Christmas Party Planning

I'm hosting a Christmas Party this weekend, something I've been wanting to do for years.  I can't wait to get the house clean, decorated, and full of good smells.  My parents are coming to town and bringing a home-made traditional English Christmas cake, soaked with lots of brandy, which also serves as a birthday cake for my dad.  I'll serve mulled wine, a sparkling punch, crostini, and most importantly, heaping bowls of red beans and rice with cornbread that we can eat while surrounded by sparkly lights or by the warm fire outside. 

Some of my inspiration for the party below...

Photos:

decorated hearth / garland wrapped doorway

mulled wine / orange, ginger, rosemary punch

ricotta and pear crostini / bacon and jam crostini

Gramercy Tavern ginger cake / traditional English Christmas cake

Weekend Mouse

Time off

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I used to hate people who lamented that there's just not enough time in the day.  I thought, what are you doing that is so important it cannot wait until tomorrow?

Now I am that person.  Between school, work, and life, I cannot seem to keep on top of things.  Last night as I drove home from class at 10:30, stuck in downtown traffic, I was debating whether or not I should go to Kinkos then, or get up and go before work, to make scans of my projects.

I am applying for a small scholarship, but despite its size, it's the first time I've had to put together a portfolio, write an essay about why I want to be a landscape architect, and gather letters.  I thought, no big deal, but when I sat down to get it all together, I panicked.  I'd never put into words how important greenspace is to me, or how I want to build wildlife habitats for people who've never held a caterpillar.  The process has given me some clarity, and some confidence in my goals.  I'm still working on the time management side of things.

Then I remembered that I have the world's best husband, and put in a request for his assistance.   The sweet man that he is, S. agreed to drive it down to Torrance for me on Monday so I didn't have to rush to meet today's FedEx deadline.

Being busy is good, but I miss those days when I could come home from work and do nothing.  My version of doing nothing involves a snack, maybe a cocktail, a stack of catalogs, and a place outside to sit.  Any of the grand esacpes below will do.  
 

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RB n R

We had the best meal last week when a special visitor was in town.  Marjory brought with her some freshly ground New Mexico blue corn meal, and I had bought andouille sausage, a ham hock, and some fancy gin in preparation.  It all came together as a rosemary-gin cocktail, gluten-free blue corn bread, and bone fide red beans and rice feast. 

Stay Home Club

It's never easy returning to work after the holidays, especially with the remnants of the flu.  The Stay Home Club has the right idea.  

Via Design*Sponge.

Christmas Eve

It's early Christmas Eve, and my cat is resting her head on my arm as I type.  I got up at 7 to hear the live broadcast of Lessons and Carols from King's College, and it was accompanied by the patter of rain outside and the occasional scrub jay squawk.  While my teapot brewed, I lit some candles, turned on the tree, and checked the status of my paper white bulbs on the mantel (happily sprouting).

Later today, we will make some anise candy, prepare for tomorrow's feast, and then head out for some Chinese dumplings.  Tomorrow we celebrate with Grandma Cooper rolls, good coffee, presents, and a walk in the nearby hills before we sit down to Christmas Dinner.  

Wishing you a Christmas of quiet moments and full hearts.

Paper white presents

It's the last week of work before Christmas.  A few weeks ago I prepared some vintage pots with paper white bulbs and pebbles, and set them aside for later.  Now there are little green shoots emerging, and they are ready to be passed out to my coworkers so they can enjoy the intoxicating white blooms in the New Year.

I am regretting not doing something as simple as the yogurt jars above -- the roots are almost as pretty as the flowers themselves.  I'll be tucking that idea away for next year.

Top photo from Frolic.  
Bottom photo from Ted and Debbie.

Winter Wreaths

I am always late to decorate for Christmas, and am just starting to think about what to do this year.  Wreaths are an important component of my holiday.  There have been some lovelies this year, wild and gnarly and dripping with greens like the one above by Amy Merrick.  Here are a few others for inspiration:

Big beautiful wreath made by my very talented Uncle Pete (aka Robie) in Maryland.

 The two above are from Saipua, from whom I would expect nothing less than extraordinary. 

And the classic LL Bean wreath that magically appears on our doorstep every December (thanks Jean).  It smells like heaven and Maine, and is a warm welcome hanging on our screen door. 

Serenade

Just another perfect Thursday evening in Los Angeles -- a full moon and mariachi practice.

The garden, last spring

I just got a roll of film developed from over a year ago.  What a nice surprise to see my old garden in all of its glory last spring (must've been March or April judging from the bright spots of poppies).  It has since fallen into summer dormancy and some disrepair since we moved away from it.  I've got big plans for it this winter though -- new plantings, some hard pruning and lots of mulch.

Sunday Blues

Some Sundays I wake up with the heavy realization that my workweek begins again tomorrow.  The logic that I still have 24 free hours doesn't seem to make much of a difference -- I feel the weight of impending obligations pile up and up.  Sometimes it hits me half-way through Sunday; sometimes it hits me on Saturday.  

I'm working on becoming more mindful of moments as they occur, and not fretting so much about what's to come.  And my work weeks aren't that bad, to be honest.  They're just... work.  Just like everyone else has.

Today I made french toast with sauteed plums that with a cup of tea and my new magazine, made for a very enjoyable brunch - blues nearly obliterated by the time my plate was empty.  It's still Sunday now as I write this, procrastinating homework and contemplating a glass of wine, and I have managed to keep the present in mind and let tomorrow worry about itself.   We'll see how it goes next weekend.

Peaches!

 

Our backyard bounty, which soon became peach crisp.  Alice Waters' recipe never fails (although I never peel my peaches as she suggests). 

Lingering decks

I'm harboring dreams of low slung decks in the woods – easy access to adjacencies, a sense of open possibility and simple lines.  


top image/bottom image

My attic studio is really coming together, especially since adding my new drafting table.  The radio keeps me company while the cats keep watch over the window -- you never know when one of those rambunctious squirrels will test their luck and try to get in.

Charmed

Sometimes I forget how much there is in the world to absorb.  My routine does not leave much room for lengthy exploration, which is unfortunate.  I am lucky to have a partner that shares many exciting discoveries with me, and I feel twice as lucky when I can share something with him.   This Elizabeth Bishop exhibit is just one of those things.

More here.

Nesting

Lovely new pillows featuring one of my favorite cranes and some other bird friends from West Elm.  I'm not normally one for 'throw pillows', but might make an exception for these!

My Holiday Treats

With no homework to do, I've taken to baking almost every night.  When my mother was visiting, we made jars and jars of hard candy.  Last night and tonight, I made gingerbread for my coworkers, wrapped in parchment and tied with twine.  It's much nicer than a Starbucks card!

Peppermint meringues are in the oven as I type.  I won't need any help in eating those.

Christmas may now commence

The house has been trimmed with heirlooms, colored lights and "locally sourced" greenery.  Thanks to the horrendous windstorm a few weeks ago, I now have a bounty of festive branches. 

I finally completed my second term of courses (16 more to go).   My parents have come and gone, and the second round of family has arrived.  I'm ready to begin to relax.

Camellias

We have yet to experience a full seasonal cycle at our new house, so I keep getting little surprises like this camellia.  Our house, which as built in 1906 (before much of Los Angeles), is surrounded by large camellia bushes.  I do not know when they were planted, but they're old enough to be elders of the yard.

DIY Small Fountain

  

I made a small fountain this weekend!  This is a really easy afternoon project, and you can follow my directions, or watch this video on the bettershelter blog.

I wanted a water feature to both add sound and encourage more birds in the yard.  Birds are drawn to water, especially in dry L.A.  I've been seeing a few scrub jays and bush tits around, and would love to see more.  I'll be sure to report back on who comes to visit.  Meanwhile, here are my directions on how to make a little fountain/bubbling bird bath:

Get a flower pot that is the size and shape you like.  I found this one on Craigslist for $10.  It's about 18 inches across and 7 inches deep -- just the right size for a bird or two.

Go to Home Depot, or your neighborhood hardware store, and get a small fountain pump and some epoxy putty.  I got the 60 GPH submersible fountain pump for about $20.  It's tiny and cheap.

Glue a few small tiles to the bottom of the pot to lift it up and make room for the pump cord.  I just used gorilla glue for this.  Put the cord through the hole at the bottom of the pot, and plug the hole with the epoxy.  This is where I had problems.  This stuff feels pretty toxic, and I have no idea how it works.  You break off a chunk of the putty and knead it until it turns a solid color.  Then you shape it where you want it, leave it, and in 10 minutes or so it's hard as steel.  I used gloves for this, and highly recommend it, although it does make it harder to work with.  It might take a few tries to get a water tight seal too, so be sure to test it and see if you need more putty.  Ideally, you use just enough to plug the hole and keep the cord in place.  Since I kept getting leaks, I ended up with a large wad of gray stuff on the bottom of my fountain, which makes it slightly tilted.  Oh well.

Once you have a water tight seal and the pump is in place, hide it with rocks or pebbles.  I harvested these perfectly smooth rocks from my grandmother's beach on Lake Erie ages ago.  They are special to me, and I love the way they look under water.  It reminds me of watching the soft waves lap against the rocky beach. 

 

Add water, plug in the fountain, and pour yourself a drink!  It's now time to enjoy the subtle sound of water and wait for the birds to come.   

If you want to see another super simple DIY, I also made a Patio Pendant Lamp to hang above the fountain.