Saturday Meanderings

Happy Saturday, friends! I did spend most of the week up at our cabin and it is SO quiet. An amazing week of weather from rainy and cold to picture perfect fall days. It takes a few days to get the walls warmed up so it was fun to be wearing multiple layers. It’s time again for another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Two Fun Blog Posts this Week

What fun to be part of a round-up of Thanksgiving ideas and inspiration. There is so much information from some very talented gals. If you are not ready to think about Thanksgiving, make sure you book mark this post because turkey day will be here before we know it. You can see that post here.

Fall here in Phoenix means firing up the oven again and spending more time in the kitchen. If you missed Tuesday’s post, truly, these are some of my favorite fall recipes that will not disappoint. For all these yummy recipes, click here.

Apples, Apples everywhere

Thank you to Valerie for researching the variety of our apple tree in the mountains. It’s a Winter Banana and has a pale yellow waxy skin and a pinkish red blush. This year, many of the apple trees in northern Arizona are full with fruit. I am not familiar with the USDA hardiness zone there and have never heard of a Winter Banana apple until now.

This apple has a slight fruity flavor, similar to a banana or pineapple. This week I experiment with this apple by making a pie and some apple butter. I have never made apple butter before, but it is SO easy. Just apples, a 1/4 cup of water, and cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves and vanilla extract in the crockpot. Slow cook for 10 hours. Then I throw all the cooked down apples mixture into the blender (or you can use an immersion blender).

So easy and it makes the house smell so good. You can see the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen here.

During my walks with Sox every day, we would pass other types of apple trees. I’m curious as to what varieties will grow in the mountains, as we plan to add a few more trees in the spring.

Pretty Fall Mantel

Isn’t this the most intriguing fall mantel from Molly in Maine? I just love that vintage owl print so I looked online for something similar. I find this digital download from Etsy ($4.37) and sent it over to Costco to print on canvas. Curious to see how it turns out as I will be receiving it in 7 days.

I think it will make the perfect decor for a Halloween mantel on the back terrace. Has anyone uploaded a digital image to print on canvas? It’s my first time so I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Cute Mini Pumpkin Planters

This is a project I will be giving my husband this week (well, not the flower arranging part). Won’t these look cute at each place setting for a fall dinner? Annie from Most Lovely Things has a very detailed tutorial on how to cut the mini pumpkins here.

New Shows

If you love beautiful homes and don’t mind a creepy story, then you must watch The Watcher. Based on a true story, the 7 episodes will leave you wondering which neighbor(s) is terrorizing the occupants. See it on Netflix.

So far there is only one season (6 episodes) of The Empress, but if you love history, gorgeous properties and fabulous costuming, you will enjoy this. It’s about the Bavarian princess turned Empress of Austria and set in the 19th century. Very visually appealing~on Netflix.

Mystery Plant

Since you are all so good at helping me solve mysteries, here is another one. I found this growing in the garden in a bed where only potatoes have been planted. At first I thought the plant may be a zucchini, but this is obviously not a zucchini. It is attached to a large vine-similar to watermelon, zucchini or squash. It’s getting rather large too. Any clue?

Good News this Week

I am one of those people who only go to the doctor when I am sick, which is just about never. Going for annual physicals is not my thing, but pressured a bit by well-meaning friends (thank you Janie and Lisa) I finally went in for a complete check up. Received all my test results this week and everything is perfectly normal. What is very exciting is that 4 years ago I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in one part of my body. Today, I am nearly back to normal, making big strides in developing strong bones.

So it can be done! My goal is that in 2 years when I have another bone density scan, that I am home free. Yippee!

The cooler weather we are having here in the morning in Phoenix is perfect for gardening, so I will be out fertilizing roses and planting both flower and vegetable seeds. Wishing you a productive Saturday and a fun weekend.