Saturday Meanderings

It’s hard to believe it’s been two weeks since we chatted about life in general! Last week, I made the trip back to Phoenix and, apparently, thought it would be a good idea to overbook myself with appointments-both personal and business. Add to that a big zoning case that left me completely tuckered out, both mentally and emotionally. (The good news? We won!)

Needless to say, I could not wait to return to the peace and calm of the mountains this past week. What a difference it made in my overall well-being. Sometimes, you just need to slow down, take a deep breath, and let the mountains work their magic. Now I’m happy to be here, ready to meander with you. So grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, and let’s get started!

What Was I Thinking?

Every year, I order fresh tomatoes from a local farm to make tomato sauce for the coming year. My typical order is 80 pounds of Roma tomatoes, and my friend and neighbor, Tevia, and I spend the day processing tomatoes. Having another set of hands, along with plenty of good conversation, makes this rather labor-intensive task fly by.

Well, this year I ordered 100 pounds of tomatoes-and had no Tevia. She was traveling for work, and the tomatoes, sitting in 20-pound cartons stacked on my kitchen floor, were not going to remain fresh for long. So, I did what any reasonable person would do: I tackled the entire project by myself. Oh…My… Goodness.

What an exhausting-and messy-undertaking. What normally takes us a day took me two full days. Since I hot-water-bath all the jars to make them shelf-stable, my kitchen felt like a sweatshop. By the end, I was hot, tired, surrounded by tomato juice, and more than ready to declare this project officially finished. And thank the Lord, it finally was!

The chickens, however, thought this was the best two days ever. They happily feasted on all the tomato tops, and the food mill excrement (there really is no elegant way to describe that!) for two days straight.

The end result? Forty-one pints of homemade tomato sauce. Exhausting? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Ask me next summer! But I know I’ll be very grateful in January-when tomatoes still look like tomatoes but taste like absolutely nothing- to have a jar of sauce made from summer tomatoes.

Titanic Exhibit in Scottsdale

My dear friend Christine and I recently spent an afternoon stepping back in time at the Titanic Exhibit at the Galleria in Scottsdale. If you have an interest in history this is definitely worth seeing.

The 90-minute experience is much more than walking through a traditional exhibit. It is an immersive, interactive journey aboard the RMS Titanic, beginning with a boarding pass identifying you as one of the ship’s actual passengers. As you make your way through the exhibition, you learn about the people who sailed on the Titanic, from wealthy first-class passengers to the hardworking crew and families, traveling in third class. There are re-created rooms and settings, personal stories, photographs, artifacts, and interactive displays that bring the ship and its passengers to life.

One of the things I enjoyed most was that the experience focuses on the people behind the history. You learn where passengers were from, why they were traveling, what their lives were like, and ultimately discover their fate. It makes the story of the Titanic feel surprisingly personal.

The exhibition is beautifully presented and very thoughtfully done. Christine and I both felt that the 90-minute tour was just the right length-long enough to be fascinating without being overwhelming. If you are in Scottsdale, I would definitely recommend putting this on your list. It is a fascinating glimpse into one of the most famous-and tragic-stories in history. For more information, click here.

A Baking and Making Few Weeks

It’s that time of year when so many fruits and vegetables are at their peak, and taking advantage of all that bounty means I seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen! Our dear friends, Nancy and her husband, David, came over for dinner recently. Nancy and I surprised David with his favorite-homemade peach pie. My tasty go-t0 peaches, other than the ones that come from our own tree, are Utah peaches, which are now hitting the market (and are simply delicious!).

Upon returning to the cabin, I discovered that our pear tree is absolutely chock-a-block full of Kieffer pears. I’ve already made two pear-and-caramel pies, which we’ve been sharing with our neighbors.

More Gravenstein apples from our mountain neighbors have also found their way into my kitchen. They emerged as apple crisp that made the whole cabin smell wonderful-and tasted even better.

And then there were the tomatoes. The last of the 100 pounds were transformed into Tomato Bacon Jam, which Scott has enjoyed slathering on his meatloaf sandwiches this week. Who doesn’t love a meatloaf sandwich? I have to admit, that combination is pretty darn good.

As much as I love being in the kitchen, though, I think I may have overdone it just a bit these past two weeks. There’s something to be said for enjoying the fruits of all that labor without having to be the one doing the labor!

Love this Milk Frother

This may sound silly, but don’t you just love it when you find a product that consistently makes you happy? I certainly do-and this little milk frother is one of those things. I am a big fan of fluffy milk, especially in my morning coffee. This 4-in-1 milk frother from Instant Pot gets a lot of use in our home. It not only froths milk, but can choose between hot or cold foam, depending on what you’re making. And here’s another discovery: I use it to whip cream when I only need a few dollops for a dessert. No need to pull out the big mixer!

Unfortunately, during one of my overzealous cleaning attempts, I managed to snap the little whipper-thingy inside. So now I need to order a replacement. Even our cat, Donovan, is a fan. The minute he hears the frother going, he comes running into the kitchen for a little spoonful. Apparently, fluffy milk is not just a human luxury. Everyone needs fluffy milk, don’t you agree?

The Beauty of Fall in the Mountains

One of my favorite things about this time of year in the mountains is the little surprises that seem to appear everywhere. Right now, many of the open meadows are filled with Showy Goldeneye daisies. These tiny, sweet flowers are pretty enough on their own, but look what happens when thousands upon thousands get together!

Vast expanses of brilliant yellow now stretch along the roadsides and across the meadows. It really is quite spectacular.

Our geraniums have also given me a reason to smile. After being nearly destroyed by a violent hailstorm, they have made a remarkable comeback. They are now overflowing with blooms and seem to be loving the cooler fall temperatures. It’s hard to believe they are the same plants that looked so battered just a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately, the hostas and hydrangeas were not nearly as resilient. Their leaves were shredded by the hail, and they never really recovered. I suppose we will have to wait for Spring to see them looking their best again. Nature has a funny way of reminding us that sometimes you simply have to wait for the next season.

Two New Additions to Bella Terra

Scott and I absolutely love our 1910 historic home and property. Caring for an older home and two acres of grounds is certainly a labor of love, and we feel incredibly blessed to be stewards of this unique and special piece of history. Over the years, so many of you have expressed an interest in experiencing Bella Terra beyond what you see here on the blog. We’ve been thinking about how we might open the doors a little wider. So, we are introducing two new ways to share Bella Terra with you!

At the top of our home page-or in the Menu on your mobile device- you’ll notice two new categories: Stay at Bella Terra and Gather at Bella Terra.

Stay at Bella Terra offers the opportunity to spend a little time here at the estate. We have two private accommodations tucked within the grounds: our charming 1940s Guest Cottage and our beautifully renovated Pool House. Whether you’re visiting Phoenix, looking for a quiet getaway, or simply want to experience a little piece of historic Arizona, we’d love to welcome you.

Gather at Bella Tera is for those who would like to bring people together here. We’re exploring opportunities to share portions of our grounds and property for intimate gatherings, small celebrations, workshops, dinners and other special occasions. With our gardens, orchard, expansive lawns, historic barn and beautiful outdoor spaces, there are lots of possibilities-and I’m excited to see what develops.

Bella Terra has been such a meaningful part of our lives for more than two decades. While we certainly aren’t ready to give up our roles as caretakers, we’re enjoying the idea of sharing this very special place with others and creating new memories here.

I hope you’ll take a peek at both new pages and see what you think. Who know? Perhaps I’ll have the pleasure of welcoming you to Bella Terra!

As you are reading this, I am making my way back to Phoenix. It’s that time of year where commitments requiring my presence in the city begin to increase, and we also have some travel to California and Texas coming up.

I have to admit I’m dragging my feet a bit about leaving our mountain getaway. Being here is food for the soul, and I’m not quite ready to trade the cooler temperatures, quiet mornings and peaceful surroundings for city life again. But hopefully, the temperatures in Phoenix will continue to drop and autumn will be firmly on its way there, too. Have a glorious weekend, my friends and I look forward to connecting with you next week.