Today I’m sharing an update on our garden, a few yoga essentials, a summer read to pre-order immediately, and, if you’re following The Masters, you need to know about this cocktail.
Happy Weekend Friends!
It’s time for the weekend post with Kim and Elizabeth.
Our weekly roundup of inspiration and goings on.
Speaking of goings on,
Elizabeth’s had quite a week.
If you don’t already know, I’ll let her tell you about it.
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As you know, because I won’t stop talking about it,
Homestead Design Collective replanted most of our front and back gardens.
Last week I promised to share some photos today.
And I did take them, but they mostly highlight the beautiful black mulch topping the new plantings.
I mean, most of the plants are young.
Read small.
We had gorgeous weather this week.
Of course today it’s raining.
But I expect the new plants take off over the next few weeks and months.
KITCHEN COFFEE COCOA BAR
This week on the blog I gave a brief tour of our kitchen coffee and cocoa station. You know how crucial morning cocoa is to me. Recently I had to make a big adjustment when my original model Breville milk frother died and I was forced to upgrade to the newer, fancier version. For whatever reason this purchase triggered another … a hammered brass tray to corral all our cocoa and coffee making stuff.
My fancy new frother and I had a bit of a rough start. But we’ve worked out the kinks and it’s going to be a beautiful relationship. I also feel like it’s sturdier than than older model. When it worked, it worked beautifully, but it was temperamental and I went through three in four years.
If you’re a caffeine lover, Jim adores and highly recommends his Breville Espresso Machine. Pricey, but it’s a very popular coffee maker and he’s had great success with it going on five years. He makes a latte every morning using Leftist Espresso beans that he orders from Gimme! Coffee, Califia Farms almond milk (Barista Blend), and Tornani vanilla syrup.
Breville Milk Cafe Frother | Hammered Brass Tray
GARDEN REPLANT UPDATE
Last week I promised to share some photos of our newly replanted gardens. It may be a bit of letdown as most of the new plants are young (small) and will need time to settle in. Luckily we’ve had ideal weather for new plantings and I hope everything will be growing and blooming in soon. Stay tuned.
First things first, our very old Magnolia tree died a slow death after our initial landscaping and we had to take it down last year. It left a big empty space in the front of our house and I was excited to see it replaced with a Chinese Elm. We opted for the largest tree that would fit through our gate and we hope it lives up to it’s reputation as a fast grower.
These are some of the other plants Homestead deemed suitable for our front garden ~
Shrubs – Oak Leaf Hydrangea, Little Ollie and Bush Germander | Perennials – Lady’s Mantle, Spurge, Geraniums, Phenomenal Lavender, Flowering Tobacco, Germander Sage, Lavender Cotton, Green Santolini, Spreading Germander, Blue Throatwort, and Cedros Island Verbena.
In the backyard, new perennials include Lady’s Mantle, Japanese Anemone, Columbine, Bellflower, Strawberry Foxglove, Geranium, Himalayan Foxglove, Corsican Hellebore, Lemon Verbena. And Jasmine on the upper hill to cascade down the stone wall.
Some of what remains from our original plantings include boxwood balls lining the front and back paths, a lemon and lime trees, and shade loving plants like camellias and hydrangeas. Oh, and Rosella … our beautiful climbing rose that adorns the front trellis fence. She’s been a bright spot in an otherwise bleak landscape.
And finally we got a nice new layer of mulch and gravel. Fingers and toes crossed everything is happy at Snowberry and our underground critters have left the premises.
THE AZALEA COCKTAIL
Speaking of The Masters, apparently they have a signature cocktail, The Azalea. I have made a cocktail in a while, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes of late. Picture a little duck paddling furiously under the surface. But where I’ve fallen down, my friend Nicolle of Our Tiny Nest is taking care of business and she’s made the Azalea Cocktail. Isn’t it pretty? You probably have all the ingredients in your house already. Lemonade, grenadine, and vodka. I’ve got a baskets full of lemons and a tree that’s still producing so I’ll start squeezing the juice now.
Azalea Cocktail Recipe at Our Tiny Nest
A FEW YOGA ESSENTIALS
Earlier this year I started taking yoga classes again. After recovering from back and foot injuries I decided to take a gentler approach to exercise and found a local studio where I feel comfortable and they offer classes that allow me to ease back into a yoga practice.
We do have a treadmill and other workout equipment in the garage, and I use the treadmill fairly frequently. In fact this week I finished a running program in Morocco. Just me and the Dromedaries on the beach … alongside our coach, Tommy Rivs. But let’s bring it back to yoga.
This week I attended five yoga classes. That’s right, five. And I’m headed there this morning after we walk the dogs. Tomorrow too. I’m into the groove.
Now that I’m over 50 (ahem … over 60) I’ve had to make some adjustments to my fitness routines. Getting older can be humbling. It can also be pretty awesome so I’m not going to drone on about injuries, illnesses or other boring stuff that no one wants to hear about. With regard to yoga, I’ve found a couple things to be helpful.
- Doubling up my yoga mat. It’s easier on the knees. Sometimes I even put folded blanket down on top of the mats for extra protection.
- Wearing socks at the beginning and end of class. My feet are always cold. I had to laugh at myself this morning as I walked out of the house wearing leggings, socks and Birkenstocks. Who am I?
I used to suffer through painful knees and cold feet and ankles during class. Why? I have no idea. I suppose I thought I’d look dumb or old or weird. Which itself was dumb. One of the many gifts of getting older is no longer giving a flying fig what anyone else thinks.
For anyone dealing with foot related issues, Hokas are the best workout and walking shoes. They changed my life … in terms of comfort and ability to get back to most of my regular workout related activities. And, I was very late to the Birkenstock party but now that I’m here I’m all in.
SUMMER READING
As dismal as the weather may be where many of us are, summer is coming and it will be here before know it. And that means, vacation, lazy days in the backyard, by the pool, on the beach. And … easy summer reading. Last summer I read my first ever Elin Hildebrand book, The Five-Star Weekend. I loved it. So much so I decided to explore more of her books because obviously I had a lot of catching up to do. Well, I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I haven’t found another one that I like nearly as much and I’ve struggled to find the motivation to even finish a lot of them. Yikes. Cleary the problem is me because … I mean, she’s Elin Hildebrand. If you’re an EH fan, please share your favorite titles with me and I’ll give it another whirl. And if you haven’t read The Five Star Weekend, I thought it was very very good.
And that brings me to favorite blogger and NYT bestselling author, Kristy Woodson Harvey. Oh, she’s also a podcast co-host alongside three other big-deal authors. Friends & Fiction is very popular on podcast platforms, YouTube and their Facebook community.
Her latest book, A Happier Life, is available for pre-order which I’ve already mentioned a couple of times. And then this happened, she sent me an advance copy. How exciting and fun! Well, I dove right in and I’m already halfway through. If I wasn’t writing this post I’d be finished. And that’s my plan for today. I’m dying to know what happens. Anyway, A Happier Life’s release date is June 25th, just in time for summer so be sure to pre-order so it lands in your mailbox, or e-Reader, on that date.
Current Favorites ~
And that’s what I have for you today.
Let’s visit Kim and Elizabeth to see what’s inspiring them.
If you missed last weekend’s post, you can catch up here.
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Cheer from Snowberry!
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