A POX ON WATER DAMAGE!

I always try to take in the big Spring Celebration at Rogers Gardens -
(a lovely garden nursery/gift shop in Corona Del Mar, CA)

Fuzzy chicks make me happy...

as do bunnies

Cute bunnies aside, I come to see the flower arrangements their floral department create to FILL the gift shop.

We took a little Coastal train ride with friends to Carlsbad

Great views all the way on the Surfliner.

Shopping Carlsbad - fun in spite of a little rain...

My son braved the weather of Winter in Yosemite to capture the fire falls.
Only ONE time each year - in February, and providing the weather permits,
is this particular waterfall lit by the setting sun which turns it to 'fire'.
At just the right moment, it pours molten sunset down the face of El Capitan.
He had been defeated by the weather two previous years.  It was well worth the wait.

 View his photography here and here

And then we lost our baby.
OUR BAILEY - RIP SWEET GIRL

she left a big giant hole in our hearts

And the ugly kept coming in the form of

THE VERY BAD, VERY UGLY

SLAB LEAK

I actually felt we caught it in time, but the insurance company still ripped up over 1/2 our floor

and a lot of walls, took down the built-in cabinets and removed moldings and packed our belongings and furniture into a pod on the driveway.

Once again, we were without a kitchen.

WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING...WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

I started to recap all the events of last year and it was TMI, even for me - who lived it...
You would have given up reading after the first couple of events because I had massive amounts of pictures.
I have a hard time talking without pictures - I'm a very visual person.  Plus, they say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so then I don't have to say as much.

After looking at that ridiculously long post I decided to break it up.  Because I like the pictures.  And I like not having to say as much.

So, here's a little bit of what I've been up to lately.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.  And way less words.

2019 was a busy year.
It started out normal...or as normal as can be expected for a slightly weird person...
(and then someone shook the crazy tree and crazy rained down on us for the next several months...)

My son went to Patagonia on a wedding photo shoot and sent us back some amazing photographs..

Penguin Island

His talent takes my breath away.  

And Patagonia is GORGEOUS   

(You can follow him on Instagram at Jamezillasaurus or check out his website here.)

Our friends introduced us to a great burger restaurant - Hopdoddy Burger Bar.
The truffle french fries...oh, my...
A big thumbs up.

The Hubs with friends

And about this time I grabbed some clever friends and decided to further complicate my life by offering classes in my home to friends, clients, their friends, etc., so...
We decided to call it 'Making HOME'.

Relying heavily on my clever friends,  we organized a few MakingHOME classes before the crazies hit...

Valentines...

With a demonstration of a romantic dinner for two of Salmon cooked in parchment...

see recipes here

Spring...

We taught how to make your own mayonnaise, dressings, and individual layer cakes...

see recipes here

and made this fun sign...

Easter...

Garden Class 

at Betty's amazing garden

adding more photos here because how can I not ?

her yard is amazing

(see recipes, etc. from classes at MakingHOME )

Stay tuned for more....

TIDYING UP

I've been bitten by the tidying bug.  I can't believe I've already watched the whole first season of Marie Kondo's Tidying Up.  I was watching while cleaning the kitchen the other day, and my tea towel drawer is now meticulously organized... I was even able to engage The Hubs in a couple of episodes and he is game to try it out.

So here's what I love about her method...  She doesn't tell you to get rid of stuff.  I have stuff.  I have business stuff, and sentimental stuff, and home decor stuff, and family stuff and some of my mother's stuff and some of The Hubs mother's stuff - stuff I inherited, stuff I feel guilty tossing, stuff I need, stuff I might need someday, paper stuff, holiday stuff, fabric stuff, design stuff, client stuff, photo stuff, garden stuff, craft stuff.....

I have stuff.

She simply asks that what you keep "Sparks Joy".

Not guilt.

Joy.

I can do that.

The Hubs can do that.

"Marie Kondo’s lessons show that in focusing on what does not make you happy, you’re only inviting unhappiness into your life. If you look around your home and dwell on those items you can’t stand, you’re just generating more negativity.  Pick up an item, touch it and ask yourself if it “sparks joy” in your life. If not, set it aside.  KonMari states that you must touch every single item before you get rid of it. There’s no need to bring any “rational thinking” into the mix at this stage. You need to feel the item. Use your emotions and feelings to make a determination as to whether or not you’re going to keep something."

You are supposed to start with your clothing, but I was in the middle of folding tea towels as I watched... so...in my tea towel drawer, I put the ones that I wanted to keep.  They matched my kitchen, they were unstained, fresh and clean.  I folded them the Konmari way.  The drawer is a sight to behold.  It sparks joy.

Kondo has come up with what she believes the ideal order to tidy up.  Instead of room by room, she asks you to tidy by category:  Clothes; Books; Papers; Miscellany; Sentimental.   I would need to add creative to that, since its big enough to have its own category at my house.

She also thanks the things she discards for their place or service in her life.
She talks to the house. (to suss out its spirit -)
She shows respect.
She sparks joy.

She's adorable.

I'm ready to attack my house - are you?