Welcome to Saturday Meanderings! So much of my week was devoted to a neighborhood issue~lots of research, creating a powerpoint presentation and sitting in a hearing for 5 hours. Naturally I’d rather be decorating for the holidays, but sometimes other responsibilities take precedent. We have a rather large event at the house today, so I’m buzzing around trying to get it all together. Nonetheless it’s the weekend and such a special and magical time of year.

Giving to Others

Especially around the holidays, I count my blessings for the fullness of my life. I realize that others may be struggling both financially, physically and emotionally. At our church, we have a woman who runs the prison ministry and this time of year creates an Angel tree. The names on the tree are the children, whose mothers are incarcerated, and unable to spend the holidays with their families.

Each year we “adopt” a few of the children, and fulfill their Christmas list. It is the season of giving and we do a small part to help out those in need. I hope everyone is able to provide some hope and joy to those less fortunate. Please share what kindnesses you do for others during the holiday.

Latest Salt Dough Ornaments

The other wooden cookie mold I ordered, finally arrives. This one is deeper than my pinecone cookie mold and I make the standard salt dough mixture (flour, salt, water).

As you know, last week I shared my pinecone salt dough cookies DIY. The baking of the pinecone ornaments took about an hour since the pinecones are much thinner. However, this thicker hen design takes quite a bit longer to cook (2-3 hours at 200 degrees), and I am not sure they are thoroughly baked.

This sweet design also makes much heavier ornaments. They are more propped on the tree than hung, however, I still think they look good. A good reminder is to see how deep the mold is and my next try will see if I can make them thinner?

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Concert

For 25 years, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra has taken music to a new level. The band only tours on an annual November-December extravaganza (104 shows) that the band prides in being “as over the top as we can make it. We have, two stages~with pyro, lights and lasers~on both sides of the area, as well as in the crowd and the best sound we can find. There are no second class seats at a Trans-Siberian Orchestra show. ” Their goal is to have people walk out of the concert speechless and still not believing what they have seen was possible.

Last Sunday we saw The 2023 Winter Tour, The Ghost of Christmas Eve. This concert is such a great way to start the holiday season! Their progressive rock band push the boundaries of traditional Christmas music. Who else has their female vocalist performing inside of a 24 foot snow globe?

Seats sell out quickly and this year they perform in Phoenix for only two shows. A great gift for someone who loves music, unbelievable pyro-technics, lighting and props. See more information about the Trans-Siberian Orchestra here.

Holiday Decorating

I am still not completely finished with our holiday decorating, but we are making progress. The very large wreath is up on the well tower.

My mother would alway put candles in the window at our home in Connecticut. Back then, they were electric and needed to be plugged in. I recall Scotch taping the plastic bases to the window sill. Now the candles are battery-operated and so much easier to use.

I bought ours years ago and love the fact that are on an automatic timer. Here is a similar product and I am surprised on how inexpensive they are today. A pack of 10 LED Flameless Candles is $39.99 here.

Each year my husband puts out artificial trees by the front door to create a forest feel. This year we add red poinsettias on the way up the steps for a bit of holiday color. Battery-operated candle pillars, in the lanterns, light the way. Costco has a good supply of poinsettias at a decent price.

This Weekend’s Event

Here are some nibble boards I will be preparing today for our event tonight. This is a super easy vegetable Christmas Tree display.

I will be making my Christmas Wreath charcuterie board (if you missed my post this week you can see it here).

Would love to have enough time to make something like this. Check out this Christmas Tree Spinach Dip Breadsticks from It’s Always Autumn. It doesn’t look too difficult and visually impactful. See it here.

Of course, who wouldn’t love this Hot Chocolate Dessert board? We won’t be serving hot chocolate at our event, but I am definitely pinning this!

Mary’s Must Haves

This week I am focusing on hostess gifts because it IS that time of year. Instead of bringing a bottle of wine, why not the following:

This Rechargeable Electric Candle Lighter is eco-friendly, windproof, flameless, USB rechargeable and has a hidden safety lock making it family friendly. Now 23% off on Amazon and is available in multiple colors.

Pair your electric lighter with a set of 6 of these pretty natural beeswax tapered candles. Everyone can use candles during the holidays! The price is right too at $15.19. I ordered both the lighter and candles and they arrive tomorrow.

Isn’t this natural wood spoon and fork set gorgeous? How unique to use something this pretty to serve your guests? The larger ones can toss a salad and the smaller ones can serve nuts from a bowl. Now 52% off (!) from Amazon at $28.50. Delivery is quick too!

If you know someone who uses fresh herbs, this is the perfect hostess gift for a gardener or cook. I use fresh herbs from my garden frequently and find it a bit tedious to chop them and then have to clean the cutting board.

These herb scissors with 5 blades and a safety cover is the perfect solution for easily chopping or cutting fresh herbs. Picture a pretty small basket with a collection of fresh herbs tied with a festive ribbon and these scissors!

This may seem like a strange hostess gift, but in winter we have shorter daytime hours. This gift, Eufy plug-in Dusk to Dawn night lights, will be loved by your hostess (of course after they use them). As we get older, it’s helpful if we are not tripping over something in the middle of the night. You have seen me praise these before, but I love the low profile look of these lights. Their glare-free light is not bright or offensive.

I am seriously ordering yet another set (we already have one at home and one at the cabin) as I want to put them in the pool house and guest cottage. A set of 6 is $23.99. Amazon has a rating of 4.7 out of 10,071 reviews. Eufy night lights

That’s a wrap. Have a wonderful weekend! Do you have any fun plans?

Happy 1st Saturday in October! We are finally seeing much cooler weather in Phoenix and fall tree colors in the mountains. Hard to believe last Saturday I was on a ship in the Bahamas, with hot and humid conditions. It’s nice to finally get into the fall mood and today, we will be pumpkin hunting at Willis Family Farm in Snowflake, Arizona. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Fall Styling Workshop

This is the last opportunity to sign up for the Fall to Holiday Styling Workshop, being held at our home on two dates, October 20 and October 21st. We have only a very few spots left and would love for you to join us. I am so excited to be sharing our home and the expertise of Chloe Crabtree, from Celebrate and Decorate. We will be closing registration soon, so come and be part of a lovely day of learning, friendship and delicious food. For more information, click here.

Autumn in the Mountains

Typically when you think of Arizona, hot weather and desert come to mind. But we have beautiful mountains and lakes here. Being born and raised in Connecticut, I have such fond memories of the gorgeous fall colors in New England. School, back then, started in September which meant new sweaters and shoes.

It is tradition now that we come up to the mountains the first weeks of October to experience a bit of fall. Though our leaf peeping is not as colorful, we do have lots of yellows, rust and browns. The skies are a deep blue and the air is crisp and clean on sunny days; moody and dark when it rains.

It is also a time where we haul all our geraniums back to the Valley and let them enjoy winter is a milder climate. Every year it seems a bit more daunting as the geraniums are huge and the pots seem heavier….must be us getting older!

With such a large variety of pumpkins and gourds, Willis Family Farm is our #1 choice for pick your own. I believe they are open all of October and you can get so many pumpkins at a price far less than the local grocery store chain. Not only does the farm sell pumpkins, but they have many fall activities for families such as a corn maze and a train ride.

Have you Been on a Cruise?

The very first cruise I ever went on I won at a charity event with the Phoenix Symphony back in 2001. For a $100 raffle ticket, it was for a 10-day trans-Atlantic cruise on the Queen Elizabeth II with Cunard Cruise Lines, all expenses paid. It was right after 9/11 and the world felt like a scary place. But it was practically free and after securing appropriate childcare, my husband and I flew to London and then took the Orient Express to Southhampton, where we boarded the ship.

Quite honestly, I hadn’t given much thought to going on a cruise, being busy with 3 small children and a major house renovation. Since then we have taken only one other cruise with the entire family, touring the Baltic Sea in 2008. The QE II cruise was quite elegant, formal with most passengers on board were adults.

Holland America did an excellent job touring the fjords and many countries in the Baltic. The children still share their fun stories from that trip.

Last week I experience my first 3-day Disney cruise to the Bahamas with dear friends. My, ships have certainly improved and gotten bigger in 15 years! The Disney ship, The Wish is a new one and beautifully appointed. I didn’t have any feelings of claustrophobia as the halls are wide and brightly lit. Since COVID, Disney does an excellent job of providing sinks at the entrances of each restaurant and require each passenger to wash their hands prior to entering.

Of course, the best part of the trip was spending it with fabulous girlfriends. I hope to write more about this in detail in the future, as I am still processing all the information about this cruise, our destinations and amenities.

Making Quick Breads

Especially in October, everywhere you go you see pumpkin flavored items~from lattes to breads. There are so many good pumpkin quick bread mixes available so it isn’t necessary to make one from scratch.

My favorite go-to pumpkin muffin and bread mix is from Trader Joes. However, there are so many on the market. King Arthur has a gluten-free one here.

Though I haven’t tried this, I always have good luck with Krusteaz products. You can find this one online here.

Adding More Flavor and Texture to Your Bread

I rarely just use the mix and bake. Have fun experimenting with adding chocolate chips, nuts, dates, dried fruit such as cranberries and raisins. Occasionally I will make a mixture of cream cheese and sweetener (sugar, honey, agave) and swirl it through the bread. Be creative!

Use a Pretty Pan

If you bake it in a pretty pan, well, it just looks that much more impressive.

I don’t recall where I bought this pan as it was many years ago. But here is Harvest Bounty loaf pan that is similar.

If you are seeking mini loaves, this one has a harvest theme as well.

Happy Baking! I am so ready for those wonderful smells in the kitchen. What an easy and perfect recipe with an afternoon cup of tea.

From the Internet

Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse is always so creative and full of ideas. Decorating for the fall doesn’t need to be expensive. Her post, Autumn Decor with Elements from Nature, is filled with foraging from nature and how to display in your home.

Fall Bucket List

Do you have a Fall Bucket list? Elizabeth from Pinecones and Acorns shares 25 ways to make this fall extra special. Personally, I have never made a Fall bucket list, but I am inspired by her post. You can see it here.

Well that’s a wrap for our first Saturday Meanderings in October! Getting ready to plan and plant the fall garden. Stay healthy and be safe out there.

Every year Judith Baigent King (teaching chef, food writer, author) coordinates and organizes a Fantasy Table event to raise educational scholarship money for those who work at our country club in the mountains. It is a monumental effort and hence, very difficult to say no when she asks you to host a table! What makes this event unique is that every table is decorated differently. It is up to the table host to select their theme. Last year, you may remember my table, Dinner in the Library (you can see it here). This year, my theme is Enchanted Forest and I’m excited to share the photos from this event with you.

The Invitation

The guests we invited last year were so much fun, that we replicate the same guest list. I believe electronic invitations serve a purpose for some events, but I really prefer a paper, in the mail, invitation. Perhaps it’s a bit old fashion, but I feel the same way about hand written thank-you notes too. If someone takes the time to buy you a gift, then how much effort is it to hand write a note? Having said that, I did use an electronic image that I download from Zazzle and personalize it on my computer.

After printing on card stock, we mail them off to the 8 participants.

The Table Cloth

Generally, I start with the tablecloth and work out from there. Since I didn’t want a table covered in moss near the eating utensils, I opt for a tapestry that depicts a misty forest which my creative friend, Chloe from Celebrate and Decorate, finds on Amazon. I quickly order the inexpensive the 71″ x 95″ piece.

Layered over sand colored tablecloths, it provides a nice rich green backdrop without the mossy mess.

The Dishes and Charger

Since I really don’t have any dishes that represent an enchanted forest, I find these Woodland Dinner Plates by Spode on Replacements. I order 4 with elk and 4 with deer. I justify this purchase as I really need more dinner plates to use at our cabin.

Perhaps the most compliments received that night is due to this wood charger. I can’t recall where I bought them (years ago) but it could have been through Wayfair.

Name Cards

My sweet husband cut these wooden circles out of oak. After letting them dry out I am able to calligraphy the names of our guests. Some of the circles warped while drying out so you may want to weigh them down during the process. Also, in order for the felt marker not to bleed through the wood grain, I coat them with one coat of Modge Podge matte first.

Please note that I do NOT do calligraphy but I did use a lettering book by Lisa Funk as a guide. I think they came out rather well. Scott drills a hole at the top so I can insert a piece of jute twine to attach to the napkin.

The Centerpiece

The focal point of the table is the real tree we use as a canopy. We were notified that the tables would be narrower than last year so in order to make an impact, I decide to go up. Unfortunately, this little sapling needs to be removed and we recycle it for the center of the table.

The custom made metal base has a rebar post. Scott drills a hole in the trunk which allows the tree to slide over the top of the rebar post. Using rocks on the base helps to prevent the tree from tipping over. I’m 5’4″ so you can get a sense of the size of the tree.

Table Decorations

You cannot have an enchanted forest without mushrooms and fairies. This 21 piece set of unfinished wooden mushrooms is the perfect size for the centerpiece. My daughter, Julianna agrees to paint them in both realistic and whimsical tones.

The forest floor provides natural material for the table~from pinecones to mossy rocks. Delicate porcelain fairies from Etsy come in a set of 8 and are tucked into the nooks and crannies. Fresh flowers and votive candles give the table an elegant and bright touch.

Scott cut logs of differing sizes to create some height in the center, adding more places and spaces to tuck flowers, moss, candles and fairies.

Faux bois vases have a plastic cup insert where cut daisies, mums and greens are placed. A combination of forest moss, reindeer moss and green moss (who knew there are so many kinds!) fill in along the empty spaces between the chargers and centerpiece.

Initially I worry about the large Malapai rocks weighing down the tree base, but they add character, height and texture to the table.

Lighting the Tree

Perhaps the most time consuming part of this table is hanging the glass votive globes from the tree.

These 3 inch glass globes come in a set of 24, with jute twine, but I want the votives to feel like they are floating. I use clear fishing line which looks better, but is a pain to tie. Having the patience to hang only 16 of them, I am satisfied with the end result. A bit of moss is added, mostly to hide the battery case on the bottom.

Our club house recently underwent an entire renovation, but it appears the design team overlooked the fact that you can see into the kitchen from this dining room. Since our table is placed very close to the kitchen, I put up a dividing screen to block this unsightly view. The local florist, Blume Haus Florals, delivers the lighted tree as another forest contribution.

Additional Touches

For the female guests, I provide a floral hair piece to wear. The original ones are from Amazon, but did not feel substantial enough (artificial flowers only). I add fresh flowers and greens to beef them up a bit.

In addition to raising money from the table sales, there is a dessert auction. Since I had so many apricots, I donate an almond apricot tart with a small bottle of Amaretto di Sarona. Thankfully it is one of the first desserts to sell at full price!

This year, it seems all the table hosts stepped up their game. Many of the tables are unique, colorful and have a fun theme~from Yellowstone to pickle ball. The best news is that lots of money is raised for well deserving scholarships.

All in all, it is a very fun and worthwhile event. Any thoughts on what theme I should be considering for next year?

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Happy post-Thanksgiving Saturday! I hope everyone had an enjoyable turkey day. Ours was fabulous as we are up in the chilly mountains of Arizona. Being spoiled by a fully equipped kitchen in Phoenix, it took some figuring to get everything prepared and cooked. Many hands made the work light and rather fun. It’s time again for another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished~Oscar Wilde

Last Saturday I mentioned that our neighborhood group raises money to buy turkeys to support our Phoenix Police Turkey Drive. The turkeys are collected and then given to St. Mary’s Food Bank. This year, 41 turkeys filled the trunk of my SUV. I backed up my car to the refrigerated trailer and when I opened the trunk, a very large, frozen solid turkey fell out of the trunk and onto my right foot.

Long story short, I broke the bone in my big toe both horizontally and vertically. I won’t show you any toe pictures as it is black, swollen and not very attractive. After a long wait at urgent care, I am now in a boot until I see the foot doctor on Tuesday. The good news is that the turkey boulder did not land on the top of my foot~I was quick but not quick enough. A bit bummed over this.

A Gift of Roses

My sweet friend, Andrea from Design Morsels sent me these beautiful roses just prior to our departure to the mountains. We brought them with us and they’ve lasted all week in various locations.

I can’t say enough about the roses from The Bouqs. From Ecuador, the blooms are big, healthy and I’ve never been disappointed. Please keep them in mind if you send roses. Use the link on my sidebar and I will also get a small stipend for the referral.

Chilly Weather

It is very chilly up here (which I am not used to), but I am enjoying wearing sweaters and scarves again. Here is a picture of my daughter’s Cavalier King Charles puppy in his winter gear…so adorable!

But this fresh, clean, crisp mountain air is such a healthy tonic. Phoenix is in a valley and often we have air pollution alerts (which is so gross). Plus it is so quiet and we’ve hardly seen another soul. Here is a photo from our post-Thanksgiving family walk and I so appreciate the beauty of this place.

Thanksgiving Wrap Up

As you are reading this we are packing up and heading back to Phoenix as our son and girlfriend fly back to Chicago late on Saturday. Having all the children and their significant others, my husband’s brother and wife, and all the animals here together for this holiday has been magical.

With both fireplaces going, delicious food and fun cocktails, our cabin is filled with love and laughter. Isn’t that what life is all about? I can’t tell you how many times I count my blessings.

If you are looking for an apple cider punch to make for the holidays, this one by Half Baked Harvest is very good. The ingredients include: apple cider, vodka, apple butter, orange bitters, champagne (we used Prosecco), ginger beer and the glass has a cinnamon sugar rim. You can find the recipe here.

Now Off to Christmas

I hold off decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. The season doesn’t officially begin for me until I see Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. I am excited to start transforming the house into a Christmas wonderland.

This week I did make Mary Berry’s Christmas cake as it is one you can make up to 3 months in advance.

My sweet friend, Christine came over and we baked one for each of us. Now it’s a matter of feeding it brandy or sherry every week until Christmas. These cakes weigh a ton as they are filled with brandy soaked dried fruit. So looking forward to cutting into this next month.

Christmas Movies

Do you have a favorite Christmas movie? Last night we watched The Holiday with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black. Every time I watch it I try to absorb all the details of both houses in the movie. If you love Nancy Meyer films and a good love story, you will enjoy this.

Please share your favorite holiday movie. I will have the excuse to elevate my foot and enjoy a movie or two this holiday!

A Delicious Cranberry Tart

I love cranberries and they are so good for you. Even though I haven’t tried this recipe, I like several things created by Annie from Most Lovely Things. How pretty is this for the holidays!

Now is the time to take advantage of all the fresh cranberries in the grocery stores. Here is the recipe.

I hope you are enjoying this Thanksgiving weekend. Though I do not participate in Black Friday sales, if you do, be careful out there!

I tried to schedule nothing this week, but it seems I was just as busy as ever. Happy Saturday, friends. Can you even believe Thanksgiving is in 5 days? I love this holiday because there are no presents, just time with those you love and delicious food. My son arrives tomorrow from Chicago and we have plans to cook and bake~just perfection! It’s time again to review all the good things that happened this week so let’s get started.

Good News this Week

My daughter, Julianna, got accepted to graduate school at Embry-Riddle. She starts in January so we will be quickly searching for housing and moving her into the next chapter in her life. We will miss having her and her two pups and cat, but what an exciting new adventure. Her area of focus will be Cyber Intelligence and Security.

It’s That Time of Year

Exactly a year ago today, I made my very first Mary Berry’s Christmas Cake. Whether you like fruit cake or not, this one is so delicious and can be made up to 3 months in advance. Again, I am altering the ingredients a bit as I am not a fan of glacé cherries, so I am substituting pitted tart Montmorency dried cherries from Trader Joe’s.

The recipe also calls for 1.5 lbs of currants~which seems like alot. Since our local store only sells them in 3 oz. packages (and they are pricey), I am using dates instead. You need to soak the dried fruit in brandy or sherry for 3 days which is happening now on my counter. My dried fruit combination includes sultanas, dried cranberries, dried wild blueberries, dates and dried cherries. My friend, Christine is coming over and we will be baking two of these cakes together!

Also, the Great British Baking Show Holiday Edition is now available to view on Netflix. I am always so inspired by this and maybe I will find even more holiday baking recipes!

My husband just made a batch of Alton Brown’s Aged Egg Nog. This is the 3rd year making it and last year’s batch aged a full year before we consumed it at Christmas. However, by starting it now, it is still very drinkable immediately or in December. Truly delicious~here’s the recipe.

I am getting ready to dust off my panettone pan that I purchased last year and make this wonderful Italian holiday sweet bread. If you have never had panettone, you will not be disappointed. Trader Joe’s has smaller, individual size versions and Williams Sonoma carries a delicious chestnut one this time of year. Of course, Amazon has a large selection too.

The Oldest Living Person in the U.S.

Bessie Hendricks, the oldest living person in the United States, turned 115 last week. “It’s marvelous that we still have her,” her 90-year old daughter said. Hendricks was born in 1907. Her lifetime has seen 21 presidents, two world wars, and the sinking of the Titanic. She is the fourth oldest living person in the world. She resides at Shady Oaks Care Center in Iowa.

Wouldn’t you love to sit and have a conversation with her? Well, Happy Birthday, Bessie!

Magazines I love

I am anxiously awaiting the December/Winter issue of Chic & Country magazine. It is a virtual magazine, but I like the fact that I can peruse older issues on the computer. Each issue is packed with home stories, decor and styling ideas, travel features, food recipes, and every issue is advertising free (yay!). It’s $20 for 6 months or $25 a year for a subscription. You can find it here.

Recently, I met the Design Director for Milieu magazine at a book signing. In MILIEU, every story captures the look and feel, the mood and character, the style of a place—its milieu. The quality of the magazine is high-end and the photos are all provided by designers and photographers~very stunning. This is not a virtual magazine and they have 4 issues a year at $18.99/issue.

Do you subscribe to any magazines? Are they virtual or hard copy? I used to have all the magazines but stopped subscribing because I had difficulty throwing them out. I prefer to sit and turn the pages of a magazine, but with so much information online, I’m sure this industry has suffered.

Turkey Drive

Our neighborhood is again participating in a Turkey Drive with our police department and St. Mary’s Food Bank. This weekend I will be going shopping for turkeys with another neighbor. We raised $500 so far and hopefully that will buy us a good amount.

Does your community help your local food bank during the holidays? It’s such an important effort and we are always so happy to participate.

Christmas Creep

Have you ever heard of Christmas Creep? I had not until I read a blog post by my friend, Andrea from Design Morsels. Andrea has this very funny dry sense of humor and she calls it like she sees it. Anyway, I find this post very interesting and thought provoking. You can see it here and tell me what you think.

This Week’s Posts

I hope you had a chance to see my two posts this week on Mini Appetizer Boards for Thanksgiving and Cleaning and Caring of Roman Shades.

We are getting ready for our Thanksgiving guests and our trip up to the mountains for our holiday dinner. The grocery stores are already packed with people shopping for their ingredients. Hope to get all that done this weekend.

Wishing you a very happy and relaxing weekend.