The Rains Ended...

After the excesses and storms of Christmas Day, it was refreshing to wake up to a little sunshine after our rain soaked holiday. I walked out into the garden early this morning just after sunrise and reflected on the simple joys of this season!

I love this Deco vintage French carte de Noel

our naval oranges are sparkling

with raindrops in the dawn light

I couldn't resist bringing the silver Christmas bowl

outside in the early morning light!

we love our Pendleton blanket, a wedding

gift from my cousin Phillip

that is so perfect at Christmastime

simple and lovely angel and crown

we wrapped all our gifts in this pretty

paper with green ribbons

the Provence birdcage filled with

glass Christmas balls

the charm of the unmade guest bed, vacated

excitedly on Christmas morning by

our daughter Lisa!

***

Christmas morning we opened presents then dressed up and headed over to the Claremont Hotel in Oakland for a lovely, three-hour Christmas brunch with family. My husband's family has been going there for fifty years!

the dehydrator gift... does Steven love it? why is

Lisa laughing so hard?

the tree ornaments witnessed our festive morning!

the "treize desserts" are now down to about "trois desserts"

(nobody really likes the dried oranges and the figs... not when

there is chocolate nearby!)

the stunning Claremont Hotel and Spa is the setting for

our Christmas Day brunch

the gingerbread house in the hotel lobby took 294 lbs of sugar to make!

our adorable nephew Blair and Aunt Lucile "a table"

***

hoping you and yours had a very...