Saturday Meanderings

This is my 100th Saturday Meanderings post. For the centennial post, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your dedication and loyalty every Saturday. I recently heard a sad statistic that over 50% of Americans feel lonely or profoundly lonely. However, so many of you feel like close friends to me and this blog. You are my blessings and our friendship, either in person or virtual, provide my life with great joy. So for the 100th time and In true fashion, let’s get started on chatting about all good things this week. Don’t forget to check out the giveaway below too.

Easter Recap

After Easter service at church, we have a sit-down brunch/lunch with our children (minus our son), their significant others and friends outside under the palm trees.

The menu consists of: lemon ricotta pancakes and fresh berries; Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, fresh fruit salad, arugula salad with lemon dressing, hot cross buns, bacon, sausage and a spinach quiche. Dessert is the traditional lamb cake, made with Ambitious Kitchen’s healthy gluten-free carrot cake recipe (a winner!).

I love this hot cross bun recipe and only make it once a year. But this year, the buns look perfect going into the oven, more so than any previous year. When the baking timer goes off, I am so excited to take them out of the oven. Unfortunately, I didn’t video the moment because no sooner did I get them out of the oven, that the handle to the ceramic baking dish broke off. The entire pan of freshly baked hot cross buns fell out of my hand, crashes to the floor, shattering the dish and ruining my beautiful buns. Ugh.

But things took a turn for the better when a few minutes after the hot cross bun clean up, my family comes into the kitchen with a birthday surprise (my birthday was Monday, April 10th). Pretty flowers, gifts and 2 of my favorite Chardonnays! All in all the day is a beautiful one~great food, gorgeous weather and lively conversation.

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, I hope your day was filled with love and joy.

Powdery Mildew

Due to all the rain and cooler spring temperatures, my rose garden looks fabulous. However, within a matter of days, I now have powdery mildew. Typically the rose mildew occurs with excessive humidity (which we do not have). Since I don’t want to use chemicals, I am going to try a mixture of one part milk to 10 parts water and spray it on the affected leaves. If you have a natural remedy for powdery mildew, please do share.

In inspecting the powdery mildew situation, I also find aphids. Sigh.

Gardens are like that. Just when you think things are going well, something else comes up. I guess that’s why gardening keeps you humble.

This Week’s Projects

Speaking of gardens, the white picket fence surrounding my vegetable garden finally has a fresh coat of paint. What a difference it makes! My husband gets credit for completing this project!

Now that the guest cottage remodel is complete (see it here if you missed it), I am now back to tackling one room at a time. Most of this week is cleaning up the office and art room. Back in 2020, I shared a peek into our home office. Hard to believe it’s gotten so messy since then.

Here’s a look at a clean office, which is my inspiration. Again, I am wondering if it’s time to get rid of the dark ebony finish on the bookcases and do something else~like blue? Your thoughts?

A little Saturday Meanderings History

When I started writing Saturday Meanderings in 2020, the very first post was after a mother/daughter trip to Vancouver, Canada. Elisabeth and I crossed back into the United States and the very next day, the borders were shut down due to the pandemic.

When I look back over those difficult years, collectively, through this blog, we endured the fear, sadness, loneliness and pain from COVID. The goal of this blog is to continue to spread kindness, a bit of sunshine and civility while sharing tips, tricks and information.

In order to celebrate the 100th edition, I would like to giveaway a beautiful book, An American in Provence: Art, Life and Photography. Written by Jamie Beck, she transports you to the South of France. Her book is part art, part travelogue, part memoir, and part cookbook. It is perfect for art lovers, Francophiles, and armchair travelers alike. 

I am slowly making my way through this book, devouring each and every page.

Just write a comment below about what you like about Saturday Meanderings (or don’t like, I suppose!). Names will be put into a bowl and a winner will be selected. The winner will be announced next Saturday.

Around the Internet

I know I have mentioned this before, but I just love reading my friend, Kim’s blog on Sunday. Called Shiplap and Shells, Kim is a self-taught gardener, a fabulous photographer and she lives in the sweetest home on the water in the Pacific Northwest. Just reading her blog makes you happy. I highly recommend reading Saturday Meanderings on Saturday and Kim’s Saltwater Sounds on Sunday.

Do you love deviled eggs? We certainly do and even though my husband prefers his version the best, I like trying other recipes. Michele from Vintage Home Designs shares 3 recipes and the way to make perfect hard boiled eggs. You can see it here.

As I wrap up this 100th Saturday Meandering post, I can only hope that the next 100 posts will be as fun and rewarding. Again, my deepest thanks for your support. I am always very grateful when you share Life at Bella Terra with others, too. Wishing you a fantastic weekend!