Saturday Meanderings

Every time I write a Saturday Meanderings I cannot believe another week has flown by! As I am composing this I am sitting in the waiting room at Superior Court of Arizona, recently summoned for Grand Jury duty. I have never done this before and it will be interesting to see if I am part of the selection process. Have you ever served on a jury or grand jury? I am afraid this will be a painfully long day so what better way to pass the time than to talk about all the good things that happened this past week.

Cleaning an Upholstery Stain

In remodeling the pool house, I discover this horrible stain on one of the upholstered chairs. It’s hard to tell if it is wine, tomato sauce or worse, but it is all over the arm, back, seat and cushion of the chair. I poll the family to see if anyone knows the source of the stain. Accidents happen and I wasn’t assigning blame, just trying to get information.

However, no one knows what it is so I use our trusty Bissell Little Green Multi-purpose portable carpet and upholstery cleaner (see here) and start the cleaning process. As a side note, if you are looking for an affordable carpet and upholstery cleaner, I cannot recommend this Bissell Little Green enough. We use it frequently and it doesn’t disappoint.

This particular stain is a stubborn one. Since the seat material is different, the stain comes out easily. However, I don’t seem to have much luck with the stains on the upholstered fabric. After a few attempts, the stain doesn’t appear to lift. As a last resort, I sprinkle some Oxi-Clean powder, rub it in and let it sit for a few hours and then remove it.

Surprisingly when the fabric dries the stains are nearly gone! A few more passes with the Bissell and the chair looks significantly better.

Rug from Wayfair

Since I am a visual and tactic person, I prefer to purchase something after I have had the ability to see it, touch it and inspect its quality. However, since so many items are purchased online, I took the leap and bought this 8′ x 10′ rug from Wayfair. With so many positive comments from thousands of people, how bad could it be?

In stock with quick delivery made the decision rather easy. This rug will replace the woven seagrass one in the pool house. Though I love the look of a natural fiber woven rug, the rubber backing tends to break down quickly, creating a horrible dusty mess.

Priced at $245.99, I am so impressed with the quality and ease of acquisition. Here’s the link but it is Alanis Oriental Tufted Area Rug and it comes in different colors and sizes.

Habit of Re-Use

We actively try to keep our waste to a minimum. I get such pleasure in knowing that there’s a circular pattern to life and living. Right now, I am preparing the garden for Spring planting. With the hen house adjacent to the garden, many of the plants that are past their prime are pulled and fed to the chickens. For example, I grow cauliflower over the winter months and harvest it for our consumption.

Now I am pulling the plants and feeding them to the chickens. Once the foliage is pecked clean, then the stems will be thrown in the composter. Only to make more soil for another garden bed. And the cycle continues. If you missed my post on Composting 101, you can see it here.

Countertop Choices

It has been a long time since I picked out a countertop surface. There are so many choices now~granite, quartz, marble, quartzite, butcher block and gauged porcelain slabs. Porcelain slab is a high fired ceramic surface much like porcelain tile. Using ink jet technology they are capable of mimicking natural stone, wood, and virtually any look you can dream up. The benefit of Porcelain is that it has a scratch resistant surface and is impervious to chemicals.

Unfortunately, my contractor does not know how to install porcelain slabs (or have the right tools) so I fell back on selecting quartz. And won’t this look sharp with blue cabinets?

Need a Vacation?

Check out this gorgeous the stone cottages at Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee. Set on a 4,200-acre farm, this high-end resort in the Great Smoky Mountains is 10 miles from Tuckaleechee Caverns and 15 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

A Relais & Chateaux property, this tranquil property is the perfect escape for you and your family. It was on my bucket list and my sweet husband planned one of my big birthdays there. Truly memorable and if you like to see this gorgeous location and my surprise birthday there, click here. I do have a birthday coming up, maybe it is time to return?

Poignant Words

Isn’t it interesting that certain things cross your path when you need them most? Saw this on Instagram this week and wish we could all live by it.

Great Photo

Here is a picture worth a thousand words. My daughter, Juliannna and her handsome German Shepherd, Hemingway. The relationship they have is one of pure devotion and love. Every time I look at this, it warms my heart. I hope you enjoy it too.

With that, I bid you adieu. Have a truly wonderful weekend. I hope mine is filled with a bit more rest and relaxation, which I desperately need.