a few images from December...

and a toast to the new year:


Happy New Year, everyone!

weighing in on 2010...

Despite the struggles of 2010, all the important things are still good and true. I have a roof over my head. I have enough to eat. I love my husband and he loves me back. My mother is close. I have children who delight me and friends with whom I can laugh and cry.

Does anything else really matter?

Here's to 2011!

he gave me autumn...

I love autumn. I feel like I come alive again when that first cool day comes. We take a day trip or three every fall to spend some time among the changing leaves. It is never enough for me. I love living in the desert but the one thing I always wish for is changing leaves right here. I have some deciduous plants but I want color. I want red and gold.

WB is a magical gift giver. He never fails to delight me. There are oak trees that are happy in the desert and he found them. Never, EVER did I think he could give me autumn for Christmas but he did.

let heaven and nature sing...

she's home...

and we're settling in. A fire, soup, White Christmas and later, some cocoa. WB is carving. K & I are knitting.

Life is good...




indeed.

holiday sweets...

The mortal muses are musing on sweets today.



I thought that if I photographed the sweets in a Williams Sonoma window, I would not need to bring any home.

I tried to follow that rule. Really, I did.

It worked ...

for a little while.

A very little while...

she's coming home...

TONIGHT!

Make me so happy to be wrapping presents for her!