Saturday Meanderings

Happy August! We are back in Phoenix for 8 days to attend a wedding, doctor’s appointments and a zoning hearing. When I left Pinetop it was a glorious 60 degrees and as I am writing this, it is 101 degrees in the Valley of the Sun. Thank you so much for joining me for my Saturday post, where we chat about all good things this week.

Wallpaper Project is Complete!

Last Saturday and Sunday, I worked on the wallpapering the small cabin bathroom off the kitchen. As impatient as I can be, prepping the area takes the most time. Personally, I find it painful, but necessary.

As much as I want to show all the before and after photos to you now, I still need to hang pictures, find towels and a bath mat to compliment the new color in the room. A complete post will be coming shortly.

Six Weeks Later

We have been up at our cabin for 6 weeks. Back in January, our yard person retired and Scott and I have been managing the gardening around Bella Terra. Since we have been gone, our daughter and boyfriend are housesitting and mowing the lawn weekly. What we didn’t expect is for excessive growth of the shrubs and plants over the hot summer. Many of the potted plants die from the heat, but I am shocked over how everything else has taken off!

The grapevine entrance to the garden has literally tripled in size. Getting into the garden is a challenge as the vines are covering most of the raised beds and making their way to the hen house. So goes my theory of stunted growth over our hot summers. I feel like we will need machetes to whack all this growth back as the property has turned into quite the jungle.

In addition, without Finn patrolling the yard over the last 2 months, it’s a bit of a wild kingdom. We have several flocks of birds, bunnies, foxes and coyotes that are visiting frequently, at all hours of the day and night.

A Beautiful Summer Wedding

You may recall the bridal shower we hosted in early June for my daughter’s former roommate, Katelyn. The wedding was last night and what a joyous occasion! The event venue is centered around this majestic view of the Superstition Mountains (where the legendary Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine is rumored to be hidden).

My daughter, Elisabeth was in the wedding party and everyone looked so beautiful. I’ve never seen a donkey at a wedding. But this sweet pack animal carried cold beverages for the guests for the short hot walk outside from the service to the reception.

As the evening unfolded, the breathtaking view of the mountains and desert transformed before our eyes. During the golden hour, the landscape became a living canvas, shifting through a stunning palette only Mother Nature could create.

Since we were not able to use our cell phones during the service, I failed to get any good pictures of the bride and groom….darn. However, they make a stunning couple and it was a very happy occasion!

Paint by Numbers

Have you ever done a paint by numbers canvas? My daughter bought one for me as a Christmas gift a few years ago, and I am slowly filling in all the numbers. I do like the retro look of them. This particular one is very detailed, unlike the paintings I remember as a child.

This painting is a depiction of the Amalfi Coast and is rather difficult. I need a magnifying glass to see some of the numbers in the smaller sections. With time, a few of the paint colors have dried up and I’m improvising with my own acrylics. But, I am making progress. Will probably finish in a few years-ha!

If you are looking for a creative project, there are so many styles and types of paint-by-number kits available. You can even take a favorite photograph and turn it into a paint-by-numbers kit (see it here) for only $26.99.

Wouldn’t this be a great Christmas present for someone? Think of all the possibilities-a dog, grandchild, new home gift. If you start now, it may just be ready in time for the holidays.

When I was debating what to do with the cabin bathroom, I considered doing a paint-by-numbers wall mural. There are many YouTube videos on how to do this.

White Mountain Summer Homes Home Tour

Every year, our mountain neighborhood has a home tour with the proceeds going to our local Veterans organization, Walking Down Ranch. This year, my friend, Cindy and I visit 4 out of the 5 homes. They range from original cabins, renovated cabins and brand-new builds. Since I am a fan of snooping at other people’s homes, it’s always a treat to attend.

Here are some of the highlights. Even though I know it’s exciting to see a newly built cabin (well, more like a house), I am a fan of the older ones. Maybe the new construction and decor is too perfect?

In my opinion, the older cabins exude warmth and soul and feel lived in. Regardless, good decor ideas from all and it is so generous for the homeowners to open their doors for a great charitable cause.

Do you like to do puzzles? One of the cabins on the home tour, has a puzzle table with these sorting trays that stack.

I like having a puzzle out, but our cat, Donovan, loves to jump up on it and scatter the pieces. These stacking trays may help with that, as well as organizing the pieces by color. What a bargain~7 trays under $10.00. See it here. I am ordering a set today.

My Husband, the Fisherman

Scott’s relatively new found hobby, fishing, is bringing an abundance of fresh fish to our dinner table. With many lakes near our cabin, he is going out a few times a week with our neighbor, Peter (who, in his mid-80s, is quite the fisherman!).

With so many fish, Scott bought a vacuum sealer to keep them fresh in the freezer. We are enjoying pan-frying these and serving them over a green salad. Do you vacuum seal anything?

Quality Gates

I don’t know if you have a need for gates, but we just recently purchased these for our back porch. With the entrance to the steps closed off, Finn can now enjoy being outside, while secure on our large deck.

This pet and child safety gate is anodized bronze metal that expands from 44 to 72 inches. It’s relatively easy to install and the gate is easy to open with one hand.

It’s a leap of faith to order something sight unseen and I had my fingers crossed on the quality and sturdiness of the product. However, we are pleased the quality and the way the gates blend into the existing wood railings. This gate has nearly 4,000 reviews with a 4.5 star rating. Priced at $99.99, you can find it here.

Well, that’s a wrap. Wishing you a fabulous weekend. I know it’s been hot in many parts of the country so stay cool and be safe out there.