Saturday Meanderings

Can you believe it is the last Saturday in June? We are well into summer now but if the months keep flying by like this, in no time it will be pumpkins and sweaters. Thank you so much for joining me for Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things this week. It’s been a busy one for me and I am ready to have a relaxing weekend.

Garden Envy

Last Saturday night, we went to our dear friends, Mitch and Tevia’s home in the mountains (not too far from our cabin). Mitch and Tevia actually live next door to us in the Valley too, so it’s so nice to be able to socialize at a higher altitude. Tevia’s garden looks so lush and I want to share some of her flowers with you.

Check out these gorgeous pink dahlias!

Not sure if this is a type of dahlia but I love the combination of the white and lavender petals with a burst of yellow in the center.

Of course, I love hydrangeas and the blue ones are spectacular. Having rain showers nearly everyday is so wonderful for the plants.

I cannot wait to get my garden up to speed in this different climate.

The Quail Eggs Have Hatched

On Wednesday, I drive back to Phoenix and one of the first things I do, is head out to see the chickens and check my garden. A few weeks ago I shared a nest of quail eggs under one of my tomato plants and lo and behold, the eggs have hatched.

Not sure where the baby quail are now (hoping they are alive), but there are lots of places to hide on our property.

My garden is still producing wonderful tomatoes and this latest batch will be traveling back with me to the mountains. I also stopped at Mortimer Farms on my drive to Prescott and picked up these gorgeous garlic bunches, with the alliums attached. My car is smelling rather pungent!

July 4th is around the corner

I had all good intentions to share some July 4th inspiration this week, but I’ve been so busy. My reason for being back in Phoenix for a few days is to wrap up some neighborhood board issues but mostly to help my daughter, Julianna, move out of her apartment in Prescott, Arizona.

As you may recall, she graduated with her master’s degree and is currently job hunting. Since the rent costs in Prescott are SO high (lack of inventory), she decides to put her belongings in storage and job hunt from either Phoenix or our cabin in the mountains.

Yesterday, we did the final move and clean out (and cleaned and scrubbed) her apartment, which was exhausting but rewarding. Now we are trying to figure out where her massive inventory of houseplants will go.

Back to July 4th… which is next Thursday. Here are a couple of posts which I hope you will find inspirational. I love a patriotic table and here are two ways to decorate with red, white and blue.

This holiday, we are hosting our July 4th parade brunch and I will be serving the exact same, tried and true recipes to our guests. You can see the post with all the details here.

What are your plans for the holiday? I have three cherished friends who have birthdays on the 4th. Happy Birthday to Christine, Sam and Gary. What a gift to be born on such an important day!

Mary’s Must Haves

I cannot stress the importance of having good knives. My appreciation for this has been heightened by the fact that I have horrible knives at our cabin. When I am trying to do a fast chop (in my attempt to look like a professional chef) I want a knife that will not crush my fingers.

This Global G-4, classic 7″ stainless steel chef’s knife, is hands down, my favorite knife. It is the perfect size for me and fits comfortably in my palm. There is a balanced and secure feel to the knife. Yes, it is an investment ($124.95), and I’m not sure if it will go on sale when Prime Day hits July 16-17, but I would buy this over and over again. Once you experience this knife, trust me, you will never want to use a lousy knife again.

At the cabin, I have limited tools in my kitchen. The other day I was grating lemons for zest on an old grater. I didn’t realize that not only was it old, but the side I used was rusty. So when I tapped out my lemon zest for a recipe, it was gross and brown. Ewww.

Yes, I know I have shared this in the past, however I take this tool for granted since I have one in my Phoenix kitchen. I need to buy another one asap for the cabin. The original Microplane is a grater/zester and you can use on citrus, cheese, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, chocolate and this list goes on. It comes in different colors and is on sale (-14%) at $14.99. So well worth it!

At our cabin, we have a shoe/boot tray by the front door. Since it has been raining frequently, the shoe tray has been a blessing. This tray comes in 3 sizes ranging from 24.5 inches (which fits 2 pairs of shoes), to 46.5 inches (which fits 4 pairs of shoes).

If you find yourself with stuff on your shoes/boots that you do not want to track through your home, you may need one of these. It also comes with different, colorful inserts.

Depending on the size of the tray, it is currently on sale (10% to 18% off). Prices range from $31.43 to $40.94. You can find it here and select your own size and insert.

Last year, I did buy this old maple leaf garland and it quickly sold out. My friend, Chloe, just let me know the garland is back in stock. So if you want to get a jump on your fall decor, you may want to grab this while you can.

Goodbye June! Have a wonderful weekend. I head back up to the mountains today . Hoping to spend some time in a hammock staring at the sky and not doing anything!

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