I recently purchased a new book, Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins. This hard cover book is a guide to creating a natural, low-waste home. The book is filled with great ideas and recipes on how to reduce what you consume and throw away. But it got me thinking about how we live. What are we currently doing that is living efficiently and reduce what we take in and what we discard?

Composting

About 30% of our kitchen waste is recycled through composting. I have written about this before (see post here) and we put every single peel, pit, skin, eggshell and other non-cooked fruits, vegetables and flowers into the composting garbage can.

Grass clippings, tree branches and other brown material is also composted here on the property. This significantly reduces our waste that goes to the City’s landfill and dump.

All the luscious rich fertilized soil goes back into the yard~the garden, the orchard and all the bedding areas. Giving back to the land is very rewarding.

If you do not compost, please consider doing so. There are many containers on the market that make composting a breeze.

Recycling

The City of Phoenix has a recycling program so we separate our garbage into separate bins for pick up once a week. Cardboard boxes, paper, plastic, glass and cans are separated from the trash. In our kitchen we have 3 cabinets with pull out garbage cans~one for composting, one for trash and the other for recyclables. Does your community have a recycling program?

Gardening and Chickens

Growing our own fruits and vegetables reduces the number of trips we take to the grocery store and farmers market. With the exception of summer, our garden is in production.

What we don’t eat, or what has grown past its prime, goes to the chickens or into the compost bin. Growing your own vegetables and fruit is immensely satisfying too.

Our chickens provide us with the most delicious eggs. In order to increase egg production, we will soon need to get some more chicks as our flock is aging out. It is joyful to have these feathered friends and they, too, help reduce our food scrap waste.

This summer we are spending more time up at our mountain cabin. If we continue to do so, then it may be time to plant a garden and set up a composting system there as well.

Preserving Food and not being wasteful

Growing up in a family of 7, my mother never wasted a thing. For example, leftover stale bread was turned into bread pudding. I am sure that philosophy is a result of living through the Great Depression and also having a limited budget.

Because I was raised with a frugal mindset, it’s hard for me to throw good food away. I just made a big batch of mole chicken and after eating it a few days in a row, I will freeze the rest in individual servings for another time. Same with the big pot of chili I just made. How nice to have a meal ready, especially on those busy days where cooking for dinner is the last thing I feel like doing!

Abundant harvests from our garden or the orchard are canned and preserved for use during another season. From fruit preserves to tomato sauce, these are either canned or frozen. Though preserving food does take a bit of work, the rewards outweigh the effort. Opening up a jar of summer tomato sauce in the middle of winter, is such a treat!

Laundry

Line drying here in Phoenix, especially in the summer, is a quick and easy energy efficient task. Not only does the sun acts as a powerful disinfectant but also has natural bleaching powers. Nothing smells better than slipping into freshly washed sheets! Even my children notice when their sheets are washed and line dried.

Our local electric rates increase significantly over the summer. Not running the dryer and other large appliances is an effective money saving strategy too.

Coffee

I recall a time when daily and sometimes more, we would drive through the local Dutch Brothers and get our coffee. The staff knew us by name and their fun, upbeat vibe was a plus to our cup of Joe. Unfortunately, that coffee location closed, but fortunately for us we removed Dutch Brothers as a line item from our monthly budget.

Now we make our coffee here at home using my favorite Nespresso machine (currently 38% off a used one on Amazon!). The coffee pods get recycled through Nespresso recycling program. Making our morning coffee at home not only saves money, but we are no longer using paper cups, plastic tops, time and gas to drive to and from Dutch Brothers.

Paperwork

As I mentioned in a blog post about my kitchen, there is an industrial shredder placed sitting in our kitchen, which some people think is odd. See that post here. Daily, the excessive amounts of junk mail is shredded and added to the composting bin. The shredder keeps the paperwork stack down on the counter and it gets recycled!

Manage our Utilities

A few years ago, I was asked to give a lecture to a group of 7th and 8th grade students about the recent utility (electric) increase and how that rate hike affected our neighborhood. Of course, I didn’t even realize we had a rate hike. So in order to provide an intelligent presentation, I did a deep dive and thorough analysis of the cost of electricity.

What I discover is that we, personally, are not on the most efficient or advantageous utility plan. Once I understand that, then I start paying attention to our electric usage. By changing our behavior slightly, we save quite a bit of money. Over time, we save even more.

The moral to this story is 1) understand your utility usage; 2) investigate the best plan for you and your family; 3) by making reasonable changes you can reduce your usage and save money.

Now, during the warmer months (trust me, air-conditioning bills can be ridiculously expensive here), we monitor our large appliance and air conditioning usage from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Water consumption

Water here in Arizona is a precious resource. Rates increase especially in June, July and August. By using flood irrigation provided locally, we are able to deep water the orchard and yard at a low annual cost. The well that we re-instituted many years ago, handles additional yard watering in a cost-effective manner (see that post here).

Room for Improvement

Like with most things in life, I can certainly improve and lessen my waste. We have too many things that need to be sorted, organized and donated. My hope is to reduce the items in each room by 50%. Lofty goal, but this is an ongoing effort.

Are you familiar with Marie Kondo’s organizational tips? I believe she has (had) a Netflix show where she shares her organizational philosophy. See where I use Maria’s tip in organizing my master closet here.

Other Ways live Simply

I’d love to live in a place that doesn’t require driving everywhere. Phoenix is more car-dependent than other cities, but during the cooler weather I do try to bike and walk more. No one wants to bike or walk when it is 116 degrees.

In addition, I need to assess my use of cleansers/detergents and investigate more eco-friendly cosmetics.

So what are you doing to live more simply and efficiently? Please share any ideas so we can all get better at this!

Happy Wednesday!

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This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday #614

We are right smack in the middle of summer here in Phoenix. It is hot AND humid. Not a drop of rain predicted until maybe mid-next week. Based on the weather forecast, the temps may get up to 117. Fortunately we are heading to Chicago for a few days and we couldn’t have picked a better time to escape this inferno. It’s that time again for another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things.

Fall Styling Workshop

I am teaming up with Chloe from Celebrate and Decorate for a fabulous Fall Styling Workshop. We would LOVE for you to come and spend the day(s) with us on either October 20 or October 21. The workshop will be from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and includes lunch and some other delicious morsels. All the details are in the Events tab on the top of my website or here. Space is limited so please get your registrations in as soon as possible. We are not sure if we can provide remote access at this time but will let you know if that is a possibility down the road.

Fun Find

Years ago, I used to macrame ALOT. Hard to believe it’s all back in style. I saw these cute storage baskets on another blogger’s website, however, they were out of stock with that manufacturer. So with some internet sleuthing, I found these online for far less money. This 13.5″ macrame storage basket is perfect for plants, or whatever else you want. I like having attractive storage options at a reasonable price under $25.

Garden Update

The remaining spaghetti squash (you can only eat so much) is being enjoyed by the chickens. All the tomatoes disappeared during our trip to Mongolia~not sure what happened. Not much growing in the garden except for the grapes and a few peppers.

If the birds do not eat them, I may try and make grape jelly this year when we return from Chicago.

Foot Update

Over a year ago, I was suffering from Morton’s neuroma in my left foot. I tried healing myself naturally vs. getting a cortisone shot in between my foot bones. At night, I would wear Splay, a set of toe separators or commonly referred to as yoga toes.

I must admit that it is awkward to wear these and it takes some getting used to but I am currently pain free, contributing my success to Splay It took a few months but I no longer use them unless my feet feel tired but would recommend them to anyone who is looking to improve your foot alignment.

Remember to Hydrate

Sometimes we get busy and forget to drink LOTS of water. It also helps to add electrolytes, especially in high heat times. Drinking regular water is fine, but how much more fun is it to drink a naturally flavored water using fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs? Lemons, berries, cucumbers and herbs (cilantro, rosemary, thyme) are some of my favorite flavors.

I try and drink half my body weight in ounces so if you are 120 lbs, then that means 60 ounces of water. Plus it plumps out any wrinkles!

Easy Chicken and Grape Salad

My friend, Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse has the easiest recipe for a cool salad on a warm summer evening. Serve it on lettuce or in a freshly baked croissant. Using rotisserie chicken from the supermarket is an easy way to whip this up in no time. See Rachel’s recipe here.

Looking forward to Making this Bedtime Drink

Renae from Peacock Ridge Farm shares an enticing bedtime drink made with lavender, chamomile and vanilla. I am always looking for a warm night time beverage that will help in providing a good night’s sleep and this one sounds like a winner. See Renae’s recipe here.

Mixing Antiques with Modern Touches

I am hooked with the title, “Antique Lover’s Lake House” as I love antiques and anything to do with living by the water. Even though I have never built a new house, I would welcome the opportunity to design one and have it beautifully appointed. This article from Cottages and Bungalows will not disappoint, especially if you love blue and white, vintage collections and Cape-Dutch elements.

Sharing a Bit of the Art Institute of Chicago

Before wrapping up, I thought you’d like to see some of the amazing art on exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. In addition to a large Van Gogh exhibit, here are some classics you will recognize. I always find it amazing that one can get rather close to the actual piece of art. And after so many years, the colors of these paintings are just rich and gorgeous.

Seeing this self portrait of Van Gogh in person for the first time, is really something! The attention to detail and the colors are so perfect. Did you know Van Gogh created 190 paintings in 2 years while he was in Paris? That’s almost 8 paintings per month!

This is an all time classic~American Gothic by Grant Wood featuring a farmer and his daughter.

John Singer Sargent painted The Fountain, Villa Torlonia Frascati, Italy in 1907 of his friends, artists Wilfrid and Jane Emmet de Glehn. Sargent was frequently interrupted by rain and he completed this painting over several days.

Lastly, I will share a Claude Monet, Water Lilies. The Art Institute has so many beautiful Monets on display but I love the colors that only Monet can do.

If you ever get the chance to visit this amazing art museum, please do. There is so much to see and it’s impossible to take it all in at once. I feel so inspired to paint when I get home.

Have a wonderful weekend. Stay cool out there! I hope you are doing something fun and relaxing.

Since I didn’t have the time to write a Saturday Meanderings last week, this one will cover all the good things (and some not so good) from the last two weeks. Happy Weekend to you!

It’s Galette Season!

I love making galettes and it’s a great way to showcase all the wonderful fruit that is in season. If you haven’t made one of these, or don’t bake, trust me…..this is E.A.S.Y. and anyone can do it.

What is a Galette?

Galettes are freeform and baked right on a baking sheet. Pies are baked in a sloped pie pan, often with a top crust. With a galette you use the same pie crust dough, but the edges of the galette are folded over the center filling, leaving a wide opening from which the filling can be seen.

This week I made both an apple and cherry one. You can use really any fruit~peaches, apricots or berries. Links to galette recipes are in a 2021 Saturday Meanderings here.

An Expensive Week

We have a well on our property which provides water for the garden and orchard. Unfortunately, the well pump and associated equipment broke and rendered the well inoperable.

Negotiating big equipment to the back of the property is challenging. Also, it is not an ideal time for the well to quit as it is heating up in Phoenix. The cost to fix this is ridiculously expensive, but a necessity, as using city water would be astronomically more.

Last year you may recall we replaced the front deck on our cabin. Even though the work was done by a licensed contractor, the new deck is a big disappointment. Twenty-six (yes!) items wrong with it from not being structural to not being level…it’s a mess.

The only solution is to tear it off and rebuild it (with someone who actually knows what they are doing). My advice~make sure your check references on anyone who does construction work. Just because someone has a license, does not mean they know what they are doing.

It’s been a pricey week.

Wonderful Gift

Earlier this year, my sweet neighbor across the street passed away. In cleaning out her home, her daughter and I became acquainted. Look at the pretty rocking chair that she gave me! I cannot wait to refinish it and feel so honored to get this as it comes with a lot of history. Lucky me.

Annual Yarnell Memorial Run

This is the third year my daughter, Julianna and I participate in this special memorial run. Here is some history about this wonderful event:

On June 28th, 2013, a lightning storm sparked what would become the deadliest wildfire in Arizona history. The Yarnell Hill Fire claimed 127 structures and the lives of 19 brave men as the country watched in helpless shock. These men belonged to the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew, based in Prescott, AZ, where many of them also resided.

On June 7, 2014, the first Yarnell Memorial Run was held in Memory of the Hotshot Crew to raise funds to support the work of local firefighters. The success and support was amazingly vibrant, prompting the Memorial Run to become an annual event. Participants have the privilege of running through the area of town known as Glen Ilah, which is where much of the burn robbed residents of their homes. In 2014, the burned area was still quite noticeable, but as time’s magic healing process has taken effect, flowers have bloomed, grass has returned with vigor and homes have been rebuilt. The Yarnell Memorial Run has grown, giving runners and walkers four different options including a 5k, 10k, 19k and family/child friendly Fun Run & Walk.

Enchanted Forest table

This week we participated in a charitable event, where each table host chooses a theme and decorates their table accordingly. I will be writing an entire post about it because there are so many details, but here’s a peek at my Enchanted Forest table. It was a surprising success!

For the same charitable event, there is also a dessert auction. I made this delicious Apricot Almond Tart (with fresh apricots!) and am very happy it sold immediately! The recipe is in a 2020 post and you can see it here.

Huge Fruit Harvest

This is the week for apricots and picking the last of the peaches. Typically I make pies, jam and salsa, but really didn’t have the time this year. Instead, I sliced and pitted the fruit and froze as much as possible. Now bagged and dated, I am hoping to use them throughout the summer.

A big garden surprise is finding plums on our newly planted tree. The tree didn’t look very healthy and we had already lost its partner earlier in the year. Quite frankly, I expected this tree to die too, so I didn’t pay any attention to it. Low and behold it is full of delicious plums. Since I didn’t thin them, the fruit is on the small size but big in taste.

Did you know that the silvery white film on plums (and grapes, blueberries) is a naturally occurring substance known as the “bloom”? It acts as a barrier against insects and bacteria and helps to seal in the fruit’s moisture. The bloom is also a sign of freshness, since it fades with time and handling. And all this time I thought it might be an insecticide!

A Weird Egg Anomaly

Fart eggs (also called fairy eggs, diminutive eggs, cock eggs, wind eggs, witch eggs, dwarf eggs) are teeny tiny eggs laid by normal-sized hens. They usually are just egg white, just egg yolk, or possibly a teeny tiny miniature egg. It’s like an oops, mistake that happens in the chicken’s reproductive system and this tiny egg comes out instead of a normal sized ones.

Even though they are perfectly safe to eat, I just collect them in a bowl. Eventually the contents dry out and I have these perfectly made tiny eggs. Isn’t Mother Nature full of surprises?

Do You Wear Skorts?

I don’t have great legs so I tend to shy away from skirts above my knee. However, during a recent trip to Costco I did pick up 3 skorts. Not only are they super comfortable, but really affordable too (I think around $15.00) I was pleasantly surprised and am wearing them with a simple t-shirt. Plus at my age, no one is looking at my legs!

You can find them online (different style than what is offered in the store) here.

Well, that’s a wrap to Saturday Meanderings. Wishing you a glorious weekend and If you are celebrating Father’s Day, please cherish the father (or father figure) in your life. The next few weeks will involve some traveling for me so I hope to continue to blog, but if not, I will catch up with you as soon as I can.

Be well and stay safe out there!

In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. Mark Twain

As I watch the effects of snow storms, nor’easters and relentless rainfall in other parts of the country, I am grateful to live in an area with a more mild winter.  Born and raised in Connecticut, I have fond (and not so fond) memories of four distinct seasons. Though I do miss the stillness and peace a new fallen snow brings, I am not fond of the unpredictable weather between winter and spring~dirty snow, dreary days and monochromatic skies.

Though we have four seasons in Phoenix, the weather is quite lovely most of the year. Our summers are comparable to harsh winters where you are inside more than outside. During the month of March here at Bella Terra, we are now noticing the changes that spring brings. Our morning temperatures are finally out of the 30s and into the 40s with warmer days.

Bulbs

The arrival of the first tulip is always a magical moment. These apricot (dusty pink on the outside and apricot/mango on the inside) beauties from Longfield Gardens are the ones I planted in January. Aren’t they just gorgeous?

Bulbs (in the ground) seem to only last a few years here. So far, none of the bright red tulip bulbs that I planted in 2019 have made it out of the ground…yet. Also, the 50 hyacinths I planted 3 years ago, only 8 of them bloomed this year. There is a good possibility that something is eating the bulbs too.

In front of the guest cottage, the first jonquil has shown its beautiful trumpet.  A member of the daffodil family, the jonquil has six outer petals and slender, hollow foliage.

Arrival of the Ducks

Another first sign of spring is the arrival of the ducks. Typically our first sighting is outside our gates and in the irrigation lateral that runs in front of our home. A few weeks later, duck dating occurs in our pool.

Recently, 6 gorgeous mallards are vying for the lone female’s attention.  She appears to have settled on the last two.  Who will be the lucky guy?  Her suitor will stay by her side for the next few months.  Soon she will bring her little ones, teaching them how to swim here. As you can imagine, this makes our pool guy rather unhappy.

The Shifting of Light

With the sun a bit higher in the sky, the morning sunshine light makes it way into the eastern rooms.  Bathed in softness, the subtle difference is a reminder that spring is on its way.

Blooming and fragrance everywhere

Stretching along the eastern side of our property, we use Lady Banks Roses, R. Banksiae Lutea as a natural screen along the adjacent street. These roses can vigorously grow to a height of 25 feet and produces pale to deep yellow flowers.  It is not strongly perfumed and the wood is almost thornless. This makes the perfect privacy fence.

Just this week, we are seeing the very first of its blossoms. These roses only bloom once a year, but shortly will provide a stunning wall of yellow.

In the orchard, it is nearly time to glean all the citrus fruit from the tree.  We are encouraged to do so when we start seeing the early citrus blossoms for the next cycle of fruit. The air is filled with an intoxicating scent of orange blossoms.

The apple and apricot trees are budding and I am tempted to cut these gorgeous branches to display inside. But I leave them alone and let nature takes its course.

Due to our extreme summer heat, I have only had success in growing Anna apples, which will be ready to pick in June.

The apricot tree is in its 3rd year of production, so I am hoping for a great yield this year. Look at how delicate these blooms are!

Our peach tree has tiny fuzzy fruit appearing as the blooms fall off the tree. So looking forward to juicy, sweet peaches the second week of May.

The Chickens are Happy

Even the chickens are sensing the change in season.  Our Araucanas have started laying their blue-green eggs again.  Chickens need 14 hours of daylight in order to have egg production.  Some chicken breeds lay more than eggs others.

After changing up their food and letting the hens have more free range time outside, they are rewarding us with fresh eggs every day.

Lots of Pollinators

The yard is full of robins and bird chirping! Flocks are on the lawn eating all the small dates that are dropping from the palms.

The flower beds in the front of the house are just starting to come to life. Here the lavender flowers are showing off and the bees are LOVING all the blooms.

Are you experiencing signs of Spring yet? Please tell me what is happening in your area of the country. Like Mark Twain’s quote above, we are experiencing spring-like days mixed in with dreary, raining ones too.

Happy 2nd day of Spring! Here is to new beginnings.

We are having such chilly, rainy weather here in Phoenix. Not that I am complaining as we always need the rain, but usually by March, we are having warmer temperatures. As I write this I am bundled up with the fireplace on making a pot of soup for lunch. Happy Saturday and of course, it is time for another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Some Favorite Food products

I want to share some of my favorite items to always have on hand. Organic chicken stock from Kirkland (Costco) comes in a case of 6-1 quart containers. During the winter months, I am a big soup fan and this chicken stock is the base to many quick, easy recipes. Throw in lots of vegetables (fresh greens, onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, parsnips), a protein and some noodles and you have a filling, nutritious soup.

The other item I have in the freezer from Costco is Ling Ling frozen chicken and vegetable potstickers. Not only are these delicious on their own, but adding them to the broth mentioned above, is so delicious. You can find these in the frozen food section. I shared another brand of potstickers last month, but it appears they are no longer in stock?

A new item I am trying is Millet and Brown Rice Ramen Noodles from Lotus Foods. Again, a Costco purchase sold in a 12-pack. These noodles are ready in 4 minutes and the possibilities are endless for lunch or dinner.

I love a rich broth soup with tons of veggies, moderate protein, and a bunch of flavor. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am chopping different kinds of vegetables and freezing them. Just before serving, I add a big handful of power greens (spinach, kale, chard). So whipping up a healthy homemade soup is really easy.

Winter Garden Harvest

Due to our intermittent frost, my garden beds have been covered for a few weeks. What a surprise when I uncovered them to find juicy red tomatoes, orange cherry tomatoes, Swiss chard and lots of poblano peppers.

Also, our chickens are starting to lay again. We are getting 4-5 eggs per day vs. nothing for several weeks. In addition to fermenting our existing chicken food, we now have organic feed and are allowing them to free range a few days a week. It probably doesn’t hurt that we are also supplementing their diet with fresh greens from the garden.

Hopefully this is the beginning of no more store bought eggs.

Guest House Project this Week

It seems like it is taking forever to finish the guest cottage. Lots of stops and stalls due to electricians not showing up. In the meantime, we are fixing all those annoying projects that were overlooked in the past. For example, when we put in the hardwood plank flooring, the installer failed to lay material under the stacking washer and dryer. In pulling out the unit for servicing, it is difficult to get it up and over the lip of the flooring. To complicate matters further, this stackable unit is in a very tight and small alcove.

Being the only person who can fit in this small space, I laid the flooring while my husband cut the planks to fit. It now looks so much better!

The enjoyable part of remodeling the guest house is adding all the special touches, like pretty shelf paper inside the drawers. I love this Lauru Sage removable adhesive contact paper. Doesn’t it look sweet inside the drawers?

Not only is it affordable ($7.49 a roll), it is functional too~will keep the drawer bottoms clean.

More Signs of Spring

Last month, we had peach blossoms which are now tiny peaches.

The apple tree is in spring-mode with its pretty, delicate pink blossoms. The bees are certainly loving it.

The hyacinths are popping up with an intoxicating fragrance. However, I can tell that these bulbs are getting past their primes. When I planted the bulb garden four years ago, each spring we get to enjoy the hyacinths. Starting with 50 blooming bulbs, I’ll be lucky if 10 or 15 bloom this year. The downsides of living in 9b is that bulb flowering plants don’t do well over time.

Book signing this week

If you live locally, I highly recommend The Poisoned Pen book store. This week, the bookstore hosted author, C.J. Box. C.J. happens to be from the same home town as my neighbor, Mitch. Mitch’s parents, are visiting here from Wyoming and his mom, Deb tells me about her friend, the author giving a talk at a local book store.

Deb and I attend and what a fun event. I am not familiar with C.J. Box but he’s quite the famous, New York Times Bestselling author. Plus he has two television series on Paramount Plus and ABC. The place is packed with fans. After a long wait in line, Deb gets me a book signed by C.J. Box, her friend and neighbor.

Even if you don’t live locally, check out The Poisoned Pen’s website. They host both virtual and in-person book events and their calendar for March and April is VERY impressive. Great place to find some new books to read. See it here.

New Rose Bushes

Each year we tend to lose 2-3 rose bushes in our rose garden during our hot summers. Not sure why as they get plenty of water but it is something I expect each season.

This year I order 3 rose bushes from Grace Rose Farm and honestly, they are the heartiest and healthiest rose plants I’ve ever purchased. Look at the size of that root ball!

Last year I wrote a post about growing roses and you can see it here. We always add a whole fish and a handful of iron pieces (nails, rebar) in the bottom of the hole. Looking forward to seeing how well these 3 rose bushes produce. The three I selected are : Moonlight in Paris, Pure Perfume and Koko Loko.

A Few Fun Finds on the Internet

Being thoughtful and deliberate is an ongoing goal for me. I also know that if I write things down and make a schedule I am far more productive and efficient. CoCo from The Crowned Goat has a very informative post on 7 Tips for a Successful Week. Great reminders on how to keep on track and utilize your time well.

A Beautiful Stone Manor

I love homes with character and often, newly built homes, though beautiful, lack that sense of charm and integrity. Here is a gorgeous stone manor where all the details have not been overlooked. This new home looks like it was built decades ago. Lots of eye candy if you love character. Built by Pinemar in Philadelphia and I love their tag line: We build beautiful homes for nice people. Check them out!

As always, thank you so much for joining me every Saturday. It means a great deal to me and I hope the content each week keeps you coming back for more.

Our sweet beagle, Sox isn’t feeling well. We are keeping our fingers crossed as our little fella has been part of our lives for 15 1/2 years. Next week, I am traveling and not sure if I will have time to send out a blog. If not, I will see you again next Saturday. Have a blessed weekend.