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 December! Wow. Already. We are in full holiday decorating mode, albeit slowly. The week is filled with menial, yet necessary tasks (making returns, getting things fixed, paying bills) but there are a few highlights. Are you all decorated for the holidays? Thank you for taking the time to join me for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things.

Anne Geddes

Who remembers Anne Geddes and her famous photographs of babies and children? I love her unique artfully crafted fantasies of children. Recently I read an article which saddens me a bit how certain “progress” is to the detriment of others. Here are some excerpts from an article written in Artnet News. “The industry that propelled Geddes to superstardom in the 1990s has all but evaporated. Today, the internet churns out imagery at a pace with which few photographers can compete, while email gobbled up the greeting-card industry, leaving Geddes in dire straits.”

“Geddes hasn’t set foot in a photo studio since 2016. Paper products, the medium by which she amassed her fortune and cemented her icon status in the late 1990s—in coffee table books, calendars, and greeting cards—have all but disappeared, leaving the photographer without reliable or regular opportunities for work “.

Elaborate photography sets, which used to take Geddes months to set up, are now being done in lightning speed with digital photography. If you would like to read the rest of the article you can find it here.

But what struck me most about this article is this quote by Anne Geddes:

Children are not only our hope for the future—by their very existence, they will be our future. And yet, we so often take them for granted or underestimate their essential importance. We need to take care of them now, educate, nurture, and love them now; teach them the values of harmony, love, understanding, tolerance, and an appreciation of other cultures now. Because every newborn baby represents our eternal chance at new beginnings.

Geddes unique work has sparked smiles and joy and reinforces our love for children.

Goodbye Pumpkins

As we transition from fall to Christmas decorations, it’s hard to say goodbye to all the gorgeous pumpkins. The good news is that my husband saves every unique stem for any future fabric pumpkin projects. He also collects the seeds and gives the rest to the chickens as a treat. After they are pecked clean, they go into the compost pile and turn into glorious soil that gets used again. I love this photo I took at dusk and want to share it with you.

Clever Use of Ribbon

My friend, Chas from Chas’ Crazy Creations took a piece of the nutcracker ribbon (used in our living room Christmas mantel decorations) and repurposed it into this:

A simple, yet elegant DIY that I would have never thought to do.

Making Turkey Soup

My mother taught us not to waste anything. It goes without saying that all those turkey bones and leftover meat are put to good use this week with a delicious turkey wild rice soup. The kitchen is smelling so good as the bones simmer for hours on end. As you may know, bone broth is very nutritious and rich in collagen proteins that supports skin elasticity and joint health.

Bone broth is a superfood and even though you can buy it already made, it is so easy to whip up a batch yourself. I think this needs to be a future blog post!

Front Porch Maintenance

As we get ready to decorate the front porch, we notice multiple water, mineral and rust stains on the scored concrete floor. Typically I would be showing you a picture of a freshly decorated front porch, but these stains need tending. After the stains are removed, then a sealant will be applied so I hope to show you some before and after pictures soon.

Making Sourdough English Muffins

In an attempt to eat more homemade sourdough items, I try my hand at English muffin making this week. On a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being the most successful) I would rank my efforts at a 5. The muffins look good but I could not get the center to fully cook and get all those nooks and crannies. A quick stint in the oven only made them a bit too dry to eat.

We did try the first 2 but the rest will go to the chickens. Looking forward to mastering this recipe so I can share it with you.

A Fun New Recipe to Try

You may see this recipe in social media streams, but it looks easy and impressive. Using boxed or from scratch brownie batter, you can form these into pinecone shapes. Then add sliced almonds for the scales and drizzle with melted chocolate. I haven’t found a specific recipe, but hope to make them this week.

Garden Delights

Unlike colder areas, gardens in Phoenix are flourishing now. Currently I have fresh lettuces, chard, arugula, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant, chives and garlic growing. This week I harvest shishito peppers and eggplant, which sharing the greens with the chickens.

Mary’s Must Haves

This week’s dental appointment is a success as I take oral hygiene seriously. It is nice to hear the dentist compliment you on the condition of your teeth, as who wants to be toothless or wearing appliances as we age. Brushing, flossing and using a water pick contributes to good dental health. My old water flosser needs replacing and this week I purchased a new one.

This Waterpik Aquarius is currently 30% off on Amazon. It’s more sophisticated than my previous one, so I am learning about all the settings and tips. Whether you are continuing good dental care or need to improve your current way of cleaning your teeth, I highly recommend this device. See it here.

As temperatures drop, my baking/cooking activities increase, especially bread baking. This week my old scale finally died and after some research, I order this one due to it’s great reviews. It weighs up to 11 lbs. and has a pull out display which helps if you are using a large bowl. See it here.

Vitamin D3

Why Vitamin D3? As the days grow shorter and sunlight becomes scarce during the winter months, our bodies may not produce an adequate amount of Vitamin D naturally. Vitamin D, aka the “sunshine vitamin,” plays a crucial role in maintaining our overall health and well-being. Supplementing with Vitamin D3 ensures that our immune system, bones, and mood stay in top form, making it a valuable item for your wellness in the winter.

Why Signify Nature’s Vitamin D3? • QUALITY: Pharmaceutical-grade excellence. • POTENCY: 125mcg (5000 IU) cholecalciferol. • VALUE: A whole year’s supply for only $12.99 – that’s less than 4¢ per day! • CLEAN LABEL: No fillers, no artificial additives. • ORIGIN: Made in the EU with pharmaceutical-grade gelatin. • PURITY: Free of PCBs, heavy metals, mercury, and impurities. see it here.

I am trying this Vitamin D3 supplement and taking one soft gel at breakfast. It’s hard to believe a whole year supply is in one bottle! Great price, too.

What We are Watching?

What are you watching lately? Have you seen the Royal Flying Doctor Service on PBS? “Based on remarkable real-life stories, this gripping drama series follows the modern-day heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service as they navigate private lives as turbulent and profound as the heart-stopping emergencies they attend to across some of the most beautiful and inhospitable places in the Australian outback.” There are currently 2 seasons and we are adding subtitles due to the heavy Australian accents.

Well, that’s a wrap! Enjoy your weekend. We hope to walk down to the Electric Light Parade tonight and finish up Christmas decorations!

Love Local businesses refer to small business week?

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.

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