Saturday Meanderings

Happy Saturday! I’m writing this from our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., where it’s a beautiful, crisp, and windy fall day. I just got back from a lovely three-mile walk, and I’d almost forgotten how gorgeous this city is—especially with the leaves starting to turn. It’s been a few years since I was last here, and it feels good to be back. Welcome to Saturday Meanderings, where we chat about all the good things this week.

Why Am I in D.C.?

Well, I am the plus one tagging along with my husband as he attends the board meeting for The Peregrine Fund. This 50-year old foundation works tirelessly to conserve birds of prey worldwide. Sounds simple but it’s critical to the health of our planet to protect birds of prey to maintain balance within the ecosystem.

Not only does The Peregrine Fund do remarkable work internationally, but their board meetings are always both educational and held in beautiful locations. Last night, the Earth Conservation Corps joined us and brought several of their educational birds to share. This inspiring organization engages D.C. youth in community service, helping them build life skills while gaining hands-on experience in raptor conservation.

The young men who presented not only shared their knowledge of the birds but also spoke about how working with them has transformed their lives. What was once a path filled with challenges has become one of purpose and possibility. It was deeply moving to witness their enthusiasm, confidence, and pride. These young men are not only thriving—they’re emerging as true role models within their communities.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As my friend, Coco from The Crowned Goat reminds me, October, in addition to all the Fall goodness is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It has encouraged millions to take action, resulting in increased early detection and advancements in treatment that have saved more than half a million lives. This is an important reminder to get your mammogram and check-up if necessary.

Fall Decorating-Slow and Steady

Seriously, I think it’s still August. Not sure what happened to September, but here it is almost mid-October and I am on turtle time with decorating this fall.

Remember the old print I bought last year at a thrift store and added paint strokes to improve the quality? Well, I hung it up in the breakfast room again and still love it. Here is that post if you missed it.

I also add the yarn pumpkins to the breakfast room mantel under this painting and near the pom pom bouquet. These remind me of my sweet friend, Chloe (Celebrate and Decorate) who showed me this DIY. These are very therapeutic to make. You can see it here.

New Front Door Mat

A few months ago, I bought a new front door mat. The day I placed it on our front porch, Finn thought it was his new chew toy. For months, I’ve been putting the little chew parts of the rug back on and just had enough. Time to order a new mat.

This one, from Wayfair, is bigger and has a more simple design. I actually like the bigger size as it is identical to our door width of 4 feet (x 28 inches). With tax, the cost is $80.73. What do you think?

Bourbon Apple Cake

In another attempt to use up the Gala apples we have, my son, Benjamin shares this Boozy Apple Crunch Cake recipe from The NY Times. I love a apple-dense cake and this one is moist and doesn’t disappoint. Warm out of the oven with a dollop of vanilla ice cream is nirvana. Since I failed to take any pictures, I am using Benjamin’s photo (check out more of his culinary adventures on Instagram @crozier_cooks ).

I still have some of those delicious peaches left. Wondering how this would be using peaches instead? May be another recipe I make when I get home.

Lots of Yard Work

We continue our mission to get ahead of the yard work. Lesson learned: Do NOT Fertilize before you leave for the summer. For some reason I thought our plants did not grow as much during the hot summer months, but I was so wrong. We are trimming, pulling, weeding, mowing, removing the dead ones and hopefully, will start re-planting the garden and the flower beds soon.

If nothing else, we are getting our exercise and going through lots of pain-relieving muscle creams!

From the Internet

Wendy, from WM Design House has an incredible she shed. Do you have one? I certainly do not but I always envy Wendy’s delightful shed space. If you are looking for some fall inspiration, check out Wendy’s post here.

Charming Pet Spaces

I have always longed for a beautifully appointed pet space. Unfortunately, Finn is the size of a small horse so it’s hard to make a cute abode under the staircase, without removing a few walls. But check out this adorable design from interior designer Bria Hammer’s portfolio at the SD Lake House.

I need to do some research and write a blog post on sweet pet places. Does your pet have it’s own space? If so, please share.

Art Makes the Difference

I love looking at different styles of interior design. But, for me, it’s the unique touches that make the space feel layered and personal. Often, it is art that makes the difference.

In this photo, the painting to the right of the cabinet elevates this space. Without it, the room is still beautiful but the painting pushes it over the top.

Same in this photo. I love the simplicity of this painting, without a frame, yet it creates a feel of perfection.

Finding unusual areas for a piece of art can enhance a furniture grouping. This sweet baby chicken painting by my friend and artist, Jane Horn, tucks into a wall space in our front entry under the staircase.

One of my paintings is placed on a tile shelf over the kitchen stove.

A few times I year, I like to change up the art around our house and find new places to put them. Do you move your art around? Or change it out seasonally?

Cute Sweaters at Target

The two cute sweaters I purchased at Target in Ohio in September are unfortunately up at our cabin. With our pending trip to Washington, DC I realize I don’t have any sweaters for moderate fall weather. I run to Target in Phoenix hoping to buy the same mock turtleneck ones I shared with you last month, but to no avail. I guess each Target has different inventory.

However, I did find these Wild Fable Cotton Crewneck Cable Cardigans ($30) in both an olive green and off-white. They are not bulky so pack well in my carry-on. Perfect for cooler mornings and evenings and go with just about everything. Layering it over a t-shirt for daytime exploring is perfect at our nation’s capitol.

I took me forever to find the link on the Target website, but here it is. They do come in four colors~black, green, off-white and red. I bought a size S and it’s roomy and boxy on me.

Finn has been a little challenging lately, especially with my husband. Here he is trying to make up for his bad behavior. Hard to keep mad at the rascal for very long.

Enjoy the holiday weekend! I am hoping we do not have too many delays with the pending TSA workforce issue. As much as I love to travel, I also love getting back home. Stay safe out there and we’ll catch up again next week.