Every fall I wait for the grapevines by the garden to change into brilliant fall colors.  Years ago, I planted two small grapes on either side of the gate to the garden.  Over time, they have grown up over the rebar arch and have made a lovely shaded entrance.

During the summer, the vines are thick with grapes.  Last summer, I thought I would be all Martha Stewart-y and cut the grapes and do something lovely with them.  I’m sure the wind was blowing through my hair as I sort of skipped to the garden :).  As I was poised to cut a large cluster of grapes, a swarm of bees flew out into my face, and stung me on the nose.  If you’ve ever been stung on the nose before, it’s quite the experience.  I started uncontrollably sneezing, my eyes were watering so much that I could hardly see to stumble away and get into the house.  My nose got rather large and I looked like Jimmy Durante for a few days.  The children thought it was funny. So much for my Martha Stewart moment. So, the grapes now stay on the vine.

Last week I went out to the garden and was completely shocked because the grape vine looked completely dead!

Upon closer inspection, I found hundreds of black and yellow caterpillars.  They had eaten all the green parts of the leaves and left the veins only.

Reluctantly, I hand picked off the bugs and filled a big plastic cup with the little boogers.  They are called the Western Grape Skeletonizer  and the caterpillars line up and feed in groups, creating a net-like appearance.  Gross. These are the larvae to the adult moth, which is blue-black and about 1/2″ long.  The adults produce masses of yellow eggs in early May.  I must remember to look for these next spring and destroy any I see.

So, no fall colors from the grapevines this year 🙁  Thankfully I have a picture from the previous year…

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Through my business, Picket Fences, Inc. (see story here) I try to remodel, restore or rejuvenate a local house every 18 months or so.  Typically, the goal is to find gems in our immediate neighborhood, but this latest find was one I couldn’t resist.  A sweet friend of mine, Madison Hallock contacted me when she knew this particular house was going to be available.

This 1922 beauty is located in the F.Q. Story historical district. The Story neighborhood is one of Phoenix’s first historic districts. Its 602 homes date from the 1920s and span a variety of architectural styles, including Spanish Colonial Revival, English Tudor, Craftsman bungalows and transitional ranch. Homes are listed on both the federal and state registers of historic places. The neighborhood is bounded by McDowell Road, Roosevelt Street, Seventh Avenue and Grand Avenue.

This Southern style home has been vacant for 20 years and the architecture is atypical for Arizona.  The backyard was a conglomeration of 3 guest houses/apartments, in extremely close proximity to one another.  Apparently the homeowner rented these out as additional income.  We have since demolished all but one, which we will retain as a guest house.

The house needs ALOT of work, love and attention.  It has a stunning grand entry, however the pink and gold accents needed to go! Surprisingly, the entry, living room and dining room lathe and plaster walls are in relatively good condition and will only need crack repair and a new coat(s) of paint.

The gold flocked wallpaper in the living room has been removed, and the original chandeliers and the plaster rosettes are in great condition.  The previous owner left a few antique pieces but also left enough junk to fill a dumpster.  Hardwood floors are in tact and hopefully will only require polishing.

One of the bedrooms upstairs had an odd configuration of a bathroom in one corner-no walls for privacy and we are still trying to figure out the French tub and its close proximity to the toilet (with the fuzzy pink seat cover).  Hmmmm.  We have removed the vanity and behind the mirror was an original 10 over 1 (10 small panes on the top/one large pane on the bottom) rope and pulley window.

The house will obviously need all new bathrooms and a new kitchen/family room.   There is a wonderful brick fireplace in the kitchen which we will keep.

The entire house was covered with aluminum siding-perhaps practical but ugly.  When we removed it, we found the original clapboard, but also revealed new structural problems. Cha-ching! Under the siding we found the original blue porch ceiling, albeit in rather poor condition.

I’ve been researching why porch ceilings are painted blue.  Many Southerners suggest that blue porch ceilings originated out of the fear of haints.  Haints are restless spirits of the dead who, for whatever reason, have not moved on from their physical world.  Southerners, especially in the area of South Carolina, have a name for the ceiling paint used on porches – the soft blue-green is referred to as Haint Blue.  Haint blue, which can also be found on door and window frames as well as porch ceilings, is intended to protect the homeowner from being “taken” or influenced by haints.  It is said to protect the house and the occupants of the house from evil.

Blue porch ceilings are also quite prevalent along the east coast, from Boston to Philadelphia and other historic cities, where Victorian and Colonial homes abound. Sky blue ceilings were a popular color scheme for the Victorians, who preferred the colors of nature when painting their homes.

Some people swear that blue paint repels insects, leaving a porch bug-free and pleasant during those long summer evenings and afternoons.  And yes, I will be finding the perfect blue to paint the newly replaced porch ceiling.

We are awaiting finalized plans from the City of Phoenix so we can start the fun stuff! This is such a charming neighborhood and everyone we have met is thrilled that this grand old dame will be a gorgeous home in the very near future.

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My vegetable garden is comprised of 5 raised beds made from concrete blocks and edged with brick.  I like raised beds because it’s easier on the back and you can control the condition of the soil.  The PVC pipes are hooped over the beds to allow for bird netting or shade cloth to protect the plants.  My garden is adjacent to the hen house where abundant crops can be fed to willing chickens.

When vegetable planting in the fall, I generally use a combination of plants and seeds.  For example, I have never grown strawberries from seeds.  Some of my herbs are perennial so they regenerate themselves year after year.  I still haven’t figured out the right number of plants to produce the right amount of vegetables for my family.  One year, I stopped counting after picking the 85th eggplant. You can only donate so many eggplants before your friends stop taking your phone calls.  Another year, as an experiment for the children, we left the zucchini on the vine to grow and grow-one ending up with a final weight of 8 lbs.  Big photo op.

Growing food is a bit hit and miss-all your good intentions can change based on the weather, critters, soil conditions and water. But the joy of picking something you have started is very rewarding….and it tastes so much better than store-bought produce.

Two weeks earlier, I amended my soil with our own compost made from recycled kitchen and yard waste.  I do this to let the soil settle in.  Composting adds a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers.  It’s free, easy to make and good for the environment. Here is more information on composting.

I purchased the plants at Whitfill Nursery and was pleased to see a very large selection of non-GMO (non-genetically modified) plants.  Here’s the list of vegetables I planted last weekend:  Tomatoes- Roma, Sweet 100s, Early Girl; brussels sprouts, spinach, romaine lettuce, Boston lettuce, arugula, strawberries (Eversweet), radicchio.  Herbs:  garlic chives, Italian basil, cilantro, and dill.  I already have an abundance of rosemary, marjoram and mint.

My kale, bell peppers and a few heirloom tomato plants survived the summer.  We are a bit “kaled-out” so the chickens get to enjoy the balance.

Here is my planting bible, Vegetable Planting Guide for the Valley of the Sun. I have used it year after year and it’s the best summary of what vegetables to plant during the year.  As well, here is the Herb Planting Guide for the Valley of the Sun.  Hope you find these charts helpful!

Happy planting,

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My husband and I made a very quick overnight trip to Bella Terra North, our cabin in the White Mountains of Arizona.  We have never been that couple who gaze into each others eyes, sit face-to-face and have lengthy conversations.  We are both very busy, but when we do talk, we are more of what I would call “side-by-side” communicators.  You know what I mean, right? So long car trips provide the necessary space for us to catch up with each other.

We arrived after dark and the chilly cabin called for a roaring fire.  Curled up under a blanket, watching the flames and settling into the stillness of the night, I could feel the tension from the week melting away.

The next morning I woke up slightly after sunrise and got my first glimpse of the beautiful fall foliage.  There is an aspen tree right outside our master bedroom and the way the sun highlighted the brilliant yellow against the cobalt blue sky was stunning.   Even my old iPhone with its cracked screen was able to capture nature’s beauty.

Since this was a one night trip we had no food in the refrigerator and went out to breakfast at La Vie Marketplace and Cafe.  It was a stunning morning and for some reason, I feel different up here.  The mountain air seems to be much cleaner and sweeter to me.  I felt very happy and then, being at this stylish, well-designed restaurant, elevated my spirits even more.  I wanted to order nearly everything on the menu.

Look at those quiches!  I selected the Greek quiche which was filled with creamy goat cheese, Roma tomatoes, spinach and artichoke hearts.  My husband ordered the spinach and turkey one, plus we ordered their muesli which was chock full of shredded coconut, almonds and fresh berries.  Thank goodness for To-Go boxes.

Even the flower arrangement on the table was adorable.  Since this is also a marketplace, I was able to shop around as we waited for our food.

Look at this sinful coffee-it’s a Mayan Mocha that my husband ordered which I just lusted over (it would take me a month to work off the calories).

This lovely place to gather and eat was filled with items that make my heart sing.  Best of all, they carry my FAVORITE scented candle  Capri Blue Volcano.

After a very civilized breakfast, we returned to the cabin to do the tasks at hand-loading up the numerous planters of geraniums to return them to the Valley before the frost set in.  These are my “snowbird” geraniums-they spend the summer in the mountains and the winters in Phoenix.

Getting a change of scenery, just for one day was so restorative.  The mountain air, quiet time with my husband, the beautiful fall foliage, enjoying fabulous food seemed to feed my soul. I was reminded that simple pleasures are all that we need.  Slow down, be deliberate, and be thankful.   At La Vie, they have this hanging on the wall.  It was written by Maya Angelou, an American poet and I believe it captures what we all may need right now.

May your day be filled with simple pleasures.

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It was the perfect morning to go to my favorite nursery to select flowers for the planters and vegetables for the garden.  We love to go to Whitfill Nursery, not only because it is close to our home, but it is family-owned and has operated in Phoenix for over six decades.   It’s a delightful place to be this time of year.  Once you enter their property you feel transformed to another place that inspires you with all things Fall!

Whitfill just received a shipment of new items this morning so it was busy with like-minded souls wanting to finally plant after our long, hot summer.

They had a gorgeous selection of geraniums in reds and corals and numerous selections of annuals and perennials in a variety of colors.

Our front planter,which has an eastern exposure, is in desperate need of color.  In front of the raised planter, we have a row of Purple Heart plants (Setcreasea) which helped determine our color scheme of pink, lavender, crimson and white. We selected plants of varying heights to create interest and depth.

For the back row, we picked Lavender Laceleaf (full sun to light shade) which will grow up to 3 feet.

Two different color snapdragons, Sonnet Carmine and Liberty Classic Crimson will go in front of the lavender.  Both have a growing height of 18″to 24″.

The front two rows will be an assortment of petunias in a deep purple, white, bright pink and dark fuscia.  Allysum in white and lavender will edge the borders.

If you would like to know what flowers to plant now or over the course of a year, I always reference the Bedding Planting Guide for the Valley of the Sun. I don’t recall where I got this, but I use it every year and have made numerous copies for friends.  Here it is:  beddingplantingguide.

Happy Planting!  Tomorrow I hope to start my vegetable garden!!

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I love this time of year because fall decorations I add to home decor last from September to November. With some additions and subtractions, you can encompass autumn, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Each season, the kitchen gets its share of autumn colors and decor. To see more about my kitchen, click here.

In retrospect, when designing our kitchen, I would slightly reduce the dimensions of our kitchen island.  But over the years, this space has been used to its fullest.  Due to the large size, I was looking for something with a purpose to place in the center. Something not so bulky and would not obstruct my view across the kitchen.

I’ve always wanted one of those antique pastry stands but the ones I have found were generally cost prohibitive.  At a local store that was shutting its doors, this pastry display is on sale at 75% off.  It was the perfect solution to minimize the size of the island and each season, I decorate it accordingly.  This 2-tiered shelving system  has many names-a bouchon, an etagere, a bakery stand, a patissiere.

It is rather fun to see how I can change it up season to season. The hues of autumn work well in my kitchen.  The cabinets are cottage white and the island cabinets are a sage green.  Hardwood floors are Canadian beech and match the original ones in the adjacent breakfast and dining rooms.

So the warm orange, red and yellow tones really compliment the space.

In the garden this year, I grew two fairytale pumpkins.  Unfortunately the big one grew so quickly that it was ready to pick in June.  I’ve kept it inside and cool and fortunately it made it all the way to October. So much for being a master gardener!

What is nice about this patisserie, is that I can use it when I entertain too. It is easily movable and adds some height and dimension to a buffet table. If you are looking for a patissiere, I found a few online at Ballard Design

Overstock

Another from Overstock

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So what fall decorating do you do? For me, decorating allows me to appreciate the changing of the seasons, the cooler temperatures and reminiscing about cherished items rediscovered. I cannot wait to tackle more fall decorating around the rest of the house!Save

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