Another week has come and gone! And it is nearly February~this year is already flying by! It’s been an exciting weather week here. I am so happy you are joining me today for Saturday meanderings to chat about all things new and wonderful this week.

New Beverages

Nothing better than a cuppa tea when it’s chilly and rainy. My sweet friend, Gabie from Tea End blog is my go-to person when I am seeking a new tea. She recently featured this one, The Wellness Tea on one of her blog posts. Ordering online is very easy and here are some of the claims this 100% organic herbal blend does to boost your daily balance:

• Immune System
• Anti-inflammatory
• Ease digestion
• Control blood sugar level
• Calming
• Cleanse
• Heart Health
• Energy Boost
• Improve skin health

Every afternoon I make a cup and add a bit of honey of Crozier honey. The tea package holds 30 pyramid tea bags. There is no caffeine, artificial colors or additives. See Gabie’s post here (photo above from Tea End Blog). To shop The Wellness Tea click here.

Our orchard is bursting with delicious citrus fruit but we are specifically enjoying our fresh tangerines. This Sidecar cocktail is SO good. Not only are you getting lots of Vitamin C, but I also add fresh ginger to the simple syrup. The bourbon is warming on these chilly evenings too. We are loving this tasty cocktail. Recipe is below.

Time to Prune

January and February are gardening months here in Phoenix. It is time to prune your fruit trees, before the spring growth starts to bud. This year I decide to prune the apple, peach, apricot and fig trees myself as I haven’t been happy with how they look.

In doing so, I discovered that our apricot trees have a borer which is creating havoc. I am in the process of reading up how to deal with these nasty characters as we have previously lost a peach tree due to these invaders.

Cleaning and Organizing Projects

There are no big or complicated projects on the horizon. But I am tackling smaller ones that take an hour or so each and every day. Does anyone hate cleaning out the freezer as much as I do? It would be embarrassing to show you the before picture, but here is what it looks like now. Hard to believe I threw out a lot of things.

Over 3 years ago, I converted a huge tv armoire to store our bedding and linens (see post here). It is finally messy enough for me to pull everything out and re-organize it all over again. Why can’t things stay perfect?

It feels good to get these things done as they are not overwhelming nor do they dominate my day.

More Antlers

Our sweet friends Sam and Kate, who provided us with the fabulous elk antler sheds (see post here), just sent us several deer antler sheds. I cannot wait to use them in different scenarios up at our cabin. Just a reminder that deer shed their antlers every year and no animal was hurt in the process.

Does anyone watch The Great British Baking Off? Well, we are watching the Masterclass episodes by Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry. They are addicting and the worst part, is that all I want to do is B.A.K.E. Recently I made cinnamon rolls with dried cherries, cranberries and walnuts with an orange glaze.

Then I had a hankering for brownies, but made these Black Bean and Avocado brownies instead. I know what you are thinking~black beans and avocado? Surprisingly, these brownies are rich and chocolatey. For this recipe I did add butterscotch chips vs. chocolate ones. Here is the link to Ambitious Kitchen for this healthier version.

Making Nut Milk

Several people find it surprising that I make my own nut milk. I cannot tell you how easy it is to make this. What I like most about it is that I get to control the ingredients. My fresh nut milk only lasts a week so I wonder what they put into commercially produced nut milk to lengthen the shelf life. The best and inexpensive helper to making nut milk, is a nut milk bag. You can find it here.

To see a post on how to make your own nut milk, click here.

iPhone Photos

A year ago I invested in an iPhone 11. There is probably still so much I do not know about it, but I do know that the camera function is excellent. Most of my photos are taken with this iPhone. Since improving my photography skills is ongoing, I take a lot of pictures. Here are some I took this week while walking the yard after the rain.

Our Weather

Since Phoenix has approximately 300 sunny days in Phoenix, we LOVE getting any weather that produces precipitation. With little rain this past year, it is so glorious to have all the rain (and snow) this week.

My friend, Louise, who lives in a more northern part of Phoenix, sent me this picture. Typically, her desert views are expansive but not only did it snow, but the visibility is nearly zero. Such a rare occurrence!

And we had 14 inches of snow at our cabin in the mountains!

Well, as we wrap up January 2021, I hope all is well with you and your family. So happy you are here today for Saturday Meanderings. Stay safe, healthy and warm!

It is very easy to make homemade granola. Plus, you can alter the recipe to fit your tastebuds and control the quality of the ingredients. This quick and easy recipe is perfect for breakfast, a mid-day snack or a gift to a friend. Many of the ingredients for the homemade granola you already have on hand.

The Ingredients

This recipe is inspired by one of my son’s friend’s parents. We would often take Christian with us on vacation~which was a total joy. His parents made a big batch of granola for us and it’s been a winning recipe ever since.

Oats, nuts, dried fruit, butter, spices, brown sugar, honey and vanilla is all it takes to make this easy recipe.

Some chopping involved

Measure the dry ingredients and chop the pecans. Anyone notice the polished thumbnail in the picture? Yes! I am taking care of my hands and seeing some vast improvement in January.

For nuts I use slivered almonds and pecans. However, you can add any nut you like~walnuts, pistachios, Brazil nuts. For dried fruit I use both cranberries and cherries. Did you know cherries are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory, high in Vitamin A, boost exercise recovery, benefit heart health, may help with arthritis symptoms, and improves sleep quality? Lately I am adding dried cherries to everything! For a nice selection of dried cherries, click here.

Mix!

Combine the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Melt the butter and blend with the honey and vanilla.

Pour the honey mixture in with the dry ingredients. Stir to coat evenly.

Bake!

Spread on two cookie sheets. You can either grease the sheets or use parchment paper. Bake in a 220 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until slightly brown. You can stir the mixture half way through the baking process if you want it more evenly browned.

After the granola has cooled, store in an airtight container. This should last about 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

You can alter the amount of nuts or dried fruit as much as you want. The butter/honey to oatmeal ratio is the more critical element. For this recipe, I add sunflower seeds, and both cranberries and cherries. For a trail mix, you could add M&Ms, raisins or chocolate chips.

Breakfast is always a bit challenging for me as I don’t have a big appetite in the morning. To see another easy oatmeal based recipe, click here.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and put your own twist on it. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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My daughter, Julianna resides in our guest cottage. Her plan, after graduating from college, was to live in our guest cottage for a year while she acclimated to a new job. Well, then the pandemic hit. Thankfully she is still employed and has been working virtually since last March. Our guest cottage is just that~a small cottage for guests. Since it doesn’t look like she will be returning to an office any time soon, she requires a designated place to work. Today’s post is about making a home office in a small space for her.

Finding a Place

Currently, her “office” is squeezed into the guest cottage living room. She also shares her living space with a large dog and cat. To see our sweet guest cottage, click here.

Last month, we added more internet coverage to the pool house and will set up her office here. The pool house isn’t used much during the winter months and it is a short walk from the guest cottage.

Existing Corner

Right by the back French doors, there is a cluttered corner that is the perfect small space for a home office. My first thought is go to Ikea and pick up an inexpensive desk. But we have SO much furniture here, why not use what we already have?

The Perfect Desk

The black desk in our family room is really a place for the printer (doesn’t everyone have a printer in their family room?). With the addition of the round table and 4 wing chairs, this part of the family room looks too crowded anyway.

So off to the pool house the desk goes! Actually we have two of these Drake writing desks in a black finish. The dimensions are 55″W x 25″D x 30″H. If you recall, the other one went upstairs to my son’s remodeled bedroom. See that post here.

Having a sheet of glass on top of the desk really does preserve the wood surface. Since my daughter has ruined a few desktops, this beveled topper is perfect for her.

Adding Elements

Using an existing pool house table lamp, the desk starts to come together.

A blue and white vase with faux flowers adds a touch of pretty to the desk. I love these faux peonies as they look attractive and can be added to a fresh bouquet of peonies to make a larger statement. These faux peonies can be found here.

A few other items makes the desk feel like it is ready for work~a filing basket and a place for pens and pencils. Naturally, she will add her computer and monitor, but for now, it is ready for her arrival.

This designated corner will be her office until who knows when. At least she will now have the guest cottage as her living space and this corner of the pool house as her work space.

The wing chair more than likely won’t work, but it looks good in the photos! Plus the wall behind the desk could deserve a piece of art too.

I am hoping that the pool house will be a remodeling project in 2021. For the last several years, it has been the place where the children hang out with their friends. The color scheme is yellow and blue. To see the story behind the pool house, click here.

The faux painted yellow walls are a bit dated. All the “stuff” that goes with X-boxes, video games, Wii and television viewing needs to be organized. My husband’s gargantuan Klipsch speakers (yes, from college) take up too much room. And the furniture holding all of that is tacky, at best.

Have you set up a home office space due to the pandemic? If so, what room did you use?

We are experiencing very cool, rainy weather here in Phoenix. Lots of snow up in the mountains too. Wishing you a warm Tuesday!

This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday #627

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Even though we may still have a larger group for a Valentine’s Day dinner, we are ready to remain flexible this year. So, I wanted to create a pretty, festive Valentine dinner table for two. And today, I am part of a Valentine DIY Blog Hop so please read to the bottom to see other Valentine inspired posts.

The Tablecloth

The tablecloth generally sets the mood and this year, I am looking for something a bit different. Fortunately, I own a few lovely 1950s vintage tablecloths with brightly colored roses. It is hard to believe that the color is still so vibrant after nearly 70 years. For this tablecloth and more, check out my Store.

The Setting

Changing up the dinner table location always add a sense of adventure to the meal. Here I chose the corner of the living room where a game table is always set for play. The square table is perfect for the 51″ square tablecloth.

The Place Setting

Since there is a touch of gray in the pattern, the melanin silver chargers are the perfect choice. As you may recall, I did use them at Christmas time and many of you are surprised that these are not real silver. I found this set of 6 chargers on Amazon and they are very affordable. To see the Christmas tablescape, click here.

The Emma stoneware is a standard item at Pottery Barn and can be found here. Since I do not own plain white dishes with a silver rim, the bead along the edge pairs nicely with the vintage embroidered napkin.

Silverware is Oneida Ballad Country Lane and the rose design seems appropriate!

The Bling

The unique heart shaped silver/glass ornaments are a purchase from my trip to Paris in 2010. My friend, Susan and I came upon a Christmas shop and I fell in love with nearly every ornament. Thankfully I had room in my suitcase to bring a few of them home.

The water glass is from Waterford and I just finally replaced the few broken ones from my collection. It literally took years to find them, but persistence and Replacements, LTD saved the day.

My sweet friend, Louise is the reason I own these incredible wine glasses. Found on eBay, these Rogaska Gallia crystal glasses stand 9 1/4″ tall, and feel so good in your hand. Every time I use them, I feel joy. To see these glasses in another table setting, click here.

The Ambiance

What is a romantic table without candles? These candlesticks are my husband’s favorite as he purchased them directly after we toured the Waterford glass factory in Ireland. All the glassware sparkles in the candlelight.

Generally, I love loading a table up with fresh cut flowers. But this time, a simple small bouquet of roses graces the center of the table.

The barley twist chairs are an old antique store find and are part of a set of four. I love the contrast of the dark wood (which is now in style!) with the crisp white/red/green tablecloth on this Valentine dinner table for two.

The menu is still coming together in my head, but since this is the time of year for acquiring fresh citrus (and our orchard is abundant with fruit), I may make lemon pots de creme for dessert. These are so simple to make, delicious, and just the right size after a good meal. Ingredients are easily obtainable too! To get the recipe, click here.

I hope you enjoy my Valentine Dinner table for two. To see last year’s pink Valentine table for two, click here.

So what are your plans for Valentine’s Day?

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This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Tablescape Thursday #644 and Sundays on Silverado #26

DIY Valentine Blog Tour

And now onto the Valentine blog hop. Niky from The House on Silverado creates a Farmhouse Valentine Vignette here.

Kirsten from Tribe of Burton has a Boho Valentine decor on her mantel. You can see it here.

Kippi from Kippi at Home makes this sweet Valentine pom pom wreath.

Chas from Chas Crazy Creations makes miraculous things from the Dollar Store. See her Heart Wall Art here.

Sam from Raggedy Bits makes these Stamped Farmhouse Wooden Valentine Block signs here. So cute!

Maria from Simple Nature Decor makes this sweet Valentine tree ~ you can see the tutorial here.

Olivia from OliviaHern.com makes these adorable yarn wrapped hearts.

Leanna from Pretty DIY Home shows how to make this Heart Warming Valentine Craft Heating Pad.

Rebecca from Zucchini Sisters shares a Dollar Tree Valentine’s DIY Puzzle Piece Heart Craft.

Cindy from Cloches and Lavender adds French Valentine decor to her home. See it here.

Thank you for joining us today! As you know, we appreciate all your comments and feedback. Have a safe, healthy and wonderful day!

When we bought this home, I didn’t realize how much I would love having an orchard. Located on the southern part of our parcel, the orchard is about 200 feet long. The rectangular shape is perfect for entertaining, as we host many dinners here in the Orchard.

Historically, I do not know how old the orchard is. The previous owners planted the kumquat tree in celebration of a wedding anniversary. I do know this tree is decades old. Based on the size of some of the adjoining date palms, the orchard has been part of this property for a very long time.

My husband built a support structure for the overhead lights which creates a magical setting at night.

The orchard is abundant with citrus this time of year.  Our tangerine tree is bursting with fruit, so much so that the limbs are drooping from the weight.

In the orchard, we have 7 different types of oranges with one of the best juice orange trees around. The children tell us that if we ever sell the house, we will need to take this orange tree with us!

Four grapefruit trees, both pink and white, two tangerines, limes, lemon, a kumquat and limequat tree round out the citrus selection.

One year I did make kumquat preserves and I must admit, it is challenging. For such tiny fruit, there are many seeds. After de-seeding them, which took hours, this is my first and perhaps my last attempt at this recipe.

We also have stone fruit in the orchard. Both apricot and peach trees will be sharing their beautiful fruit with us in May/June.

Though it seems a bit counterintuitive, we can grow apples here in Phoenix. The only downside is that they are ready to pick in June. My fantasies of apple picking revolve around cold weather, sweaters and autumn colors. But here, in the triple digit temperatures, you will find me picking our Anna apples.

Since we do not have a watering system in the orchard, it gets a deep watering monthly in the winter and twice a month in the summer. Flood irrigation is such an affordable way to water here. For a small annual fee, the Salt River Project provides water through irrigation gates to the property.

The dogs LOVE to run through the water. Fun for them but a bit messy for us.

Now, more than ever, we are getting lots of fresh Vitamin C with our citrus pickings. Last year, we had so much fruit, that we donated several boxes to the neighborhood.

But in the meantime, I hope to make my delicious Meyer Lemon Marmalade (see recipe here) and Preserved Lemons (see recipe here).

Make sure you are getting your dosage of Vitamin C daily and hopefully you are somewhere with an abundance of citrus so you can make these recipes. You will not be disappointed.

Hope you are having a terrific Wednesday!

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Honestly, I have never been in style. Whether it be fashion, interior design, or haircuts, this is an area where I remain classic and traditional, not trendy. But with all the articles coming out about what’s in for 2021, I may just be in sync with the Style Trends in 2021, at least in home decor.

Grandmillenial Style

First of all, who came up with this unfortunate name? I’ve also heard it called Granny Chic? Ugh. Why not Collected Chic? Or Storied Style?

But what is Grandmillenial style? Let’s agree to just call it Collected Chic. According to Better Homes and Garden, it is a combination of traditional style adopts old-school design trends (think: skirted tables, patterned upholstery, floral wallpaper, and richly stained wood furniture) with a fresh spin for the 21st century. By mixing in a few modern elements, the style is nostalgic and comfortable without looking kitschy.

It is a return to old fashioned comforts we grew up with and is strongly trending, especially due to COVID. Dark wood furniture is in, but mixed with some updated pieces. Traditional and classic is rising in popularity. Yay!

Color is In

Warm, welcoming colors (fabrics and wallpaper) are in. White and monochromatic is out. With people spending so much more time at home, it makes sense that we need environments that provide a sense of calm and security. Calming blues are also trending (like my library~to see more about this room, click here).

Natural Materials

Materials like rattan or cane webbing, organic fibers and live plants are continuing to be in style.

Closed Floor Plans

Throughout 2020, many families had to learn how to co-exist under the same roof from morning until night. The appeal of open floor plans, where each room flows seamlessly into the next, has greatly diminished. An article in Better Homes and Gardens states: “The pandemic has forced us to recognize how important our space is, and open floor plans aren’t always the best decision when it comes to intentionally using a room. Carving out a designated space for different activities, such as remote work or homeschooling, allows for more privacy and limits distraction.”

To see the post where we discuss Open vs. Closed Floor plan, click here.

Silver and Beautiful Tablescapes

Sadly, silver was also neglected for years, deemed too “high maintenance” and pushed aside for bamboo flatware, goldware, etc. Grandmothers and mothers bemoaned that their heirs didn’t want their silver… and you can still purchase it for a fraction of the original cost on eBay.

But thanks to the Collected Chic generation, we are slowly seeing a return to silver, especially when creating beautiful tablescapes which has become an art form within this group.  And it’s not just the Collected Chic who have taken to the tablecloth: at the time of writing, the hashtag “tablescape” on Instagram yielded over 1.3 million results!

Home Entertaining

Once we are past COVID, the prediction is that there will be a surge in home entertaining. Many people are cooking more and setting tables for their families while being cooped up at home. Starved for socializing, entertaining will increase.

Home Offices

No surprise here as millions of people are now working virtually. And as corporations look to reduce overhead and real-estate costs, working from home is here to stay. There are so many articles on how to make your work space beautiful and personalized in your home. To see my home office, click here.

Collections

This is in keeping with the Collected Chic style. Antique, heirloom, or new collections tell a story and fill our homes with cherished memories. My collections range from rosary beads to sand from different beaches around the world. What do you collect? To see more about my collections, click here.

Charm Bracelets

One article I read also states that charm bracelets are back in style! One of my early childhood memories is sitting on my mother’s lap and playing with her charm bracelet. Since no one seems to know what happened to it, I decided to start one for myself. Janice Mullen @janice.mullin (or @terraceoaksantiques), finds fabulous vintage charms and has been a great resource in helping me create my unique bracelet.

The information in this post is a compilation of trends from Better Homes and Gardens, The Glam Pad, The Insider, The Washington Post, and Real Simple. What other trends do you see emerging this year?

I hope you enjoyed the holiday weekend. Wishing you a merry Tuesday!

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This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday #626