Well, it’s officially summer and we are so grateful to be up in the Arizona mountains and out of the 100+ degree heat. This is the first weekend since May that I do not have something (event, travel) scheduled and I hope to relax and do lots of reading, naps and baking. Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? Welcome to Saturday Meanderings and it’s a wonderful way to catch up on all the good things this week.

My 50th High School Reunion

Last weekend, I was in Connecticut to attend 3 days of high school reunion events. Quite honestly, where did 50 years go? My high school experience is rich with memories and connecting again with those I hadn’t seen in years filled my soul. In addition, many of my classmates were in school with me since kindergarten and we freely exchanged stories and laughter from those many years ago.

My high school, Norwich Free Academy (NFA) is 170 years old and steeped in tradition. Our class (of 1974) attended the 166th commencement exercises for the Class of 2024.

Incorporated 1854, NFA is the only remaining privately governed, independently endowed academy in the state of Connecticut. Blending the very best of private and public education, NFA offered me a truly unparalleled four year student experience.

What I love about this school, is that it is open to all residents. There is no tuition and the education is top notch. The campus is stunning and reminiscent of a New England college campus.

It’s funny how you revert back to your high school self and even my dear friend, Ted, a well-respected attorney, playfully photo bombs our picture.

Reconnecting, laughing, digging deep and sparking old memories~what a fun few days. The icing on the cake was driving through my old neighborhood, visiting my parents at the cemetery and spending time with my siblings. Connecticut, this time of year, is beautiful and being on the ocean is so relaxing.

Finn Update

I truly miss Finn when I travel and he is growing like a weed. Hard to believe he is only 5 months old. Here are some recent photos.

You can see how much he has grown. Here he is in the car as I am driving up to Pinetop. He is very long legged and tall. This time he gets a bit car sick so that wasn’t pretty, but hoping it was a one off.

Finn loves being at the cabin, however, he needs to be on a leash at all times outside, unlike our property in Phoenix where he can roam freely. We hope to do more leash training with him, as we want total recall and control with such a large dog.

Landscaping Around the Deck at the Cabin

Finally, after several years, we are planting around the new front deck at the cabin. If you recall, this is the most expensive deck project ever due to an initial bad build by a licensed contractor. After it was structurally botched, it had to be torn off and completely rebuilt by someone who actually knows what they are doing.

Now we are planting around it with all those things I cannot grow in Phoenix~hydrangeas, hostas, lilacs, and peonies. Last year we planted a Montmorency and a Bing cherry tree and a Fuji apple. We currently have an existing pear and apple tree here. It may take a few years to get good production, but I am so excited to take advantage of this planting zone.

Fantasy Table Event

I hope you enjoyed my post this week on the Fantasy Table invitation we sent to our guests. If not, you can see it here. On Thursday night, 190 people attend this charitable event and the table decorations just keep getting better every year. Next week I will share our Out of Africa 1920’s theme table, but here’s a glimpse of some of the other creative displays.

~White Mountain Wizards

A Harry Potter table is cleverly staged with wands, glasses, pages from the book, striped scarves, a sorting hat and potions.

~It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere

Tropical colors, Hawaiian leis and enticing beverages make this table fun and festive.

~Par-Tee

With a golfing theme, the centerpiece is on a strip of turf with golf clubs, 19th hole flag and golf balls. The participants all wore vintage golfing clothes including argyle socks and sweaters and vintage caps.

~Breakfast at Tiffany’s

With glitz and glamour, the Tiffany blue table is a show stopper with the tall centerpiece. Next to this table is a disco one, hence the lights on the ceiling.

~Luna New Year

The rich tones on this table, deep red roses and fan napkins ring in the Luna New Year.

There are many tables both inside the club house and outside on the deck. Other tables themes are: books/reading, western, Thai, coffee, pink flamingo, mahjong, Willy Wonka and the Witches of White Mountain.

Such a fun and worthwhile event. I look forward to sharing out table with you next week.

A Fun Calligraphy Project

My husband cut these oval pieces of alligator juniper and I did not want them to go to waste. I am using them to name the bedrooms at the cabin. After painting the bare wood with Mod-Podge to prevent marker bleeds, I do simple calligraphy lettering. Each child picked the name of their room (Aspen, Willow and Juniper). So far, I like how they are turning out.

Mary’s Must Haves

Recently I tweaked my shoulder and it bothers me from time to time. It is a possible rotator cuff tear and will be seeing a doctor in July. In the meantime, I am faithfully using Arnicare Gel and it definitely helps reduce the discomfort. It is currently 18%o off on Amazon here.

Typically, I do not wear a lot of fragrance. However, for a special occasion I really like Jo Malone’s Wood Sage and Sea Salt. As described on the Jo Malone website, escape in the freshness of the windswept shore with this earthy and mineral fragrance.

Since Amazon sells this unboxed, I would probably buy it from Sephora or a larger retailer. The one on Amazon has a white cap and mine is silver. Makes you wonder if it’s a knock off?

In the last month I have been on plane and trains, around hundreds of people, in different times zones and climates, exchanged many hugs and haven’t gotten sick (knock on wood). When our schedules change, it makes us more vulnerable to catching something.

While traveling I try and take my vitamins and probiotics daily to keep my immune system strong. During the last month, I am faithful in taking olive leaf extract (they also make it in capsules) at least once a day in a full glass of water. According to WebMD, olive leaf extract helps build the immune system (and many other things).

Not sure if I can pinpoint to one specific thing, but the olive leaf extract sure works for me. Do you take extra health measures when you travel?

Have a wonderful weekend! We will continue to enjoy the cooler mountains of Arizona and hope those in Phoenix will get some heat relief soon.

There is something very special about coming home. After another trip back east to manage my Aunt Gail’s affairs, coming home is well…so satisfying. My own bed, getting back into a routine and the dogs are always so happy to see me. And now I am at my desk writing my Saturday Meanderings so all is well with the world. Thank you for joining me today!

Weather

Being away is also making me realize how much I take the sunny weather in Phoenix for granted. Out of the 7 days we were back east, 1.5 days were sunny. The Memorial Day weekend had frigid temperatures and lots of rain. I am such a weenie when it comes to cold weather now that my blood has obviously thinned with the 299 days of sunshine we see here in the Valley of the Sun.

Even our higher temperatures I am enjoying! I am so thankful that I did put shade cloth over the tomato plants while we were out of town. If you missed this post which is part of a fun monthly gardening blog hop, click here.

My Stylish French Box

This box has a new name called My French Country Home Box. I do have a quarterly subscription, which is a complete treat. If you are looking for the very best French brands delivered to your door, then I cannot recommend this enough.

The theme this quarter is “Time for Moi-Même”~ which is all about taking some much-needed time for yourself. From the high quality floral pillow case above to Mademoiselle Saint Germain facial serum, the box is full of sumptuous indulgences.

Not only is this the perfect gift for yourself, but for others. You can order it only once or subscribe quarterly. My French Country Home also has a shop where you can buy some of the individual items in the box. And the fabulous news is that I am an Ambassador for them and will earn a small stipend if you order it through my blog site to their link here.

A New Friend from New Zealand

I admit that I am not a Facebook user. It just so happens I did look at my Facebook page and found a new sweet friend, Carol Karl from New Zealand. She generously shared my stenciled bathroom floor project with her subscribers. If you missed that post, here it is.

Carol’s blog is Living My Real Life and her interests are similar to mine~food, gardening, house renovation and she makes jewelry (I do not). It is hard to believe that someone so far away found my blog~ it is small world, isn’t it?

Apple Season

Being born and raised in Connecticut, I associate apple picking with cold weather, cute sweaters and autumn leaves. However, my Anna apple tree is full of apples that we pick in June…..in triple digit weather. Something is just not right about that. But I have a big crop this year so pie baking will commence soon!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Connecticut will always be my first home. Though most of my adult life has been on the opposite coast, I love going back to my hometown of Norwich. Looking at it through more mature eyes, I have an appreciation now of those childhood gems.

High school at the Norwich Free Academy is filled with fond memories. During this recent visit, I tried walking the athletic field at Norwich Free Academy (NFA) to capitalize on the good weather, but it was closed to the public (probably a post-COVID thing). Instead I walked the campus (several times) noticing things I took for granted when I was a teenager.

Incorporated 1854, it is the only remaining privately governed, independently endowed academy in the state of Connecticut. Blending the very best of private and public education, NFA offered me a truly unparalleled four year student experience.

Between the history, gorgeous architecture of 12 unique buildings and stunning landscaping, this a-typical high school is more like a small college campus. I’ve never seen another high school campus like this one and I am grateful for the experience.

If I could only go back into my teenage body with my 65-year old eyes and see it all again….

Informative Posts

Andrea from Design Morsels is such a wealth of information. If you are wondering how high to hang pictures or how to do a gallery wall, check out her blog post here.

Kim from Shiplap and Shells is an incredible gardener and her sweet home in the Pacific Northwest is in nearly every magazine. If you want to covet her spectacular greenhouse, check it out here.

An Oldie but Goodie

This recipe is one of my husband’s favorites. Who doesn’t like Apple Cider donuts? Typically I make them in the fall, but since I did have some of the apple cider reduction in the freezer, they are easy to whip up.

Here is the original post. Not sure how easy it is to find apple cider now, but they are really good (and baked, not fried).

Thanks for Sharing

I just LOVE it when you send me pictures of something that inspired you through my blog. Thanks to my friend, Barb who made the coffee cake with blueberries for Memorial Day weekend and sending me this photo. Here’s the recipe again if you want something easy and delicious!

Well that’s a wrap! Have a wonderful weekend!