the man who has known me the longest. A man I had loved all my life. It was so respectful and done with great love.  

The other kind gesture that I will remember forever was right after my first husband died. I was in my mid 30’s and we were having a second memorial service for him back in my home town.  I went to get my nails done at a local salon/spa mostly because I needed an hour with a change of scenery. The nail person began working on my rather sad looking nails and we were making small talk about the weather, etc.

She then looked up from what she was doing and asked, “So how are you”? And the tears began. I was sobbing, you know, that uncontrollable kind.  The kind of crying where you can’t even talk. She stopped what she was doing and just held my hands. It took me quite sometime to stop blubbering but until I did, she quietly and warmly held my hands in hers. Finally I was able to say, “I’m so sorry but my husband just passed away”.  She squeezed my hands and offered her condolences and then handed me a tissue. Nothing more than that. It was the kindest thing anyone could have done for me at that time.

These are such small but enormous acts of random kindness from people I had never known and will never see again.  But they taught me that being kind doesn’t have to be grandiose or public.  Sometimes a simple touch, hug, soothing word or tone can have a monumental impact. I’m sure neither of them know how much their self-less gestures meant to me.  See how something so small can be so BIG.

We never know why someone is acting rude or upset or why they have chosen to take it out on us.  But we don’t have to send that behavior back.  Maybe asking a simple question, “I’m sorry but it looks like you are having a bad day” or paying a compliment with a smile, would be a better response. I don’t want to perpetuate negative energy.  Instead, I want to change it and be part of the solution.  Those who are mean and angry need our prayers.

Imagine a world where for one day, everyone was kind.  Wouldn’t that be amazing? But kindness comes from within~~each and every one of us can choose to be kind.  Please think about that the next time a negative thought or word is getting ready to leave your body.  We can make a difference, one kind act at a time.

Sending kind and loving thoughts your way.

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

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!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

It feels so good to get back to writing a Saturday Meanderings. The last two weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind and I appreciate you understanding my lack of posting. Happy Saturday and let’s chat about what is going on.

The day after our houseguests left I excitedly left Phoenix to Orlando, Florida to meet up with 3 of my favorite blogging friends (Design Morsels and Chas Crazy Creations). For me, this trip would be full of creative ideas, new sites and new memories. I landed in Orlando late on a Wednesday night and got to see Celebration, Florida for the first time.

Celebration is a master planned community designed by The Walt Disney Company. The town, which has approximately 12,000 residents, is architecturally beautiful, fabulously landscaped, and impeccably maintained. Think Main Street USA but far better. My friend, Chloe, from Celebrate and Decorate lives in a gorgeous home with a large Southern front porch. Hosting our blogging get-together at her lovely home is such a treat.

The length of my trip was supposed to be Wednesday through Sunday. However, the very next day, I received notification that the Norwich, Connecticut police found my aunt dead in her home. My aunt, Gail, is the last of my father’s siblings and lived alone. Her death was unexpected as she was in good health, extremely active and independent (still driving) for her age of 100. She would have been 101 in August.

I ended my trip to Florida after one day and got the first flight up to Connecticut. With no children or living spouse, I am the person responsible to handle Aunt Gail’s finality and estate. Fortunately, I locate some documentation with her burial wishes and we had a lovely farewell ceremony the following week. Now probate begins and who knows when I will need to return to manage the rest.

The good news is that spring flowers are in bloom in Connecticut and my aunt has 3 very large lilac bushes. I cut armfuls and fill her home with their lovely scent. Azaleas and rhododendrons are also at their best.

Now I am back home in Phoenix and quickly had a day to do all the laundry from our last house guests. We are entertaining our new delightful house guests this week. So it’s been a bit busy and as a result, I’ve hardly spent time on my blog or social media.

While I was away, the sunflowers opened up and the birds are enjoying the fresh peaches on the tree.

Daydreaming

But life happens and we manage. Maybe as a result of experiencing a loss, you think ahead. Lately I am dreaming about designing my own home someday. Or at least thinking about being able to renovate a home exactly the way I want with an unlimited budget! Wouldn’t that be nice. But I seem to like several different styles. Which of these appeal to you?

Stark and serene?

Classic and clean?

Warm and elegant?

Or lots of character and charm?

Oops!

Do you remember last year when I changed the color of the front door from red to blue? Look what I just found! Ha! Funny how I did not notice the unpainted edge until now..ah, another project.

Just recently, I started reading a wonderful book series from Karen White. The House on Tradd Street is the first book of many and it is a brilliant, chilling story featuring a Charleston real estate agent who loves old houses~and the secret histories inside them.

I am looking forward to a quiet and relaxing weekend here at home. Thanks again for joining me today!

For many years I did cook for large groups of high school athletic boys, in addition to my family of 5. However, since we are now empty nesters, a meal may consist of cheese and crackers and a glass of wine. Funny how one adapts! But having a house full of guests this week, with healthy 25-26 year old young men, I am quickly reminded of how much they love to eat. Here are a few of my “go to” recipes for feeding a crowd.

Breakfast

Generally, I like to do a breakfast spread that can stay out for a few hours to allow our guests to come in and eat when they want. This egg casserole is delicious either hot or cold.

Depending on the size of the piece, it can feed a lot of people. Since it is an easy recipe, it is generally served at our July 4th brunch and holiday weekends. See blog post and recipe here.

We are also blessed with having a lot of oranges from the orchard. The trees need to be gleaned when the first orange blossoms occur. So there is a wheel barrow full of them and perfect for squeezing fresh orange juice~again something that can be made ahead of time. Or it’s fun to engage your guests into squeezing the fruit too.

For beverages, everyone gets a quick tutorial on how to use the Nespresso machine so they can help themselves to coffee, espresso or lattes in the morning. The coffee station has everything you need from German rock sugar to Torani flavored syrups. Coffee cups are handy and available.

Other Breakfast Ideas

Homemade granola (see recipe here).

Quiche (use store bought pie crusts for extra ease).

Breakfast pizza with store bought pizza dough (add bacon/sausage, eggs, cheese, herbs).

Lunch

Lunch has been relatively easy with this group of friends because they love Arizona tacos~something difficult to find in Washington, DC. Taco crawls to different places are a way to taste the authentic Mexican food which is abundant here.

But if I need to prepare something, I would suggest a sandwich bar with deli cuts of meat, lettuce, tomatoes, spreads (mustard, mayo, pickled onions) and a great bread or bun (or homemade sourdough bread)! A few bags of different chips and you are good to go.

Another easy solution is the heating up the pizzas I recently found from Naples, Italy. They come directly from the source, packaged beautifully in quantities of 8 and a wonderful item to keep on hand in your freezer. Add some more toppings and 10-12 minutes in the oven and you have an authentic Italian 10″ wood-fired pizza. I am getting ready to order another batch from Talia di Napoli. See resource here.

Dinner

You can’t go wrong with steaks on the grill and a big salad. I also just tried Rachel Ray’s lemon smashed potatoes, which can be made ahead of time. Everyone said they were delicious as I could not indulge being on my Fast Metabolism diet. Here’s the recipe and sorry, I failed to take any pictures of them.

One recipe that is simple to make and does feed a crowd is lasagna. Using store bought tomato sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles (see here) helps with the quick preparation of this dish. The tomato sauce I always use is Rao’s, if I don’t have any homemade sauce available. You can find it at most grocery stores, Costco and on Amazon here. It does not contain any sugar (check the label as most pasta sauces have lots of sugar).

What makes this recipe flexible is that you can make it with zucchini instead of pasta. Also, you can add beef, turkey or sausage if you like or not. I find it helpful to make a smaller casserole of vegetarian lasagna at the same time. Both freeze well too.

Lasagna, a big salad, garlic bread and a nice bottle of red wine and dinner is served.

Desserts

Whipping up a batch of chocolate chip cookies takes me approximately 17 minutes from start to finish. How do I know this?

While in high school, my son would ALWAYS ask me to make cookies. One night, I was very tired and getting ready to head to bed and he made another cookie inquiry. I suppose I could have said no, but I knew he had more studying to do. With his help, we made them together very quickly….about 17 minutes.

Having the ingredients on hand makes a difference! I sprinkle the top with Maldon smoked sea salt flakes for an extra flavor. You can source it here.

Another easy dessert is a Fruit Crisp. Apples, pears, peaches, cherries…really any fruit works. With a crispy, oatmeal/brown sugar/butter topping, all you will need is a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Here is the recipe to my favorite peach crisp. Just substitute another fruit and double the recipe if you are serving many.

Hopefully with the world opening up you will be entertaining with lots of people soon. Fresh food sources are the key to making great food! Do you have any tried and true recipes for feeding a crowd? If so, please do share.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

P.S. Just a reminder that any words that are italicized bring you to the source. If it is a product on Amazon, please note that I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you purchase something through my website, I receive a small (very small!) stipend, which doesn’t affect the price you pay at all. My goal is to make sourcing the items easy for you. Thank you for your continued support.

Happy Saturday! Every time I type this I feel like each and every week is just flying by so quickly. It’s been another busy week and currently we have a house filled with guests. Pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee or tea and let’s chat about the week.

Some of my favorites

Even though I am always looking for ways to get off the computer and mobile phone, I am always inspired by these blog sites.

Cheap Old Houses

If you love renovation or want to move somewhere more affordable, Cheap Old Houses is a fun site. Called Instagram’s most addictive rabbit hole this website shows affordable homes all around the country and world.

I do sometime fantasize about purchasing a historical villa in Italy and restoring it. Cheap Old Houses is free to view. To get Cheap Old Houses Abroad is a $6.00 per month, but worthy entertainment!

The Glam Pad

Just the opposite of Cheap Old Houses is The Glam Pad. Andrea is a firm believer in timeless classic style with a generous dose of English sensibility, Southern charm, Old Hollywood glamour, and Palm Beach whimsy! According to Andrea’s website, “I am passionate about historic preservation, antiques, and old-fashioned traditions such as needlepoint, tea, and handwritten letters.” A person after my own heart. If you are looking for beautiful photos and design inspiration, check out The Glam Pad.

Getting Ready for Guests

As I mentioned earlier this week, my son is home with 6 of his friends. They plan to explore Arizona and Utah next week in camping vehicles. We get to have them for the weekend before and after~which, of course, is just delightful.

Lots of beds = lots of clean linens. There is nothing better than freshly washed sheets drying outside on the clothes line. I wish I could bottle that smell. This is also a good time for me to check the condition of towels and pillows and replace if necessary. In a later post, I will share what I do to prepare for house guests.

New Things Coming

I am excited to join a group of other like minded bloggers who love gardening. Starting in May we will have a monthly blog hop talking about our gardens.

What will make it interesting is that we are all located in different parts of the country and growing zones, so where I may be harvesting, others are just sowing seeds.

If you aren’t familiar with my sweet blogging friends, I recommend you check them out. Kim from Shiplap and Shells, Stacy from Bricks ‘n Blooms and Chas from Chas Crazy Creations. More to come!

Barbecue Tile

Last Spring, we added tile to the back of the grill area (see post here). Prior to tile, we had plaster and I shudder to think how skanky and dirty it became over the years. Last night we grilled steaks and here is what the tile looks like after one meal. The photo doesn’t represent how dirty the tile is, but trust me, it looks filthy.

Krud Kutter did such a good job cleaning the kitchen cooking area (see post here) so I decide to try it on the very greasy and dirty tile. Again, the minute I spray this concentrated cleaner/degreaser on the tile, you can smell it working.

The grease melts away easily. The most difficult part is getting my butt up there to do this!

And here is how the tile looks after using Krud Kutter. I cannot recommend this product enough. Here is a link to this non-toxic, biodegradable product.

Do You Knit?

When my girls were younger, we took a knitting lesson. Well, I haven’t really stuck with it, but my daughter, Julianna, knits……beautifully. Now after seeing her latest project, I am inspired to start knitting again. Unfortunately, I just know how to knit and purl….nothing fancy and often with dropped stitches.

Check out this amazing blanket she is currently making with a garter, stockinette, and diagonal basketweave stitch.

Even the back side is attractive.

She is approximately half way through making this blanket. Perfect for her to do while you are using a head set and working virtually.

Please let me know if you knit or crochet. I’ve never done crochet before but I am thinking about taking up something to do at night while watching television.

That wraps up another Saturday Meanderings. Enjoy your weekend and hopefully there won’t be any more snow back east! So crazy as we are in the 70s-80s here.

If you missed any posts this week, check out my birthday trip to Castle Hot Springs here and all about Raising Chickens here.

Also, if you like this post, please pin on Pinterest.