Saturday Meanderings

It’s time again for Saturday Meaderings-my favorite way to wrap up the week. Thank you for being here and taking a few minutes to wander through these snippets of home, life, and everything in between. Since it has been two weeks since my last post, I have lots to share. So grab your favorite beverage and let’s get started!

Across the Street

Did I mention the Open House across the street? Curiosity got the best of me when I saw the sign, so I wandered over for a look. What I didn’t expect was to truly love this single story, well-appointed home. So much so, that, for a brief moment, I even considered the possibility of selling our home and moving-just across the street! With multiple courtyards and outdoor spaces (far less property than our home), this is a beautiful place.

Scott and I have been talking more about downsizing now that the children are gone. This house, while full of memories, is a lot to manage. And yet, I feel torn. I love it here. It’s the closest thing to heaven on earth. Why would I leave? Still, the thought lingered longer than I expected.

A Prompt to Begin

That fleeting idea quickly met reality-we are not exactly in a position to pick up and move. We’ve lived here for 26 years, and like water, we’ve filled the container. It would take months to sort, organize, donate and sell what we’ve accumulated. But instead of feeling overwhelmed, it sparked something productive. I asked myself a simple question: If I had to move in a month, what would I take? And with that, I began.

Starting in the master closet, I’ve already filled eight large bags with clothing that no longer fits or works, shoes that pinch, and handbags that haven’t seen the light of day in decades. It feels surprisingly good to shed these things-knowing they may find a new life with someone else. Even the girls’ prom dresses have been donated to a local high school. There is much more to do, but it’s a start. One room at a time-declutter, fix, repair, and move forward.

It’s amazing how I now feel a spark of joy each time I go into my closet. There is something very therapeutic about letting things go.

Baking and Making

Donning my apron is still one of my favorite forms of therapy. There’s something about working with my hand and creating something from scratch. Lately, I’ve been baking sourdough bread-my favorite combination of garlic, rosemary, and whatever cheese happens to be lingering in the fridge. This week it was an aged white cheddar, and it did not disappoint.

With citrus season winding down, I’ve also been making sorbets using ruby red grapefruit and lemon, sweetened with honey instead of sugar. I’ve been experimenting by adding thyme, basil and rosemary-and even made a batch with splash of vodka. The freezer is now stocked with these bright, refreshing treats.

I also wrapped up my monthly batch of fresh dog food-ground beef, spinach, carrots, garlic, barley and kelp powder-cooked, blended and portioned into the freezer. It may not look glamorous, but I’m convinced it’s the recipe for a happy, healthy pup. For more information on this recipe, click here.

We also have an explosive crop of zucchini in the garden, so I’ve baked two loaves of zucchini bread (Sally’s Baking Addiction recipe here), much to my sweet husband’s delight-as each loaf is generously packed with walnuts.

Zucchini lasagna was dinner last night and I still have so many zucchini to use!

A Weekend in Yuma

Last Friday, my son, Benjamin and his wife, Delaney, along with their friend, Weston, arrived in town. We all headed to Yuma for a wedding weekend at a friend’s ranch. It was my first experience with a taco crawl around town-such a fun (and delicious) way to kick things off.

The Welcome party was held at the groom’s parent’s stunning hacienda, setting the tone for what was to come. Saturday evening, we found ourselves at the family ranch for the wedding and it was simply perfect. The setting, the weather, the food~every detail came together beautifully.

Cowboy hats, bola ties, boots, and more fun attire set the mood. All the food was cooked by hand outside and I even got a tutorial in tortilla making. Blessed to spend time with our son and new wife and all his incredible friends, made it one of those weekends that fills your cup in all the right ways.

Stepping Outside the Routine

Do you ever find yourself in a rut, doing the same things day in and day out? It’s so easy to slip into that rhythm. There’s a certain comfort in coloring inside the lines-especially as we get older. But as the saying goes, variety truly is the spice of life, and I’ve been making a conscious effort to step outside the box now and then, whether by trying something new or exploring a different place.

This week, we ventured out to the Victory Steps at Verrado, a thoughtfully planned community about 30-40 minutes from us in Buckeye, AZ. Verrado, with over 8,000 acres, has been developing the past two decades and is a wonderful example of New Urbanism-designed to be walkable, livable, and filled with a mix of home styles and charming neighborhood pockets.

The Victory Steps are carved right into the base of the White Tank Mountains, and while the climb – 340 steps up (and yes, 340 back down)-will get your heart pumping, the reward at the top is well worth it. The views stretch beautifully across the Valley, and if you’re feeling ambitious, there are additional hiking trails to explore beyond.

While the weather is still so lovely, I highly recommend adding this to your list. And if you decide to make a morning or afternoon of it, Verrado offers plenty of inviting spots to grab a bit and linger a little longer.

What do you do to change up your daily routine?

Mary’s Must Haves

It’s been a while since I’ve shared a few favorite things with you, so here are some of this week’s finds.

As you know we recently repaired the concrete floor in the family room. It was time to chuck our old rugs, natural grass rugs from Ballard Designs. Though lovely for the first 2 years, they did not hold their quality for very long.

So the search began. Remarkably, I came across a new rug that feels like just the right fit for this space….at an incredible price ($218.00 each). I ordered two 9’x12′ rugs and then waited for their arrival with bated breath-equal parts excitement and a little apprehension-wondering if I made the right choice.

The rugs arrive and I love the subtle textured patterns and it is soft on bare feet. Arriving folded, it did take a few weeks for the creases to relax and now I just love them. As you can imagine, maneuvering a 9′ x 12′ rug is a bit of a challenge, but these are lighter than the previous rugs making them easier to manipulate. They do require a separate pad and I was able to find affordable ones on Amazon.

What do you think?

Another Rug

Thanks to my dear friend, Andrea from Design Morsels, I just love my newer kitchen rugs (she recommended them to me). As a result, I just ordered a bigger 5′ x 8′ one for the mudroom. Again, we had a Ballard Design natural grass rug in there too, but it started to deteriorate.

I haven’t unpacked this one yet, but it’s washable. The kitchen runners have held up so well and hardly show any dirt or stains (which I love!). It’s a different look for the mudroom but I’m excited to make a change. If you are looking for a washable rug you can find it here. Plus it comes in 3 colors!

Faux Tulips

As an early Mother’s Day gift, Scott found these Nearly Natural tulips (20 tulips with vase) at Costco. They are so realistic and I can honesty say, the quality is fabulous. Here is the link if you want to order directly. Priced at $49.99.

Mosquito Repellent

Grand Tonga is still the most affective mosquito repellent and recently I ordered their 3-pack in different scents-Scentless, Citrus/Sandalwood and Green Tea/Mint. Haven’t tried the new scents, but this is my #1 choice for repellent for mosquitos, ticks, flies, midges, gnats, and chiggers. It won’t damage clothing either. See it here.

Hope you have some fun, exciting or just relaxing things to do this weekend. We are having a few friends over for dinner tonight and a 5K tomorrow morning. Looking forward to some down time in between. Enjoy and stay safe out there!