Saturday Meanderings
Happy Saturday, friends! Am I the only one that cannot believe it’s the first Saturday in May? Each time I write this post I like to take the time to look at photos from a year ago. Last year at this time I was harvesting artichokes and this year, there are none growing in the garden. Looking back is a reminder that time marches on whether we want it to or not. Quite honestly, I didn’t even think to plant artichokes this year! So here we are again reviewing what took place this week and having our Saturday morning chat.
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The Impact of Last Summer’s Heat
In 2023, there was an abundant crop of apricots, peaches and apples from our orchard. The excessive summer heat killed the apple tree and all the fruit trees have been negatively impacted. One apricot tree is nearly dead and the other is not far behind. We do have some peaches but certainly not the quantity we normally get.
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I can only imagine how difficult it must be for any farmer when the weather negatively impacts their crops and their livelihood. Mother Nature is both wonderful and unpredictable. We hope to replant new fruit trees in the fall. It will be sad to remove these trees that have provided us with delicious fruit year after year.
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We are certainly hoping for a more normal summer with monsoons and cooler temps…however, we can only hope.
Anomalies in the Garden
On a more positive note, my tomato plants are doing so well and the arugula has gone wild…it’s literally growing everywhere. Funny, in 2020 I was picking tomatoes in late April, early May. This year, they are small and green and won’t be ready to harvest for a few more weeks.
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Right now I have amaryllis blooming! Aren’t they supposed to show their flowers at Christmas time? Beautiful deep red, this is a garden surprise this year.
Great Horned Owl
While doing a walkabout with Finn, I am hearing the deep hooting of an owl. Using my trusty Merlin Bird ID app, I discover the sound is coming from a Great Horned owl.
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We have many Western Screech Owls (like the one I found in my library), but I did not realize the Great Horned owl resides here. I follow his hoot and lo and behold, I spot him way up in one of the palm trees. Can you make him out in this photo? He is very well camouflaged.
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These birds of prey are very large~like the owls in the Harry Potter movies. As I was taking photos he never took his eyes off of me. Such an impressive bird.
Thrift Finds
My friend Christine and I went to Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market which is a huge, 3 day event in Scottsdale. Held at WestWorld in a massive 120,000 sq. ft. space, there are over 160+ local small businesses, vintage curators and handmade artisans from all corners of the country.
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I am able to find some fabulous vintage suitcases (for a theme dinner in June), a gorgeous piece of art for our cabin, an 1800s child-size tea service and a few small pieces of silver.
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It is hard to believe this J. Meir & Son Balmoral child’s tea set has survived nearly 175 years without damage ~and the set is complete.
From the Internet
Check out these pecan-topped, chocolate pretzel bites from Lisa at Celebrate Creativity. The rich, smooth chocolate envelops crunchy mini pretzels creating bite-size flavor is the perfect blend of sweet, salty and crunchy. It’s both indulgent and super easy to make. In addition to this distinct flavor combo, Lisa also elevates this simple, homemade treat for gift giving, that will look more like it came from a fancy boutique than your own kitchen. See it here. I cannot wait to make them after the “I’m watching what I eat” phase is over!
Downloadable Garden Planner
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Kim from Shiplap and Shells is truly an amazing gardener….all self-taught. She has a Garden Planner, which is 35 pages that you can download for only $4.99. This week I purchased mine and I am looking forward to being a bit more organized in my gardening strategy. Regardless of what USDA Hardiness Zone you live in, this garden planner is a winner. See it here.
Note: Kim also has a 6 page free planner too, however, why not get the bigger one for under $5.00? This would be a great gift (maybe Mother’s Day) to give~print it and put it in a pretty binder…
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I really like this particular article from The Glam Pad. Since I am completely out of my favorite fragrance, and with Mother’s Day right around the corner, here are the perfume choices of 20 Top Designers. In addition to learning what fragrances they like, there are a few interior design photos as well. It is fun to see what other people are wearing…and if I didn’t like their interior designs I’m guessing I wouldn’t like their perfume choice? Do you have a favorite perfume scent?
Mary’s Must Haves
With everything in bloom, are you experiencing allergies? Stuffiness? Sneezing? I don’t have an allergy issue but occasionally I will get stuffed up from something. The over the counter medication I find, dries you up and I am not a fan. Instead, we use D-Hist and it is a mainstay in our health arsenal at home.
It is not inexpensive but read the 1,115 reviews on Amazon to get information on this product. Since I only take it occasionally, I love the fact it is natural and non-drowsy.
Don’t you love a pretty soap container? Each season I try to change it up and add Michel Design Works hand soaps in our powder room and guest bathrooms. This cheerful brightly colored container is the perfect affordable touch that shouts SUMMER. Right now this Lemon Basil foaming shea butter hand soap is 21% off on Amazon. See it here.
If you need paper hand towels, here are some citrus ones to match.
Last week, I shared how much I love my lighted magnifying glass. A friend and subscriber, Nancy left a comment stating how much she loves these lighted tweezers. With an LED light and ergonomic design, they are perfect for eyebrow shaping and those pesky chin hairs. Currently 26% off on Amazon here.
There is a bit of satisfaction when you use this indoor (or outdoor) zapper and connect with that annoying fly or mosquito. With a 4.4 rating with over 15,500 reviews on Amazon, this is well worth the $29.00 cost. Bug season is on its way!
Well, that’s a wrap! Our middle child is graduating with her master’s degree in Global Security and Intelligence today so we will be happily celebrating with her. Wishing you a magical weekend!
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Just a reminder that any words that are italicized bring you to the source. If it is a product on Amazon, please note that I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you purchase something through my website, I receive a small (very small!) stipend, which doesn’t affect the price you pay at all. My goal is to make sourcing the items easy for you. Thank you for your continued support.
Oh no! I am sorry to hear about your fruit trees. We live next door to an apple orchard, and I see how hard they work to keep them when the weather gets rough. Thanks for the D-hist, as my allergies are crazy this spring! Thanks for the recommendation.
Libbie, so good to hear from you. I love your recent post on the small cottage remodel. You did a fabulous job. Yes, I love D-Hist and hope it works for you! Thanks for weighing in.
Mary
Oh my goodness, the loss of so many fruit trees is distressing. It takes so long to get them established. Hopefully some will survive. And pray for a cooler summer. Have the best week.
Rachel, it is a sad day when we have to take down a tree. It’s hard to believe that only a year ago they produced an abundant crop of fruit. We will plant more in the fall. Yes, we are all praying for a cooler summer.
Mary,
I am so sad about your fruit trees dying or not producing well. It is truly heartbreaking – and more than a bit scary. Wonderful meanderings this week. That child’s antique tea set is to die for. Oh how my grand girl would love that!!!!
A big congrats on your middle child’s masters degree. Mine gets hers at the end of this year. It is quite a feat, and one for which we are both proud and excited.
Michele, congratulations on your daughter’s masters program. Thank you for your well wishes. That antique mini-tea set~what a find and only $40. It’s practically perfect from the 1850s. We hope to plant more fruit trees in the fall or early next year. Hard to believe a year ago, the apricots trees were full of fruit. Sad.
Finn is just the sweetest and yes, he is growing like a weed! I’m so sorry to hear about your fruit trees. That heat really did a number last year. I’m going to try the D-hist Mary. Thank you for the tip. It’s been pretty miserable with all the pollen and my allergies acting up the last few days. I’m looking forward to some relief. Thank you so much for sharing my garden planner my friend. I really appreciate your support. Have a wonderful week ahead.
Hi , Mary speaking of great horned owls we are on our way back from Arizona to Michigan. We stopped in Austin, Texas to see the Lady Bird Gardens and we saw a great horned owl and baby. They were nesting just above the entrance.
So exciting to see them and of course the gardens were lovely.
K.Ziegler
Karen, how amazing to see the owl and baby! Aren’t they huge birds? I’ve never been to the Lady Bird Gardens~they must be gorgeous. Thanks for commenting today~
Mary,
If you could e-mail me your address I would like to send you a gift, a Scor-Pal scoring tablet I created in 2007. It is sold all over the world. On the project listings you will find directions to make all sorts of little boxes and cute packaging ideas for baked goods, from breads to chocolates etc. it is a Cardmaker,s tool but for so much more too.
Diana, how sweet of you! I look forward to receiving your scoring tablet. I cannot wait to get it and see if I can do something creatively. Thank you.
Finn is growing and the child’s tea set is amazing .Great picture of the owl , I hope he brought you some joy to see him.
Sharon, I find myself looking and listening for the owl every time I go outside. I think their hunting grounds cover a large radius so I’m hoping to see more of him. Finn is so adorable and then has rascal moments at the end of the day. He is still all puppy but bigger. Thanks for weighing in!
Mary we had an apple tree die this year as well. It made it though the excessive heat but then died in the frost. That beautirul horned owl is quite majestic!