Happy Saturday from sweltering Phoenix! We are now on our 20th day of excessive heat and we are so grateful for our air conditioners. I know many parts of the country are experiencing very high temperatures and I hope this blog post finds you cool and sipping a fabulous icy drink. It’s time for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things.

Cutting a Jicama

There are a few vegetables that I find difficult to cut and therefore take extra care in doing so. Recently I was asked about cutting a jicama and what kind of knife I use. Having relatively small hands, I need a knife I can wield comfortably. My go-to favorite blade is the Japanese Global 8″ Chef’s knife. As described on the website, it is:

• Lightweight, precisely balanced 8-inch or 20cm chef’s knife 
• Blade made of high-tech molybdenum/vanadium stainless steel 
• Edge retains razor sharpness exceptionally well 
• Stainless-steel handle molded for Comfort, dimpled for safe grip 
• Lifetime warranty against defects and breakage

I’ve had this knife for years and it fits comfortably in my hand and is well balanced. If you are in the market for a new kitchen knife, it is currently a great price at 37% off on Amazon here. I also own the 3-piece set which includes a paring, prep and Asian chef’s 7″ knife. I paid full price for mine at William Sonoma and I believe they also stock them at Sur La Table.

It is also important to note that having a sharp knife is the safest way to cut something. We sharpen our own knives but you can also have them sharpened professionally. Injuries happen with a dull blade.

Any time I am cutting something round or oval, I look for the fastest way to create a flat edge. On the jicama, I cut off the ends and lay it flat on a cutting board. Make sure your cutting board doesn’t slide around~I work directly over the board, using my weight as leverage to help press down on the knife.

Now I can place the flat side of the jicama on the cutting board eliminating any rolling movements.

I find peeling the jicama with a paring knife is easier than using a vegetable peeler. The skin is too fibrous for my peeler to work well. I cut from the top down the sides, always with the knife pointing away from me.

With the jicama fully peeled, I cut the jicama in half, again, creating a flat side.

Laying the flat sides on the cutting board, I slice the jicama into 1/2″ circles.

Turning the jicama the other way, I slice the circles into French fry size pieces.

Storing Jicama

Since we tend to eat the jicama quickly, I store the cut pieces in a bowl of water in the refrigerator. That way I can snack on it all day. Jicama, once cut, does not turn brown. Since it is starchy, I may replace the water to keep it fresher longer. You can also dry off the jicama and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap too.

It is great plain, with lime juice and salt, dipping in humus or adding to salads. Jicama contains many important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, folate, potassium and magnesium. It’s low in calories and high in fiber and water. It also contains antioxidants, including vitamins C and E and beta-carotene.

Recent trip to Chicago

Last week at this time, our entire family gathered in Chicago to visit our son, Benjamin and his girlfriend, Delaney. The 4 days was filled with touring, great food and drinks and fun family time. The city of Chicago does an amazing job of planting in the public spaces so we are treated to beautiful flowers along our walks.

A few musts if you are visiting the Windy City is to take the architectural boat tour, visit the Art Institute of Chicago and walk to Navy Pier. It is also enjoyable to visit the University of Chicago’s campus (my son is a grad student there) which is eye candy for those who love old buildings.

Beat the Heat Meals

I don’t know about you but when it’s hot, I don’t really feel like eating much. Well, at least nothing heavy. My son sent this picture to us this week, as he is always trying new tasty salads.

The original recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking calls for peaches, but he substitutes cantaloupe. My husband whips this up shortly after seeing this delicious photo and we enjoy it for two meals.

Getting back from Chicago, it’s hot and we’re tired and not feeling up to take out food. With a nearly empty refrigerator, I cook some pasta (finishing up the bottom of two boxes of elbows and ditalini) and refrigerate it. We roast chicken in the air fryer, chop up whatever vegetables I could find (cucumber, green onions and frozen peas), dice some of my homemade preserved lemons and mix up a fresh lemon vinaigrette. I’m not sure if this is so delicious because we are hungry or the combination of flavors hit the spot. Leftovers are equally good the next day. It is definitely a clean out the fridge recipe.

What are You Reading?

As I recover from jet lag, I find myself waking up all hours of the night. Reading is at an all time high lately. I just finished Elin Hildebrand’s The Five-Star Weekend, which is a perfect summer read. There are great descriptions of a gorgeous home, delicious food and quirky personalities. Please share any good books that you are reading as this is the first summer where I haven’t done my summer reading research.

Self-imposed Blunder

I love the pot filler faucet over my stove. It is very handy and I use it frequently. However, the other night, while making some cherry sauce, I inadvertently left the faucet on, when in fact I thought I had turned it off. Thankfully my husband went into the kitchen before bed and discovered the flood. The entire gas top range filled with water, which overflowed to the two drawers below and made its way to the hardwood floor.

The faucet could not have been on very much as I didn’t hear it or see it while I was cooking the cherry sauce. Unfortunately, the hardwood floor is cupping and fortunately, we cleaned up the water before ruining the drawers. The breaker tripped preventing any electrical damage. Stupid mistake on my part.

Sigh.

Such a Pretty House

I am always inspired by photos of lovely homes and perhaps I am a house stalker. Here is one done by Rachel Halvorsen named Peacefield. Though I am drawn to homes by water, this one is perfect in the rolling green hills. See it here.

Thank you SO much for all your fabulous comments on my Enchanted Forest Dinner Table blog post. Next week I am participating in a Christmas in July blog hop that I know you will enjoy.

Cheers to a relaxing weekend! I am hoping to pick up a paint brush and just let the weekend evolve. Looking forward to getting back into a routine and really not much else. Enjoy!

Though my own Father is happily with my Mom in heaven, I am married to a wonderful man who has filled the big shoes of being Dad to our 3 children. Although my husband ALWAYS tells us No Gifts, it’s hard not to want to show him some extra appreciation on this one special day a year.

Here is a Father’s Day Gift Guide to help you select the perfect gift for that special father in your life. Father’s Day is June 19th and is this coming up this Sunday. There is still time to order many of these items.

Under Armour Shirts

My husband LOVES these shirts. These shirts are made with a quick-dry fabric and the short sleeve tee is perfect for workouts and casual looks. Crewneck Short sleeves 60% cotton, 40% polyester Machine wash, tumble dry Imported and priced at $18.22. You can find the link here.

Pickleball Equipment

As we age, it is fun to find a new sporting event where you can play and involve your family. Reliable and stylish, this paddle is the perfect entry point for any up and coming pickleball player. Wooden paddles are commonly used in many schools and local clubs as excellent value options to bring new players into the game. Encourage your Dad to remain active with this pickle ball set. You can find it here.

Matching Shirts

This is one of my favorite pictures of my husband, Scott and and our son, Benjamin wearing matching Reyn Spooner Hawaiian shirts. Benjamin, now 27 is wearing his Dad’s shirt…sniffle…and his little shirt is in a time capsule in his closet. Reyes Spooner still makes matching Father/Son shirts and Father/Daughter items, but here is the link to a good selection on Amazon. Wouldn’t this also make a great Grandfather/Grandchild gift?

Smart Watch

This smart watch has all the essentials to help you monitor your fitness, keep connected, track your health, and stay safe. Now up to 20 percent faster, with features like Crash Detection and enhanced workout metrics, the Apple Watch is a better value than ever. Currently 10% off on Amazon and priced at $269.00.

For the Cook/Chef

My son would LOVE one of these pellet smokers and highly recommends this particular product. Surprisingly, these smokers come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. So if your Dad is a techie and loves to smoke meat, then this is the gift for him. With 1070 square inches of cook space, there’s plenty of room to cook anything from briskets and pork butt to beer can chickens and turkeys. Starting at $1,999+. See their website here.

Personally, we have the Traeger smoker grill (Silverton 629) we purchased from Costco. However, it is out of stock. A good similar one is on Amazon and if ordered quickly, you may get delivery by Sunday. Here is the Traeger Pro Series 780 for $899.00

If your Dad loves cooking or grilling, these red pepper flakes are highly recommended by my son. This Colorado company chooses the absolute best and most flavorful chile peppers from around the world. They focus on flavor first and heat second and each shake bursts with character. For a nice selection of products or sets ranging in price from $11.95 and up, click here.

Like to Read?

Though I do love the feel of a real book, the convenience of having multiple novels in one transportable cover, is rather miraculous. I own a Kindle Paperwhite and I love the fact that I can read it in bright sunshine at the beach. But the newest version is WATERPROOF! So reading in the pool or bathtub is now an option! Click here to see this incredible gift. From: $114.99.

A Unique Gift for the Camper/Hiker

At only 2.2 lbs, this Akka axe is ideal for overnight wilderness trips and fantastic for clearing forest trails. The axe head is hand forged and made from Swedish axe steel. Featuring a long, curved 24″ American hickory handle, this axe has exceptional leverage and power in a lightweight package. For a selection of Hults Bruk axes and hatchets, click here.

For the Best Dressed Man

There is nothing better than a good belt that is designed for everyday use. This full grain belt is cut directly from 12-14 oz. hides. The edges are then hand burnished and waxed, giving the belt a clean finished edge. All leather is sourced 100% from USA tanners and proudly made in the USA. Love the Lifetime Guarantee and 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. In addition they have beautiful wallets, bifold and passport covers Here is their website.

When I was working full time, men were always comparing their watches….perhaps like women with shoes? Nonetheless, watches are the only jewelry most men wear. This IWC Portugieser Chronograph has a stainless steel case, automatic self-winding with a gorgeous green watch face (my husband’s favorite color). Clearly an investment and someday a family heirloom, it is priced at $8,400.00. Click here for their website.

For more IWC watch options, check out the display on Amazon here. This is truly a gift for the Dad who has everything.

Coffee and/or Whiskey?

We own this clear ice ball maker and my husband loves it! If your man drinks whiskey, these clear 2.35 inch ice balls are slow melting producing the best chilled drinks. The key is crystal clear ice, not the typical milky texture. This mold makes two. We have a zip lock bag of these beautiful ice balls in our freezer at all times, ready for an evening cocktail or when we have guests for drinks. Super affordable at $39.99 and you can find it here.

I know we LOVE coffee here at our household and our absolute favorite coffee machine is the Breville Nespresso Creatista machine. The Nespresso Creatista Plus offers freshly brewed coffee as well as delicious authentic espresso. The Creatista can turn into your personal latte maker with the attached milk frother, allowing you to create top quality latte art in your kitchen. As you have heard me mention before, I highly recommend this machine! You can find it here.

For the man who loves coffee and whiskey, Jameson has infused their Irish whiskey with natural cold brew coffee. According to Jameson, each serving is equivalent to about half a shot of espresso. It’s flavored with 100 percent Arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia, with tasting notes touted to be “toasted oak and dark chocolate.” You can either drink it chilled over ice or in a cocktail. I am unable to find it on Amazon, but it appears you can purchase it at Target, Total Wine and check your local grocery store.

For the Golfer

Who needs a sweaty old golf glove when you can get a new one for just $31.99? This comes in an array of colors to match your Dad’s golf outfit and can be found here.

Time to Pamper

The minute we step up our exercise program, the aches and pains also increase. We own one of these massagers and it is really impressive. There are various heads with different intensities for a variety of ailments. This model is here for $48.88.

Still Stumped on the right gift?

Amazon has a very extensive Shopping Events Guide for Father’s Day. It has different categories from The Adventurous Dad to the Techie Dad, so you can peruse it and find that perfect gift for the father in your life. You can see it here.

Many of these items you can purchase online and have delivered straight to your door if you order quickly. Just a reminder that if you do purchase some of these items, I may get a small stipend for sourcing this for you. It will not change or increase your cost. Thank you for clicking on the links to purchase.

Happy Tuesday my sweet friends!

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Happy last Saturday of May! Wait, what? That’s right another month just shushing by..unbelievable. Thank you for joining me on this Memorial Day Saturday Meanderings weekend to chat about all good things this week. I hope this post finds you happy, healthy and full of vim and vigor. What is vim, by the way? It mean high energy and great enthusiasm. Who knew?

A First Time for Everything

While up at our cabin in the mountains, our friends, Mitch and Tevia invite us to go ATV-ing. Honestly, I have never done this before! The day’s weather just happened to be perfect~blue skies and puffy white clouds. There are multiple trails through the forest and we travel to places I have not seen before

One stop is at the Springer Mountain Fire Lookout Tower at the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. We climb to the top of the 40 foot tower and meet Janie Croxen Ringleberg, a US Forest Service employee who has been watching for fires for 31 years. Her 11′ x 11′ space is filled with maps, radios, binoculars and photographs.

Janie shares her history with us and explains how she is able to assess and know the attributes of fire origins. She works in this tower full time Monday-Friday all by herself. Truly amazing.

Cabin Projects

Remember last year when the brand new roof we purchased for the cabin had a massive water leak in our entry?

To make matters worse, the ceiling is wood and the leak caused severe staining. In an attempt to just replace a few of the panels, we hired someone to replace and try to stain match the non-damaged ceiling. The side walls need new plaster work and the entire project has taken forever.

This week is the first time I have seen the repair work. Unfortunately, the replacement ceiling panels are stained a completely different color from the rest of the ceiling. The question is should we just replace the entire ceiling, or try to stain the balance of the ceiling to match the new wood?

Unwilling to have this torn up yet again, I volunteer to try and see if I can try and blend the two ceiling colors to a point where it is more acceptable.

What was I thinking?!? Here is a picture where I stain a few of the existing boards to match the new, darker color of the replacement panels. It takes me a few days of grueling overhead work with a watery stain, but I am finally a bit happier with the results.

Finally, after several months, the front entry is back together and hopefully the repaired roof will not leak again. I’m not sure my arms and shoulders will ever be the same!

Bargains of the Week

Check out this pretty blue and white melamine tray I find at Big Lots. Priced at $12.99, it is also on sale (at the register) for $9.74. You can find it here on the Big Lots website. They also have really cute matching plates and bowls, very affordable and on sale too.

Sundance Catalog is having a great sale in their Outlet shop..up to 40%. Occasionally I will browse their website and find a really good buy.

This cute eyelet embroidered blouse was $128.00, marked down to $39.99 and now on sale for $23.99.

Scalloped, eyelet hem with gathered cuffs and tasseled tie give this tiered, peasant-style dress a touch of timeless romance. $148.00 down to $29.99 and then on sale again for $17.99!

I just ordered these two items so I will let you know if I like them. Not sure how long the sale will last, but you may want to check it out here. I don’t get any kind of commission if you buy something~just enjoy sharing a good sale when I find one.

Need Your Design Feedback

As we open up the cabin for summer use, we are uncovering outdoor furniture, sweeping the decks and fixing all things broken. On our back deck, we have two entertaining venues in the same space~ one for sitting and one for dining.

Here is the back deck area:

The seating side’s color scheme is mostly red, neutral rug with some navy accents. The primitive pine dining table has grey/white French bistro chairs. Since we have a leftover outdoor rug I place it under the table.

I do like how the table, rug and chairs is visually cohesive.

However, I am not sure I am fond of the entire space. It feels disjointed to me to have a red/blue/neutral palette next to this gray/gold/white one.

What do you think? It’s hard to tell by the photos but I would appreciate your design feedback. Should I live with it? Change out the red cushions to another color? Paint the metal furniture an anodized bronze? Find different pillows? Help!

Garden Harvesting

As the weather gets warmer, my garden will soon go fallow for the summer. But right now, I am picking Black Krim tomatoes (which are so delicious) and Japanese eggplant. The San Marzano tomatoes are still green and hoping for a plentiful batch for sauce.

Artichokes are flowering. We had such an abundant crop this year, I am leaving the last few on the plant to bloom. Will cut them and dry them for a future wreath?

Just yesterday, I picked 4 very large sweet figs from our tree.

The heat has caused all the lettuces to bolt, but the chickens are enjoying them as afternoon snacks. I still have tomatillos, peppers, and kale producing.

Summer Reading List

I am getting ready to compile a new summer reading list so if anyone has great book recommendations please let me know. My friend, Cindy, is reading In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson and seems to like it. The only other Erik Larsen book I read (and really enjoyed) is Devil in the White City back in 2004. My summer reading tends to be light and joyful, without any heavy or demanding topics. Please share your favorites.

I know Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer, as most schools are finally finished with classes. But let’s not forget the true meaning of Memorial Day. Wishing you a weekend of loving moments with family and friends as we give thanks, gratitude and honor to the military members who died while serving in the U.S. Forces.

This is my 100th Saturday Meanderings post. For the centennial post, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your dedication and loyalty every Saturday. I recently heard a sad statistic that over 50% of Americans feel lonely or profoundly lonely. However, so many of you feel like close friends to me and this blog. You are my blessings and our friendship, either in person or virtual, provide my life with great joy. So for the 100th time and In true fashion, let’s get started on chatting about all good things this week. Don’t forget to check out the giveaway below too.

Easter Recap

After Easter service at church, we have a sit-down brunch/lunch with our children (minus our son), their significant others and friends outside under the palm trees.

The menu consists of: lemon ricotta pancakes and fresh berries; Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, fresh fruit salad, arugula salad with lemon dressing, hot cross buns, bacon, sausage and a spinach quiche. Dessert is the traditional lamb cake, made with Ambitious Kitchen’s healthy gluten-free carrot cake recipe (a winner!).

I love this hot cross bun recipe and only make it once a year. But this year, the buns look perfect going into the oven, more so than any previous year. When the baking timer goes off, I am so excited to take them out of the oven. Unfortunately, I didn’t video the moment because no sooner did I get them out of the oven, that the handle to the ceramic baking dish broke off. The entire pan of freshly baked hot cross buns fell out of my hand, crashes to the floor, shattering the dish and ruining my beautiful buns. Ugh.

But things took a turn for the better when a few minutes after the hot cross bun clean up, my family comes into the kitchen with a birthday surprise (my birthday was Monday, April 10th). Pretty flowers, gifts and 2 of my favorite Chardonnays! All in all the day is a beautiful one~great food, gorgeous weather and lively conversation.

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, I hope your day was filled with love and joy.

Powdery Mildew

Due to all the rain and cooler spring temperatures, my rose garden looks fabulous. However, within a matter of days, I now have powdery mildew. Typically the rose mildew occurs with excessive humidity (which we do not have). Since I don’t want to use chemicals, I am going to try a mixture of one part milk to 10 parts water and spray it on the affected leaves. If you have a natural remedy for powdery mildew, please do share.

In inspecting the powdery mildew situation, I also find aphids. Sigh.

Gardens are like that. Just when you think things are going well, something else comes up. I guess that’s why gardening keeps you humble.

This Week’s Projects

Speaking of gardens, the white picket fence surrounding my vegetable garden finally has a fresh coat of paint. What a difference it makes! My husband gets credit for completing this project!

Now that the guest cottage remodel is complete (see it here if you missed it), I am now back to tackling one room at a time. Most of this week is cleaning up the office and art room. Back in 2020, I shared a peek into our home office. Hard to believe it’s gotten so messy since then.

Here’s a look at a clean office, which is my inspiration. Again, I am wondering if it’s time to get rid of the dark ebony finish on the bookcases and do something else~like blue? Your thoughts?

A little Saturday Meanderings History

When I started writing Saturday Meanderings in 2020, the very first post was after a mother/daughter trip to Vancouver, Canada. Elisabeth and I crossed back into the United States and the very next day, the borders were shut down due to the pandemic.

When I look back over those difficult years, collectively, through this blog, we endured the fear, sadness, loneliness and pain from COVID. The goal of this blog is to continue to spread kindness, a bit of sunshine and civility while sharing tips, tricks and information.

In order to celebrate the 100th edition, I would like to giveaway a beautiful book, An American in Provence: Art, Life and Photography. Written by Jamie Beck, she transports you to the South of France. Her book is part art, part travelogue, part memoir, and part cookbook. It is perfect for art lovers, Francophiles, and armchair travelers alike. 

I am slowly making my way through this book, devouring each and every page.

Just write a comment below about what you like about Saturday Meanderings (or don’t like, I suppose!). Names will be put into a bowl and a winner will be selected. The winner will be announced next Saturday.

Around the Internet

I know I have mentioned this before, but I just love reading my friend, Kim’s blog on Sunday. Called Shiplap and Shells, Kim is a self-taught gardener, a fabulous photographer and she lives in the sweetest home on the water in the Pacific Northwest. Just reading her blog makes you happy. I highly recommend reading Saturday Meanderings on Saturday and Kim’s Saltwater Sounds on Sunday.

Do you love deviled eggs? We certainly do and even though my husband prefers his version the best, I like trying other recipes. Michele from Vintage Home Designs shares 3 recipes and the way to make perfect hard boiled eggs. You can see it here.

As I wrap up this 100th Saturday Meandering post, I can only hope that the next 100 posts will be as fun and rewarding. Again, my deepest thanks for your support. I am always very grateful when you share Life at Bella Terra with others, too. Wishing you a fantastic weekend!

With a mostly dreary, rainy and overcast week, we are so enjoying the blue skies, big white puffy clouds and gentle breezes these last few days. The grass looks greener and everything feels like Mother Nature gave it a good bath. What is it about Spring that just brings joy and happiness? Happy Saturday to you and I am hoping you are having beautiful weather too. It’s time to chat about all the good things this week. Thank you so much for joining me today.

My Heart is Full

I cannot tell you how much I appreciated all your wonderful condolences for Sox’s passing. Even though I try to answer each of your comments, it was hard to do so while sobbing. So please know that the fact that you took the time to share your stories and sympathies, really filled my heart. You are the best.

Great Response to the Fall Styling Workshop

We are so excited that we received so many positive responses to the pending Fall Styling Workshop. We will have room for 20, but if we exceed that number, we may add another day to the schedule. I am finalizing the agenda and cost and will publish the specifics soon.

Fun New App

My neighbor Karleen (and her friend from Wisconsin) recommend this app called Merlin. Developed by the Cornell Lab for Ornithology, it is a field guide in your pocket. The app is an interactive tool for you to identify birds. How it works is that you record the bird sounds nearby on your phone and Merlin will identify what bird is making what sound. Especially now in the Spring, there is so much bird chatter, it’s nice to know the names of the birds.

Merlin is complete with photos, sounds, and ID tips for more than 6,000 bird species and seasonal bar charts for any location at a glance. Now people across six continents are using Merlin to identify birds daily. Merlin is a free app and you can download it on your smartphone.

Spring Front Door

After several days of searching, I finally found my Spring tulip wreath for the front door. Seriously, it is so frustrating when you cannot find something when you put it in the same spot every year. Typically I put most of the wreaths inside the well tower hanging in plastic bags on the wall. Well, this wreath must have fallen off because it was on the floor squashed behind plastic stacking storage boxes. Mystery solved.

It appears I may need to rearrange the green leaves on it, but I am happy it is finally up for Spring. To see the DIY on making this wreath, click here.

My Baking Week

Not sure why I did so much baking this week, but I made scones, another batch of those addicting ooey gooey salted peanut butter oatmeal bars, sourdough panettone and sourdough crackers. I am trying to experiment with almond flour so the crackers, though tasty, didn’t get as crisp as I like. But I do want to share this scone recipe with you.

Not that I’m a scone snob, but some scones taste like baking powder to me. But these scones are SO delicious and I think they are rather easy to make…and no baking powder. The recipe comes from a former White House pastry chef, Roland Messier so you know it has to be good. The actual dough is so versatile and can be used to make cobblers, shortcakes or turnovers.

After baking, you dust them with confectioner’s sugar and pop them under the broiler for just a few seconds for the perfect finish. I promise you will not be disappointed. See recipe below.

Are You Reading Any Good Books?

I just finished The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren.

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/best friends Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. This is the first book I have read from this author(s). Although a bit predictable it is a fun read about identical twin sisters, a bad wedding experience and a series of comical circumstances. If you are looking for a bit of brain candy, I would recommend this. Not alot of heavy lifting here and every now and again, I know I need a book for pure entertainment. Amazon has it listed as Editors Pick for Best Romance. You can find it here.

Finally a Use for Italian Tiles

I bought a stack of tiles from Deruta on a 1998 trip to Italy. Not sure what I intended to do with them, but they have been sitting around for the last 25 years in a drawer.

Finally, I decide to add clear adhesive rubber pads to the bottom and now we are using them as coasters on the outdoor back terrace.

It feels so good to get little things like this done! And each time I use one, it reminds me of our trip to Italy.

Exciting Ideas from the Internet

Wendy from WM Design House comes up with the most clever ideas. Her blog post, Adult Easter Eggs; Four of the Easiest Ways to Decorate Eggs is full of new and different creative projects.

I cannot believe Easter is about 2 weeks away! Her blog post will get you motivated to do something different and fun with your eggs. See it here.

My talented and very creative friend, Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse, shows how to make a Custom Tablecloth and Napkins. I’ve never done this. My only attempt to do cute napkins ended in complete failure (see that post here). But look how sweet this tablecloth is! You can see Rachel’s very detailed DIY here.

If you love lily-of-the-Valley, check out Chloe’s (from Celebrate and Decorate)post on her Spring Table Decor. Isn’t this just so elegant and delicate? So many great ideas for an Easter or Spring table.

Look at this delicious dessert grazing board Maureen from Red Cottage Chronicles creates. I love the combination of sweet and salty and this dessert board has it all~taste, textures, color and beauty. See it here.

That’s it for today’s Saturday Meanderings! Now I am off to finally think about Easter. Next week I hope to share some Easter/Spring inspiration. Wishing you a lovely, relaxing weekend!