Saturday Meanderings

Good morning! I am publishing a bit later today because I actually forgot that yesterday was Friday. Have you ever had one of those weeks where the days are blurred together and over scheduled when you have no time for yourself? That is the week I am having and I just don’t like it. But we plow through and hope to come up for air soon. Writing my Saturday Meanderings blog post is joyful for me so I am very happy right now.

It was definitely hard to leave the clean, cool air of the mountains on Monday to head back to the hot, humid weather in Phoenix. Sox, our 15 year old beagle is feeling a bit lost without Cooper so he is my traveling buddy for the weekend. I hope you had an enjoyable Labor Day. Now we wait for cooler weather and all pray it gets here soon.

Found Another Chair

During a car ride with my friend, Christine, I rescue another Adirondack chair and table from a neighborhood alley. You may recall I did the same thing a few weeks ago. Actually this one seems to be in better shape and it’s on my list of projects to do this week. Hoping to show you beautiful repainted chairs soon.

Cocktails with Friends

Our dear Phoenix neighbors, Mitch and Tevia, also have a place in the mountains. We accept an invitation to see their new garden and have a cocktail outside in the gorgeous Pinetop weather. Look at this adorable tray of hors d’oeuvres! Simple, yet elegant with the sprigs of fresh herbs from Tevia’s garden. I find such joy in detail and touches like this!

Let’s Support the Monarch Butterfly

As Arizonans begin the fall planting season, the City of Phoenix’s Office of Environmental Programs encourages families and gardeners to plant native plants that help the monarch butterfly population. September is Planting For Monarchs Month.

Phoenix plays host to the migrating monarch butterfly each year, generally welcoming them in September and waving a fond farewell around May as they make their way to cooler climes. September is the perfect time to start thinking about what native plants you could place on your patio, balcony, or plant in your yard to provide essential habitat resources for this key pollinator species. 

Native milkweed and native nectar plants are essential for monarch migration and survival. Milkweed is critical to the life cycle of the monarch – it’s where they lay eggs and it’s the sole food source of the caterpillar. Nectar-producing plants provide food for the butterfly, giving it the energy and fuel it needs to survive, reproduce, and migrate. 

Click here​ for a draft list of milkweed and nectar plants native to the Sonoran Desert region. Please be aware that the milkweed plant is poisonous. If you live in this area, let’s all help to improve the environment for the Monarch Butterfly.

Free Fall Printables

Ann from One Sutton Place shares the prettiest Fall printable art. I believe you need to sign up for her blog to get them, but how sweet is this?

You can add easy fall decor by printing and framing them, and she also has gift cards too. Check out her post here. Ann’s website is visually beautiful and she has so many beautiful ideas.

Longing for Fresh Homemade Bread

Sarah from Twelve on Main shares this easy sourdough bread recipes with herbs, garlic and sharp cheddar. Yum. I haven’t made it yet however, it is definitely on my baking list to do. It does require sourdough starter, and if you live in Phoenix, I am always happy to share a bit of mine.

With cooler weather coming, I cannot wait to start baking bread again. You can find Sarah’s recipe here.

Sarah also has a selection of printable wall art for the fall. I find it amazing that you can download art to fine paper or canvas and start seasonally decorating at a reasonable budget.

You can find the link to Sarah’s website here.

Fall Porches

Once my schedule slows down a bit, the first thing I will do is decorate our front porch for Fall. Jen, from Tatertots and Jello is a young (less old than me) mom with a fun, colorful sense of style. She inspires me to think out of the box about seasonal decorating. I just love her upbeat taste and though it is a bit different from my own, it is always fun to view.

For more fall inspiration, see Jen’s post here.

Well, that’s a wrap for today. What do you have scheduled for the weekend? I have meetings the rest of the day, but am looking forward to my day of rest on Sunday. Be well and stay safe.