Saturday Meanderings

We are nearly finished with our first week in December! Time sure flies when the holidays are approaching. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week. This may be a short one as I am traveling with a friend in California. With hopes of staring at the ocean for a few days, we are faced with coastal fog. Seriously, who stole the ocean? You cannot see more than a few yards. But the air is tinged with a maritime scent and the best therapy is a change of scenery…even though we can’t see much. Ha!

Goodbye Pumpkins!

It’s always a bit sad to remove the autumn decorations for the winter/holiday ones. There is something about those fall colors that really compliment our home. But, like most things in life, time and seasons move on. With so many pumpkins, I cringe to just toss them.

The stems are removed and dried for future projects. Occasionally, I will save and roast the seeds for consumption. Every year the seeds are saved for future planting, but sometimes it’s hit or miss whether the plants will make it over the summer. However, it is a wonderful time for our chickens because they get to munch on broken pumpkin pieces!

These are the best way I know how to extend the use and life of these pumpkins.

Cleaning out the Fridge week!

With holiday leftovers and produce getting past its prime, it is a week of cooking and baking. The turkey is cleaned, separating bones and carcass from the meat and a big pot of stock and soup is made. Do you make soup from leftover bones? It is so easy and delicious.

Harry & David’s Comice pears are getting ripe and with a leftover sheet of puff pastry it is easy to use both for a delicious dessert. Using a bit of cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon, I toss the thinly sliced pears to coat and then and line them up on the puff pastry.

A brief 20 minutes in the oven at 400 degrees and voila!

Do You Send Christmas cards?

Every year I debate whether I want to continue to send Christmas cards. However, I so love getting cards and updates from our friends and family, and I’m hoping they love getting a card from us. We do write a letter reflecting on the year, so it feels like an annual diary of sorts. The goal each year is to get all of them mailed by December 15th. Still waiting for them to arrive as I use Minted.com to design and print them.

Generally, after the holidays, I take all the cards we receive and update any new information, i.e. change of address, addition of family members on my digital address file. I miss the old Rolodex system but trying to change with the times.

Theme of Simplicity

After such a hectic year, I have a desire to do simple and elegant for holiday decorating. I hope to show you more next week, as I chip away at it. Just ordered more burgundy velvet ribbon (1.5″), however the 2″ thick one is out of stock. Bummer. Picture burgundy velvet ribbon, greens, and lots of candles~that’s what I’m aiming for.

Since I don’t seem to have an abundance of candlesticks, I just ordered these and hoping they are not flimsy. Arrival is scheduled for Monday, so I will let you know the quality. I like the variety of heights and they will be buried in fresh and artificial greens, so hopefully they will do the trick.

Have you ever Washed Cashmere?

When we visited Mongolia back in 2023, it was exciting to see so many affordable cashmere products. I love the sweaters I purchased, however, it is now time to launder them. I’m not a fan of dry cleaning with chemicals. In researching the care and keeping of Mongolian cashmere items, it suggests hand washing. Also, pilling is another typical result from wearing cashmere.

I did purchase a Fabric Shaver and Lint Remover (haven’t used it yet) to get off the pills and fluffs. Also, the cashmere laundry detergent soap is fine is scentless and made in the USA.

I don’t know why I’m being such a scaredy-cat about this, but I’m afraid if I ruin the sweater, I am not returning to Mongolia any time soon to replace it. If you have laundered cashmere before, please share your experience.

F.Q. Story Tour

If you live in Phoenix, today is the F. Q. Story Home Tour. The annual F.Q. Story Home Tour and Holiday Street Marketplace has been a tradition in Phoenix for 38 years, providing an opportunity to see unique historic homes and bringing attention to the importance of historic preservation.

Unfortunately I will be out of town and cannot attend, but one of the homes on the tour is a previous restoration project I completed in 2017. To see a blog post about this 1922 Jeffersonian home, click here.

The F.Q. Story Home Tour in Phoenix presents 11 homes and six gardens to stroll through on Lynwood and Willetta Streets between Seventh and 16th avenues. It takes place 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.

Those wanting to tour the homes and gardens will need a ticket. You can purchase tickets in advance for $20 through Dec. 2. After that, the price will be $25. Tickets can be purchased at fqstoryhometour.org or in person at the ticket booth at Ninth Avenue and Willetta Street. This is such a sweet neighborhood and I am sure you will enjoy this tour.

Mary’s Must Haves

Every time I use this, I think about sharing it with you…and then don’t. Given it is the time of year using lots of batteries, it is top of mind with me. I bought this organizer years ago and still use and love it. This device holds all the different batteries from AAA to D and 9 volt.

Wall mounted, it hangs in our utility closet in the mudroom. It is the first place I go for any size battery and I love that I can test the battery strength right then and there.

In searching the internet for the specific one I have, apparently it is no longer available. The closest one to it is this one, which can be put in a drawer or mounted on a wall. It has a 4.5 rating with over 2,300 reviews and costs $19.99.

Will be traveling back to Phoenix today, renewed and refreshed from a few days away. Looking forward to getting back to a week of finalizing holiday decorating, Christmas shopping and making time to truly enjoy the holiday. Wishing you a week of love, laughter and rest. Stay safe out there.