Melinda Downing Design

christmas in southern california

Winter color in Southern California this Christmas, with an afternoon high of 81.

Hollywood, Los Angeles and Beverly Hills

a pirate and princess party

Here is Hannah, the fairest of them all... with her handsome pirate Husband and their beautiful three children. All except Hannah celebrate a birthday within a few weeks of each other. They share a party each year. This year it was a Princess and Pirate Party at a bowling alley!

there were amazing desserts by Raven of Cookie Couture like this:

and this....

and these....

I had to pass them up this year as I am two weeks into a 90 day self-imposed sugar fast. Trust me though I have had plenty of Ravens desserts in the past and they are as delicious as they are beautiful.

 

Will: my favorite pirate

and Chloe the sweetest princess in the world!

Mom and Dad, stealing a kiss as the night winds down.

my obsession with mannequins continues

Each time I visit Plymouth, I go into this antique store and ask to buy this lady, each time I'm told "not for sale". Sometimes she is wearing a hat, on some visits she is in the cabinet, sometimes out. I just love the way she is looking off to the side. My small collection of mannequins already creeps my kids out, so maybe it's best I don't have this one. (yet)

 

 

a whole lot of sweetness in my backyard today

montana de oro

Six miles southwest of Morro Bay, this state park features rugged cliffs, secluded sandy beaches, coastal plains, streams, canyons, and hills, including 1,347-foot Valencia Peak. I hiked there yesterday with 3 friends I have known since 6th grade. I have been to Morro Bay, SLO and the area a hundred times and I've never been to this stretch of the ocean. Unbelievably beautiful but not for the faint of heart. My fear of heights kept me a little further away from the edge than my friends and seeing a long slithering snake on the trail did not help matters. The Flowers were mostly crunchy and dying but the colors ranged from bright to muted and were beautiful. I want to return in the spring.

 

will's first day of kindergarten

 

 

clint and deanna's maternity session preview

 

thankful, grateful, blessed

2 year olds are usually a big challenge for me.

Not this one, John was sweet and gentle, smart and playful.

will and chloe dance recital

I saw two of my favorite people, William and Chloe, perform at the William Saroyan Theatre in front of thousands last night. They were so brave and adorable. After the show.... ice cream.

baby bird

Mary found her in the driveway after yoga class this morning. I put her in a box and brought her to the middle of the yoga room while I decided what to do. She fell asleep and seemed unhurt, just too young to be out of the nest. I called wildlife resuce, they never returned my call. Googled "baby bird out of nest" and it said to leave them where you found them, so I returned her to a low branch in the tree where she came from. (sorry Betty...) All day I checked on her, she came back to the ground and moved around quite a bit. Three birds stayed near her all day keeping the cats and squirrels at bay. I'm confident she'll be fine. I'm letting nature take it's course and hope she's in the air soon. I've named her Mary after the Mary who managed to see this small, motionless gray bird on a gray diveway and saved her from a most certain death by a departing yoga student.