Saturday Meanderings

Thank you for joining me today as I share my Saturday meanderings. Happy Labor Day weekend! If you ask most people, they probably don’t realize why this is a federal holiday. In 1894 Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday. Labor Day celebrates the social and economic achievements of American workers. Let’s remember the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. There is nothing like the American work ethic and ingenuity, especially during the pandemic.

Wherever you are, please enjoy your time with family and friends. I’m praying for a peaceful weekend, so be safe and smart.

Let Them Eat Cake

I spent the first few days of September tackling my lengthy To Do list. You know, those nagging items that you put off until the last minute. But I did take some time and make a new recipe from The Kitchen McCabe. This Vanilla Bean Olive Oil Cake is so dense, moist and flavorful.

Somewhere in our home is my fluted Bundt pan but for the life of me I couldn’t find it. Instead, I used a plain tube pan, which in retrospect, allow more space for the icing and strawberries. My neighbor said it was one of my best cakes, so click here for the link to the recipe.

I am a fan of The Kitchen McCabe, as you might remember this gorgeous Candied Orange Olive Oil Cake with Cornmeal and Rum from a small luncheon with friends. If not, click here for that post.

Baking Bread

My least favorite time to cook in the kitchen is during the summer in Phoenix. Even though we have air conditioning, the minute you turn on the oven, it’s just too darn hot. Being teased this week by cooler temperatures in the morning, we made sourdough bread. The process is time consuming (takes all day) but the results are worth it. The yield produced two loaves of dried cranberry/walnut; one loaf of sourdough and enough dough for two pizzas.

Remember if you live nearby and want some sourdough starter, please reach out. I have happily shared it with two others so far and each are making bread with siblings of Bubbles and Hope (it’s normal to name your starter…..). Want to learn more about sourdough? Check out my Sourdough 101 blog post here.

Pumpkin Disaster

My huge fall disappointment involves my large collection of velvet and fabric pumpkins. I have literally owned these for years. Each year I store them in plastic boxes to keep them dust free. This year, I opened the box and every pumpkin is infested with bugs. Eeewwww. The critters ate into the fabric. The filling appears to be dried beans but these bugs are similar to the ones you get in your pantry?

These pumpkins are a staple in my fall decorating. Does anyone know how to prevent this? I have seen tutorials on making fabric pumpkins and rice, beans are the filling of choice. I certainly don’t want to go to the effort to make more and then have this happen again.

Happy Hens

The 14 baby chicks we acquired in the Spring are now laying…..alot! Each day we have 8-10 fresh eggs. So if anyone is in the area and would like fresh eggs, please let me know. We sell them for $5 a dozen (less than the Farmer’s Market).

Fortunately, I have a beautiful egg apron, made by my sister, Susie. Not only did she embroider chickens on the front, but the apron has my blog name on the back. Wish I took a picture of the entire apron as it is really cute. The apron has ten individual pockets for me to use when I collect eggs every afternoon. It feels like such a luxury to have something so pretty and practical.

Where Were you a Year Ago?

A year ago today, I was touring this beautiful Scandinavian home in Vail. This property has since become my inspiration for our mountain cabin. I don’t believe I have ever been in a home that is so unique, warm and welcoming.

Garden Update

My garden is always a bit stressed during the summer and especially this year, with little to no rain and record breaking temperatures. The no rain part is particularly worrisome.

This week I ripped out all the toasted plants and am adding compost to the soil in preparation of fall planting. The fountain in the middle is being repaired too! The only two plants that are still thriving are basil and my shishito pepper plant.

We’ve added new PVC structural posts over multiple beds to hold shade or frost cloth. I will be writing a new post about that soon, as it has been very helpful to protect plants through extreme weather.

Have you been making your own compost during this pandemic? It is super easy and a great way to turn your food scraps into organic fertilizer. If not, check out this great post on Composting 101. See it here.

Cute Affordable Kimono

You will never see my name and fashion in the same sentence. I’m just not very good at it. But I must share this great find and it is only $23.99. It is a nice long kimono and comes in numerous colors and designs. Here I have it paired with a white tank and pants with pale blue accessories. You can view it on Amazon here. Every time I wear it, I get compliments. Not bad for under $25.

We are spending the weekend (and hopefully longer) up in the mountains. It is SO quiet right now. Sox is asleep at my feet and I’m just enjoying all the non-noise. My geraniums finally look amazing! Looking forward to a weekend of R & R.

Have a fabulous 3 day holiday!

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