Starting to look a lot like Christmas ....

Are you ready? I'm not.

Baking to be done soon, 

shopping for the ingredients even sooner

 if tomorrow is not too late? 

and still i roam about the yard and select and collect  flowers and leaves

 to help me celebrate and share  the joy of the season.

 I make these floral arrangements and think they might be the Christmas card of  the year after arranged and photographed and cropped and printed and addressed and stamped and sent,

so far they are in the camera and in a photo place in computer.

Then i come across a poinsettia that made it through the year and is now re-blooming

 in spite of the fact that i only cut it back once.

Red is so red this time of year!!

 Then there are the painted fabric Santa figures of fabric i call old Nicks.

I have made these for about 30 years now since i found their likeness pleasing to me

 in an early American folk art style. I put them out yearly

 and sometimes the white Santa stays out all year.

This year i drew, painted, quilted and sewed up some pillows featuring the

 Monstera leaves .The above is the painting before the quilting. 

Strawberry guavas and leaves 

in the Christmas colors minus the snow! 

Soon i will be baking and  

sharing  my apple crisp from the Tassajara  bread book 

from the 1970s

 with lots of fruit and nuts and ginger and spices

 as i like to improvise as i make food depending on what is in the pantry and fridge,in season, 
 and  on the counter.

And don't forget the whipping cream!!

A vintage Hawaiian print of anthuriums  

Be most  well and have a happy and  healthy holiday season wherever  you are!

aloha, sonja