With quite the rain, thunder and lightning storms this week (hail in some areas), March is definitely in like a lion. We need and love the rain and I can hear all my plants making gulping noises as they absorb nature’s shower. Happy Saturday and weekend, my friends! It’s a chilly morning here at Bella Terra, but enjoying the quiet with a nice cup of coffee. Let’s get started and check out all the good things that happened this week.

Early Signs of Spring

Isn’t it interesting that year after year, the seasons come and go, whether we are ready or not? Even though several of our trees are still in winter mode and bare, there are many plants that shout that Spring is on its way.

So sad that we lost our apple tree to the extreme heat last summer as I already miss it’s pretty pink blooms.

The peach and apricot trees are blooming, and our newly planted Santa Rosa plum tree is filled with flowers.

Lady Banks roses run the entire width of the front of the property along the street. These dense climbing vines provide privacy and reduce the traffic noise. But this time of year the long and tall hedge fills with delicate pale yellow roses.

Though the sweet yellow roses only last a few weeks, and watching them come to life is a reminder of Spring’s beauty. Poppies and hollyhocks are growing but not blooming yet, but there are signs of new life everywhere.

Garden Update

Finally, this weekend, I am planning to work on the vegetable garden. This week I picked all the tomatoes on my winter crop. What I noticed is that the tomato plants from last fall, look healthy and are actually producing flowers.

Typically, I pull the old plants and put in new ones. But after doing a bit of research, apparently some tomatoes are annuals and others perennials. They are called determinant (annuals) and indeterminant (perennials) plants. Since many of my plants are heirloom varieties, it appears they are indeterminant and continue to produce fruit until the plant is killed by frost.

Does anyone grow tomatoes that you would consider perennial? I did trim the plants back to newer growth areas and will fertilize this weekend. Hoping for an abundant healthy crop from them.

My 5 Days in Florida

Last weekend I was in Celebration, Florida at my dear friend, Chloe’s home (Celebrate and Decorate). What an absolute treat to be in her lovely home with 5 other blogging friends. We try and meet twice a year because we enjoy each other’s company and learn so much from each other.

Chloe arranges for a lovely boat ride around Winter Park and Lake Osceola, with a delicious lunch following.

In addition to exploring, we work collectively on blogging issues. It is fun to take photographs of Chloe’s Easter decor and tablescape. To see more about this seasonal table for two, click here.

Another photo opportunity is Chloe’s large chocolate Easter bunny in this basket of hydrangeas.

Check out these cute bunnies on pedestals on Chloe’s living room mantel? They are $5.98 each and you can find them here.

Of course, darling Lily spent the entire time with the girls. I swear she is a person reincarnated…maybe even a princess in a previous life.

Bread Making Week

I am in the bread making mood this week and finished 3 loaves. This is my second attempt at a Honey Lavender sourdough bread, a recipe adapted from @barefoot.mimosas. Surprisingly, this bread is delicious. Sometimes rose or lavender can be a bit too perfume-y or soapy, but the subtle herbal flavor is just fantastic. It is especially tasty out of the toaster with honey butter.

Another favorite is my cheese, garlic and rosemary sourdough bread which I mix up after dinner, let it rise overnight and bake the following day. So simple and easy, but delicious especially when experimenting with cheeses from gruyerè to cheddar.

I am also thinking about having a Bread class here at Bella Terra~a general one about sourdough, yeast and quick breads. What do you think?

From the Internet:

Lemons, Lemons, and More Lemons

As you know, I recently hosted the All Things Lemon class (see that post here). Also in this post are some kitchen tools I recommend for working with lemons.

My sweet friend, Wendy from WM Design House has a marvelous post on several way to use lemons from making a household cleaner to creating a lemon scrub.

Now is the time to take advantage of the lemon season, before the prices go up over the summer.

Spring Cleaning

Each Spring, my mother would open up all the windows in our Connecticut home and start her spring cleaning. Often times she would change out the linens, replace the rugs and lighten the winter look to the new season.

There is no easier way to refresh your house for the Spring with a good deep cleaning. If you change out your rugs for lighter weights and colors, then you need to read my friend, Andrea’s post on Rug Buying Guide: An Essential Part of Decor.

Not sure of what size rug to use? Andrea has all the answers in her post. There are so many attractive, affordable rugs on the market and this is another simple way to update your home for spring and summer.

Bulb Gardening

Here in Phoenix, now is the time to garden for Spring. Each year I look forward to my bulb garden, however, this year it is underwhelming. I am learning that bulbs last for only a few years here and need re-planting.

Kim from Shiplap and Shells has a very informative post on Growing Tulips from Bulbs: Tulip Care and Maintenance 101. So if you are interested in planting bulbs in the fall and enjoying their beauty next year, check out her post here.

Wishing you a terrific weekend! We have a friend’s birthday event tonight and hope to get the garden cleaned up and planted.

It has been a very busy and productive week! Some unexpected projects are now complete and I feel like is has been a rich 7 days since our last Saturday Meanderings. Thank you for joining me today as we chat about all good things this week!

Valentine’s Day, Arizona’s Birthday, Ash Wednesday

This week is chock-a-block full of holidays, especially this past Wednesday. I hope you did something special on Valentine’s Day with either a spouse, friend, children or the myriad of people in our lives that we love. Typically we host a Valentine dinner party, but this year, it is just my husband and I, which actually felt extra special.

Delicious steaks, arugula salad (with fresh arugula from a neighbor’s garden) with a lemon vinaigrette, roasted cauliflower for two made the perfect VD dinner.

February 14th is also Arizona’s state birthday, now 112 years old. Our home was built in 1912, the same year Arizona became a state. What makes this interesting for us is that the owner of our home at that time, Everett Ellinwood was also integral in writing the Arizona constitution and actually ran for the first governor’s seat (and lost).

In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday, also on February 14th this year, marks the start of the holy season of Lent, a time for reflection and repentance in preparation for the celebration of Easter. Needless to say a very busy holiday week.

Painting Project

I did spend last weekend painting the art room in Dunn Edwards Cottage White. With an entire gallon in my paint stash, it would be wasteful not to use it. The trim (baseboards, crown molding, window and fireplace) are already painted Cottage White so getting the walls to be the same color is an easy decision.

Goodbye goldenrod yellow and hello creamy white. Honestly, I did like having color on the walls but for my art room, where I will be hopefully painting more, the walls are much brighter. I will do a full post on the re-do once the room is all put together.

My Stuffed Hen painting

In removing all the canvases from the art room, I find some of my earlier paintings that are, shall I say, a bit rough. At one first year art class, I took an old shedding stuffed rooster (not even sure how it is in my possession) and attempted to paint it with a bowl of eggs.

Instead of tossing it or painting over it, this original is perfect for the hen house! I put it under glass because the hen house gets a bit dusty with all the hay. It looks nice in its new home.

Spring is in the Air

Even though the mornings here are so chilly, the days are getting warmer. The first sign of spring in our yard is when the peach tree puts out its first blooms.

In addition the birds (and the bees) are out in force. Even though I mentioned this before, you must get the Merlin Bird ID app by Cornell Laboratories. It is completely free and you can record the bird sounds in your yard, or when you travel, and a list of birds magically appears on your phone.

Here are all the birds that are chirping in my yard this week. Such a great app and you can find the information here.

Spring Garden

Just yesterday, I finally removed all the frost protection from my garden beds. Our mornings are still nippy but I am hoping we are past freezing temperatures. Some surprises~my huge tomato plants sustained frost damage on the top, but many healthy green branches and leaves remain. When I last checked, the tomatoes were green and growing. Look how many have started ripening now!

Our winter tomatoes are not as flavorful as the spring/summer ones, but they are certainly better than anything you can find in the grocery store! Looking forward to cleaning out the old and planting new for the spring.

Last Call for All Things Lemon

There are only 2 spots left to the All Things Lemon class on Saturday, February 24th. With the weather getting warmer, it will be so delightful to gather on the back terrace. You can click on the link here to register. I will be closing the registration on February 20th or when the last two slots are filled.

Why Do My Hardboiled Eggs have a Green Ring around the Yolk

I love following Lisa, from Fresh Eggs Daily. She lives in Maine, raises chickens and ducks, has written 6 books and hosts her own television show. When I have a chicken question I generally will search her website for an answer.

Recently, she writes a post about that green ring often found in hard boiled eggs. Since I didn’t know the answer to this, I found her post very informative. If you would like to learn more, you can find it here.

Mary’s Must Haves and Updates

Lately I am focusing on natural health remedies. I don’t know about you but I am so tired of all those pharmaceutical commercials advertising a pill or vaccine for everything (and hearing the litany of bad side effects). Granted, some medications necessary, but when did we become a society where we believe a pill cures everything?

Please know I am not referring to serious illnesses here. I am a believer that the world is full of germs and viruses and we should be taking a more active role in building our own immune systems.

Living on a 112 year old property, I think many of our original plants and trees were sourced, not only for their beauty, but possibly for their medicinal value.

Olive Leaf Extract

In doing some research, I discover that the leaves of olive trees can be used as an extract, tea or powder. We have lots of olive trees and am drying the leaves for tea. However, you can purchase the extract~which has the amazing benefits:

The antioxidants in olive leaf extract are mainly polyphenols. From WebMD: Scientists believe these plant-based nutrients play a role in preventing conditions like cognitive decline, cancer, and osteoporosis, heart disease, and Parkinson’s. This extract also lower blood sugar and helps prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol from building up in your arteries. Olive leaf extract may also reduce the severity and duration of upper respiratory infections. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-microbial effects. Wow.

Surprisingly, I’ve never heard of this before now. Olive leaf extract comes in both liquid and capsule form. I am taking 20 drops (recommended is 30-40 drops) in a glass of water daily to see if it improves my cholesterol level and my cognitive functions. Over time, I will work my way up to more drops; I don’t mind the taste either.

Naturally if you have any underlying health issues, always consult your physician before taking any supplement.

Soil Test Kit

I never used to test our soil before planting my garden. Using our own compost (see that post here) seems to suffice, but I find when I do a soil test, I am a bit surprised by the results.

My recommendation is getting a soil testing kit is well worth it. My Soil Testing Kit is 17% off at $29.99 right now on Amazon. Whether you are planting now or in a few months, you may want to consider getting one. It takes about a week to get a report after you have sent in your soil samples.

Queen of Hungary’s water Update

As mentioned before, I did buy Karen’s Botanicals Queen of Hungary’s water. First of all, there is a very strong vinegar smell. In some of the reviews, users indicate if you make it yourself, there is more of a rose water scent.

However, I must say my skin feels very clean and tightened after use. Instead of using both morning and evening, I am only using it in the evening. The description of the product states that it restores the pH of the skin and it helps improve dryness, flakiness and inflammation. Since using it (about a month), my skin feels great. Will it help me look decades younger? Time will tell. Wouldn’t that be nice!

That’s a wrap. Looking forward to sharing the photos with you next week from the All Things Lemon class. Enjoy the long Presidents’ Day weekend. Do you have any special plans?

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. My blog may contain other affiliate links but not all links have affiliations. I truly love to share products that I have personally tried and highly recommend. If you connect with a product through a link on my blog (and if I am an affiliate) I may receive a very small stipend.

Happy Saturday from the chilly mountains of Arizona. I am here with my friend, Christine for a few days, enjoying the crisp temperatures, snow on the ground and the quiet solitude. Storms are predicted for later on this weekend but hopefully we will be back on the road to the Valley before any front moves in. Thanks for joining me today for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Passion Fruit

Have you ever eaten passion fruit? It is not something we typically see in our produce section in the grocery store, since it is cultivated in tropical climates. Our local store, Safeway, surprisingly have some in stock and I am excited to try it. Rather expensive and quite odd looking, these wrinkly globes aren’t very visually appealing.

Cut them open to reveal and even stranger looking substance. The fruit is tart, slightly sweet and tangy.

Needless to say, I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I am glad I tried it. Will I buy it again? Maybe if it’s on sale. Have you ever had passion fruit and if so, do you just eat it or use it in a recipe?

Cold Weather

I know many parts of the U.S. are getting hit with extremely cold temperatures. As you know my son, Benjamin is attending grad school in Chicago. Here is a shot of the weather one day this week. How a Phoenix born and raised person fairs in this type of weather, I do not know.

Having the appropriate layers and clothing is the key, I guess. Here’s a photo of Benjamin’s girlfriend, Delaney ready for the extreme weather.

Perhaps I should stop complaining when it gets under 60 degrees here! I’m just cold looking at her photo.

Forcing Branches into Blooms

This week I did a heavy trimming of my fruit trees (peaches and apricots) as small, new buds are now appearing. Instead of composting the cut branches, I grab an armful and decide to try and force them into bloom indoors.

Using a large green glass jug, I fill it with branches and bring it inside to our breakfast room table. Placing it adjacent to the fireplace, I believe this will be a nice warm spot for the blossoms to explode.

I will keep you posted on their progress. Also, my friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells has a blog post about forcing blooms and her pictures are great too. Have you ever done this?

Tangerine Sidecars

My sweet neighbor and friend, Tevia brings over a large basket of fresh tangerines this week. In addition to just squeezing and drinking the tangerine juice, we make these delicious Tangerine Sidecars. The ingredients include tangerine juice, lemon juice, ginger simple syrup and bourbon. I always think of these as a healthy cocktail (getting your Vitamin C), if there even is such a thing. Recipe is here.

Getting Small Projects Done

One of my New Year’s goals is to check projects off the Big and Small Project Lists. This week, I touch up paint the back staircase steps. If you recall, re-doing the back staircase was a beastly project (see it here). The staircase has a navy stripe going up the center of white painted steps. Though the paint seems to be holding up, there are normal chips from wear and tear.

What makes this project easy, is that I keep a Mason jar of paint labeled and handy to use. A quick shake of the jar and a small paint brush, and now all the chips are gone! Small project done!

Around the Internet

Coco, from The Crowned Goat, has a lovely inspirational post about “You can’t finish what you don’t start”. If you are feeling a bit stuck in your life, this is a really good read. You can find it here.

I am a big fan of vintage quilts. Each bed at our cabin has its unique one with its own story. Cindy, from Country Road 407 has a delightful post on ways to use and decorate with vintage quilts. Don’t you love these quilt tags? You can see it here.

Mary’s Must Haves

Though it may not be gardening season for some of you, this is the ONLY product that works on eradicating the nasty worms that eat my geranium blooms. As seen on Shark Tank, First Saturday Lime is an organic alternative to pesticides. It REALLY works! I applied this to my geraniums 2 years ago and all the worms disappeared. The little buggers are back on a few of my plants so my husband quickly ordered more. I cannot say enough about this product. It also removes and prevents algae from ponds and birdbaths. Here is their product description: Easy, Eco-Friendly, and Effective monthly insect barrier that Repels , Neutralizes, and Deodorizes (homes, coops, kennels, ponds) and prevent ants, fleas, ticks, aphids, mosquitos, algae. You can find it here.

This is my new go-to noodle. Lotus Foods Millet and Brown Rice Japanese- style noodles are gluten-free, and easy to cook. Millet and brown rice are some of the most nutritious and easily digestible grains. Ready to eat in 4 minutes. This week I made an Italian chicken dish and broke these noodles into it. So delicious and can be used in numerous ways. You can find these at Costco in a 12-pack or you can order them online here in a 10-pack. Perfect for soups and each pack has 8 grams of protein.

My hands are EXTRA dry at the cabin. These hand masks infuse collagen, vitamins and natural plant extracts to help dry, cracked and aging hands. After I finish writing this post, I plan to use one of these masks to help improve the condition of my hands. Great price for 5 hand masks at $11.99.

I hope you have some fun things planned for the weekend. Stay safe and warm out there!

We are in discussion about expanding our flock of chickens. January is a good time for us to get baby chicks because it takes approximately 6 months before the baby hens start laying eggs for consumption. Since we tend to travel during our summer months, older chickens have a better survival rate here in our hot climate. Currently, we are down to 5 mature hens and 1 very old duck. As hens mature, egg laying diminishes. Typically a hen slows down the daily egg laying process when she is 3+ years old.

Why Chickens?

Often I get questions about our chickens. I don’t recall the day we made the decision to have chickens. When we were living temporarily in a double wide trailer while restoring Bella Terra (that’s a complete story in itself!), I remember having 2 toddlers, a newborn, a puppy and baby chicks. All of us happily living in a 24′ by 56′ manufactured home. Crazy times.

Where do you buy chickens?

Locally, we have a few feed stores that sell baby chicks. Check your local listings to see what is available in your area like Craigslist or Etsy. Chicken farms nearby may also sell their chicks. Some hatcheries will mail baby chicks. I know it seems odd, but we have received chickens this way. Use a reputable company like McMurray or Hoover’s Hatchery

Where do the Chickens live?

I designed our hen house specifically for our feathered friends. Located adjacent to my garden, it makes sense to share my extra garden produce to the residents next door. To see more design details to this sweet building, click here.

Chickens need a certain amount of room. Both the interior and exterior spaces are designed for up to 25 chickens. If you are considering a hen house, please do the research to see how many chickens your quarters will accommodate. Crowding chickens can lead to both behavioral and health problems.

Choosing the right Breed of Chicken

More than 1600 different chicken breeds are recognized worldwide. Since our goal is to have fresh eggs, we look for good layers with a variety of egg shell colors. Some of the more exotic chickens are beautiful to look at, but do not produce many eggs and many not be very hearty.

Some breeds are known for being the best egg layers. Do your research if you are looking for other uses for your chickens.

Australopes, Wyandotts, Barred Plymouth Rock, Leghorns, Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds and Blue Ameraucanas are a few good laying breeds.

How Long do Fresh Eggs Keep?

When an egg first comes out, it is covered in a wet coating and then dries within seconds. This invisible coating is called the “bloom” and works to keep air and bacteria from seeping through the pores of the shell.

In the United States, commercial egg growers are required to wash their eggs, which then requires refrigeration. Unfortunately, washing off the bloom accelerates the aging of the egg.

We do not wash our eggs and if I do, it is just before I use them. I have read that an unwashed egg can last up to a year! If you go to another country, often times eggs are not refrigerated. That’s because the bloom is still on the egg and provides protections from deterioration.

How Do You Tell if an Egg is Old?

Gently drop an egg into a glass of water. If an egg sits flat on the bottom of the glass, it is fresh egg. If the egg floats, it may still be good but it is definitely an older egg. As it continues to age, more air enters the shell and it will float at a steeper angle. With hens laying fresh eggs daily, there is no need to eat an old egg.

Why are Hard-boiled Fresh Eggs Hard to Peel?

As an egg ages, air gets in through the pores on the shell. The air forms a pocket between the membrane and the shell making it easier to peel. Older eggs are best hardboiled. Fresh eggs have little to no space between the membrane and the shell~hence making them more difficult to peel.

Does a Chicken Lay an Egg Every Day?

First, the female chicken, a hen, will lay eggs. It depends on the breed as some hens lay more eggs than others. Typically, a hen will lay only one egg per day but can also skip days. The average hen will lay approximately 300 eggs per year. Chickens require a minimum of 14 hours of daylight per day in order to lay. Therefore, hens typically lay more eggs in the spring and summer, and slow down in the winter months.

Does a Female (hen) need a male (rooster) in order to lay an egg?

No, the female lays eggs regardless. The hen (female) does need a rooster (male) if she is laying a fertilized egg = baby chicks.

Why Don’t You Have Any Roosters?

The City of Phoenix does not allow male poultry within the City limits. Since it is rather difficult to determine the sex of a baby chick, we have had roosters. Typically we discover a rooster when a neighbor calls to complain about the crowing.

If you are considering raising chickens, please check with your local zoning laws to make sure you are compliant with city requirements.

Do Rooster only Crow in the Morning?

No, they tend to crow all the time. This can be a nuisance for your neighbors.

Is there Really a Pecking Order?

Yes, the chickens do determine their own hierarchy of status. It is unpleasant to see older chickens pecking at younger ones, or healthy ones doing the same to sick hens. But it is the nature of chickens and the place in the flock is important to the survival of the fittest.

Why are the Eggs Different Colors?

The color of the egg is based on the breed of chicken. We have white, brown, tan, blue and green egg layers. But like people, we may be different colors on the outside but the inside of the egg is the same.

Do You Let Your Chickens Free Range?

Yes, with some supervision. We keep our dogs inside while the chickens roam the yard. Since we have birds of prey (hawks, owls, etc.) we let them stay outside but for a shorter period of time. Chickens are a natural way to control the bug population in your yard.

Do You Eat Your Chickens?

No, we do not. When the children were little, they would name the hens. It is hard to think about eating Fluffy or Spotty.

Though we do not name the chickens now, we still do not eat them.

What Do Chickens Eat?

We provide them with scratch and crumble. With scratch, they use their toes to mix up litter or scrape the ground in search of various seeds, greens, grit, or insects to eat. Spreading scratch grains (cracked, rolled, or whole grains such as corn, barley, oats, or wheat) encourages this behavior. Crumble is their actual food that provides the nutrients they need. The crumble is placed in a feeder.

We also feed them oyster shells which provides calcium to help create nice, strong shells on the eggs.

Do You Give Your Chickens Treats?

Yes, they get fresh greens from the garden, any healthy kitchen scraps and I spoil them with dried black soldier fly larvae called Grubblies~~they LOVE this!

I also add fresh herbs and flowers to their nesting boxes. Not only does it look pretty and smell nice, while keeping the bugs out. Who wouldn’t want to lay an egg in a nest of rose petals?

I hope you enjoyed this information on chickens and eggs! Honestly, the taste of fresh eggs will far exceed anything you buy in the grocery store. Since commercial growers wash their eggs before they are shipped for distribution, the egg is already unprotected and losing freshness. This doesn’t happen with homegrown eggs.

If you are considering raising your own chickens, I encourage you to do so. It is so well worth it and the work is fairly minimal. If you have any further questions or comments, let me know.

Thanks for joining me today to learn all about chickens!

Can it possibly be mid-January already? I hope this year isn’t another one on fast-forward. All my efforts to slow time do not seem to be working. Happy Saturday to you and I hope this blog post finds you comfy and cozy. It is very cold here in Phoenix as we are not used to freezing morning temperatures very often. Let’s get started with Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Christmas and Holiday Decorations

The goal was to have all the decorations put away last weekend. However, a bulk of those decorations go into the Christmas room in the basement (see that post here). Monday morning I went to put the last of the boxes away and the Christmas room was flooded. In addition to storage, there are two 80 gallon water heaters in one corner. One of the water heaters split and hence the flooding. We also have flood alarms in the basement and even though one was under water, did it alert us? NO!

By Wednesday, our plumber replaced the water heater (when did they become so expensive?). Clean up follows and we are now storing the balance of the boxes. There is always something that doesn’t go according to plan.

A Wildlife week

Since our big dog, Cooper passed away, we are experiencing more wildlife in the yard. I don’t know if it was due to Cooper marking his territory, but we are seeing more critters. A few cute ones~bunnies and a cat who strolls around like he/she owns the place. However, I believe this display of small animals is also attracting a very large coyote.

Cooper did a great job keeping coyotes out of the property, but they are back. I fear for the cat and bunny, but hoping they are very fast and good at hiding. Hard to believe we have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, peccaries and various birds of prey in our relatively urban environment.

What’s in Bloom

In spite of the freezing temperatures, we still have things thriving and blooming. The ornamental cabbages planted in the fall look their best now, with their shades of purple and blue/green leaves. Lately I’ve been so drawn to the color purple, lavender and plum. Not sure what that is about but I checked online and it says it represents feeling a strong connection to spirituality. Hmm.

Even though lavender loves a warm climate, it is doing just fine in our cooler temperatures.

Along the same colors as the lavender flower and sage colored leaves, is our Texas sage.

In this new year, do you find yourself drawn to a specific color? In March 2018 I actually wrote a post on why we are drawn to color. It appears then, purple was the big attraction. How odd as it is not a color that is one of my favorites.

Soup Weather

It is the perfect time of year to make soup. This week I made chicken noodle soup from chicken bones and loosely referenced Half Baked Harvest’s recipe, Lemony Pesto Chicken Noodle Soup. Typically my stock consists of lots of bones/parts, onions, celery, carrots and seasoning. Once the stock has simmered for hours, I strain it and then add more chicken, vegetables, seasonings, noodles or rice or orzo.

Normally, I don’t add lemon juice, fennel or pesto, but I must say, adding these ingredients elevates my chicken soup. Probably the best chicken soup I’ve ever created. If anyone makes the Half Baked Harvest recipe please let me know how it goes.

You have heard me reference the Fast Metabolism Diet book. It has a Chicken and Barley soup recipe that is full of vegetables such as butternut squash, yellow summer squash, zucchini, broccoli and mushrooms. It is more of a stew vs. a soup because of the barley. I tend to season it more as I feel it’s on the bland side, but another great soup that sticks to your bones.

Artificial Intelligence

I am not sure how I feel about artificial intelligence, or AI. However, apparently the images below are created by AI. On one hand, I am amazed at what AI can do. On the other hand, like most things in life, there are those who will manipulate it. The long term impact is unknown but I see many jobs becoming obsolete as a result.

There is an AI tool that you can use for interior design. DecorAI is a comprehensive AI-powered interior design tool that helps users come up with new decorating ideas. Users can take a photo of their room and get up to five free design ideas. I haven’t tried this yet but here are some of their before and after photos.

Technology is certainly changing the world.

Mary’s Must Haves

Each night before bed, I heat up my microwaveable aromatherapy blanket and slip it in between my fitted and top sheet. Then I am off to wash my face, brush my teeth and get into my jammies. By the time I actually get into bed, my sheets are so nice and warm. Heavenly!

This blanket measures 44″ x 18″ and weighs 5 lbs. The lavender scent helps promote relaxation. You can even freeze the insert to help alleviate muscle soreness. The removable cover is washable and oh so soft! It comes in 5 different colors/fabrics. See it here.

With the cold weather, my cuticles seem to get so dry. Again, a nighttime ritual is applying cuticle oil to soften and repair damaged cuticles. This particular one has over 121,000 views on Amazon with a 4.7 star rating. Not only does the 2.5 oz oil come fragrance-free, but also has 12 other fragrances to choose. Currently it is 38% off. See it here.

There is something to be said for writing with a pretty pen. The Rifle Paper Company has such cheerful designs and I love this affordable set of gel pens in these happy colors. Whether you journal or just need a good-looking pen, here’s an affordable way to do so. Four Estee gel pens at $18.00~what a nice treat to yourself.

The link will take you to the home page of Rifle Paper and then click on the New Arrivals box. Scroll down about 8 rows and you will find it there.

For years, I have been using Oil of Oregano. Oregano oils have antioxidant, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. These oils may also play a beneficial role in weight management and infection treatments. It’s a natural antibiotic and may improve gut health. The minute I feel a little off, I take it. When I travel or am surrounded by large crowds, I take it as a precautionary measure. This little gem is instrumental in keeping me healthy. Note: I do take it with food as it can upset an empty stomach.

Naturally always research products before you start taking them. Also make sure you are getting a high quality supplement. If you’re interested in taking oregano oil extract but currently taking prescription medications, make sure to consult your healthcare professional before adding it to your regimen.

That’s a wrap! Have a terrific weekend. Stay healthy and warm!