My Winter Kitchen......

  

........Continuing on with my after Christmas winter look.  Unlike the living room desk shelves and the last thing I showed, part of the dining room, the white style does not include the kitchen.  It is a little more colorful....

 

 

I am not sure I would be totally happy living in a small house without shelves to place a lot of things on.  If you do it thematically and/or color-coordinated, you can get away with a lot in a small space. You will recognize items in the pictures that you have seen before but they have never been used in this arrangement and there are a few new things, too.

 

 

When using so many small items in a small room like this one, in order to develop conformity, the whole room needs to be treated as a composition with things having a connection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Jonesborough (my hometown) sign was a Christmas gift this year from my daughter. The one loose apple is there on purpose to give more interest to the vignette. Do you agree that it does?

 

 

 

One day I noticed a spot of green down here where I store my onions.  I discovered they were sprouting!

 

 

I just left them in place until they were tall and running out of room.

 

 

I moved them to the top shelf and enjoyed seeing two of them get so tall they were falling over.

 

 

I may just start growing more things inside! I brought these turnips in and first thing I knew they also have sprouts. I cooked and enjoyed eating the turnip tops - the first ones. These have just started to grow.

 

 

The white hyacinth has bloomed here but it had sprouts when I bought it at Fresh Market. I was glad to see it is a white one.  I am really not a very colorful person, I guess.

 

 

The clippings from a basil plant, brought in from my yard, is lasting a long time in just a little water.  It has developed roots.  I forgot to light the candle before taking the picture.

 

 

The beverage station has been down-sized compared to last year.

 

 

As you can see, I have my own tea line now.  Actually, someone in England is using my name.

When I got this for Christmas I thought they were packaging tea in boxes with different names.  You know, like you can buy tree ornaments with your own name.  But, on closer examination, it is actually a company name.

 

 

I haven't tried it yet.

 

 

 

 

My mother and dad's picture on my families cookbook.

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I think I will go and have a cup of tea.

My Winter Dining Room..........

Continuing with the theme of winter in my inside rooms (I do have outside rooms) this post shows some of my favorite dining room spots.......

 

Starting on the left: a hodge podge of tea things and other items.

 

 

Since the plate from 10 Downing street, London (literally) was in the above picture for those who have not seen it before, it is one of my special treasures. It is from the Royal collection and bears the Queen's seal(?). Tony Blair was in residence when it became mine. And, no it wasn't stolen.

 

 

 

On the wall just above the buffet holding the plate, etc. is this cabinet.  For many years and in two different houses it held part of my collection of one-of-a-kind Victorian tea cups and saucers. Two years ago at Christmas time I changed it to the white cups from my china set.

 

 

 

I really didn't like not having at least part of these showing, so this year after Christmas I put some of them in this basket.

 

 

 

 

Some of these are not my favorites but these are the ones that cooperated to fit together. You would be surprised how hard it was to get this many to nest together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tall lady holding her tea cup stands to the right of the basket. I need to put something in the glass apothecary jar! I think I know what might be just the thing.

 

 

 

 

On the left wall hangs the plate and cup that my daughter, Carla, gave me several years ago.  It gets traded out with a Christmas set but always goes back here afterward.

 

 

Another word about this shelf - the set of small square plates is new.  There are eight and they were a gift from my friend, Sarah. This is the first time in thirty or more years for the shelf to hold anything other than Victorian and the white cups and saucers.

 

 

I love the square shape, the color and the design!

 

If you have been following this blog long you already know how much I like pretty dishes and I have more to show from the dining room.  Will try to get to that soon.

 

Winter White......

........."Under a blanket of quiet, winter tucks us indoors.  This season of warming sips and quiet light prompts us to explore our inner lives.  What matters most to us within these sheltering walls - and within ourselves?"

Here in Florida, I am not experiencing the drastic chill that those across the upper states feel.  But, it is cold for here.  In January as I pack away bright holiday colors I turn to dirty snow white. It brings out an entirely different look and feel. In those years when we have very warm winter temperature, I enjoy a seasonal change indoors - using lots of white décor, eat and drink winter comfort food, even if I need to use air conditioning and it gives a feel of cozy warmth for the body and soul.

 

 

 

Today, I will be showing just the things on the bookcase shelves.

 

 

Starting on the top shelf, a dirty white angel and little bird.....

 

 

An open book showing winter white.

 

 

And in the right corner a couple of books with a white bird, jar candle and a bee.

 

 

Dropping to the middle shelf, first comes a big fat white bird, and two yarn trees that I kept out from the Christmas look.  Nothing says cozy better than candles, even battery ones.

 

 

In the middle, a big letter S which can be for my last name or for snow.  Some might say "Stark". I think more of "Serene".

 

 

Next is the little girl pulling a basket of snowballs. A red bird has hitched a ride. This picture was made without a flash. This is one of the hardest areas in the house to get good pictures and I seldom succeed.

 

 

 

Down below, two more books and some white and silver glass balls.  Silver is another color that can promote a winter feeling.

 

 

The final corner has a big metal button box on its side.  The box as well as the big bird in the first picture were gifts from my daughter at Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

I have never displayed buttons in this room before but with the new button box they fit in.  And the colors are right.

 

Whatever works for you, celebrate the frosty season with heartfelt warmth, see, sip, savor and snuggle up and enjoy quiet peace.

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While I wasn't looking.....

.............during the holidays, while I was so busy inside and with special activities to participate in, the garden was carrying on without me.  I did manage to get some pictures out there and that is what I am sharing today..........

 

Cooler weather is great for the roses and most of my bushes have been performing with wonderful blossoms

 

I love to take pictures when plants are covered with raindrops.  We are still getting what seems to me more rain than normal in our "dry" season.

 

 

 

 

This night jasmine is in the back corner of the yard and is not seen much from the house so I was surprised when I walked back there and it was covered with blooms.

 

 

 

 

Nearby, something is going on with this pair, a boy and a girl tall garden stakes.  They have been close but with about a foot between them.  I notice now they are holding hands?????

 

 

In my raised bed the winter herbs are doing good. Love seeing dill covered with moisture.

 

 

Healthy Kale

 

 

 

Turnip plants all insisting on having the turnips above ground!

 

 

 

 

I was thrilled to finally catch this Gulf Fritillary sitting still enough to get a picture.

 

 

Monarchs are much easier to photograph. They don't all migrate from here.

 

This tropical has been loaded with blooms for weeks.  It will be the first to go if we get a big frost or (I don't even like saying the word) a freeze.

 

 

 

 

Hibiscus has a few blooms almost year round.

 

 

After Christmas I found the snapdragons I had been looking for. They do well in the front sunny yard.

 

 

Geraniums do better in the winter time for me.

 

I have many more recent pictures but they can wait until the next garden post.  Next posting will be from the inside showing some after Christmas decoration - my winter inside.

 

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