It’s been 51 weeks since I posted here. My son was born January 31, 2011. We’ve had a great year getting to know each other. Arlo, the platform I use for this blog will be closing on 8/8/12 as the team shifts their attention to other projects. So…

WHAT’S NEXT:

A Rockridge Life will remain here and in the Internet ether, as I shift my attention to new and exciting projects, including a new blog. If you are interested in keeping in touch, please email me at arockridgelife@gmail.com and I will add your contact information to my address book and will notify you of new work.

THANKS:

Many thanks to all the people who read, inspired, and supported this blog, including but not limited to: my brother Richard Parks (who made me start on Wordpress all those years ago), my family and close friends for reading and responding, Dylan Fareed for getting the site onto Arlo, and last but certainly not least my blog friends:

Amanda of Anticipation
Joan and Fatima of Flowers by Bornay
Kimberly of La Martine
Ruth and Amanda of Quatre Coeur
Dafna of Inna Jam
Tim of Lottie + Doof
Bob and his team at Oliveto Community Journal
Andrew of Good Jobbb
Chad of A Hawk from a Handsaw
Jane of Home and Oats
the women of Witch Party
Jackson of Superforest
Peter of A Man Named Me

¡¡¡PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH!!!

December has just flown by.

Oliveto lost the lovely Paul Canales, and gained a great new chef Jonah Rhodehamel. The restaurant is looking beautiful for the holidays. NYE there should be a great time.

My brother has started production on his documentary on Music Man Murray. He is a fabulously talented journalist and MMM is a worthy subject not just for his collection but for his story — what does a man see when he looks back at his life from the perspective of 88 years old? I want to see Richard raise 5K. Maybe you’re interested in helping? Every penny helps…literally! So if he gets as many pennies as this post gets hits, I’m a happy woman. Wink wink.

I wanted to do so many Christmas-related things this year: get a great advent calendar, celebrate St. Nicholas Day, and make candy among other things, but pregnancy kind of got in the way. There’s always next year…

Peko Peko is doing their annual New Year’s Osechi Bento! It looks even better than the previous years. (is that possible?) This time it comes in a 3-level cedar box and includes sweets from the inimitable Toraya.

I admit it. I’m a sucker for consumer Christmas. Which means I might — MIGHT — go to American Girl Place today to buy a present for my niece. Yikes.

More notes soon I hope. In the mean time—enjoy your merriness where ever you can get it!

I know everyone is thinking about Christmas these days (shop! shop! SHOP!), but a few weeks back I made this Hanukkah Arrangement of hydrangea, sea holly, ranunculous, green hanging amaranth, and lavender. Here it is:

After a long holiday everyone needs a good vacation. This year I got one to Kona thanks to great deals from the Oakland Airport on Alaska Airlines. I wanted to try Kona since I’d never been. It’s almost a little odd after only understanding Hawaii as Maui—Kona is so different—all volcanic rock and desert. And very soothing all the same. Just a few random shots:

In the little town of Kapaau:

A lovable little gecko (always easier to appreciate when viewed outside in HI, as opposed to inside your house rental):

Beach shots:

The little cocoon style chaises really soothed me.

I squeezed three little arrangements for the family and me out of leftovers from the big guy I posted yesterday.

And I remembered I had these dried eucalyptus beads and pussywilllow, and craspedia lying around, which helped lend a little flare.