Saturday Meanderings
What a week! Our weather is all over the place and I cannot tell you how happy I am that it is the weekend. Thank you so much for joining me today for Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all good things this week. Grab a favorite beverage and let’s get started!
The Desert Smells Like Rain
As I write this, it is finally raining in Phoenix. We haven’t seen any precipitation in months and it is a beautiful thing. There is a distinct, pleasant smell when it rains here in Phoenix. This is called “petrichor”, and is primarily due to the release of oils from plants, particularly the creosote bush, when it rains.
When our son first moved to the Washington, D.C., he called and said, “Mom! It’s raining here and it smells like garbage!” He definitely missed the intoxicating petrichor smells from home. If you haven’t experienced petrichor, it’s a wonderful sensory experience.
Western Spirit Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
Friends of ours invited us to attend an event at the Western Spirit Museum for a fundraiser and award ceremony featuring Kevin Costner. I really didn’t know much about Kevin Costner, but have enjoyed his movies and television series over the years. He spent an hour in a Q & A and it felt like I was chatting with him at the kitchen table. Such a personal encounter and how refreshing to hear his passion for storytelling. He looks great at age 70 and gave a behind the scenes view into how and why he directed, acted and loved the movies he has made, from Field of Dreams to Dances with Wolves, the Bodyguard with Whitney Houston and of course, Yellowstone. An evening to remember!
Riding in a Waymo
What is a Waymo? It is a self-driving (no human driver) car and the only markets they are available to date are San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and recently, Austin, Texas. Here is what they look like:
The Waymo Driver is an autonomous driving technology that never gets drunk, tired, or distracted. Known as the safest driver, the data to date indicates that the Waymo Driver is reducing traffic injuries and fatalities in the places where they operate.
We take our first Waymo drive to the event in Scottsdale, and it is truly a unique experience! The all-electric Jaguar I-PACE is clean, roomy and let’s you select the type of music you want to hear. No need to make conversation with the driver. We will definitely use this again instead of Lyft or Uber. Prices are reasonable and I did feel very safe with the steady driving of no one…?!
A Fun 5K this week!
After slowly healing from a hamstring injury, I finally take the leap and participate in a 5K last Saturday. Hosted by our local high school, my sweet friend Tevia and I get on our walking shoes on a beautiful sunny morning. I came in second in my age group! The hamstring held up but it did require a bit of icing after! A perfect way to start a day.
Interview on KJZZ
This week I am privileged to do an interview with Mark Brodie from KJZZ regarding some of the proposed housing bills from our state legislature. If you have an interest in listening to the segment, you can see it here.
Lots of Planting this Week
We are definitely past the frost date here in Phoenix, so time to plant! A quick trip to my favorite nursery, Whitfill on Glendale, fills up the car with a variety of plants. Finn is a very helpful assistant and loves to dig up everything I have already planted! I am also excited about our orchard addition of two new apricots trees.
What’s your favorite area in your home?
and why?
Please take the time to comment. From those who have shared their thoughts, I will randomly select on name and be giving away a copy of Home a Celebration, edited by Charlotte Moss. This collection from noteworthy artists, designers, photographers, writers, and actors offer personal reflections on the essence of home.
A random drawing will take place next week! Let’s hear about your favorite part of your home!
Project Updates
This week we finalize the assembly of the new bed in Benjamin’s room. New mattress arrives; new linens washed. Slowly I am sorting through childhood books, trinkets, hanging art and want/need this room finished by next Saturday. So here’s a peek at the new bed:
Last week I shared the plumbing problem in Elisabeth’s bathroom. The hole in the adjacent bedroom wall is back in tact, but needs painting. A thorough clean out of her closet and drawers yields 4 huge bags for donation. Her room is still in disarray and another hopeful goal to complete this week.
Loving Salmon Lately
As we continue our commitment to eating healthy (well, most of the time), I am loving the way my husband makes salmon in the air fryer. First of all, get a good quality piece of salmon. We order our restaurant-grade Norwegian boneless salmon from Personal Gourmet. The 7-8 oz filets come frozen, individually packaged in a box of 10.
From Scott: Make sure you dry pat your salmon. Season generously with Old Bay on both sides. Preheat your air fryer (ours has a “fish” setting) and it cooks in approximately 2o minutes. The crispy edges are the best. We layer ours over a fresh salad topped with lemon vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes and dill from the garden. Yum. Yum.
From the Internet
Every year I dream about creating a cut flower garden. The area I have set aside for this has been lacking my attention. With our unique growing season (too hot summers), I need to just buckle down and learn more about this. My friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells posts gardening tips every Tuesday. If you are interested in starting a garden or improving your skills, check out her recent post on Cut Flower Gardens Do’s and Don’ts for Beginners.
Since I am debating whether to get better bedside table lamps for my son’s bedroom, Andrea from Design Morsels has a helpful guide on The Best Bedside Lamps: Size Guide. Since I will not have matching nightstands, I need the lamps to be the same for symmetry. There needs to be good light for reading too. Ah, decisions, decisions.
Today is a bright and sunny day and the earth is rather soggy after the good soaking we had on Friday. I am looking forward to some rest and relaxation after this busy week. Do you have any fun weekend plans? Wishing you the best and stay safe out there.
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Living near San Francisco we have taken Waymo several times and LOVE IT! We are constantly amazed at how well it handles all kinds of traffic and pedestrian obstacles that it is presented with on the busy streets of San Francisco. We are hoping it will be successful and will become a safe way for us to travel as we age and loose the ability to drive safely.
Corinne, I used to live in the Bay Area and I know how treacherous driving can be through the City. I am definitely a Waymo fan! And I agree, it is a wonderful way to travel for those who cannot drive anymore.
My favorite room in my house is my breakfast room. It has three large, floor to ceiling windows overlooking our back yard which has a small grassy area with a log fence in the back and lots of varying kinds of trees lining the other side of the fence. I can sit at the breakfast table sipping my hot tea each morning watching all the birds and meditating on the beauty of God’s creation!
Beverly, what a beautiful response. I can picture myself being there having a cup of tea with you! Thank you for sharing and giving me a mini-vacation!
I love the bedding you chose for the bedroom redo.
I am lucky enough to live in a 100 year old Tudor Revival, and every room has warmth and charm. I think my favorite might be my dining room, even though I usually only walk through it. It has a wall of leaded glass windows and french doors to my small garden.
Joan, your dining room sounds glorious. I love the leaded glass windows and the Tudor Revival style. I would imagine wonderful dinner parties in that space..Thank you so much for sharing a part of your home.
Hands down, my favorite room is the kitchen. It has been since my first intimidating kitchen experience as a new bride, 58 years ago. Kitchens come and gowith several moves, as well as remodeling updates. I have loved them all because of the ability to draw family and friends to the heart of the home. Wonderful aromas circulate from room to room, and soon it’s a party in the kitchen.
Whether we’re cooking on a camp stove in the woods or preparing a loving holiday dinner, we welcome everyone to our warn and cozy kitchen.
Pat, you are right! The kitchen is the heart of the home and yours sounds truly wonderful. All the happy memories of family and friends gathering and of course, nothing beats the smells of great cooking and food preparation. I want to visit! Thank you so much for sharing a part of your home with us.
Hands down, my favorite room is the kitchen. It has been since my first intimidating kitchen experience as a new bride, 58 years ago. Kitchens come and go with with with several moves, as well as remodeling updates. I have loved them all because of the ability to draw family and friends to the heart of the home. Wonder aromas circulate ftom room to room, soon it’s a party in the kitchen.
Whether we’re cooking on a camp stove in the woods or preparing a loving holiday dinner, we welcome everyone to our kitchen.
Hi Mary,
Wow, what a beautiful pic of the sunset.
We finally got rain, a real celebration. I relate to your daughter’s happiness.
How special you got to meet Kevin Costner. What a special evening getting to listen to him for an hour. I’m not familiar with the Western Spirit Museum. You looked pretty. What an experience driving in the Waymo, glad it was good.
Congratulations on coming in second in your age group. The metals mean so much. A great sense of accomplishment.
Excellent interview on the housing bill with KJZZ. Heading up HOA is a big responsibility, lots of work.
When we are in Glendale my hubs goes to Whitfill nursery in Glendale too.
My favorite room is our great room, it has lots of light, our rose garden is right there and the sofa is comfortable. My close runner up is our formal room where our Baldwin baby grand piano is. My husband has been playing his entire life just about. He plays by ear and I’m the lucky recipient of his amazing talent.
Tomorrow we have been invited to hear our piano tuner play for two hours in a home for two hours. He is a concert pianist, plays by ear and born with perfect pitch. He takes my breath away. He is brilliant.
Katherine, Thank you for all your sweet comments on my busy week. How nice to have your great room bathed in beautiful, warming light, overlooking your rose garden. Sounds are so important to a home and how lucky to have such a talented husband. When my daughter is home, she plays the piano (I do not) and it really fills my heart and soul. Enjoy the concert by your piano tuner. He sounds incredibly talented. So appreciate you taking time to share your life and your home.
Mary, enjoyed your newsy Saturday Meanderings this weekend. You were a busy lady this week! A woman after my own heart.
My favorite room in my house is our library. The walls are lined in oak bookcases that are filled with books, family pictures and assorted treasures. But it’s the color in that room that makes my heart sing: orange and blue. An unlikely combination but a standout on my vintage chinoiserie furniture. An old Ethan Allen bamboo style desk completes the room . Many books are read, friends visited with and letters written from this graceful room.
Shaun, I want a picture of your library. I love the color combination of blue and orange (opposite on the color wheel) and I can only imagine how stunning it is against the bookcases filled with treasures. A designer once told me that every room should have one bamboo piece (I have none) and your writing desk is the icing on the cake. Thank you so much for sharing a beautiful piece of your home with us.
As always, I do enjoy your meanderings. Oh I love Keven Costner. What a neat thing to have met him in person. Also super awesome about your radio experience. Oh my niece lives in Scottsdale and would’ve loved it raining in your area. But she’s visiting friends in Florida right now. Oh goodness. And that’s a new one for this Ohio lady – your smell after a rain. I love the pic of your youngest enjoying the rare rain in the desert. Her look of joy is precious. Good pic, Mom.
Well done on your 5K. Esp after a hamstring injury. That is a biggie to overcome. Ouch.
Thank you for the opportunity for the book give-away. My very favorite room is my music room with my 7 foot vintage Baldwin grand. But a very close contender is now my den we redid – love my fabulous new West Elm Harmony sofa. It made the space. Right now I am working on a landscape painting for that room. Hope it turns out. I am a self taught novice at best.
Thanks for the great post, Mary. Have a great remainder of weekend.
Michele, your music room sounds amazing. A 7′ vintage Baldwin? Fabulous! Are you the musician? I have a question about your West Elm sofa. Is it comfortable? I’m having a small back issue and I am linking it to my sofa, which I think may be too soft (down wrapped cushions). I will check the Harmony sofa out to see if it’s something I should purchase. Would love to see your landscape painting! I need to paint more and hoping after all my chores, I will have time to do so. Thank you so much for sharing your home!
Mary,
Everyday I enjoy my morning coffee in the living room reclining on my Victorian sofa watching all the birds & squirrels with the mountains in the backgrounds. Reading or even when I feel a little down my living room is my heart of the house.
Sharon, you are the lucky winner of the Home A Celebration book. Will be getting it out to you this week. Thank you so much for commenting and sharing where you have your morning coffee…sounds divine.
Those “Spring Showers” certainly give hope that flowers aren’t far off!!
Eeekkk… ❤️ Kevin Costner…nice arm candy!!
We have “MOTOWN” at the “Arts Center” tonite…I’m wearing my new “flairs!” Nice chatting…franki
Franki, how fun to go to MOTOWN! We had such good music back then!!! Enjoy and I’m sure you are very stylish in your “flairs”. Thank you so much for sharing.
Mary,
When we moved here from the Midwest 15 years ago, I was really at a loss in knowing what kind of flowers and shrubs to plant in this desert climate. After several false starts, I finally had good luck with advice from Noelle Johnson, the AZ Plant Lady. She does personal consultations, conducts several classes around the Valley in various locations, and writes the gardening column in Phoenix Home and Garden Magazine. She also has published a couple of books on desert gardening and has an online group open to membership. You may find her helpful with your cutting garden.
I so enjoy your columns, but particularly your Saturday Meanderings. Thank you for the time and effort you put forth in enlightening us on all sorts of things, and being such a positive voice in our lives!
Nancy, thank you so much for the Noelle Johnson resource. I believe I may follow her on Instagram. Scott and I are really focused on getting the property up to snuff with replanting, fertilizing, and pulling out all the dead stuff from the last 2 hot summers. For me, I just need to stop, focus, and have a plan instead of always running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Hopefully at the end of this tunnel, I will finally allow space to plan a real cutting garden. Will check out Noelle…Always appreciate your comments and advice.
You lucky, girl! I have loved Kevin Costner since Silverado and No Way Out. Love his documentaries, too. We make salmon at least once a week, but I pan-roast or bake it. Super easy and delicious.
Carol, so good to hear from you. I’ve been loving the salmon and since there are only two of us, the air fryer seems to do the trick. I love baking it too, and have not pan roasted it, but I imagine that would be delicious with lots of veggies. Thank you for sharing your cooking expertise!