holidays

We always look forward to going to our cabin for the July 4th holiday. It is much cooler in the mountains of Arizona and this area has a nice small town feel. The highlight is the July 4th parade, which started many years ago by a wonderful neighbor who believed this holiday needed proper celebrating.

Parade Cancelled

Yesterday, we received word that the parade is cancelled this year. My heart sank as it is just one more thing to adjust to during this pandemic. Intellectually I understand, but emotionally, I was really looking forward to it. And our governor has imposed a 30-day lockdown….again. But we will prevail and keep our spirits up. What choice do we have.

Not only is this parade quite fun but every year thousands of dollars is raised through t-shirt sales and donations supporting the local fire department. Being in the mountains, our firefighters are true heroes as the threat of devastating fires is common during our hot summer months. I am hoping there is still a way to donate?

Nonetheless, we will celebrate our independence and freedom in the true spirit of red, white and blue. Today’s post is a compilation of patriotic celebrations over the past few years. Since I barely know what day it is, I haven’t thought ahead on how I will set the table nor what foods I will prepare. But for some reason, like Christmas, it all comes together, right?

Patriotic Brunch

Our July 4th morning starts with a patriotic brunch and I do serve the same dishes every year. Perhaps I should try something new but these recipes continue to be crowd pleasers.

The egg casserole can be served hot or cold~it’s delicious either way. Hard to believe I shared this with you in 2016! Click here for the recipe.

A tried and true coffee cake recipe can be adjusted each year depending on what fruit you have. My 2017 recipe includes raspberries, but it can be made with peaches, pears, apples, or blueberries. Click here for the recipe.

Since we need our fruits and vegetables there is always a green salad and a fruit salad. Our guests tend to linger after the parade so I make a charcuterie board for nibbling. Ha! I just realized I made a 6 pointed star vs. a 5 pointed star with the cheese! I get an A for effort….Here’s the link to the charcuterie board.

Can’t have brunch without a dessert! I was rather ambitious in 2018 when I baked this impressive red, white and blue 8 layer American Flag cake. First of all, I am never going to do this again, as baking in high altitudes is not one of my strengths. But surprisingly, it did taste very good! Here is the link to that post.

What is July 4th without cherry pie? I have yet to master the perfect cherry pie, but I hope to try my friend Gwen’s recipe this year. It is my husband’s favorite.

Typically I set up brunch around the kitchen island so guests can go in and out of the house, eat, watch the parade, eat some more, watch the parade. But with no parade, we will more than likely sit down at the table on the outdoor covered porch. Here are a few pictures from previous events.

The Table

July 4th is a very important holiday. We often take for granted our independence and freedom. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States as an independent nation began.

We live in an amazing country and I will proudly display many flags. Let’s all remember what the flag symbolizes: white signifies purity and innocence; red, hardiness and valor; and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Long may she wave.

What are you doing to celebrate the 4th of July? My next post will be from the mountains! Happy Wednesday, my friends!

Today’s post shared with Charming Cottages and Gardens

and Centerpiece Wednesday Linky Party at Karins Kottage

travel

For all the fans of HGTV Fixer Upper, this post is for you! Last week I traveled to Waco, Texas for a social media seminar. The week was packed with presentations and I was blessed to meet some wonderful women, who are very successful influencers.

Green Door Lofts

Staying at the Green Door Lofts is a special experience. I really wish I had taken more pictures of our accommodations. Our room is very spacious with a full kitchen, living room, 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. The best part is that I was able to share this space with my two dear friends, Andrea from Design Morsels and Chas from Chas’ Crazy Creations.

Very bohemian in decor, the Green Door Lofts is the ideal place to stay if you are traveling with family or a small group

In addition to the seminar, some of the fun excursions during the week included touring 3 local vacation rental homes. Not only did we meet the owners/proprietors but also learned about the history, restorations and decor strategies of each.

The Morrow House

The first stop is the Morrow House. The 1886 Eastlake gem was weeks away from being demolished and was saved and restored (thankfully!). It has been featured in Cottage Style and Modern Farmhouse magazine. The owner, Kimberly, graciously provided hors d’nerves and cocktails during our tour.

This 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home (sleeps 8) is beautifully appointed and much of the original details and architecture still exist.

For more information about The Morrow House, click here.

South Haven by HavenCraft

The second tour is a series of 3 homes owned by the same individual. Robin and her husband are investing in remodeling homes in Waco and turning them into vacation rentals. Robin and her sister, Bree, collaborate on design and decor. Each rental has its own “theme”. The first one, South Haven, is a sweet blue cottage with a Southern decor vibe.

This 4 bedroom, 3 bath sleeps 10. For more information on the South Haven house, click here.

Haven House

Next, we visited Haven House, also in Waco. Sorry for the different size images~some are mine and some are stock photos from their website.

Beautifully appointed full kitchen.

Lots of wainscoting!

For more information about this 3 bedroom, 3 bath home, click here.

The third property that Robin and Bree are renovating is not finished yet. However, it is a Sherwood Forest theme! These gals are very creative and you can tell that giving guests a special experience is very important to them.

Giveaway!

At the end of our tour, Robin presented all of us with a $100 Voucher off of any of their properties! So if you are planning on going to Waco in the future, and you are interested in the HavenCraft properties (Haven House, South Haven or the soon to be Glen Haven), please let me know. I would love to give this voucher away to someone who will use it! I only have one coupon and it’s good until August 2022.

Just leave a comment after this post and say you want the coupon. If I get more than one request, I will put names in a hat and someone will be the lucky winner!

Market at the Silos

On another day, we went to Magnolia Market at the Silos because you cannot go to Waco, Texas and not see what Chip and Joanna Gaines have contributed to the community. Many of the outdoor spaces are closed due to the virus and fortunately, there was no line to get in.

The store is beautifully merchandised and the selection of faux flowers is quite spectacular. I don’t think we have as many artificial flower suppliers as they do in Waco. You are given a Magnolia bag when you arrive, but we left with them unfilled.

With no crowds, it is easy to get through the store quickly. If you like the farmhouse style (shiplap, chippy paint, beaded chandeliers, signs with heartfelt messages), there are lots of choices here. It is not my jam so the few things that were of interest, I can order online.

Magnolia Bake Shop

The Magnolia Bake Shop had a small line but I am more interested in the lovely window boxes they had on the building, which were filled with succulents.

The weather this time of year in Waco is hot and HUMID. Something this Arizona resident is not used to! It is hard to determine whether you can fill a weekend here, because now many things were closed and tours cancelled.

I am happy I saw the town and met a few business owners who are trying to make a go of it in difficult times. Like most things, the Silos feel bigger on television and I was a bit underwhelmed. It appears that Chip and Joanna are still building new destinations in Waco, which some people like, and others not.

It is truly nice to be back home and sleeping in my own bed! If you missed yesterday’s post about airline travel in these trying times, click here. Have a happy Tuesday and thanks for checking in today.

Several vendors donated supplies and gifts to all participants in the conference. I would like to personally thank all of them for their generosity. If you are ever in Waco, please support these businesses. Many are online. It’s a tough time for so many people. Lending a helping hand may make a difference.

Food and packaged mixes by Sherri at Mad Dash Mixes

Signature Root Beer Float by Heritage Creamery

Popcorn: Waco Blend by Off the Cob

Cookies by Milk Bottle Cookies (which were to die for!)

Coffee by Thirst Coffee

On Tuesday, I boarded a plane for the first time since early March. How our world has changed in just a few months! Rated #1 by the Wall Street Journal (two years in a row), Sky Harbor Airport makes flying anywhere relatively easy. We are so blessed to have such a large airport accessible.

We have been traveling over the last few years and signed up for TSA PreCheck and CLEAR. CLEAR is a contactless way to get through security using a retinal scanner (or your fingerprints). Not every airport has this service, however, this touch-less identification system has a dedicated entry line, allowing the security check in process to be faster and less painful.

People watching this time was different, as I found myself looking at masks, not faces. All airports require masks. However, there are many people who were wearing their masks with their noses exposed. Some had them hanging off one ear and not even covering their faces. My favorite was a man whose mask completely covered his chin, but nothing else.

At one point I scolded myself for mask judging. I find that wearing one is a bit claustrophobic and really reduces our way to watch facial expressions or read lips. But, I must admit, there were some humorous ones out there and it was a good way to pass the time!

Our airport was packed with people at the gates, but it was eerily quiet when walking between terminals. Most of the shops are closed and have their security gates down. Some of the restaurants are open and you are allowed to sit and eat (without your mask).

The photo below there wasn’t another person in either direction as far as the eye could see. If you are on Instagram and follow my stories, you will see two videos on the empty airport spaces.

However, the plane was nearly full. That I found surprising because I thought airlines were supposed to keep the center seat free, but that was not the case. No social distancing there!

The plane was very clean, however, I still wiped down all surfaces with my disinfecting wipes. Also, the airlines do not provide a beverage or snack/meal service. You may be able to request a drink but I didn’t witness anyone doing that either. I am so happy I purchased a bottle of water at the gate and managed to grab some breakfast cookies out of the freezer. If you missed those recipes, click here.

My flight took me to Dallas to Dallas/Fort Worth airport. If you have ever been to DFW, the airport is enormous. If you need to move between terminals, the SkyTrain transports you there. I decided to walk between terminals and again, there was no one as far at the eye could see. It was a bit spooky because at one point in time, I thought I was in a section that may have been closed off to the public.

Traveling now with new restrictions due to COVID, I felt like I was in a really bad B movie. I understand the need to cover our faces but unfortunately it isolates us. Conversation on the airplane was non-existent. You cannot see someone’s smile. Our ability to converse with clarity is now muffled. Instead of smiling at someone, head nodding is the new way to acknowledge. How sad that this virus has changed the world.

For those who remember traveling before 9/11, there is now a new shift in air travel. I have concerns about how this will further alienate us from each other. How fear of the unknown makes us hunker down more.

Yet, I know this will pass and we will adapt. It is more important now that ever to find other ways to maintain the human connection. Maybe letter writing will re-emerge or perhaps technological advances like Zoom or Google Hangouts is the new fiber that will hold us together.

I just returned from 4 days in Waco and my next post will be about my experiences there. Since I arrived home late last night and have so many photos to sort through and edit, there wasn’t enough time this morning to do so.

Here is the picture on the way home from the airport last night. Please pray for rain. Without our summer monsoon rains, the fire dangers increase. This fortunately was a brush fire that was managed but a reminder on how easily a spark can spread into something much more devastating.

I am SO happy to be home and I wish all of you a wonderful Saturday. May your weekend be filled with relaxing moments and quality time with your family and friends.

I am not a fan of bulletin boards as they remind me of ones in public buildings where you look for advertisements for apartments or babysitters. But we all need a space to put those items that you don’t want to file, don’t want to lose, but are important and need to be easily accessible. And I am constantly trying to reduce piles of paperwork that so magically accumulate.

So I had this idea to create a non-intrusive looking board to put in an obscure place in the kitchen where I could collect topical papers.

In conversing with our HVAC person, I asked if he would be able to make me piece of sheet metal to a specific size. Since he uses sheet metal all the time, he happily agreed to do so.

The sheet metal didn’t need to be prepped or treated as I will paint it. Since sheet metal is sharp, he made sure the edges were properly folded.

This particular bulletin board will be hung behind the kitchen door. Since I want this to be somewhat disappear, I am painting it the same color as the kitchen wall. The bulletin board will not have a frame or border either as I don’t want to draw attention to it.

Notice the holes in each corner. Since we have plaster walls we will not be affixing the board to the wall with nails or screws, however, the holes are there for that option. The kitchen wall color paint is Dunn Edwards Cochise SP2560 eggshell.

In order to easily paint the sheet metal, I have it resting on a carpet end flat dolly.

Allow the paint to dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Due to the summer heat this dried in a very short time. There is no need to paint the back of the sheet metal as this will be against the wall.

After carefully measuring and marking the location, we then applied the Command Picture Hanging Strips to the back of the board. These velcro strips are perfect if you do not want to put nail/screw holes in your walls.

Once affixed, you can barely see the magnetic board on the wall.

Adding headers for your paperwork helps with the organization. Here is where I hang prescriptions, lab work papers, trash pick-up schedules, Save the Date cards, and photos and memorabilia that makes me happy.

Use decorative magnets for fun.

I especially like that it feels nearly invisible and can be hidden by the kitchen door when we have company.

Here is the finished board. It doesn’t scream “BULLETIN BOARD”, but is a central place that the entire family can use to post important notices.

As items come in, they get added to the board. Once every few weeks, I remove the outdated material. Think of all the places you could hide a custom-sized magnetic board like this~~inside a cabinet door for example or the back of a bedroom door.

I am not a big DIY person, but every now and then I try to create a solution to a specific need. Where do you put items like this? My nearly invisible magnetic board is easy to make and keeps the clutter organized. If you have a system to help de-clutter and organize papers, please share.

Can you believe it is nearing the end of June already? Where is the time going? Have an enjoyable Wednesday!

To see the Master Closet organization project, click here.

To see the Butler’s Pantry organization, click here.

This post is shared with Hometalk.

Thank you for visiting today to read about the ongoing restoration story of our historical home. Chapters 5 is all about the well tower or water tower.

Before

Before purchasing this house, I really didn’t know anything about well towers. I have never seen one. We call ours a well tower but they are also known as water towers. The height of the tower provides the pressure for the water supply system, and it may be supplemented with a pump. The well tower and house were built in 1912. The original well operated with a rod and sucker pump system.

This is the earliest picture we have of the well tower. Assuming it was taken in the late 1950s to early 1960s, it appears as if the well tower is painted white. I recently spoke with the son of a previous owner who said the well tower was non-functional back then.

When we purchased the house, the well tower was significantly deteriorated. The pump was dry and the building had a collapsed roof. The pigeons moved in and it was ankle-deep in pigeon poop. There was a funky shed attached. Such a sad building.

I certainly didn’t want to tear this unique building down, despite its condition. However, it needed lots of work. Since the entire top was rotted, it was easy to make the decision to remove and redesign the upper structure.

During

Our desire is to make this building usable. At the top, the views to Piestawa Peak are beautiful. But with no floor space and no windows, that view was wasted.

The tacky shed was removed too and a new window was put in its place. Historic preservation approved our plans to restore/renovate this structure.

The renovations included: new redwood clapboard, more windows to add light, two more levels connected by circular staircases, plumbing for my potting area, a tub to bathe the dogs and a fireman’s pole for easy exiting.

In addition, we gained permission from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to drill a new well.

After

The entire top section has 360 degree views through new Marvin windows. The trim is painted that same as the main house and the redwood siding is naturally stained. The fireman’s pole is accessed from the 2nd level through a small door. It is a fun attraction for all ages!

I hope you agree the restoration is a big improvement! To see the interior of the well tower, click here.

This is one of my favorite moody, holiday photos of the well tower with Cooper. Photo by Adam Peter in 2016.

If you missed the post about the potting shed located inside of the well tower, please click here.

Today we are enjoying the water benefits of having our own well. The water is clean enough to drink, however, we use it for landscape watering only. The pump draws water into a holding tank underground. Water is such a precious resource here in Phoenix and we are grateful we had the money and foresight to re-institute the well many years ago.

Wishing everyone a terrific Tuesday! I hope you have enjoyed the latest chapter in The Restoration Chronicles. To see previous chapters, click on the links below.

The Restoration Chronicles, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4.

This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch 599th Metamorphosis Mondays

Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. This year it is today, June 20, 2020. Lots of 20s in there! I’m beginning to think 20 may be an unlucky number as this year has been very unsettling.

The Summer Solstice occurs when the Earth’s North Pole is tilted furthest towards the sun. On the June solstice, the sun will be farthest north in the northern hemisphere sky, appearing directly over the Tropic of Cancer, and will take the longest route between rising and setting. This means that today will have the most hours of sunlight and the shortest night of 2020. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the opposite-the shortest day and longest night.

Typically, the June solstice marks the beginning of summer and will last until the September 22 equinox. So Happy Summer Solstice to you and I hope you are doing something summery to celebrate.

Today, I am sharing two summer cocktails that I love. One is really an aperitif, a cocktail that is served before a meal and is meant to stimulate the appetite. Aperitifs are usually dry rather than sweet, as sugar tends to diminish your appetite.

I am naming this an Americano Spritzer. Fill a tall glass with ice and add a generous pour of Cocchi Rosa Americano Aperitivo, add sparkling water or club soda, add a squeeze of lemon juice (half a lemon) and top with a lemon twist. That’s it! Easy and simple.

This light, low alcohol drink is refreshing and delightful. Cocchi Rosa is produced with a base of red wines from Piedmont which herbs, spices and extracts like gentian, cinchona, citrus zests and rose petals. The futuristic rooster on the label, designed in the ‘30s, represents its aperitif function (“it awakes the appetite”) and is also the symbol of the town of Asti, Italy. I purchased this at Total Wine for $21.49.

The next cocktail I have shared before but it is the perfect summer drink when watermelon is in season. This has more alcohol (tequila) than the aperitif but the combination of the sweet watermelon and spicy jalapeño is a winner. It is a “skinny” recipe due to the agave syrup vs. sugar. Click here for the Skinny Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita recipe from Ambitious Kitchen. For more non-beverage watermelon recipes, click here.

If you prefer something non-alcoholic (though you could add vodka or gin), please try my Cucumber Lemonade recipe. The different twist on basic lemonade is a crowd pleaser.

I like using an English cucumber as the skin is very thin compared to a regular cucumber. However, I would imaging either would work. If you use a blender to make cucumber juice, you will need to strain it to remove the seeds and pulp.

My lemonade recipe is fairly easy~1 part lemon juice, 1 part simple syrup, 1 part cucumber juice and 1 part water. You can easily adjust this recipe to have honey or agave instead of simple syrup, or sparkling water vs. still water. Recipe is below. For more lemonade recipes, click here.

While you are sipping your summer drinks, what better way to celebrate the Solstice than listening to music themed around the sun. Here is my playlist for you:

Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves

Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles

Good Day Sunshine by the Beatles

Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers

Island in the Sun by Weezer

California Sun by the Ramones

To See the Sun by The Turtles

Sunny Afternoon by the Kinks

Warmth of the Sun by the Beach Boys

The Sun by The Pretty Things

Wishing you and yours a sunny, happy Saturday. Hopefully you will find unique ways to celebrate the beginning of summer.

A Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there. My father died 5 years ago and every time I try to write a blog post about him I am sobbing. He was my hero and had the biggest heart imaginable. I truly miss him. So love your dads every minute of every day!