Saturday Meanderings

What a glorious week, weather-wise. I hope those in other areas of the country experiencing extreme weather are safe. It’s the time of year the snowbirds return to their native habitat and the roads are less crowded and easier to navigate. The palo verde trees are blanketing the ground with their fragrant yellow blossoms. Hollyhocks in various colors are showing off their pretty flowers. May is a very pretty month here. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week. So happy you are joining me today!

Goodbye Poppies!

And just like that, the poppy blooms are gone. There is a stark beauty with the remaining seed pods as they are getting ready to self-pollinate. I cut the stem and am filling a bowl with the poppy seeds, knowing that the ones I spill on the ground will just produce more poppies next year.

Look how pretty the dried pods are and I hope to use them in a fall flower arrangement. The yard is full of poppy pods and realistically, I am only cutting and drying a small portion. But I still find the whole process of flower to seed fascinating with the bread seed poppy variety. To read more details about this poppy, click here.

Teacup Bird feeder

Remember my DIY on making teacup bird feeders? Honestly, the birds LOVE these (I made 2) feeders. Finn and I fill them up every third day. I’m guessing my birds enjoy their tea time too. Note: we did use a better epoxy to affix the saucer to the cup as the first glue didn’t hold as well. Great way to use up chipped or mis-matched tea sets.

My Daughter’s Graduation

Last Saturday we attended my oldest daughter’s (middle child) graduation where she received her Master’s degree in Global Security and Intelligence with distinction. What a proud accomplishment for her and we are excited to see where she will take this.

Last Friday, I receive a text from my youngest daughter who states, “Going to prison this morning”. Wait? What? No, good morning, Mom. Just “going to prison this morning”. I don’t know about you but I’ve never been to a prison and neither has she. But with her new job promotion as a medico-legal death investigator, her department was called to pick up the body of a dead murderer, who was incarcerated to a maximum security section of the prison. It’s been an interesting week with one daughter going to prison and the other graduating from college!!

Bottling Limoncello

Finally, I am bottling the Meyer Limoncello that I made a few months ago! I love these bottles and look at the personalized labels my husband found on Amazon. Waiting for another shipment of bottles as we have more limoncello, but it’s nice to finalize this project.

If you would like the Meyer lemon limoncello recipe, just let me know in the comments and I will email it to you.

An Addition to my Gardening Post

I hope you read my Gardening 101 post on Tuesday this week. If not, you can see it here. I failed to also mention my friend, Wendy from WM Design House. Wendy is an excellent gardener and her blog is filled with so many great gardening ideas. She also has the most incredible She Shed. I personally met Wendy last summer and we became fast friends~you will love her. Check her out here and make sure to click on her Gardening tab on her Home page.

From the Internet

If you love looking inside other people’s homes (is that an addiction?), you will love the tour of Boxwood Cottage. Wait until you see how designer, Ashley Hardison (FIG Design), took a 1971 ranch and transformed it from drab to fab. So many good ideas from the window seats in the family room to the garage conversion into the living room. So gorgeous and I pinned every picture. See it here.

Since I truly try to keep off my computer and phone (or anything with a screen) as much as possible, I appreciate it when I find a blog that is packed with information in one post. I try to accomplish that with Saturday Meanderings. Elizabeth from Pinecones and Acorns writes Friday Favorites and each week I find many things I like in it. Her photos are gorgeous and it’s chock-a-block filled with everything from recipes, good books and a cute outfit. Please check her out!

Snacks on the Airplane

I read an article this week about taking snacks on an airplane and not sure why this is ruminating in my head, but do you take snacks when you travel? I have a few flights coming up and am pondering if I should take something special? Depending on the length of the flight (Phoenix to Connecticut in June), we all know that airline food (if there even is any) is not the best option.

This is one answer to the question in the article (Food 52/Amanda Hesser), and quite frankly, the small packet of pistachios I take when I travel feels lame compared to this:

My favorite is making a big grain salad (farro, couscous, quinoa, lentil, whatever I have) with lots of dill, chickpeas, parsley, good olive oil, lemon zest, mushrooms, and almonds. Everything tastes delicious when thrown into that—sometimes I leave it as is and sometimes I throw leftover chicken or steak on top. Also, I am a huge dork and invested in buying the adorable tiny travel tins of Maldon sea salt, which makes everything more delicious.

Let me know if you take snacks and please describe what kind?

Mary’s Must Haves

These t-shirts, oh my! I love them so much I ordered 2 more in light gray and a white with a navy stripe. I paid slightly more than the first 6 I ordered at $12.00 each, which is still such a bargain. Super soft, washes well and fits great around the shoulders and neck. My search for the perfect t-shirt is finally over and I am thrilled to find these at such a low cost. See it here.

Happy Weekend!

That’s a wrap for this week. Today I will be giving a bread making class to my youngest daughter and her roommates. We will be making Honey Lavender bread both with sourdough starter and commercial yeast. It will be interesting to see what loaf turns out best.

Mother’s Day is Sunday. It is a time to celebrate nurturing hearts, the unwavering strength, and the boundless love that define motherhood in its many forms. Whether you’re a biological mother, an adoptive mother, a stepmother, a guardian, or a grandmother; whether you’ve lost a child, are struggling with fertility, or have chosen a different path—your presence in this world is cherished and your impact immeasurable.

On this Mother’s Day, we honor not just the joyous moments, but also the profound challenges and the silent sorrows that shape the journey of motherhood. We recognize the sacrifices made, the tears shed, and the resilience displayed in every hug, every smile, and every whispered ‘I love you.’

May today be a reminder of your incredible worth, your boundless capacity to love, and the beauty of your nurturing spirit. You are seen, you are appreciated, and you are loved—today and always.