Saturday Meanderings

It cannot be the last Saturday of June 2025. Really? Where did the month go? It’s hard to believe next week we will be celebrating Independence Day on Friday, July 4th. Remember when you were a kid and the summers felt like they lasted forever?!? I would love to recapture that. Regardless of how time flies, I am happy you are taking a slice out of your life and joining me for Saturday Meanderings. Let’s get started chatting about all good things this week.

Baking at a High Altitude

In my last post, I mentioned baking a cake for the Fantasy Tables dessert auction. I am a complete novice at baking at high elevations as our cabin is at 7500 feet. In the past, the results have been hit or miss. For the dessert auction, I didn’t want to take any chances so I baked 3 cakes in Ph0enix, froze them and transported them to the mountains for frosting and decorating. Of course, I didn’t take any pictures, but here is a photo of the London Fog cake from my favorite cookbook, Layered by Tessa Huff.

This 3 layered chocolate cake is smothered in Earl Grey tea-flecked buttercream and drizzled with salted caramel. Yum. Yum. Prior to purchasing this cookbook, I don’t think I made many cakes from scratch and this recipe is a winner.

Baking sourdough bread at a high altitude is something I know nothing about. But that didn’t deter me from making baguettes this week that came out perfectly. The recipe quantity is for 3 baguettes, but my pan only accommodates 2. After splitting the dough in thirds, I save the last section and use it to make a homemade pizza on the grill.

Since I am far from a pizza-on-the-grill aficionado, having an Emile Henry square pizza stone is a big help. This ceramic stone can withstand temperatures up to 900 degrees (!). We preheat it on the grill (with the lid closed) and then slid the pizza on top. Twelve minutes later the pizza dough is cooked and the top bubbly.

This same pizza stone (preheated to 475 degrees)is placed under my non-stick perforated two-loaf baguette pan, which helps them to poof up.

It’s Been a Foodie Week

One of the true blessings of summer is spending time with our mountain neighbors, Peter and Gloria. I’m continually inspired by their incredible garden, which overflows with abundance despite being nestled on a modest plot of land. From flourishing fruit trees to what seems like hundreds of blackberry bushes and a thriving vegetable garden, it’s a testament to their dedication and love for the land.

Even more impressive, Peter and Gloria—both in their 80s—personally handle all the planting, pruning, and harvesting. Last season alone, Gloria made over 70 jars of homemade jam!

Peter is also an avid fisherman, and this week we were the lucky recipients of two packages of freshly caught lake trout. After Peter expertly cleans and filets the fish, Gloria vacuum-seals them for future meals. What a treat it was to enjoy the delicate, flavorful trout over a crisp, garden-fresh salad for lunch this week.

After all this eating (did I mention I made chocolate chip cookies too?), I must keep active. I am trying to add some walking to increase my cardio and enjoy the wonderful weather we are currently having.

Future DIY Project

The bathroom closest to the kitchen is the one most frequently used at the cabin. I can honestly say I do not like it. When we bought the cabin in 2010, every single wall was painted white. Blah. So I decide to change it up a bit and paint the walls in this small bathroom a dark red. What was I thinking?

I would love to wallpaper it like I did the master water closet, but wallpaper from Spoonflower is over $1000 for this small room (6′ x 4′). Plus, if you recall, when I did wallpaper the water closet with peel and stick paper, it all fell down over the winter. This required me to re-wallpaper and affix it using wallpaper paste.

I feel the room needs to be lightened and am considering a French ticking stripe wallpaper like this. However, I wonder if the stripes will compete with the grooves on the door, the tile lines in the shower, and all the other straight lines in the room? Doesn’t the design need some curves? Another important factor is I don’t want to pay so much for it. Since when did wallpaper become expensive?

If you have any thoughts on what to do with this small bathroom, please share.

Summer Reading

Back in the day, I would put together a summer reading list, however, I’ve been a bit remiss. Are you reading anything fun this summer? I prefer my summer reading to be light and entertaining, possibly with a good crime or mystery twist to it.

In going through my Kindle library, I find 3 books by author, Elizabeth Bard I downloaded in 2017 but never opened. They are delightful stories of a young woman from New York City who finds herself living in France. Ms. Bard’s style includes romance, wonderful food stories and recipes, and a thoughtful perspective on French culture. Naturally I am reading them out of order as I completed Book #2 and am working on Book #1….

Though I haven’t started her 3rd book, Dinner Chez Moi, I am hoping it will inspire me toward new recipes this summer using fresh, local ingredients.

I need some good summer reads so please send your recommendations!

Finn and Donovan at the Cabin

The boys are having a good time here. Finn doesn’t get to wander around on his own as our community requires dogs to be on leashes. However, that doesn’t stop him from climbing each boulder or marking every pine tree in site.

Donovan has additional exploring territory since we have more of an open plan up here vs. Phoenix. Finn, still a bit of a puppy, believes Donovan is another chew toy. After rapid bats to Finn’s nose and a bit of hissing from Donovan, they are slowly learning to respect each other.

From the Internet

With July 4th celebrations starting next Friday, here is some red, white and blue inspiration by The Glam Pad to set the tone.

Are you traveling or staying home to celebrate Independence Day? I am just now getting out all our holiday decorations in preparation for the 4th of July parade which goes right by our cabin. We will host a pre-parade brunch here again this year.

Not only are the photos beautiful in this article, but I love how Sarah Kirk, an American, is raising her four young children in the charmed and idyllic English countryside. Reflecting the increasing trend of young families flocking to small towns and rural areas, Sarah has turned homemaking into an art form. Imagine no television. I would really like that! Really worth the read.

Mary’s Must Haves

If you do not make your own salad dressing, I want to encourage you to do so because it is SO easy. I love this OXO Little Salad Shaker for $11.99.

I use this shaker multiple times a week. It only takes one hand to open and close it. This would also make the perfect gift for your host/hostess if you are bringing the salad to an event. Here is my simple homemade salad dressing:

• 1/3 cup of good quality olive oil (or avocado oil)
• the juice of 1 fresh lemon
• finely chopped shallots (I use 1/2 a shallot)
• 1 tsp. (or more according to your taste) of Grey Poupon
• 1 tsp. (or more or less according to your taste) salt~I use sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

That’s it and this recipe is my hands down favorite.

The hardwood floors inside the front door of our cabin get a lot of traffic-both human and pet. As a result, the floors look dull and scratched. Once a year, I use this wood floor restorer and it’s a game changer. In the past I have used Rejuvenate wood floor products on badly damaged floors and the results are amazing. If your wood floors are looking tired, I encourage you to try this. It instantly restores the luster, seals and protects, and it doesn’t build up like other products. It is not for use on laminate floors.

Currently 15% off on Amazon, a 32 oz. container runs $18.77. You can find it here.

Here’s to the last Saturday Meanderings in June. Make it a spectacular day. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and remember, stay safe out there.