Saturday Meanderings

Happy Saturday, friends and it’s time for another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things. My extensive traveling is nearing an end, however, as you read this we are on our way to California for a family funeral.

Super Cute Pants

Finding comfortable, well-fitting pants is a bit of a challenge for me. However, with the newer stretchy fabrics and fun fall colors, there are lots of choices. The So Slimming embroidered girlfriend ankle jeans from Chico’s are what I am wearing on the airplane and have gotten so many compliments. Paired with a cream sweater or navy t-shirt, this is a comfy and stylish outfit.

Being on the short side, I prefer pants that are ankle length and found these cute olive ones with a decorative edge. Just yesterday, Chico’s did launch their holiday decorative pants and there are even more options to choose. See Chico’s here.

Herbal Coffee

I love a cup of coffee (latte) in the morning, especially when it is from my Nespresso machine. With steamed, foaming oat milk there is just something comfy about the smell and taste first thing in the morning. However, in an attempt to cut down my afternoon coffee intake, I am trying this herbal coffee substitute from Wooden Spoon Herbs.

Though it isn’t my Nespresso coffee, I am enjoying it just the same. In addition to the herbal coffee, I am also trying two tinctures, Immunity Now and Digestive Bitters. It’s too early to share my experience yet but I will let you know if I have a positive experience.

To learn more about Wooden Spoon Herbs, click here.

Halloween

Even though Halloween is in the rear view mirror, I am still dismantling all the decorations on the back porch. We did have a small dinner party and at the last minute, we costumed up. With comfortable jammy pants, a t-shirt, a Bellevue Hospital hospital robe and an old doll, I fell easily into the role as a crazy person. My husband had fun with the cape I made for him 25 years ago as Count Dracula.

Mother/Daughter Trip

When plans to go to Disneyland with her boyfriend fell apart, my daughter’s disappointment was notable. So we turned it into a mother/daughter trip and spent 4 days at Disneyland during Halloween week. I had no idea that “the happiest place on Earth” would be so much fun at this time of year.

All of the Disney properties-California Adventures and Downtown Disney are decked out in autumn colors and decorations. The Haunted Mansion is completely different with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme. And the best part for me was spending quality time with my second born child.

So much has changed since we were there in 2017. If you haven’t been recently, I highly recommend making the new Star Wars area a priority. Quite impressive!

Alice’s Table

What is Alice’s Table? Taken from their website, “Alice’s table is a new generation of entertainment, offering premium live streaming events with a tangible flair. Our curated workshops mix and stir top talent with crave-worthy kits to bring you an experience to remember”. Intrigued, I recently purchased an Autumn Boxwood Wreath making session.

A few days before the scheduled live Zoom event, a box of fresh boxwood greens, a wreath frame, ribbon and faux pumpkins arrived at my home. Instructions on how to store the greens are included. Email reminders for the live event and connection directions are easy to understand.

The live event didn’t take longer than 45 minutes and during the instructional stage, you can ask questions via the chat function. Many of the participants on the live video received this tutorial as a gift from a friend. The cost for this Autumn Wreath making session (with all the materials) is $80.00.

My opinion is that I enjoyed this format. Getting all the supplies ahead of time is very convenient. The instructor was upbeat, interactive and engaging. And overall, the wreath looks good. Unfortunately I haven’t been spritzing it with water everyday so it’s getting a bit tired, but I think it will dry well.

Garden Update

One of the downsides to traveling so much is missing time in my garden. It’s my happy place and lowers my stress. There are still some things to plant, but the winter greens-arugula, Swiss chard, lettuces~ are abundant enough to harvest. I’m not sure there is anything better than a salad made with fresh lettuce!

Shishito peppers are a favorite in our family. Simply blister in hot olive oil, squeeze fresh lemon juice and salt. These plants survive our hot summers and it seems to be always be producing.

It is fig season! This spring I really gave the tree a haircut so I didn’t need a ladder to pick the fruit. However, the tree seems taller than ever. And the figs are ripening one at a time, so I end up consuming them before I can use them in a recipe. Wondering if the tree trimming is affecting the fruit ripening at different times?

Trying to get back to normal

With so much traveling, it is taking some time to plow through all the responsibilities that have piled up in my absence. I hope to start thinking about Thanksgiving next week; as well as getting ready for houseguests. After a hot and long summer, the yard needs some sprucing up but, thanks to my husband, our winter lawn is in. The newly growing grass is a brilliant spring green and a reminder of our beautiful fall weather. Sometimes it all feels a bit overwhelming, but I am reminding myself that everything will happen in due time. Trying to take lots of deep breaths and getting to bed on time. But I do admit, I am very pooped.

I hope this post finds you happy and healthy. Have a wonderful weekend! Also, I am brushing off the crock pot so if anyone has any great recipes, please let me know.