Remains of the Day

We have been exceedingly lazy this past week.  Here at Passage Paradis.We still have a ton of food in the house.  We are going to be very lazy for a couple more days.  I did want to share a final thought with you before the year ends..... (and I do not recall having ever previously felt this way in my life!) :

(Pic: Anki at Zylverblauw)

I want a PINK Christmas tree next year!  I have mentioned this to Mr. Paradis and tho' surprised, he hasn't said "NO!" yet.  What do you think?  Might this feeling pass?  I'll keep you posted.........

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!!!

see you in 2013!  (Yikes!)

Happy Christmas Everyone

Hope it's cozy and restful and full of good cheer and good things to eat!

I Feel So Embarassed

It's a week til Christmas.  And I have not taken any Christmas pictures for you around L.A.!!!!!!!!!!  Despite best intentions.

I tried last week.  This (above) was the paltry result.  It's been all about errands in the car.  And cleaning

(I left some ornaments much like this sitting in my Mother's garage because they wouldn't fit in the car when I moved to NYC.  I haven't stopped regretting it.)

the house from top to bottom.  We're having company on Sunday and I've rearranged all the furniture.  I had a nice Christmas lunch last Thursday, and a loooovely Christmas skype with a girlfriend.  We bought a new rug....in festive colors.  And I'm failing at getting new groovy glasses by Christmas.

I'm making tons of cookies - which will be very bad for my waistline and nether regions.  Some will look something like this.  And others will be inspired by this place:

The tree is teeny, in a giant vase near a door.   I haven't gotten lights on it yet......

There are no presents wrapped yet - though several came over my fence yesterday.  I just HOPE they are not broken!  (Heartless UPS man, you!)

How nice if they were to look like this, though.  I don't know what I'm wearing Sunday night yet.  And my bangs need a trim!

(First pic and this above, yours truly.  Most others, Inspired by Tamar!)

But I am thinking of you, I am.  And hoping your Christmas preparations are going well.  (I mean, better than mine!) If it's not complete pandemonium, I'll take pictures and show you after.  Meanwhile, all the cookies are in the freezer at the moment.

And yourselves??????  Making or planning anything special?  Let me know?

OK fingers crossed, Google let's me upload these and post.  AFTER Christmas, I'll figure a whole new thing out!

Christmas kisses poppets!

Tender Tones

Before the final weeks get going and start having that frazzled feeling........

 (via Little Blue Deer)

How's about....

 (via This Is Not My Life Forever)

a little

tender-

ness?

 (this pic and above, via Rhubarb in the Garden)

I'll bet

(via Oh Joy)

you

(this pic and lampshades above, via Bohemian Wornest)

weren't

expecting

 (Spitalfields Life)

 this last picture!  Were you?

And something to go along with this theme?

And Further To .......

My wildlife post.......

I'm not bragging - I just continue to be amazed........This one bloomed on the deck the day after my birthday and continued until two days ago.  That's just about three full weeks.  It's in a big pot with other things....(hyacinths to be precise, so watch this space!).  But next year I think it will be nothing but a solid stand of bearded iris just like this. Nothing succeeds like success they say!  I am so inspired.

IRISES.  IN DECEMBER!  If you are a gardener, it's very hard not to believe in miracles.  Every plant, blossom, fruit that manages to thrive in my back yard seems to me to be utterly, astoundingly, miraculous.  In my New Jersey garden in December, I would be rushing outside at nightfall to wrap my plants against the nightime freezing temperatures.  If they weren't already bundled up.  This is what I came to Los Angeles for.  

Almost the best birthday present ever.

Situational December

As you know already,

we've had a couple SITUATIONS ovah here

at Passage Paradis.  One of them has involved squirrels.  (More on this soon.)  Have I mentioned how much I love L.A.? Yesterday I saw a coyote napping in the grass right next door to a group of golfers teeing up at Griffith Park.   (For the second time!)  Do you golf?  Would that put you off your game?

I don't play golf.  Tennis instead.  And so far I haven't met up with any rattlesnakes on my tennis courts.  But that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.  I'll let you know.  As and when.

Read This Now

Still a little up in the air.....

(Photo: via  ChutJeReve tumblr)

but I did just want to say.....ThaNk You ! to everybody for your nice comments from the last post and the tip from Beatrice about storage.  Yes, it's true, I had to delete some photos from Picasa and a couple of posts from 2009 in order to squeeze this little picture in.  I have yet to settle on a long term strategy - I am a little loathe to fall for that old paying-extra-for-storage-space routine.  I mean, where does it end?  It's like your cable bill, the numbers only go up and up.  And one's dependence seems never to wane.  I want to say "NO!" NOW! - before it gets any harder to push the metaphorical plate away.

I did want to pop this quick post out into cyberspace now though, before it's too late -

Suzanne, at Sakura Snow is closing her Etsy shop for the season tomorrow (Friday) evening.  Quick!  If you love her macho-tender blend of Aubrey Beardsley and African-graphic style of prints you should hop over there and get yourself or someone you dearly love a magical sea animal or whimsical land-beast.  They are go--o--o--o--r-geous!!!  My own owl arrived at my house last week.  And it is huge!  (Meaning exceedingly reasonably priced.)  You won't regret it.  

And while you're there, give Suzanne a little love and wish her a Happy Christmas.  I think she's off on another adventure.  The pictures it will produce I'm already very keenly  anticipating.  

OK, it's been a busy week over here in Paradis.  (Did I mention I've had an iris blooming on my deck for the last fortnight?)   So I'll say HAPPY WEEKEND for the moment and hope to come back very soon with all my existential blog-issues resolved.

xoxoxo -  (How are your holiday plans coming along?)