When I was planting my garden years ago, my sweet daughter opened up a whole packet of chamomile seeds and scattered them far and wide, while squealing, “Wheeeeeeeeee”.  For those of you who know me, I am a geometric person, who likes things planted in rows, straight rows  I had no idea where the seeds landed and after I got over the initial shock to my organized inner self, I delighted in the fact she was so carefree in her seed distribution.

As a result, this delicate flower from the daisy family is growing in numerous places, year after year. Don’t daisy-like flowers just make you happy?

The Medicinal and Health Benefits of Chamomile

Traditionally, chamomile has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, mild astringent and healing medicine. According to U.S. National Library of Medicine, chamomile is one of the most ancient medicinal herbs known to mankind.

It is a member of Asteraceae/Compositae family and represented by two common varieties ~~ German Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) and Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile).

The dried flowers of chamomile contain many terpenoids and flavonoids contributing to its medicinal properties. Chamomile preparations are commonly used for many human ailments such as hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, wounds, gastrointestinal disorders, rheumatic pain, and hemorrhoids. Chamomile is often used to treat mild skin irritations, including sunburn, rashes, sores and even eye inflammations. Who knew? For more information on the benefits and uses of chamomile, click here.

Making Tea

Being a believer that you are what you eat, I buy food items with a bit of healthy skepticism. I try to be conscientious of the quality of the ingredients and I am not sure what is used on commercially purchased tea leaves. Since I do not use any pesticides in my garden, I decide to make a tea this year using the fresh chamomile flowers. It is also possible to dry the flowers to make tea later. 

Unlike many other herbs, you want to collect the blossoms only, not the leaves, stems or roots.  The best time to harvest is mid-morning, after the dew has evaporated but before the mid-day sun. Just pinch off the delicate blossoms and shake off any dirt or insects.

As with most herbs, more quantity is needed when using fresh vs. dried.  I used 3-4 tablespoons of flowers into a small clear glass teapot with its own strainer.

If you do not have a tea pot with a strainer, you can use cheesecloth to bundle the herbs. You can also just strain the blossoms from the tea after steeping is done.

Add hot water and steep for 5 minutes.  Fresh chamomile tea has a clean, fruity, apple undertone which is different from dried chamomile. The Greek derivative of chamomile means “earth apple”. Makes sense because that is the taste I experience.

I did add one mint leaf….which seemed to enhance the chamomile flavor, not overwhelm it. Serve this fragrant, fresh tea in a deserving cup. Rarely do I add sweetener to my tea, and this one, in my opinion, doesn’t need anything! However honey or agave would be healthier option than processed sugar.

Treat Yourself to a Pretty Cup

I do believe the vessel from which you drink any beverage is important. Would this be as lovely in a styrofoam disposable cup? Take the time to find a cup that feels good in your hand and makes you happy.

Many of my dishes have a story. These wild strawberry Wedgwood tea cups were purchased in London at Harrod’s. We were on our way back to the US after a wonderful trip to Italy and stopped in England for a few days. Since I was accustomed to the euro conversion to US dollar in Italy, I didn’t realize until I was checking out, that these cups were priced in the British Sterling pound….significantly more expensive that I calculated. In a split second decision (picture me in line at the register with several people waiting behind me), I decide to buy them, cringing a bit at the total cost.

But now every single time I use one of these cups, I think back on that decision and am so happy I purchased them. Do you have a favorite cup or dish service?

Enjoy!

After reading about all the benefits of this simple tea, I plan to drink it on a more consistent basis. Note: If you dry the chamomile for later use, store it in an airtight container out of the sunlight. I enjoy both the fresh and dried version of this tea.

Perhaps I will experiment with adding lavender…..and concoct the perfect sleepy time tea!

Chamomile is extremely easy to grow and it is so satisfying to do it yourself. Roman chamomile is a perennial, growing from the same root year after year. German chamomile is an annual, but don’t expect it to grow in the garden for just one year! It self-sows freely and you can bet if you plant it one time, it will spring up in the garden from then on.

Happy May!

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

A Little History

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

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

Setting the Theme

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

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

The Centerpiece

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

And the After:

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

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

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

The Place Setting

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hors D’oeuvres

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

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

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

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

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

And a Hat, of course!

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

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

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

10 Winning Kentucky Derby Party Food Ideas and Champion Recipes

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

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

Jen at Midwest Life and Style- Crockpot Bourbon Meatballs

Anne and AnnMarie at Simply2Moms~The Hot Brown

Stacy at Bricks ‘n Blooms~Best Blondie Brownie Recipe

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

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

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Things are heating up here in Phoenix but our mornings and evenings are still cool enough to say it is Spring. Our yard is in full bloom and it’s the prettiest I recall. We are blessed with lots of rain this year and now it is paying off. Happy Saturday! April appears to be racing by and I am really trying to slow myself down a bit to capture its beauty. Welcome to another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week. Have I told you lately how much I appreciate you?

Moth Invasion

Each year we seem to get too much of one thing. Last year was crickets. This month it’s moths. I’m waiting for locusts. Why does that happen? I’m not a big moth fan especially near any of my good sweaters. Interestingly, it’s only in the library and no where else. Perhaps they are coming in through the chimney? Go figure. Anyone else seeing strange infestations? I am blaming everything on the eclipse!

Yard and Garden are at their best

Lately I’ve been combining my morning walkabouts with Finn so he can do his business and I can enjoy my coffee. Our Phoenix mornings are glorious In the high 50s to low 60s, crisp blue skies and flowers galore.

2024 is proving to be the year of the poppies. They are the breadseed variety and have a rich plum blossom and sage stems and leaves. A perennial, they are truly popping up everywhere……really everywhere.

I just read that you should not use these poppy seeds in baking. It appears they should be carefully processed to minimize the effects of the opium alkaloid they contain. Oops…last year I wrote a blog post about Lemon Poppyseed muffins and used my own poppy seeds. You may want to do some research if you are growing your own breadseed poppies.

The Roses

In an older post, I share my love for the older variety of roses here~Quatre Saison (also known as “Rose of Four Seasons”). Some believe this rose was used in the worship of Aphrodite. Later it was introduced to mainland Greece , where it paid homage to Venus. Even older diaries from previous owners, talk about the beautiful roses here at Bella Terra.

The reason I am so intrigued by having these roses is a reference made in a previous owner’s diary on April 1, 1922, when she wrote “saw first rose bloom”. When we were researching the house, we found these diaries at the Arizona Historical Museum. Apparently the roses are referenced many times as an important part of the landscaping. To know I am enjoying roses here just the same way someone did 100 years ago gives me great joy.

One doesn’t cultivate this rose for the appearance of its shrubs as they are rather gawky and notably prickly. Because of their loose, somewhat unsophisticated form, blossoms are also unconventional, but they are packed with fragrance. These roses were a key ingredient in many ancient recipes for potpourri.

With new varieties of roses that are genetically modified (perfect but no scent), this rose is just the oppose. Messy blooms, very thorny but so highly fragrant. A bedside bouquet is glorious~falling asleep to the smell of roses is a heavenly way to end the day.

A Few Fun Recipes this Week (and before the diet)

In an attempt to use up the bag of rangpurs from my friend, Ryan, I again make these lemon (well, rangpur) tartlets for dinner with friends. This time I use the shortbread crust in the recipe and my, are they D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S! Having individual removable bottom tartlet pans is nice, however, I bet this would work equally well in a large tart pan.

With all the leftover egg whites from this recipe which I do not like to waste, I made a pavlova. If you have never made one of these, it is SO easy and SO impressive. All you need is egg whites, sugar, vanilla, cream of tartar and cornstarch. Some recipes call for lemon juice instead of cream of tartar. You can customize the filling to be anything from fresh berries, fruit, curd, and whipped cream.

I have bags of freshly frozen apricots from last year’s harvest which I defrost and use them on top. Defrosted apricots are not as pretty as fresh ones, but the flavor is still the same. Now the diet begins..

Looking up at the Sky

Though I am not a follower of astrology, April has been an interesting month with Mercury in retrograde, the eclipse, and now the pink moon. Is it just me or does everything feel a bit off? In trying to process some interesting challenges lately, I am finding some peace and calm by just looking at the immense vastness of the sky.

Don’t you think we are spending too much time looking down(at our phones, our computers) and not taking the time to look up into the sky? When I do so, my problems become minuscule; they feel small in comparison to the rest of the universe. Certainly puts life into perspective. I find myself looking up a lot lately and so thankful we have such a beautiful sky to enjoy.

Mary’s Must Haves

Though I have good vision, there are times where I need a magnifying glass to see tiny print or to remove a sliver. My husband recently purchased this lighted magnifying glass and I love it! With a touch of a button on the side, you can illuminate your view without shadows. It only comes in black on Amazon for only $12.80.

Clean Air

With having a hairy dog in the house again, we are using our air purifier 24/7. It cleans the air from smoke, dust, pollutants and odor from 1,095 sf in an hour. I find it to be very quiet and not intrusive and it has a sleep mode too. Right now it is 15% off on Amazon here.

What a Bargain!!

It appears that I found the perfect t-shirt! First of all, the t-shirt is a dreamy soft cotton; it is not see-through; and the cut works for me. Not too tight to show off all the back fat or muffin tops but nicely fitted around the neck, shoulders, sleeves.

The retail cost is $25.00, marked down to $15.00 on the Banana Republic Factory website. I purchased 6 t-shirts (in white, blue, navy, black, rose and charcoal gray. Each shirt has a $6.00 discount ($9 each) equaling $58.64 (including tax). Say what???!!

I don’t know if the sale promotion is still on but I would have paid $25.00 for these t-shirts. If you don’t like a crew neck, they also have V-neck and different sleeve lengths. Click on the link here for the ones I purchased. Note: I have not laundered them yet so will let you know about that later. Really happy and delighted with this bargain.

What are you Reading?

Currently, I am reading When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner. With my limited knowledge of WWII, I was unaware of the dire situation in the Philippines during the war. Here is a summary:

From three bestselling authors comes an interwoven tale about a trio of World War II nurses stationed in the South Pacific who wage their own battle for freedom and survival. In this sweeping story based on the true experiences of nurses dubbed “the Angels of Bataan,” three women shift in and out of each other’s lives through the darkest days of the war, buoyed by their unwavering friendship and distant dreams of liberation

“A novel rich in historical detail that immerses readers in the dangers and deprivation WWII nurses suffered in the Pacific, wrapped up with a hopeful ending.”

I haven’t finished it yet, but it is very good and God bless those nurses who survived to tell their stories.

Mulberry House

If you love looking at English country homes, then you are in for a treat at Mulberry House, a Georgian house situated in Surrey.

I will send you off to crush on these house photos of charm and whimsy.

Ah, it’s the weekend and the weather here will be picture perfect! Do you have any fun plans? I am hoping to get some needed R & R! Enjoy and be safe out there.

P.S. Finn gained 10 lbs. in the last two weeks. He’s becoming a big boy.

Spring has definitely sprung here at Bella Terra. All the flowers are blooming, my garden is growing and what better way to share it than a spring themed dinner at home.

Recently we hosted friends of ours who are out of state that is still experiencing snow. It is their first time to our house, however, we spent a great deal of time together when we all went to Mongolia last June. With their differing food likes and dislikes, it makes sense to make a meal that can accommodate everyone’s culinary wishes.

The Tablecloth

I love this linen tablecloth embroidered with an assortment of spring flowers. This seems like the perfect base for the spring themed dinner. My recollection is that I bought it during a trip to Italy….or I found it in a thrift store. I think the Italy story is better!

The Centerpiece

On the way home from a doctor’s appointment, I stop at Trader Joe’s and check out their flowers. These purple decorative cabbages catch my eye and are the basis for the centerpiece.

Using floral wet foam and a plastic rectangular container, more flowers are added. Fragrant purple stock and freshly cut irises from the garden surround the cabbages. Mums, daisies and roses from the yard fill in the rest. Not only is the centerpiece a tribute to spring, it smells heavenly too. Here is another centerpiece I created using 4 of these plastic containers.

The Dishes

With such a light and bright tablecloth, I select these Fondeville Ambassador ware dishes because of the spring green and flowers in the pattern. Since I only have the dinner plates, I add a Leslie Roy neutral, clear glass salad plate with a gold rim on top.

I play around with different chargers and settle on this clear one with a golden beaded edge. Though they look like glass, the chargers are actually plastic. $2.99 each from Hobby Lobby. Don’t they look elegant?

Stemware

Lenox water and wine glasses with a narrow gold rim are simple and elegant, focusing attention to the pretty vintage dinner plate. Wallace Napoleon Bee stainless with gold accents is a favorite flatware.

Yellow linen napkins from Sferra (see similar here) add a bit of spring color to the table. Detailed bird candles are placed around the centerpiece for another spring element.

The lighted candles in the Waterford crystal candlesticks provide a romantic glow.

The Menu

In order to provide meat for some, my husband prepares the steaks on the grill. A large salad and baked sweet potatoes with lemon (my favorite recipe is below), provides sustenance for the non-meat eaters.

Dessert is homemade rangpur tartlets (shared with you on a recent Saturday Meanderings) and is served on vintage Fondeville plates (which can be found on eBay).

The food is delicious and the company is delightful! What a lovely evening with friends and setting a special table always makes your guests feel welcomed.

Are you enjoying Spring weather? Any spring entertaining on the horizon?

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Hello and welcome to Saturday Meanderings! It’s hard to believe this is Saturday Meanderings #141. What started out as way to appreciate and note all good things happening weekly, Saturday Meanderings has become one of my favorite posts to write and thank you for your dedicated following. One sweet subscriber stated it feels like friends sitting across the table having a cup of coffee and catching up. Let’s get started to see what life has given us this week.

My Birthday this Week

Another birthday under my belt…it is a bit humbling to know that most of your life is in the rearview mirror. But the hope is that each and every day going forward is lived with intention and purpose. Mentally, I certainly don’t feel 68 (more like 25) and physically, well some days are better than others. Here’s to another year!

Bread Baking Experiment

My friend, Chloe (Celebrate and Decorate) sends me links to Instagram posts that feature unique bread baking techniques. I am a novice sourdough bread baker and love seeing the creativity of other bakers. Here are the inspiration pictures:

This week I try my hand at making my very first sourdough focaccia (recipe from The Perfect Loaf by Maurizio Leo). However, being my first try, I kept it more simple as I didn’t know how it would taste. Using cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, fresh rosemary and sea salt, here is what my focaccia looks like before going in the oven.

Here is the focaccia after baking.

For years, literally, I have had a big bag of lace scraps in my garage. My mother bought it at a yard sale and gave it to me 40 years ago, at least. So, I try my hand at making the lace bread, but of course I don’t have the right ingredients (who has 100% black cacao powder on hand?).

The flavor of my sourdough bread is honey lavender (really good), but a black lace pattern on the top just doesn’t fit. I search my cupboards and find rose powder and 100% coca rouge powder~which actually sounds like the flavors would go with the honey lavender.

After sprinkling the powder combination on the dough, here is what it looks like.

At this point, I am rather excited because the pattern looks very pretty and I hope the flavors will enhance the taste of the bread.

Though some of the pattern is pronounced after baking, it is certainly far from the results of the inspiration photo. I am slightly disappointed, however, it just means I need to conduct further experiments!

My Online Store

If you haven’t noticed, there’s a tab at the top of the page that links you to my online store. I am considering eliminating the store as I set it up a long time ago and I do not replenish the inventory. However, this week someone purchased one of my favorite items~ a Meissen blue and white compote. A bit sad to see it go, but the buyer has been looking for a long time to find one. Sounds like it is going to a good home.

Check out my store as I am getting ready to update my website and will more than likely remove the inventory. If you see something you like, let me know.

Has This Happened to You?

In our library we have two arm chairs that are upholstered with a Waverly fabric (Olana). This is a medium-weight cotton fabric that has furniture upholstery as a suggested use. I notice the seat seems a bit dull and perhaps dirty so I use my trusty Little Green Bissell and clean the upholstery this week.

As evidenced by the very dirty water in the machine, I thought the seat cushion (especially the bird in the pattern) would return to the same color and intensity as the one on the back of the chair.

The library doesn’t get much, if any, direct light so I know the fabric isn’t faded, but the seat is clearly much more worn than the rest of the chair. This is a room that isn’t used often and really, the only time we sit in these chairs is during the winter, with the fireplace going. Our cat will sometimes nest on the chairs, but we have a towel down for his use. Not sure why the colors in the fabric could be worn down with little use.

I have more of the Waverly fabric and considering putting a piece over the original seat. Just checking to see if anyone else has had fabric color and patterns “wear down” with such little use and no exposure to the sun. Going to the expense of re-upholstering just the seat doesn’t seem worth it if the details of this fabric will fade or wear so easily?

So Many Poppies

This week the poppies are popping! Every day more of these sage green plants are putting out the most beautiful flowers.

There are so many poppies all over the property. Their beautiful blooms only last a few days and then they go to seed. Maybe it is time to make lemon poppyseed bread?

Finn Update

The puppy is growing so fast and his rascal personality is emerging. He is quick to steal a shoe or a blanket and run out of the house. He is getting more comfortable navigating the yard and is still cute as the dickens.

Here he is helping me pick oranges in the orchard, and “assisting” in putting down a clean Ruggable in the pool house.

Mary’s Must Haves

Our handheld frother that we use every day to mix things into our coffee (like Vital Proteins) finally died. My husband bought this one on Amazon and wow, what a difference! This frother is far more powerful and has two speeds. It’s astounding how much better it is that our last one (which was probably dying a slow death).

This frother has really great reviews and I can attest, it is the bomb. Priced at $18.49, here it is. After some muscling by my husband, the new frother fits in the old frother’s stand. But note that this brand, the stand is not included.

Do You Make Your Own Salad Dressing?

After discovering how easy it is to do so, I always have my lemon vinaigrette on hand and ready to go. If you aren’t convinced, here is an article from The Kitchn about her tasty homemade salad dressing. Though I haven’t tried her Homemade Italian Dressing, it’s on my list of things to make.

I will be ordering this salad dressing container, as I currently use a Mason jar which gets a little messy on the top. With excellent ratings (4.7) from over 10,000 reviews, this salad shaker is affordable at $11.95.

Merit Street Media

Though I never watch daytime television, I am sure you are familiar with Dr. Phil McGraw, an acclaimed host. What I recently discovered is that, after 26 years, Dr. Phil has left CBS and has created his own new media network called Merit Street Media.

Merit Street Media is a fully distributed cable, satellite, and free-over-the-air broadcast brand that reaches over 65 million television homes.

What I find amazing is that Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin are in their 70s, worth over $460 million dollars and could certainly spend the rest of their years playing golf and taking it easy. However, Dr. Phil is concerned about some of the issues occurring in America today and wants to have open conversations about it.

We watched our first episode this week and I am a fan. Merit Street Media is attempting to bring a balanced national news outlet that will lead to honest discussions and dialogue. In addition, other shows include Steve Harvey which focuses on a mentoring program to inspire young men. Nancy Grace will be hosting a crime series segment.

Since I stopped watching mainstream news 4 years ago, I am hoping this new network will provide viewers with a fresh approach and a high degree of integrity. Merit Street Media just launched April 1st and check out your local listings for access…and it is free. How novel.

Have a fabulous weekend. We are busy with a few events but hope to relax a bit with our buddy, Finn and enjoy our glorious spring weather.