The surge in Covid, flu and RSV in Los Angeles County led us to cancel our plans for a pre-Christmas celebration with friends before it entirely got off the ground. I'm frustrated that, despite vaccinations and other public safety precautions, our activities are still impacted by the Covid pandemic that started three years ago but so it goes. I still decorated for Christmas.
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I bought a pine wreath and embellished it with a bow, a tiny gnome, and some of the same berries and foliage I used to create a hand-made wreath using materials from my garden
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A larger gnome and a gargoyle greet visitors at the front door
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A faux tree sits on the front entry table
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Our fireplace mantel is under-dressed this year
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This year's tree is wider than last year's tree and could use more ornaments. I haven't bought any new ornaments in years and it's probably time to refresh my collection but I keep telling myself I'm going to shrink the tree in the future. (My husband, a Christmas Grinch, would prefer I skip the tree altogether but that's not going to happen.)
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Pipig likes the tree just as it is. Yes, that ornament looks a lot like the image of the Covid-19 molecule but my stepfather made it and others for me decades ago and I can't bear to throw it away.
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Much of the neighborhood is celebrating the holiday - more decorations appear every day
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The view of the Los Angeles harbor from our backyard is festive too
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Unlike much of the country, we're expecting warmer temperatures at Christmas, which is something to be thankful for. However you're celebrating this year and whatever your weather conditions, best wishes for a happy holiday.
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material © 2012-2022
by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
A very Merry Christmas to you and yours, Kris! So sorry the party got canceled. The wonky PNW weather made a lot of folks stay home, so the attendance at the Schweddy Ball Partly was only about half of those invited. The ice rain started falling right as the party was set to begin, so many (wisely) opted to not brave the slippery roads.
ReplyDeletePipig has the same exact pose as our old kitty often does. I always think he's waiting for something. You know, that slightly annoyed look...
The polar express is certainly hitting much of the country hard. I'm sorry it impacted your Schweddy Ball Party, Anna. In contrast, weather forecasters are now saying LA could hit 80F on Christmas day! That's because the same ridge of high pressure air that prevents rain from the north from reaching us is also preventing the icy cold from doing so. So I guess that nasty ridge is finally doing us a favor ;) Rain is currently predicted for Tuesday/Wednesday so perhaps Mother Nature is throwing us another bone to start the new year.
DeleteHappy holidays and a great new year to you. Fabulous view!
ReplyDeletefrom Phillip
DeleteThanks Phillip. Best wishes for a wonderful new year to you as well!
DeleteI love your tree Kris, I think it's got just the right amount of ornaments on it. Sorry you had to cancel your Christmas socializing. Mother nature cancelled my Christmas at home with family. We've got ice here in Portland and even if we could get to the airport the airlines cancelled the flight. I don't think there are any flights taking off or landing today. At least we still have power and heat! (it's been at about 20F since late Wednesday, not supposed to warm above freezing until sometime Saturday afternoon)
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad you didn't decide to spend Christmas with your SoCal relatives this year, Loree. LA's weather is expected to be the polar opposite (pardon the pun) of that in Oregon and Washington, at least on Christmas day. Rain could arrive late Tuesday, which is good for us but may mess things up for people coming here to attend the Rose Parade on the first. It's good that you have power and heat - and that you didn't get stranded midway in an airport as so many people have.
DeleteBeautiful photo of A.L. harbor! And I love that little bicycle-riding Santa...
ReplyDeleteI won't complain about the ice storm in Seattle when relatives in Ohio and Wyoming got it so much worse. Still, I'd be thrilled when the temps climb back up above 32° this Friday afternoon.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Chavli
Below 32F - brr! Merry Christmas, Chavli! I'll keep my fingers crossed that your temperatures rise to a comfortable level as the new year approaches.
DeleteHave a wonderful Christmas, Kris! Your decorations are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie. Merry Christmas to you and your family too.
DeleteSo cool to see the harbor lights! Happy holidays, Kris!
ReplyDeleteI apparently took that photo of the harbor at the right time, Denise - the marine layer seems to be moving in already this evening. Best wishes for a happy holiday!
DeleteBeautiful! Happy Holidays and best wishes for the year ahead!
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. Best wishes to you as well!
DeleteHappy Holiday, Kris. Your decorations are elegant as always. How could you not keep ornaments handmade by your stepfather? Such a sweet memory to recall every Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWhat also caught my eye among your photos was the neighbor's custom gate that looked like a deciduous climbing rose--wow! Very cool!
And Covid marches on. :( My sister was exposed at a holiday party (no symptoms, all tests negative) and Alan was exposed at his company's holiday lunch (felt tired, slight cough for several days, all tests negative). With the work hours he keeps, how could he not be tired? Still wise to be cautious. Even if it is Just A Bad Cold, who wants a bad cold?
I'm sorry that both your sister and Alan have come down with something. I discovered that one of my close friends has been down and out with what she believes is a bad cold (2 Covid tests came back negative). Another friend just let me know that she's canceled her celebration on Christmas day due to illnesses of various sorts, including Covid. I hope next year we've got the situation under better control. Or then again, maybe I'll start celebrating Christmas in July or September ;)
DeleteUnderstated but elegant decorations Kris. Ours are a lot less this year too but I kinda prefer it to our usual over-the-top ones. More emphasis on indoor plants. With all the other stuff happening I am especially grateful that we don't have to travel to spend Christmas with our sons. Small things. I do love those silver gates with the branching structure. Enjoy the season and hopefully 2023 will bring better times.
ReplyDeleteI feel badly for all those people stranded in airports, Elaine, but I'm glad you're not among them. Yesterday, Wall Street Journal featured a story on over-the-top indoor Christmas decorations costing tens of thousands of dollar. Frankly, they made me a little sick to my stomach.
DeleteI hope you and your family enjoy a peaceful and very happy Christmas. I share your hope for the new year.
Merry Christmas to you and your family Kris. Your decorations all look lovely.
ReplyDeleteI’ve enjoyed reading your blog this year and learned a lot from your posts, thank you 🙂
Sorry about the Covid situation in your area- it’s rife here too. Stay safe and here’s to a healthy 2023.
And give Pipig a Christmas pat for me.
Merry Christmas, Horticat, and thank you for joining us in the garden blogosphere! Pipig appreciates the recognition - and the pat.
DeleteWishing you a belated Happy Christmas Kris! It's nice to see your decorations and those in your neighbourhood. A shame that Covid got in the way of some of your festive celebrations. Here there is a triple whammy of Covid, flu and RSV doing the rounds 😱
ReplyDeleteThe "tripledemic" as it's called here is a major cause for concern here, Anna. In my immediate area, flu and RSV are reportedly the biggest issues for local hospitals but Covid's still an issue as well. Many of my friends ended up spending far quieter Christmases than they'd originally planned.
DeleteI’m a bit late to wish you a happy Christmas, Kris, but I’m sending a warm virtual hug for the festive season. I’m sorry to hear that your planned activities were curtailed. La Niña has left us, and it’s hot here and has quickly dried out. It’s almost as though all that rain never happened.
ReplyDeleteThere’s plenty of covid happening here too, but people are carrying their normal lives as if it never happened.
What a pretty view you have at night time from your house.
Well wishes are appreciated whenever they arrive, Jane :) Best wishes in advance for a happy and healthy new year.
DeleteThe nighttime view here has always made me think of what you see when you fly into a major city at night - scads of light, albeit few stars. We get a great view of fireworks too and New Year's Eve is second only to our Independence Day for those displays. They'd be nicer if they were less noisy and didn't come with fire risk but one can't have everything.
We had a last family Christmas hosted by my oldest sister. Next year they move to a retirement flat, and the family must rethink who will host in future.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year (to Pipig too)!
Those family-related changes to Christmas are always a little difficult but whatever comes next can be wonderful too. Thanks for the new year's wishes. I hope yours is happy too.
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