Saturday Meanderings

Where did the week go? My husband is up at our cabin and it’s just been the dogs, cat and myself here. Lots of stormy, swampy weather made me want to just curl up and read a book. But, noooooo. Instead I am doing all the piddly chores that need to get done, but without alot of enthusiasm. So here we are again at another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

A Surprise Visitor

As I was walking through the library, I noticed a great deal of fireplace debris kicked out onto the floor and rug. I look around and see the cat in hunter/killer mode, poised to leap. And that’s when I looked up and saw this little Western Screech owl perched on a clock. He seems quite happy there.

Fortunately, my daughter was home and she LOVES animals and bravely, reaches up to capture him. Even though he is small, Julianna said he was very strong. She takes him outside to a tree where we know the owls congregate so hopefully he is reunited with his family.

This is our 2nd owl encounter in the last few months. Julianna rescued a fledging owl (you can see that story on Instagram @lifeatbellaterra) and I wonder if this is the same little fella.

He must have flown down into the chimney? It makes you wonder how long he’s been inside as I am still finding owl poop droppings in both the library and mud room. This certainly made for an exciting morning!

Finally Finishing Some Paintings

In 2019, my friend, Barbara posted this gorgeous photo of lilacs from her garden. Since we cannot grow lilacs, I fell in love with this photo and finally finished painting it. There is such joy in completing something, right? Now I just have so many other canvases to either complete or paint over. Setting the time aside to do this is the hard part.

Cordless Table Lamps

https://lifeatbellaterra.com/dinner-in-the-library-tablescape/I cannot even tell you how much I LOVE these cordless LED table lamps. As you may recall, I purchased them for our Dinner in the Library charitable event. If you missed that post, you can see it here. That table was in a very large room, so even though the lamps created a beautiful ambiance, they are even better in a smaller setting.

A few friends came over for a casual dinner of quiche, salad and apple crisp. Since I didn’t have any fresh flowers I just placed the 3 lamps down the center of the table. Instantly this set the mood and everyone loved the warm glow they cast. We didn’t need any other source of lights in the room.

They are 25% off right now on Amazon, but they are still $60.00 each. However, I plan to use them alot and will be perfect for the holidays. You can find them here. If you don’t like the gold, they come in black and vintage copper. You will not be disappointed.

Big Deck Project at our Cabin

The front wooden deck at our cabin is being replaced and enlarged with Trex planks, new railings and staircase. As with any project, the minute you start tearing into it, you discover all sorts of problems. It was a nightmare just getting supplies, but the replacement is turning into dry rot repair and new structural beams.

More to come on this but I empathize with anyone tackling construction projects now. Mother Nature is providing her own set of challenges with severe storms too. Look at what a lighting strike did to a tree on the golf course.

Dreaming of New House Design

I have never built a house from scratch. Every house I’ve owned has been a rescue renovation/restoration. But often I find myself thinking about designing a house. You can find so many examples of farmhouse, shiplap, gray or blue and white, open floor plans, etc. but what a treat when you find something that is truly unique and spectacular.

My friend, Kim from Shiplap and Shells has a Sunday post where she shares really cool things from the Internet. So I am stealing this one from her. It’s called Moonlight Cottage, designed by Murphy & Co. Oh my, every single detail is spectacular. If I could design a dining room, it would be one with books, beautiful windows and look at the hand carved timber opening!

To see more gorgeous Moonlight Cottage photos, click here.

Freezing Tomatoes

My friend, Stacy has a gorgeous garden in New Jersey. Right now she is knee deep in fresh tomatoes. Since I tend to roast or can my tomatoes, Stacy shares how she freezes them. I’ve never done this, but it’s an alternative to canning them. You can get all of Stacy’s tips and tricks here.

Dream Home Makeover

Are you a fan of Studio McGee? I so enjoy their product line, Threshold at Target, actually much more than Magnolia Farm. It is young, stylish and colorful, as is Shea McGee, the founder. Shea and her husband, Syd, started Studio McGee in 2013 and it is an American success story.

Dream Home Makeover is produced by Shea and Syd. Not only does it tell their amazing story, but you get to see Shea work her magic on both new home builds and small room renovations. It’s on Netflix and already has 3 seasons so I feel like I need to catch up.

Trip to Chicago

I am heading out of town tomorrow for a week to help my son move into his new apartment in Chicago. He will be starting the graduate program at the University of Chicago Booth Business School in September. When I was working in corporate America, I traveled to Chicago all the time. However, it’s been years since I spent any quality time there. Really looking forward to a change of scenery.

In a perfect world, I would hope to continue with my Tuesday and Wednesday blog posts, but I may just skip next week, depending on how busy (and tired!) I am. You may not hear from me until next Saturday.

Enjoy your weekend and can August be nearly half over already?