Happy Holidays

Been busy lately, what with the kids visiting and all (hence the lack of wildflowers and Sierra pics and such). I hope all of you have been having a wonderful time with people you love, whatever it is you celebrate.

(This, by the way, is our Rosemary Christmas Tree, which became an instant tradition the first time we did it last year.)

Friday Random Ten - Very Special This-Christmas-Goes-to-Eleven Edition

Brian Setzer Orchestra - Blue Christmas
James Brown - Christmas Is Love
Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rappin'
The Kingstonians - Merry Christmas
Charlelie Couture - Christmas Fever
Booker T & the MGs - Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Chris Isaak - Washington Square
Sonics - Santa Claus
Jody Levins - Jingle Bell Boogie
Material - It's a Holiday
Marah - Auld Lang Syne

Yesterday morning I got the itch to decorate something. I considered our poor scrawny basil plant --it has the right Charlie Brown spirit, after all--but I'm not entirely confident in its structural integrity. Then I remembered the monster rosemary bush out back. I cut a few branches, stuck them in a champagne bucket, and voila: a holiday tradition was born. Compact, no-hassle, and totally eco-friendly.

Happy holidays to everyone who celebrates anything!

Happy Hanukkah!

From Mr. Dreidel, encased in his very own no-spin zone.

Edit: oops...a day early, I guess (a day and a half if you want to get technical). I thought today was the 11th.