Saturday Meanderings

Happy Earth Day! It’s another April weekend and I hope you are having glorious spring weather like us! Though a very busy social week, I didn’t get much done other than some continued cleaning and organizing. Let’s get started and chat about all good things this week.

And the Winner is..

I just loved all the comments on last Saturday’s post. So many good ideas on improvements to our home office library. Quite honestly, hearing from each of you is such a gift to me. The winner of the American in Paris book is Catharine Mueller~I will reach out to you for your mailing address! Thank you all for commenting.

My Rose Garden

I can honestly say that my rose garden this year is the best it has ever been. It’s amazing what a good fertilizer and watering program and lots of rain will do. Last week I mentioned some powdery mildew appearing, but with two applications of a milk/water (one part milk to 10 parts water)solution, I think I now have it under control.

This is the first year I have so many roses that I can actually cut bouquets for the house. Here are the oldest roses on our property, Quatre Saisons, which are so fragrant and colorful.

Hydrating

With our temperatures rising over 80, it is so important to make sure you are hydrated. In February, I received an IV immune boost (my first ever) and the nurse administering the bag said I was dehydrated. When I told her I try to drink half my body weight in ounces of water, she stated that was nice but I need something more to replenish electrolytes.

Now I am supplementing my daily water intake with an occasional packet of Trace Minerals PowerPak for electrolyte stamina. PowerPak comes in different flavors from watermelon to lemon berry. With 1200 mg of Vitamin C, zinc and magnesium, thiamine, niacin, Vitamin B6 and B12, one packet is only 15 calories. Do you use any hydrating supplements or sports drinks?

Update on the Barred Owl Momma

For the last nearly 40 days, I admit to being a bit obsessed with Cornell Lab’s LiveCam of a barred owl sitting on 2 eggs. Typically owl eggs hatch in 30-34 days. Unfortunately, neither egg has hatched and are therefore non-viable.

What I find interesting is that the female owl at 36 days up and flew out of the nest and has not returned. Isn’t it amazing that she just knows this without a watch or a calendar or an ob/gyn doctor? Nature continues to provide us moments of awe.

Making Preserved Lemons

Finally, I make a big batch of preserved lemons! Instead of doing multiple smaller jars, I use a new gallon container (thank you Scott). The upside is that all the lemons fit; the downside is the daily shaking of this huge container.

If you are unfamiliar with preserved lemons, check out my post about it here.

Do You Use Body Makeup?

I have never used (really never heard about) body makeup. Cindy Hattersley recently writes a post about The Best Body Makeup for Women over 50. I guess I never thought to cover all my scars and age spots! Ha! Anyway, Cindy always has great advice and this time of year when we transition to shorts or skirts, this may be an option. See Cindy’s post here.

What I am Watching

We just finished watching 7 seasons of Grantchester and look forward to Season 8 which premiers on July 9th. This PBS series is set in the 1950s with Cambridgeshire clergyman investigating a series of mysterious wrongdoings in his small village of Grantchester. My reason for loving this show is the quality of acting, the beautiful sets and the graciousness of life back then. It tackles some tough social issues without the foul language, blatant violence and sex that is so pervasive in current television. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.

In Search of the Perfect Underwear

My mother would roll over in her grave if she knew the condition of my existing underwear. I don’t know why it’s one of those clothing items, like a bathing suit, that I just detest the buying experience. This week, I find a bargain which prompted me to make this purchase from Third Love~10 pairs of undies for $50.00. Not sure they are still running the promotion and haven’t tried wearing them yet. But if you have the best underwear advice and source, please do share.

What’s Blooming in the Garden?

This time of year, every week there is something new blooming in the yard/garden. As the irises begin to wane, the poppies show their purple faces. I thought you would enjoy some of these pretty pictures.

Near the rose garden, the perennial primrose line the stone paver path.

Where my hollyhocks are healthy, they too, are showy and abundant.

As I wrap up this post, I want to share my favorite Earth Day memory. Years ago, we were having dinner at Quiessence at The Farm at South Mountain (here in Phoenix). At 8:00 p.m. they turned off all their electrical lights and filled the restaurant with candlelight. Not sure they still do that but it was so magical and unexpected. So tonight, my plan is to turn off the electricity and only have candlelight!

Wishing you a very relaxing weekend. I hope to spend time in the garden as well as continue with my cleaning and organizing. Happy weekend!