The “Race for the Roses” will be held this Saturday on May 4, 2024 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. If you cannot be there in person, then what better reason to have your very own Derby party. There is so much history surrounding this annual event and how fun to partake in its revelry.

A Little History

The Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May every year, and typically draws a crowd of 155,000 people. It is the longest continually held sporting event in America, and it is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world.

Often called “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports”, the Kentucky Derby receives this nickname from the approximate length of time it takes the winner to run from the starting gate to the finish line. The Kentucky Derby is the first race within the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, where it is followed by the Preakness Stakes race and the Belmont Stakes race.

Setting the Theme

When my sweet blogging friends came to visit Bella Terra in 2022, we put together all the best tips to hosting your very own Kentucky Derby party and we want to share them with you today!

Chloe, from Celebrate and Decorate was unable to come at the last minute due to a family medical emergency. However, she did ship all the wonderful elements of a beautiful table beforehand. Using the black and white checks of a jockey’s attire, the harlequin table cloth is the perfect backdrop. Moss in a roll make a wonderful runner and adds the grassy feel of Churchill Downs.

The Centerpiece

Working with a laser cut wooden horse head, Chloe embellishes it with a Derby Day theme. Here is the Before:

And the After:

The horse head centerpiece is a clever use of craft materials and you can see the entire DIY here. Finding the wooden horse head silhouette on Amazon, Chloe covers it in moss, adds roses for the mane and adds a harlequin ribbon for the bridle. This can be used as decoration for the front door (add a hook) or as the table’s centerpiece.

Beautiful silver mint julep cups are filled with fresh red roses that I order from The Bouqs. Waiting for a 20% off promotion, I purchase 6 dozen (4 dozen would have been plenty)of these gorgeous red roses. I place 10 roses in each mint julep cup (6 cups) and surround the horse head.

If you are looking for mint julep cups, here is a resource for stainless steel ones. Silver or silver plated mint julep cups can be found here.

The Place Setting

Since the Kentucky Derby is one of the most prestigious races, it’s time to pull out the glamour of silver and crystal. After experimenting with different chargers and dinner plates, we decide a simple white plate with a beaded silver charger with a white embroidered linen napkin is the most elegant.

If you don’t have real silver or silver-plate, there are many faux silver chargers available. You can see these more affordable options here. Having a basic white dinner plate allows you the opportunity to make your table casual or more formal. Here is a good option on white dinner plates.

Chloe makes these stunning red rose napkin rings and you can see her DIY here. Even though she wasn’t physically present, we all greatly appreciate her creative contributions to this gorgeous table.

Sparkling crystal glasses, silver candlesticks and silver wine/champagne buckets add more glamour to the table.

Andrea from Design Morsels finds these small horseshoes which we scatter around the centerpiece. Adding the white slipcovered dining chairs around the table, again makes this dining experience extra special.

The table is placed under the very old date palms trees on the south side of our historic property.

Hors D’oeuvres

Even though mint juleps are the traditional cocktail for the Kentucky Derby, we dust off our best Waterford champagne flutes and serve a Thomson & Scott Noughty dealcoholized sparking rosé bubbly.

A variety of cheeses, crackers, salami, olives, nuts and fruit make a colorful, yet tasty tray of nibbles.

Icy shrimp with cocktail sauce on a vintage Fenton Spanish Lace Silver Crest ruffle edge milk glass pedestal cake stand gives some height to a small table. This is one of my favorite cake stands and as I am writing this, there is one available on eBay here.

Fresh shrimp and a wonton hors d’oeuvre create different textures and flavors. An interesting mix for your guests.

For more food and decorating ideas, see my Derby Day Fun post from 2019 here.

And a Hat, of course!

Hats are a long standing tradition at the Kentucky Derby! And what is a Derby party without a lovely chapeau!

On the Kentucky Derby website, you can download the entire Kentucky Derby 2024 information guide, the list of horses and you can even place a bet on their website. They even have an online store for your to purchase party supplies.

Thanks to Chloe’s creativity and the capable hands of Andrea from Design Morsels and Chas from Chas’ Crazy Creations, we hope you will be inspired to host your own Kentucky Derby party! What fun to put it all together here at our home and share these moments with such great friends.

10 Winning Kentucky Derby Party Food Ideas and Champion Recipes

My friend, Rachel from The Ponds Farmhouse is part of a supper club comprising of very talented women. In Rachel’s post, not only does she include recipes from Shrimp & Grits to Bourbon Bread Pudding, but the following as well:

Michele from Vintage Home Design~Traditional Mint Julep Recipe with a Lemonade Twist

Jen at Midwest Life and Style- Crockpot Bourbon Meatballs

Anne and AnnMarie at Simply2Moms~The Hot Brown

Stacy at Bricks ‘n Blooms~Best Blondie Brownie Recipe

Just writing this post is making me hungry and I cannot wait to try some of these new recipes. May is just around the corner and enjoying the Kentucky Derby is a great way to welcome in the month.Are you planning a Derby day celebration?

Some of the photos are taken by Emily Supiot from Cozy Clicks.

If you enjoy this post, please share on Pinterest.

Happy September! The lazy days of August are behind us and now we wait for the temperature to change. We are still up in the mountains and there is a shift in the light, the smell of the air and the temperature is cooler now in the mornings and evenings. Welcome to September’s Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Mark Your Calendars

As few weeks ago, I mentioned that my dear friend, neighbor and author, Barbara Hinske is having one of her books made into a Hallmark movie. It is airing on September 8th and she needs all our support for this to be a success. This movie will shed necessary light on those with sight impairments. Please read her request below and let’s be friends helping friends.

My novel Guiding Emily has been adapted for the screen by Hallmark. It will air Sept 8, 9ET/8 CT (6:00 p.m. in Phoenix)on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. I was present for filming again and this will be a terrific movie. They stuck with the book this time. Hallmark has stepped out of their usual romance box for this movie. The principal cast and crew are set to work on a series based on the books. The movie has to do well enough or trend on twitter for Hallmark to pull this trigger on this. Needless to say, this is the Holy Grail for an author. 

The actor’s strike has prevented both Sarah Drew (Emily) and Eric McCormack (voice of Garth) from promoting the movie and I’m doing everything I can to get eyeballs on it. 

So–please tune every set in your house (heck–on your street!) to watch on Sept 8. If you’re on social media, please spread the word. Sample text is below and graphics are attached. Word of mouth is so powerful, too. I get emails every week from newly-blind adults telling me the book has given them hope and from people losing their sight telling me it’s made them less afraid. The movie will exponentially expand the reach of this message. 

Thank you for anything you can do to help!

How to Post on Social Media

Here’s that text: 

I’ll be watching! Will you? Guiding Emily, a tale of love, loss, and courage, premieres 9/8/23 on @hallmarkmovie #visuallyimpaired #guidedogs #guidedogsfortheblind #guidedogpuppy #servicedogpuppy #servicedogintraining #hallmarkmovie #guidingemily #hallmarkmoviesmysteries

Mark your calendars! Guiding Emily, based on Barbara Hinske’s book, premieres 9/8/23 on @hallmarkmovie @sarahdrew #visuallyimpaired #guidedogs #guidedogsfortheblind #guidedogpuppy #servicedogpuppy #servicedogintraining #hallmarkmovie #guidingemily #hallmarkmoviesmysteries

Celebrate guide dogs! Meet Emily and Garth in the Guiding Emily movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Friday, September 8th @hallmarkmovie @sarahdrew #guidedogs #guidedogsfortheblind #guidedogpuppy #servicedogpuppy #servicedogintraining #guidingemily #hallmarkmoviesmysteries

Liking/retweeting my tweets during the movie would help, too.

Growing Luffa or Loofah

This week I did travel back to Phoenix for a few days. Mostly to pick up mail and packages, check on the house and property and spend some time with both my daughters. My garden is typically fallow this time of year but the luffa seeds I planted in the spring have taken off!

What is Luffa?

I certainly didn’t know this until my friend and chiropractor, Diane, shared some luffa seeds. Many people think all shower sponges come from the ocean, but most commercially-produced sponges are actually dried fruit. The luffa plant is a climbing vine that produces cucumber-like gourds. Per Epic Gardening, as the gourds mature, their inner layer transforms into a fibrous network that’s mostly made of cellulose. This network turns into the loofah we are all familiar with.

Although Luffa is the correct spelling of the genus, ‘loofah’ is a widely accepted common name. Look how this vine is growing down the entire south side of the garden on the picket fence.

Large yellow flowers are now in bloom. When this plant didn’t do much the first few months, I was worried that it wouldn’t produce. But now with multiple flowers I am very hopeful.

With the help of the local bees, pollination will occur and then fruit will grow. While still green, the luffa gourds are edible. They can be eaten raw or cooked. Their taste resembles cucumbers, zucchini and winter squash. However, I hope to dry them to use as loofahs. Keeping my fingers crossed and will share pictures!

Bargain at Walmart

I’m not a huge fan of Walmart but occasionally I find something worthwhile. You are probably familiar with Ree Drummond, the creator of the wildly popular blog, The Pioneer Woman. Ree has several of her products with Walmart and I am a fan of her colorful and cheerful patterns.

While looking for bed linens at Walmart in Prescott, Arizona with my daughter, Julianna, I spot The Pioneer Woman’s sheets and pillowcases….on SALE. Not just on sale, but for pennies.

The 300 thread count cotton percale pillowcases come in a cute drawstring bag (same fabric as the cases) in sweet patterns. For $2.00 (yes, can you believe it?), you can get two standard/queen or king size pillowcases. You can’t buy the fabric for that price!

In addition, they have matching sheet sets (flat, fitted and a set of pillowcases) in a cute sack for queen beds at $11.00 (!) and king size sheet set for $13.00. Full size is $9.00. I bought the pink ones above.

If you are like me, you don’t refresh your linens very often and what an affordable way to do so. Right now all my purchases are all in the wash but I hope to take a picture of them on a bed. The fabrics with their ruffles and trim are SO cute!

Cannot get to a Walmart? You can also order them online. Just click the bold links under the photos. It appears they are selling fast online and your local store may have more options. I have a pretty fine blue striped set (Wildflower) that I found in the store but not online. However, the Wildflower pillowcases are still available online.

Depending on the size you need, different styles are available. Walmart is obviously significantly discounting these items to move in winter merchandise so get them while you can!

Did you See the Super Blue Moon?

On Wednesday, a super blue moon was (and still is) illuminating the night time skies. We will not see another moon like this until 2037! Not only was the moon spectacular, but near by is Saturn, which is at its closest (and brightest) point to Earth.

Fortunately we had clear skies in the mountains. The moon was SO bright it was almost hard to look at it. In the above photo, my husband has his laser pointing directly to Saturn. With an old telescope we could actually see the shape of the planet. Yes, and I did howl at this beautiful moon!

With some help from my husband and the internet, I am able to capture this photo on my iPhone. Do you see the Man in the Moon?

From the Internet

I am always inspired by decor that is out of the ordinary. Even though it may be over the top or something I do not like, it’s nice to see something different!

Architectural Digest takes you on a tour of LoveShackFancy Founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen’s Parisian-Inspired NYC Townhouse. It is over the top. You can see it here.

Utah Tart Cherries and a Delicious Recipe

I love Montmorency cherries and we just planted our first tree here in Pinetop. Did you know that Utah is the second largest producer of these tart cherries? Jen from Tatertots and Jello shares her experience visiting a cherry farm, and a Montmorency tart cherry and almond galette recipe. It looks divine! You can see it here.

Next week I will share more information about the Fall Styling Workshop and why you will want to attend. Also, you will see the reveal of my newly wallpaper master water closet!

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend! Hopefully many people realize this holiday was established to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being. Be safe out there.

Happy Earth Day! It’s another April weekend and I hope you are having glorious spring weather like us! Though a very busy social week, I didn’t get much done other than some continued cleaning and organizing. Let’s get started and chat about all good things this week.

And the Winner is..

I just loved all the comments on last Saturday’s post. So many good ideas on improvements to our home office library. Quite honestly, hearing from each of you is such a gift to me. The winner of the American in Paris book is Catharine Mueller~I will reach out to you for your mailing address! Thank you all for commenting.

My Rose Garden

I can honestly say that my rose garden this year is the best it has ever been. It’s amazing what a good fertilizer and watering program and lots of rain will do. Last week I mentioned some powdery mildew appearing, but with two applications of a milk/water (one part milk to 10 parts water)solution, I think I now have it under control.

This is the first year I have so many roses that I can actually cut bouquets for the house. Here are the oldest roses on our property, Quatre Saisons, which are so fragrant and colorful.

Hydrating

With our temperatures rising over 80, it is so important to make sure you are hydrated. In February, I received an IV immune boost (my first ever) and the nurse administering the bag said I was dehydrated. When I told her I try to drink half my body weight in ounces of water, she stated that was nice but I need something more to replenish electrolytes.

Now I am supplementing my daily water intake with an occasional packet of Trace Minerals PowerPak for electrolyte stamina. PowerPak comes in different flavors from watermelon to lemon berry. With 1200 mg of Vitamin C, zinc and magnesium, thiamine, niacin, Vitamin B6 and B12, one packet is only 15 calories. Do you use any hydrating supplements or sports drinks?

Update on the Barred Owl Momma

For the last nearly 40 days, I admit to being a bit obsessed with Cornell Lab’s LiveCam of a barred owl sitting on 2 eggs. Typically owl eggs hatch in 30-34 days. Unfortunately, neither egg has hatched and are therefore non-viable.

What I find interesting is that the female owl at 36 days up and flew out of the nest and has not returned. Isn’t it amazing that she just knows this without a watch or a calendar or an ob/gyn doctor? Nature continues to provide us moments of awe.

Making Preserved Lemons

Finally, I make a big batch of preserved lemons! Instead of doing multiple smaller jars, I use a new gallon container (thank you Scott). The upside is that all the lemons fit; the downside is the daily shaking of this huge container.

If you are unfamiliar with preserved lemons, check out my post about it here.

Do You Use Body Makeup?

I have never used (really never heard about) body makeup. Cindy Hattersley recently writes a post about The Best Body Makeup for Women over 50. I guess I never thought to cover all my scars and age spots! Ha! Anyway, Cindy always has great advice and this time of year when we transition to shorts or skirts, this may be an option. See Cindy’s post here.

What I am Watching

We just finished watching 7 seasons of Grantchester and look forward to Season 8 which premiers on July 9th. This PBS series is set in the 1950s with Cambridgeshire clergyman investigating a series of mysterious wrongdoings in his small village of Grantchester. My reason for loving this show is the quality of acting, the beautiful sets and the graciousness of life back then. It tackles some tough social issues without the foul language, blatant violence and sex that is so pervasive in current television. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.

In Search of the Perfect Underwear

My mother would roll over in her grave if she knew the condition of my existing underwear. I don’t know why it’s one of those clothing items, like a bathing suit, that I just detest the buying experience. This week, I find a bargain which prompted me to make this purchase from Third Love~10 pairs of undies for $50.00. Not sure they are still running the promotion and haven’t tried wearing them yet. But if you have the best underwear advice and source, please do share.

What’s Blooming in the Garden?

This time of year, every week there is something new blooming in the yard/garden. As the irises begin to wane, the poppies show their purple faces. I thought you would enjoy some of these pretty pictures.

Near the rose garden, the perennial primrose line the stone paver path.

Where my hollyhocks are healthy, they too, are showy and abundant.

As I wrap up this post, I want to share my favorite Earth Day memory. Years ago, we were having dinner at Quiessence at The Farm at South Mountain (here in Phoenix). At 8:00 p.m. they turned off all their electrical lights and filled the restaurant with candlelight. Not sure they still do that but it was so magical and unexpected. So tonight, my plan is to turn off the electricity and only have candlelight!

Wishing you a very relaxing weekend. I hope to spend time in the garden as well as continue with my cleaning and organizing. Happy weekend!

Last Friday, we hosted a charitable dinner party in the orchard for 33 guests. The last dinner we had was before the pandemic and I can honestly say, I am a bit rusty coordinating venues such as this. But by the time the event started, everything is in its place and ready to go.

Renting What We Need

Fortunately, I am able to rent the supplies we need~tables, chairs, table linens, dishes, glasses and silverware. But, it appears, every business is challenged with finding employees. Our rental company used to deliver and pick up any and all rentals. Now they do not. Fortunately, we have a pick up truck and after a few trips back and forth (thank you, Scott!), we have everything we need to get started.

Rental costs have gone up significantly (nearly double), but I do not have enough items for this many guests.

Centerpieces

Selecting the flowers for the centerpiece was a bit last minute, but our local grocery store, Safeway, has a nice floral department. Fortunately, their spider mums and roses are in perfect fall colors. Coupled with alstroemerias, lilies, and seeded eucalyptus, this combination adds just the right amount of “autumn” to the table.

Since rental tables are rather narrow (30″), the centerpieces cannot be too wide. Twenty-four 16 oz. mason jars are the perfect size for the small bouquets lining the center of the table.

I had no idea it would be hard to find pumpkins in early November (as Christmas decorations take over), but fortunately Whitfill Nursery comes to the rescue. Not only did they have enough small pumpkins, but they kindly gave them to me free of charge (love that place)!

The Menu

I will cook dinner for up to 10 guests, but anything more than that I leave in the trusty hands of our caterer, Julie Greder. Her cool, calm demeanor is exactly what I need before a big event. In addition to developing a delicious menu, Julie and her staff do not disappoint with their high quality of service. Here is the menu for the evening.

Passed Appetizers

• Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms
• Brie with caramelized apples toasts
• Shrimp with spicy lemon aioli

Salad

• Fresh mixed lettuce with apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese, candied pecans, apple cider vinaigrette

Choice of Entree

• Filet Mignon with Caramelized onion, balsamic glaze, Yukon mash & asparagus
• Roasted Chardonnay Salmon with Butternut Squash Risotto & asparagus

Dessert

• Caramel Apple Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Since we do wine pairings with each course, Brad from Total Wine suggests everything from bubbly to dessert wine. His selections are spectacular and his bottle count is spot on.

A menu at each place setting is always a nice touch. Using orange stock paper, decorative scissors and grosgrain ribbon, these menus are relatively easy to make, albeit a little time consuming to do 33 of them.

Checking the Weather

In checking the forecast, we are supposed to have an unusual cold spell.

Fortunately, we have a few portable outdoor heaters, but we inform our guests to dress warmly just in case. The heaters worked well, however, by the end of the dinner I was quite chilly and wrapped myself in a blanket. But with the autumn theme, the crisp night air was still enjoyable.

Lighting/Electricity

When we host this event in the spring, we don’t have to worry about it getting dark so early. Quite honestly, I didn’t really think about the amount of light at 6:00 p.m. so it’s always good to evaluate that a day or two before. Landscape lighting often doesn’t provide enough illumination to those who aren’t familiar with our property.

The orchard and dinner table are fortunately well lit with the overhead string lights.

Cocktails and Hors d’oeuvres

The first hour of the event is a time for everyone to gather. Many people arrive on time, but others filter in as the hour progresses. We have this time on the back terrace, where the gas heaters are on and the fireplace is going. With the sun setting, the temperatures begin to drop and this is a great space to stay warm, while enjoying a glass of Prosecco and hors d’oeuvres.

The mood is jovial because everyone seems to happy to once again be together. A combination of passed appetizers and one where our guests can help themselves provides a few light snacks before dinner. Kyle, the bartender, tops off glasses of Prosecco while guests socialize.

Using lanterns with battery-operated candles, we create lighted “walkways” from the back terrace to the orchard, from the orchard to the nearest bathroom, and from the orchard to the driveway. It is easy to say, “just follow the lighted path” vs. trying to give directions in the dark.

Musical Venue

As a fundraiser and for increased exposure for the renown music program at our church, part of the evening includes a musical venue. With just a keyboard providing accompaniment, these two very talented opera singers graced the evening with their quality voices. What is it about live music that just fills your soul?

As much work as it is to put this event together, we always feel so blessed to be a part of it and share our home with others.

Thanks for joining me today!

The summers in Phoenix are so hot. Unlike most areas of the country, it is comparable to our version of winter. We stay inside where there is air-conditioning 24/7. Any outside activity takes place early in the morning or late in the evening. The streets are free of traffic as many people leave town for cooler temperatures.

I actually like the summers here. My theory is that the intense heat kills all the germs brought in during our tourist season. It is easier to get restaurant reservations and the rhythm of life slows down.

Summer is also the time I can catch up on movies, new television series and of course, light-hearted reading. Nothing like cozying up to entertainment when it is triple digits outside. So if you have any great recommendations, please share. To see a previous summer reading list, click here.

I must admit, I do love movies that have fabulous settings and positive story lines. Since the world is filled with such turmoil right now, I cannot stomach movies that have vulgar language, gross stereotypes or extreme violence.

It is my personal need to surround myself with beauty, hope and kindness. I need more Nancy Meyers movies! If you haven’t seen her movies, they are a must (i.e. The Holiday, It’s Complicated, Baby Boom, Something’s Gotta Give, Father of the Bride, The Intern). It may be a summer of watching these over again.

I also love a good mystery or movie with terrific acting. KNIVES OUT (Prime Video) is wonderful “whodunnit” with all the unusual cast of characters. You can’t go wrong with Daniel Craig, Don Johnson, Christopher Plummer, Chris Evans and Jamie Lee Curtis!

We just watched THE GOOD LIAR with Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen which was excellent. Anything with Helen Mirren is generally fabulous so next on my list is Catherine the Great , Woman in Gold, The Queen, The Leisure Seeker and the television series, Prime Suspect.

Since the Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies, we just watched JUDY, the story of Judy Garland. It is an amazing performance by Renée Zellweger and I wouldn’t be surprised if she is nominated for an Academy Award. However, Judy Garland’s life was a bit doomed from the beginning, but her talent was truly one of a kind.

Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a heartfelt tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner).  It has a solid cast of characters ~~Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Kathy Baker and Gary Cole. Ratings weren’t great but I found it enjoyable.

Since it is not my nature to sit for long periods of time, I prefer to latch onto a good television series. New ones include:

THE STRANGER , a British television series (on Netflix) with 8 episodes released this year. It’s quite the mystery.

And Netflix’s DEAD TO ME, which just released Season 2. Lisa Cardellini is a walking disaster but oh so lovable.

Here is a list of Television series I would recommend.

BROADCHURCH – Netflix 2013-2017. British crime drama series. So disappointed this was cancelled.

CALL THE MIDWIFE-PBS, BBC One, Netflix. Midwifery and family life in 1950s in East London. Just released Season 9

SHETLAND- Prime Video, BBC One, 2013-2018 Murder mystery set in Scotland.

FATHER BROWN-Prime Video, BBC One. In its 8th season. Mystery set in the Cotswolds.

THE GOOD WIFE-Hulu, 2009-2016. Scandals and corruption with Julianna Margulies

THE ROOKIE-ABC, a 40 year old becomes a rookie on the LAPD. Two seasons so far and hoping they do a third.

So what are you watching? If you send in your suggestions/recommendations, I will compile a list to share.

Happy Tuesday! I hope to make some more apple related recipes this week as I have a refrigerator filled with ones from our tree.