Saturday Meanderings

Well, it’s officially summer and we are so grateful to be up in the Arizona mountains and out of the 100+ degree heat. This is the first weekend since May that I do not have something (event, travel) scheduled and I hope to relax and do lots of reading, naps and baking. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? Welcome to Saturday Meanderings and it’s a wonderful way to catch up on all the good things this week.

My 50th High School Reunion

Last weekend, I was in Connecticut to attend 3 days of high school reunion events. Quite honestly, where did 50 years go? My high school experience is rich with memories and connecting again with those I hadn’t seen in years filled my soul. In addition, many of my classmates were in school with me since kindergarten and we freely exchanged stories and laughter from those many years ago.

My high school, Norwich Free Academy (NFA) is 170 years old and steeped in tradition. Our class (of 1974) attended the 166th commencement exercises for the Class of 2024.

Incorporated 1854, NFA is the only remaining privately governed, independently endowed academy in the state of Connecticut. Blending the very best of private and public education, NFA offered me a truly unparalleled four year student experience.

What I love about this school, is that it is open to all residents. There is no tuition and the education is top notch. The campus is stunning and reminiscent of a New England college campus.

It’s funny how you revert back to your high school self and even my dear friend, Ted, a well-respected attorney, playfully photo bombs our picture.

Reconnecting, laughing, digging deep and sparking old memories~what a fun few days. The icing on the cake was driving through my old neighborhood, visiting my parents at the cemetery and spending time with my siblings. Connecticut, this time of year, is beautiful and being on the ocean is so relaxing.

Finn Update

I truly miss Finn when I travel and he is growing like a weed. Hard to believe he is only 5 months old. Here are some recent photos.

You can see how much he has grown. Here he is in the car as I am driving up to Pinetop. He is very long legged and tall. This time he gets a bit car sick so that wasn’t pretty, but hoping it was a one off.

Finn loves being at the cabin, however, he needs to be on a leash at all times outside, unlike our property in Phoenix where he can roam freely. We hope to do more leash training with him, as we want total recall and control with such a large dog.

Landscaping Around the Deck at the Cabin

Finally, after several years, we are planting around the new front deck at the cabin. If you recall, this is the most expensive deck project ever due to an initial bad build by a licensed contractor. After it was structurally botched, it had to be torn off and completely rebuilt by someone who actually knows what they are doing.

Now we are planting around it with all those things I cannot grow in Phoenix~hydrangeas, hostas, lilacs, and peonies. Last year we planted a Montmorency and a Bing cherry tree and a Fuji apple. We currently have an existing pear and apple tree here. It may take a few years to get good production, but I am so excited to take advantage of this planting zone.

Fantasy Table Event

I hope you enjoyed my post this week on the Fantasy Table invitation we sent to our guests. If not, you can see it here. On Thursday night, 190 people attend this charitable event and the table decorations just keep getting better every year. Next week I will share our Out of Africa 1920’s theme table, but here’s a glimpse of some of the other creative displays.

~White Mountain Wizards

A Harry Potter table is cleverly staged with wands, glasses, pages from the book, striped scarves, a sorting hat and potions.

~It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere

Tropical colors, Hawaiian leis and enticing beverages make this table fun and festive.

~Par-Tee

With a golfing theme, the centerpiece is on a strip of turf with golf clubs, 19th hole flag and golf balls. The participants all wore vintage golfing clothes including argyle socks and sweaters and vintage caps.

~Breakfast at Tiffany’s

With glitz and glamour, the Tiffany blue table is a show stopper with the tall centerpiece. Next to this table is a disco one, hence the lights on the ceiling.

~Luna New Year

The rich tones on this table, deep red roses and fan napkins ring in the Luna New Year.

There are many tables both inside the club house and outside on the deck. Other tables themes are: books/reading, western, Thai, coffee, pink flamingo, mahjong, Willy Wonka and the Witches of White Mountain.

Such a fun and worthwhile event. I look forward to sharing out table with you next week.

A Fun Calligraphy Project

My husband cut these oval pieces of alligator juniper and I did not want them to go to waste. I am using them to name the bedrooms at the cabin. After painting the bare wood with Mod-Podge to prevent marker bleeds, I do simple calligraphy lettering. Each child picked the name of their room (Aspen, Willow and Juniper). So far, I like how they are turning out.

Mary’s Must Haves

Recently I tweaked my shoulder and it bothers me from time to time. It is a possible rotator cuff tear and will be seeing a doctor in July. In the meantime, I am faithfully using Arnicare Gel and it definitely helps reduce the discomfort. It is currently 18%o off on Amazon here.

Typically, I do not wear a lot of fragrance. However, for a special occasion I really like Jo Malone’s Wood Sage and Sea Salt. As described on the Jo Malone website, escape in the freshness of the windswept shore with this earthy and mineral fragrance.

Since Amazon sells this unboxed, I would probably buy it from Sephora or a larger retailer. The one on Amazon has a white cap and mine is silver. Makes you wonder if it’s a knock off?

In the last month I have been on plane and trains, around hundreds of people, in different times zones and climates, exchanged many hugs and haven’t gotten sick (knock on wood). When our schedules change, it makes us more vulnerable to catching something.

While traveling I try and take my vitamins and probiotics daily to keep my immune system strong. During the last month, I am faithful in taking olive leaf extract (they also make it in capsules) at least once a day in a full glass of water. According to WebMD, olive leaf extract helps build the immune system (and many other things).

Not sure if I can pinpoint to one specific thing, but the olive leaf extract sure works for me. Do you take extra health measures when you travel?

Have a wonderful weekend! We will continue to enjoy the cooler mountains of Arizona and hope those in Phoenix will get some heat relief soon.