Happy December Everyone! It’s the holiday season and what an exciting month we have ahead! Holiday parties, gatherings, Christmas, Christmas trees, presents, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and school will be out for a couple of weeks too! Are you ready for the most fun, eventful, joyful month of the year? Savories, sweets, cookbook reviews, and lots of fun photos to share. I hope you will give some of my recipes a try, maybe check out a book or two, but mostly I hope you enjoy the wonderful month of December! Starting tomorrow I will be posting a recipe, story, or book review a day until December 25th!

I got a head start on my holiday decorating this week. We haven’t put up a Christmas tree yet and we have yet to take out our entire holiday decor, but I do have a few nature-inspired naturals on display already. At this time of year when my garden is winding down and I don’t have much by way of color I love to pick up potted plants from the grocery stores. Then I come home and re-pot them into nice pots, add some moss and embellishments and viola! I have a beautiful arrangement.

In California our Trader Joe’s stores always have the most beautiful potted plants and cut flowers at the most affordable prices – all-year long! Most of the time I stop by Trader Joe’s just to pick up a plant or two – it’s like going to a nursery but not really 😀💐🌺🌷.  These gorgeous ivy, rosemary and amaryllis were bought at our local Trader Joe’s grocery store!!!

I also bought a few poinsettias because well – poinsettias are the quintessential holiday plant here in America – and how stunning is that red color on these poinsettias!  I always wondered what makes poinsettia leaves turn so red while the new leaves are always green. I’ll have to do some research on this🤔🤔.

Speaking of poinsettias, I recall a story my friend Jo told me about how she would see giant 10ft tall bushes of poinsettias in Costa Rica just growing wild when she would visit her friend Marlena every January. She said it always amazed her how huge those poinsettias could get and stay so vibrant red.

Continuing on the nature-theme, I am heading out today with my friend Rose to a wreath-making workshop hosted by the UC Master Gardeners program. I’ve never made a wreath before. I am excited to see how it turns out 😀.

I also can’t wait to start wrapping Christmas presents – yes, I am one of those crazy gals that does her holiday shopping early – I don’t enjoy fighting the crowds during the holidays – it’s stressful!  When my shopping is done early I get to relax and enjoy the best part of gift giving – wrapping!  Take a look at these artisanal holiday wrapping I bought last year – aren’t they just sooooo beautiful!!  Shimmery and glittery and so colorful!!  I finally got to use them this year for some of my holiday presents.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a delicious roasted root veggie salad that we made for our Thanksgiving dinner that turned out awesome. I am positive this roasted root veggie dish will wow your friends and family at your next holiday gathering!

Happy December Everyone!