this february weekend

Winter is subtle in California... at least at the southern end. We have cold clear days mixed in with a warm weekend or a massive rainstorm. But things still shift and we enjoy our seasons just the same. This weekend brought

Winter flowers:





I am ever enamored with Magnolias. Our neighborhood is full of the slender pink buds right now. (and Camellias too).


Winter foods:



citrus citrus citruscitruscitrus. I cannot get enough. At least 3 oranges per day must be consumed. And the Cara Caras are in season right now. Run to the farmer's market and find them if you can.


Winter projects:



Or should we say mega nesting? I went on a roman shade kick this weekend and turned mini blinds for 4 windows into roman shades. Tutorial here on Little Green Notebook. SO easy and, no they're not the most polished looking window coverings, but they are sooooooo much better than old mini blinds.


And winter babies:



My dear friend Jessica who I've been on the pregnancy journey with for the last 9+ months had her little girl on Saturday. She was due 3 days before me. I think because we've been so close through this whole process, the arrival of little Yvette (Friday night not here, Saturday morning HERE), so quickly has made the end of the journey feel very real and very unpredictable. And truly like a little poof of magic. I talked to Jessica on Friday night about normal boring household stuff, she wondered if she was ever going to go into real labor (she'd been having random contractions and a number of other "signs" for a week), and we pondered what it would be like to insert a newborn into our lives and our homes. Couldn't imagine it, really. And then an hour later she was in labor. And by noon the next day I had a surprise email from her husband with this photo. Completely amazing.

And now, as it goes... I'm next. Though it could be another 3 or 4 weeks I suppose. Trying to prepare myself for however and whenever this baby wants to come. I realized after seeing little tiny perfect Yvette, that I can plan all I want for my perfect birth but when it comes down to it, I don't care how he or she gets here as long as (s)he's here and healthy and home.