Where did the week go? My husband is up at our cabin and it’s just been the dogs, cat and myself here. Lots of stormy, swampy weather made me want to just curl up and read a book. But, noooooo. Instead I am doing all the piddly chores that need to get done, but without alot of enthusiasm. So here we are again at another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

A Surprise Visitor

As I was walking through the library, I noticed a great deal of fireplace debris kicked out onto the floor and rug. I look around and see the cat in hunter/killer mode, poised to leap. And that’s when I looked up and saw this little Western Screech owl perched on a clock. He seems quite happy there.

Fortunately, my daughter was home and she LOVES animals and bravely, reaches up to capture him. Even though he is small, Julianna said he was very strong. She takes him outside to a tree where we know the owls congregate so hopefully he is reunited with his family.

This is our 2nd owl encounter in the last few months. Julianna rescued a fledging owl (you can see that story on Instagram @lifeatbellaterra) and I wonder if this is the same little fella.

He must have flown down into the chimney? It makes you wonder how long he’s been inside as I am still finding owl poop droppings in both the library and mud room. This certainly made for an exciting morning!

Finally Finishing Some Paintings

In 2019, my friend, Barbara posted this gorgeous photo of lilacs from her garden. Since we cannot grow lilacs, I fell in love with this photo and finally finished painting it. There is such joy in completing something, right? Now I just have so many other canvases to either complete or paint over. Setting the time aside to do this is the hard part.

Cordless Table Lamps

https://lifeatbellaterra.com/dinner-in-the-library-tablescape/I cannot even tell you how much I LOVE these cordless LED table lamps. As you may recall, I purchased them for our Dinner in the Library charitable event. If you missed that post, you can see it here. That table was in a very large room, so even though the lamps created a beautiful ambiance, they are even better in a smaller setting.

A few friends came over for a casual dinner of quiche, salad and apple crisp. Since I didn’t have any fresh flowers I just placed the 3 lamps down the center of the table. Instantly this set the mood and everyone loved the warm glow they cast. We didn’t need any other source of lights in the room.

They are 25% off right now on Amazon, but they are still $60.00 each. However, I plan to use them alot and will be perfect for the holidays. You can find them here. If you don’t like the gold, they come in black and vintage copper. You will not be disappointed.

Big Deck Project at our Cabin

The front wooden deck at our cabin is being replaced and enlarged with Trex planks, new railings and staircase. As with any project, the minute you start tearing into it, you discover all sorts of problems. It was a nightmare just getting supplies, but the replacement is turning into dry rot repair and new structural beams.

More to come on this but I empathize with anyone tackling construction projects now. Mother Nature is providing her own set of challenges with severe storms too. Look at what a lighting strike did to a tree on the golf course.

Dreaming of New House Design

I have never built a house from scratch. Every house I’ve owned has been a rescue renovation/restoration. But often I find myself thinking about designing a house. You can find so many examples of farmhouse, shiplap, gray or blue and white, open floor plans, etc. but what a treat when you find something that is truly unique and spectacular.

My friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells has a Sunday post where she shares really cool things from the Internet. So I am stealing this one from her. It’s called Moonlight Cottage, designed by Murphy & Co. Oh my, every single detail is spectacular. If I could design a dining room, it would be one with books, beautiful windows and look at the hand carved timber opening!

To see more gorgeous Moonlight Cottage photos, click here.

Freezing Tomatoes

My friend, Stacy has a gorgeous garden in New Jersey. Right now she is knee deep in fresh tomatoes. Since I tend to roast or can my tomatoes, Stacy shares how she freezes them. I’ve never done this, but it’s an alternative to canning them. You can get all of Stacy’s tips and tricks here.

Dream Home Makeover

Are you a fan of Studio McGee? I so enjoy their product line, Threshold at Target, actually much more than Magnolia Farm. It is young, stylish and colorful, as is Shea McGee, the founder. Shea and her husband, Syd, started Studio McGee in 2013 and it is an American success story.

Dream Home Makeover is produced by Shea and Syd. Not only does it tell their amazing story, but you get to see Shea work her magic on both new home builds and small room renovations. It’s on Netflix and already has 3 seasons so I feel like I need to catch up.

Trip to Chicago

I am heading out of town tomorrow for a week to help my son move into his new apartment in Chicago. He will be starting the graduate program at the University of Chicago Booth Business School in September. When I was working in corporate America, I traveled to Chicago all the time. However, it’s been years since I spent any quality time there. Really looking forward to a change of scenery.

In a perfect world, I would hope to continue with my Tuesday and Wednesday blog posts, but I may just skip next week, depending on how busy (and tired!) I am. You may not hear from me until next Saturday.

Enjoy your weekend and can August be nearly half over already?

When ice water doesn’t quite quench your thirst, is there anything better than a tall glass of freshly made lemonade? Store bought or pre-made lemonade just doesn’t taste the same. Making it fresh, from scratch is easy and worth the minimal effort. Plain lemonade is great, but here are 3 different twists on regular lemonade that takes it over the top.

Basic Lemonade

Simple, straightforward lemonade is always delicious, and there’s an easy way to remember how to make lemonade. All you need is one part of each, therefore you can make any quantity you like.

• Simple Syrup
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Water

To make the simple syrup, take equal parts of sugar and water and heat until the sugar is dissolved. For example, one cup of sugar and one cup of water equals about 1 1/3 cups of simple syrup.

If you want your simple syrup sweeter, you can use two parts sugar to one part water. I find it easiest to put the sugar and water in a saucepan and simmer it over a low temperature until dissolved.

There are many ways to bring additional flavor to your simple syrup by adding an herb to the mixture while it simmers.

Basil or Italian Lemonade

This recipe, Basil or Italian Lemonade is, without a doubt, the family favorite.  By adding a bunch of fresh basil to the simple syrup, it adds a refreshing, unique taste to the lemonade. The basil flavor and fragrance is infused in the simple syrup.  

Actually, you could add various things to any simple syrup~~ginger, lavender, mint, thyme, rosemary, geranium, lemon grass, lavender, or rose~~embellishing that flavor to your simple syrup. Don’t worry about making too much. This can be used for other beverages or cocktails to take the flavor up a notch.

Simple syrup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  After the syrup cools, strain out the basil.  Mix the lemon juice, water and basil simple syrup together. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon and sprig of basil.

~~Basil Lemonade Recipe~~

Strawberry Lemonade

My family’s 2nd place favorite, is Strawberry Lemonade.  Place 2 quarts of fresh strawberries in a blender or food processor and puree. You can also use frozen strawberries.

Strain the puree (I used a fine mesh sieve) and discard the seeds.  Simply, mix the puree with the lemon juice, sugar and water and you have this beautiful, refreshing lemonade.

Note: if you want to dissolve the sugar vs. the simple syrup method, take the 1 cup of sugar and dissolve it with 1 cup of water. When you add the remaining cold water, remember to deduct 1 cup from the 8 cup quantity.

Cucumber Lemonade

Another refreshing version of lemonade is using cucumbers, which are plentiful this time of year. However, you will need a juicer (which we have but rarely use). I did try making this with a food processor, but it does not liquify the cucumbers. Or perhaps you can muddle the cucumber in the bottom of the glass and liquify it as best you can.

Hopefully, these recipes will inspire you to make some fresh lemonade to enjoy in August! Happy Tuesday, my sweet friends!

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Happy Saturday from swampy Phoenix, Arizona! It’s been a week of heavy clouds, rains, lower temperatures and very high humidity (which is rare for us). But no one is complaining about the rain as we love every drop. The yard looks tired and is full of tree debris but thankfully the air conditioning and Netflix works! Thanks for stopping by today for another Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things this week.

This Week’s Posts

I hope you had the chance to check out this week’s posts. There is a Christmas in July one where I make a holiday wreath with oranges and artichokes. But the added bonus is the 23 others in the blog hop that are sharing their Christmas ideas, tips and talents. Lots of good stuff in each and every one and you can find it here. Not ready to think about Christmas? Just bookmark it and revisit it when you are ready.

If you are as hot as we are here, then there is no better time to gather for ice cream. Check out the fun centerpiece and yummy, delicious ice cream social ideas. You can see it here.

Stormy Shades

As the monsoon storm systems are approaching, our sky is exhibiting some exotic colors. This one particular night, there is a purple cast to everything. Don’t you find that interesting? Colors in the sky, such as green, blue, purple and orange, indicate the presence of particles in the atmosphere, often caused by weather systems and cloud formations. It is beautiful and a bit eery at the same time.

Candles

I tend to stick with the same fragrance candles when I find a winner, like Blue Capri Volcano (truly my favorite). But my friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells really likes the Antique Candle Company so I recently purchased a variety of scents.

The Antique Candle Company uses domestically grown, natural soy wax and premium fragrance oils. Right now they are seeking fall candle testers, where you decide the next fall candle scent.

I don’t get any commission from this company but I am seeking a candle that I love (in addition to Blue Capri). Candles make great hostess gifts or for that guest that drops by unexpectedly with a gift in their hands (yet you failed to include them on your guest list). Between now and the holidays, I am always looking for good candle sales and will pick up several to keep on hand.

Do you have a favorite candle? If so, please share. In the meantime I will be testing all these new ones!

Summer Cooking

It is amazing how little I use the oven during the summer. Most of our meals are salads or items that don’t require turning on the big appliances. This week I did cook a whole chicken using the rotisserie on the gas barbecue. For some reason, I don’t use this enough. Not only was the chicken so delicious, the roasting smell was intoxicating. Juicy, not dry and beautifully flavored, the chicken was perfect for our lunch over fresh arugula, accompanied by my cucumber dill salad. Oh my, I cannot wait to make another.

A few months ago, my husband purchased an air fryer and we are trying to learn to cook with it. A very quick and delicious dessert ~air fryer blueberry crisp is a winner. It took me minutes to make this and 12 minutes to cook. Perfect to use with all the great summer berries available now (even though the recipe calls for frozen blueberries).

Here is the link because in the comments are ways to alter the recipe to suit your needs. Ok, so I’ve made this twice this week~once with fresh blueberries and once with apples (had to cook it a bit longer) and added walnuts to the crisp part. Quite addicting.

Dusk Photos

I rarely take photos of our property at dusk and usually not this time of year. The yard looks tired from the heat and the storms have created so much debris. But with the weather being actually a bit cooler this week, I thought you may want to see what the property looks like this time of year.

The grass is burned out in parts and in some places I think we have more weeds than blades of grass. But come cooler weather, the yard will get a good cleanup and the plants will perk up again.

Forgotten Flowers

When I bought flowers for my ice cream social centerpiece, I couldn’t find what I wanted so I “settled” for alstroemerias. I don’t know why I consider these a lesser flower than say, roses or hydrangeas, but I do. They are sort of the underdog in the flower world for me. However, I am changing my mind because these flowers with their delicate petals are in full bloom. They add joy to the kitchen and last quite a long time.

Delicious Bedtime Drink

As I write this post, I have only made this nighttime beverage once, but I will do so again. This Bedtime Lavender Chamomile Vanilla Milk from Anna Marie at Some Time Place promotes relaxation and sleep. It is really delicious and this will become part of my bedtime routine.

I substituted oat milk as I didn’t have any freshly made almond milk. Regardless, it is yummy and soothing! You can find the full post and recipe here.

Do You Know Your Neighbors?

According to Nice News, knowing your neighbor is associated with a wealth of positive effects on wellness and community safety, but according to the Pew Research Center, the majority of Americans report knowing only some or none of their neighbors. In addition to having someone to hold a spare key for you, being connected to your neighbors leads to lower death rates during natural disasters and a greater sense of psychological well-being, particularly among older adults. So whether you’ve just moved to a new spot or have been dwelling at the same home for years, make a point of getting to know your neighbors.

Well, that’s a wrap for this Saturday. Have a terrific weekend as we roll out of July and into August.

Hello, my friends! I feel like a new woman as my Grand Jury duty responsibilities are O.V.E.R.! Thankfully I didn’t have to serve the full four months, but only the last 4 weeks. Taking two full days each week is a bit of a schedule challenge, but I found serving in this capacity somewhat rewarding. Each day we heard 8-12 felony cases and some were very difficult to get through. But that is all behind me now and I finally feel like I can take a summer vacation! Happy Saturday and let’s get started on all the good things that happened this week.

July 4th Weekend

What fun to get out of the heat and head to the beautiful mountains of Arizona! Every afternoon a thunder storm would roll in and bless us with lots of rain. Seriously, it looks like Ireland up there ~just as green as could be! My geraniums are so happy and it is always difficult to leave. Wish we could stay there all summer.

Our July 4th brunch and parade did not disappoint. It is refreshing to see explosion of patriotism and love for our country. Nearly all cabins are decorated with flags, bunting and anything red, white and blue. This year I found this Stars & Stripe Party Fan set at Hester & Cook and I am so impressed with the number of fans and the quality of the paper. Unfortunately, I believe they are sold out of this product.

These fans are hanging over the outdoor dining table and spin in the breeze. A simple addition to the brunch decorating but they really made the table feel extra special. If you missed the post on what I serve and the recipes, you can find it here.

This year I made the American Flag Cake and even though I had hoped to bake the cakes at the lower Phoenix altitude, I didn’t get that task done. So I again stressed over making the adjustments to bake at our very high altitude. Thankfully the butter cream frosting hid most of the cake imperfections and the inside DID look like a flag. Our friend and neighbor, Gary has a July 4th birthday which is a great reason to share this enormous cake.

A warning about this recipe, if you decide to make it, the cakes and frosting are made from scratch. It is time consuming and a bit complicated. But so worth it once your guests see the inside!

My Favorite Olives

These Mezzetta pitted Italian Castelvetrano olives are so addicting. I literally could eat the entire jar. Not sure why I am just now discovering them, but I cannot recommend them enough if you love olives. You can find them in your local grocery store or here online.

Cool Website

If you are looking for an unusual, fun website with unique and sometimes outrageous items, check out Uncrate. This is where I discovered the Thermacell Rechargeable Mosquito repeller. A couple of times a week I receive an email from them with their latest discoveries. It’s very cool and different.

Pet Update

Our beagle, Sox had his 15th birthday on July 7th. This sweet old dog cannot see or hear very well, but that Beagle nose of his still works, especially around meal time. What a love.

Our Akbash, Cooper has taken a turn for the worse. Three months ago he was diagnosed with cancer and seem to be responding well to the medication. It is heartbreaking as he is been with our family for nearly 10 years. Next week is another visit to the vet to see what can be done. Keeping our fingers crossed that another medication will provide him with comfort.

Finally, a Haircut!

It has been months since I went for a good cut and color. Roscoe from Pucci Salon is a miracle worker and he has been cutting and styling my hair for nearly 30 years. Truly, I have never been disappointed…ever. He takes my fine straight hair and gives it such life and body. You know you have a good cut when it lasts over a few months. Here’s the before:

And viola! Here is the after haircut photo! Doesn’t it feel so good to get your hair done?

Also, I am wearing that Boho top I found on Amazon for $22.93. It’s very light-weight for the hot summer, but the long sleeves are helpful while you are in air conditioning.

Problem with Rug

Does anyone know how to fix this? This area rug is from Home Depot (I know, probably not the best quality). I bought it to stage a bedroom in a home we sold. From there, it is now sitting on top of our wall-to-wall berber carpeting in the master bedroom of our cabin. However, the rug doesn’t lay flat. It rolls up on its own in the center.

This photo doesn’t show the problem as clearly, but you can see where the rug is lumpy in the middle.

I have tried rug tape around the perimeter and nothing seems to hold it down. Even laying heavy objects on top of it doesn’t help to flatten it. Once the items are removed, it curls up again. Drives me crazy and it is a tripping hazard too.

I’m not sure if the problem is due to the berber carpet beneath it. Do I need to steam this rug? Add a rubber mat underneath? Unfortunately I bought it quite a while ago so I am sure Home Depot will not be of any help. Any suggestions you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Growing or Loving Dahlias

We cannot grow dahlias here. I’ve tried and failed. However, my friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells shares everything you need to know about growing and caring for dahlias. If you don’t have a garden or don’t grow any flowers, you will just love all the pictures on Kim’s website. She has the most beautiful garden in the Pacific Northwest. You can see it here.

A Summer Centerpiece

Stacy from Bricks ‘n Blooms creates such a pretty summer centerpiece using pineapples and flowers. This tropical dinner party theme is exactly what I need since I am longing to go on a tropical ocean vacation. I can honestly say that I have never used a pineapple for a vase, but isn’t this just gorgeous? You can see it here.

Well, there is so much more I could share but I know you want to enjoy the rest of your weekend! Thank you for joining me for Saturday Meanderings!

This post is one of my most viewed and it is the perfect, easy dessert for a hot summer day. Since we are driving back to Phoenix today, it is a good time to share this oldie but goodie.

I have never made a key lime pie….ever.  I did try my hand at Lemon Meringue once and it was a total disaster.  We were at Ranch Market this the weekend. They had key limes for $0.99 a lb. and I couldn’t resist buying a big bag of them. Remember, key limes are the very small and yellowish-green.

Though the limes I use in this recipe are more green, the produce manager assures me these are key limes.

There are quite a few different recipes for key lime pie~~with and without eggs.  The recipe I select is from Allrecipe because it is customer rated with 5 stars. There are just a few ingredients you need for this pie~graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, butter, sugar and cinnamon.

The Crust

You can use either a store-bought graham cracker crust or it’s very easy to make your own from scratch.

Here’s how to make the crust. For 1 1/2 cups of finely ground graham crackers, I use approximately 1.5 packages of graham crackers.  Using the Cuisinart, it takes a few seconds to pulverize the crackers into crumbs. You can also put the crackers into a Ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.

Has anyone else noticed how small graham crackers have become?  I actually googled it and there have been numerous complaints on the reduction in size and diminished taste.  Graham crackers were a favorite childhood treat, but now they seem a bit skimpy. I digress…

Back to the pie. Add sugar and melted butter to the crushed graham cracker crumbs.  Cinnamon is optional but I include it in this recipe. Mix well.

Press the mixture into a 9 inch pie plate~~I use a small measuring cup to tap the crumbs down.

Due to the butter, the crumbs stay in place and adhere easily to the side of the pie pan/dish. As a side note, my favorite pie plates are Pyrex. There are so many sizes to choose from but here is a link to pie plates.

Bake it at 375 degrees for 7 minutes.  Cool before adding the filling.

The Filling

To make the key lime filling, squeeze the tiny fellas until you get 3/4 cup of key lime juice. It takes approximately 19 limes (14 or so limes = 1 lb.) and fortunately my strong son did all the squeezing.

This is the BEST hand-held juicer from Zulay that works for both lemons and limes. Honestly, I use this kitchen tool ALL the time.

The lime zest is an important ingredient in this recipe as it helps step up the citrus flavor. By the way, I LOVE this zester by Microplane. The handle comes in all different colors. By far, this is the best zester I have ever owned. Not only do I use it for lemons and limes, but for grating fresh nutmeg too.

You can use a stand mixer or hand-held one, or a good strong arm will do to mix the sweetened condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice and lime zest together.

Pour the filling into a COOL crust and bake for ONLY A FEW MINUTES.  I was so surprised that this didn’t require more time in the oven (5-8 minutes).  DO NOT BROWN!

Here is what it looked like after I took it out of the oven. Note the tiny pinhole bubbles just on the surface.  Chill pie thoroughly before serving.

The Topping

You can make your own whipped cream using this professional whipped cream dispenser or purchase a can of Redi-Whip. Someone once gave me a whipped cream dispenser as a gift and it’s the only way we make whipped cream. All you do is pour in fresh whipping cream, sweeten (or not) with confectioner’s sugar and use a small nitrogen (N20) cartridge. Within seconds, you have whipped cream.

There are several varieties of whipped cream dispensers at various price points. Since we seem to use ours all the time, we have a more expensive one here.

Top the pie with fresh whipped cream and lime slices.

If there is any pie left, refrigerate it until someone comes looking for a second piece!

Bon Appetit! Have a wonderful day!

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Here is the recipe for Key Lime Pie by Allrecipe:SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave