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.

When we first bought our historic home, the property and house were in a terrible state of decay and disrepair. The 2 acre parcel was heavily overgrown and filled with bugs and Bark scorpions. In order to reduce the bug population, we had free range guinea hens to take care of the problem organically. I don’t recall at what stage we added chickens but they are a great addition to our family as pets and providers of fresh eggs daily.

Children and Chickens

I’ve never raised chickens before but I am so glad to have them as part of our life here at Bella Terra. When the children were little, the henhouse became a living school.  Many of life’s lessons are experienced here~~the birth and death of chickens, the pecking order and bullying, healthy vs. sick chickens, the biology of the daily egg laying, hens vs. roosters, reproduction, bug infestation, responsibility and the care and keeping of something other than yourself. The chickens became our pets with names like Fluffy, Donna, Spotty and Liberace.

Henhouse Placement

When designing my garden, it made sense to put a new henhouse nearby. Sitting adjacent to the south side of the garden, the hens make good use of any garden scraps available. During the seasonal garden changes, the chickens are supplied with overgrown plants and extra fruits and vegetables.

Before you build or buy a henhouse, please check with your local zoning to make sure that chickens are allowed and that you are compliant with local laws. Here in Phoenix we can have chickens, but no male poultry is allowed (rooster crowing does happen all day!).

Henhouse Design

After much research, we designed the henhouse and then hired a local contractor to build it. However, you can find an amazing selection of pre-made henhouses on Amazon (hard to believe)! Whether you want 3-5 chickens or more, you can find a very usable henhouse here.

The actual henhouse building is approximately 9 feet x 12 feet, with 3 doors and 4 windows.

Attached to the back of the henhouse is approximately 250 sq. ft of secured shaded space allowing the chickens to free range or give themselves dirt baths. It is recommended that you allow a certain percentage of space per chicken so you do not encourage overcrowded conditions and resulting problems.

Henhouses need appropriate ventilation due to the ammonia released with chicken poop. You can see in the above picture screened holes are up near the eaves adding to the airflow.

Design with a Bit of Flair and Whimsy-the Exterior

It is important to me for this structure to be attractive and blend into the rural nature of our back yard.   The decorative chickens on the front door are originally composite poly-resin stepping stones.  My husband cut the outline of the chicken with a jigsaw and then mounted them directly on the entry door’s panels.

The  rooster decoration above the front door adds a bit of whimsy. See similar here.

The Interior

I designed this structure to house both young, mature and ailing chickens.  The mirror layout, both in the henhouse and the outdoor space, allows me to separate the hens if necessary.  There is a pecking order and being hen-pecked is not fun.  Typically the older, bigger chickens will dominate the younger ones.  When we introduce new chickens to the flock, we separate them until they are the same size as the existing chickens, before we integrate them.

Upon entering, the center section is allocated for feed storage, hay, and egg collection. There are 4 drop down panels to gather eggs from 8 separate collection boxes. The hens never enter this part of the henhouse as it is strictly for us humans.

Special touches such as the chicken knob on the laying box panels, is a fun touch to collecting eggs every day.

The painted chicken metal decorative sign is a pretty way to dress up the pine wall panels. I do not recall where I bought this, but there are endless chicken/rooster themed signs online.

Chicken treats and other necessities are stored in this cute chicken wire box hanging on the wall. See similar here.

The Nesting Boxes

It is important to keep the nesting boxes clean and fresh as the hens do their laying there every day. To keep bugs away and provide a bit of pampering to our chickens, I make a nesting box potpourri out of all my old dried rose petals, dried chamomile, lavender, calendula and any other dried herbs I may have.

Here is the view from the chicken’s perspective (by entering the side doors). This is how the chickens access the laying boxes as they fly right up into them and sit until the deed is done.

At night the chickens roost on the bar located below the boxes. The small door near the floor allows the chickens to come in at night and roam freely in the outdoor area during the day.

Chicken Security

Even though we live in the 5th largest city in the U.S., our neighborhood has foxes, coyotes, owls and other wildlife.  The small black box attached to the sign below, emits 2 red blinking lights at night.   These solar Nite Guard devices frighten predator animals away.  We have several of these placed around the henhouse.  They seem to work ~~so far, so good.

The Benefits of Raising Chickens

• Fresh organic eggs
• Chicken manure that we recycle in our compost and gardens
• A school for children to learn about life, death, reproduction, henpecking, disease and animal love
• Relatively easy to care for with significant benefits
• Chicken meat if you are so inclined
• Peace of mind knowing you have your own food source

To see frequently asked questions about raising chickens, click here.

Having chickens (and one duck) provides us with many other blessings.   For me, this is my sanctuary.  When I feel stressed or overwhelmed, a trip to the henhouse is a bit of a therapy session.  The hens are always happy to see me.  A handful of kitchen scraps and I am their best friend.  Opening the door to the nesting box generally provides me a gift of a warm, freshly laid egg.  It is the simpleness of it all.  The smell of hay, the gentle clucking sounds….our henhouse and its residents are a gift that keeps on giving.

If you are considering your own flock, I strongly recommend it.  Small hen houses are readily available and a few chickens can provide your family with food, valuable lessons and a restorative place for your soul.

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Every time I write a Saturday Meanderings I cannot believe another week has flown by! As I am composing this I am sitting in the waiting room at Superior Court of Arizona, recently summoned for Grand Jury duty. I have never done this before and it will be interesting to see if I am part of the selection process. Have you ever served on a jury or grand jury? I am afraid this will be a painfully long day so what better way to pass the time than to talk about all the good things that happened this past week.

Cleaning an Upholstery Stain

In remodeling the pool house, I discover this horrible stain on one of the upholstered chairs. It’s hard to tell if it is wine, tomato sauce or worse, but it is all over the arm, back, seat and cushion of the chair. I poll the family to see if anyone knows the source of the stain. Accidents happen and I wasn’t assigning blame, just trying to get information.

However, no one knows what it is so I use our trusty Bissell Little Green Multi-purpose portable carpet and upholstery cleaner (see here) and start the cleaning process. As a side note, if you are looking for an affordable carpet and upholstery cleaner, I cannot recommend this Bissell Little Green enough. We use it frequently and it doesn’t disappoint.

This particular stain is a stubborn one. Since the seat material is different, the stain comes out easily. However, I don’t seem to have much luck with the stains on the upholstered fabric. After a few attempts, the stain doesn’t appear to lift. As a last resort, I sprinkle some Oxi-Clean powder, rub it in and let it sit for a few hours and then remove it.

Surprisingly when the fabric dries the stains are nearly gone! A few more passes with the Bissell and the chair looks significantly better.

Rug from Wayfair

Since I am a visual and tactic person, I prefer to purchase something after I have had the ability to see it, touch it and inspect its quality. However, since so many items are purchased online, I took the leap and bought this 8′ x 10′ rug from Wayfair. With so many positive comments from thousands of people, how bad could it be?

In stock with quick delivery made the decision rather easy. This rug will replace the woven seagrass one in the pool house. Though I love the look of a natural fiber woven rug, the rubber backing tends to break down quickly, creating a horrible dusty mess.

Priced at $245.99, I am so impressed with the quality and ease of acquisition. Here’s the link but it is Alanis Oriental Tufted Area Rug and it comes in different colors and sizes.

Habit of Re-Use

We actively try to keep our waste to a minimum. I get such pleasure in knowing that there’s a circular pattern to life and living. Right now, I am preparing the garden for Spring planting. With the hen house adjacent to the garden, many of the plants that are past their prime are pulled and fed to the chickens. For example, I grow cauliflower over the winter months and harvest it for our consumption.

Now I am pulling the plants and feeding them to the chickens. Once the foliage is pecked clean, then the stems will be thrown in the composter. Only to make more soil for another garden bed. And the cycle continues. If you missed my post on Composting 101, you can see it here.

Countertop Choices

It has been a long time since I picked out a countertop surface. There are so many choices now~granite, quartz, marble, quartzite, butcher block and gauged porcelain slabs. Porcelain slab is a high fired ceramic surface much like porcelain tile. Using ink jet technology they are capable of mimicking natural stone, wood, and virtually any look you can dream up. The benefit of Porcelain is that it has a scratch resistant surface and is impervious to chemicals.

Unfortunately, my contractor does not know how to install porcelain slabs (or have the right tools) so I fell back on selecting quartz. And won’t this look sharp with blue cabinets?

Need a Vacation?

Check out this gorgeous the stone cottages at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. Set on a 4,200-acre farm, this high-end resort in the Great Smoky Mountains is 10 miles from Tuckaleechee Caverns and 15 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A Relais & Chateaux property, this tranquil property is the perfect escape for you and your family. It was on my bucket list and my sweet husband planned one of my big birthdays there. Truly memorable and if you like to see this gorgeous location and my surprise birthday there, click here. I do have a birthday coming up, maybe it is time to return?

Poignant Words

Isn’t it interesting that certain things cross your path when you need them most? Saw this on Instagram this week and wish we could all live by it.

Great Photo

Here is a picture worth a thousand words. My daughter, Juliannna and her handsome German Shepherd, Hemingway. The relationship they have is one of pure devotion and love. Every time I look at this, it warms my heart. I hope you enjoy it too.

With that, I bid you adieu. Have a truly wonderful weekend. I hope mine is filled with a bit more rest and relaxation, which I desperately need.

Well, I’m a little late on posting this today but thanks for being here with me! Have you ever had one of those weeks where the minute you open your eyes until your head hits the pillow your day is chock-a-block full? That was my week! Every single day. So little time for blogging and beautiful things, but now we get a chance to look back at the week’s events and cherish the good stuff. It’s time for another Saturday Meanderings.

Daffodils

Check out your local grocery store to see if they have daffodils. Here at Safeway, you get 2 bunches for $5.00 (10 stems each) and quite honestly, they look a bit dead. It’s hard to even notice them as they are in a large cardboard box sitting next to the floral displays.

But after a quick stem trim and an overnight in water, look how they perk up and show their gorgeous yellow faces! Now where can you get such a cheerful bouquet for just a few dollars these day?

Also, if you are feeling blue, yellow is a wonderful healing color. Just having these in a vase that I can view several times per day makes me smile.

Another Target find

Even though I am trying to downsize, there are just some things at Target that I cannot resist. In searching for a new wreath look for the front door for March, this Threshold this preserved boxwood wreath is a winner. And it’s priced at $45.00, which seems reasonable to me. It is approximately 22″ wide and you can find it here. What is nice about this wreath is that it is so versatile for multiple seasons.

For March, I did add a leprechaun, a pot of gold and a few shamrocks (carefully as I did not want to damage the boxwood). I am hoping it is not too juvenile, but perhaps whimsical?

In the dollar section by the entrance, you will find these adorable moss flocked bunnies in various sizes. It will be fun to use them in Spring or Easter decorations.

Nothing says spring like cherry blossoms and these stems are so life-like. And you can’t beat the price at $5.00 per branch.

New Netflix Series

This new Netflix documentary is one everyone should watch. Especially those of us who are very trusting. Definitely something I want my children to watch and learn not to seek a roommate from Craig’s List.

It reminds me of the Netflix series Dirty John and The Betty Broderick story, both true stories and a 2-part series. Some people are not who they portray. Those are must sees too!

Flowers

In light of all the terrible news and strife in the world, here are some pictures of what is blooming in my yard. I find joy and peace in knowing that nature continues to provide us with gifts of hope.

Don’t you feel like petunias and pansies don’t get the attention they deserve? Right now, I have various colors of both flower showing their delicate petals. There is something about their softness that radiates a sense of calm.

When walking by the bulb garden, you can sniff the intoxicating scent of the hyacinths. To me, they are the first sign of Spring here.

I hope to do a post on my rose garden as it beginning to be so beautiful this time of year. Here’s just a glimpse at the Julia Child yellow rose that is blooming.

Chicken Mentality

Our hen house has four large nesting boxes for the hens to lay their eggs. Help me understand why the chickens need to fight for the same box? Here are 3 hens trying to lay their eggs on top of each other. They aren’t happy and peck at each other, but it must be a hierarchy thing? Go figure.

Fun New Shoes

Buying shoes is a bit of a challenge for me as I have a bunion on my right side. Narrow shoes pinch and hurt so it’s a bit of a gamble to buy shoes online. However, I like the look of these Cole-Haan, feather-weight shoes. The color combination is fun and so far, they are comfortable with the right socks.

An Amazing DIY

My friend, Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse, is so incredibly talented and seems to have endless energy. Look how she transformed this thrift store lamp into something that resembles a lamp you would spend hundreds of dollars on at Pottery Barn.

I only wish I had an ounce of Rachel’s talent. Her post will make me look at thrift store lamps in a different way. You can see it here.

Well, that’s another wrap up of Saturday Meanderings! We are heading to the opera tonight, compliments of my daughter, Julianna. This was one of my Christmas presents and we are looking forward to going out.

Have a wonderful weekend. I hope it is filled with relaxation and peaceful moments.

If you missed my posts this week, you can see them below.

Happy Saturday, friends and it’s time for another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things. My extensive traveling is nearing an end, however, as you read this we are on our way to California for a family funeral.

Super Cute Pants

Finding comfortable, well-fitting pants is a bit of a challenge for me. However, with the newer stretchy fabrics and fun fall colors, there are lots of choices. The So Slimming embroidered girlfriend ankle jeans from Chico’s are what I am wearing on the airplane and have gotten so many compliments. Paired with a cream sweater or navy t-shirt, this is a comfy and stylish outfit.

Being on the short side, I prefer pants that are ankle length and found these cute olive ones with a decorative edge. Just yesterday, Chico’s did launch their holiday decorative pants and there are even more options to choose. See Chico’s here.

Herbal Coffee

I love a cup of coffee (latte) in the morning, especially when it is from my Nespresso machine. With steamed, foaming oat milk there is just something comfy about the smell and taste first thing in the morning. However, in an attempt to cut down my afternoon coffee intake, I am trying this herbal coffee substitute from Wooden Spoon Herbs.

Though it isn’t my Nespresso coffee, I am enjoying it just the same. In addition to the herbal coffee, I am also trying two tinctures, Immunity Now and Digestive Bitters. It’s too early to share my experience yet but I will let you know if I have a positive experience.

To learn more about Wooden Spoon Herbs, click here.

Halloween

Even though Halloween is in the rear view mirror, I am still dismantling all the decorations on the back porch. We did have a small dinner party and at the last minute, we costumed up. With comfortable jammy pants, a t-shirt, a Bellevue Hospital hospital robe and an old doll, I fell easily into the role as a crazy person. My husband had fun with the cape I made for him 25 years ago as Count Dracula.

Mother/Daughter Trip

When plans to go to Disneyland with her boyfriend fell apart, my daughter’s disappointment was notable. So we turned it into a mother/daughter trip and spent 4 days at Disneyland during Halloween week. I had no idea that “the happiest place on Earth” would be so much fun at this time of year.

All of the Disney properties-California Adventures and Downtown Disney are decked out in autumn colors and decorations. The Haunted Mansion is completely different with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme. And the best part for me was spending quality time with my second born child.

So much has changed since we were there in 2017. If you haven’t been recently, I highly recommend making the new Star Wars area a priority. Quite impressive!

Alice’s Table

What is Alice’s Table? Taken from their website, “Alice’s table is a new generation of entertainment, offering premium live streaming events with a tangible flair. Our curated workshops mix and stir top talent with crave-worthy kits to bring you an experience to remember”. Intrigued, I recently purchased an Autumn Boxwood Wreath making session.

A few days before the scheduled live Zoom event, a box of fresh boxwood greens, a wreath frame, ribbon and faux pumpkins arrived at my home. Instructions on how to store the greens are included. Email reminders for the live event and connection directions are easy to understand.

The live event didn’t take longer than 45 minutes and during the instructional stage, you can ask questions via the chat function. Many of the participants on the live video received this tutorial as a gift from a friend. The cost for this Autumn Wreath making session (with all the materials) is $80.00.

My opinion is that I enjoyed this format. Getting all the supplies ahead of time is very convenient. The instructor was upbeat, interactive and engaging. And overall, the wreath looks good. Unfortunately I haven’t been spritzing it with water everyday so it’s getting a bit tired, but I think it will dry well.

Garden Update

One of the downsides to traveling so much is missing time in my garden. It’s my happy place and lowers my stress. There are still some things to plant, but the winter greens-arugula, Swiss chard, lettuces~ are abundant enough to harvest. I’m not sure there is anything better than a salad made with fresh lettuce!

Shishito peppers are a favorite in our family. Simply blister in hot olive oil, squeeze fresh lemon juice and salt. These plants survive our hot summers and it seems to be always be producing.

It is fig season! This spring I really gave the tree a haircut so I didn’t need a ladder to pick the fruit. However, the tree seems taller than ever. And the figs are ripening one at a time, so I end up consuming them before I can use them in a recipe. Wondering if the tree trimming is affecting the fruit ripening at different times?

Trying to get back to normal

With so much traveling, it is taking some time to plow through all the responsibilities that have piled up in my absence. I hope to start thinking about Thanksgiving next week; as well as getting ready for houseguests. After a hot and long summer, the yard needs some sprucing up but, thanks to my husband, our winter lawn is in. The newly growing grass is a brilliant spring green and a reminder of our beautiful fall weather. Sometimes it all feels a bit overwhelming, but I am reminding myself that everything will happen in due time. Trying to take lots of deep breaths and getting to bed on time. But I do admit, I am very pooped.

I hope this post finds you happy and healthy. Have a wonderful weekend! Also, I am brushing off the crock pot so if anyone has any great recipes, please let me know.