Some Winter Color

I must confess, I am very ambivalent when it come to winter. I love the winter holidays that involve family, friends and food.  I love wearing scarves and especially love not having humidity-triggered hot flashes in the middle of the night!  I'm ambivalent because I don't like it getting dark so early, and I really don't like the drab, boring winter colors in Tennessee where it's just cold, brown, and gray, but seldom do we see the delight of snow. Like Narnia where it is always winter, but never Christmas.  It's too soon for a bright, spring table, but I have to create some color to try to cheer things up.

My sweet husband cut the dogwood branches for me.  See the red berries?  They are from Smith and Hawken and each one individually attaches to the branch with a thin wire.  Time consuming to attach, they really reflect the light when the candles and table lights are lit. 

Here's the table at night with the lights and candles lit.  The lights bring a lovely glow to the table.

I had a humdrum (at least I thought they were humdrum) set of Corning white dishes. I have wanted a new set of white dishes for a few years now.  A set with some edge attitude!  I found this set of eight place settings of Mikasa on sale at Macys, then 20% off the sale price and another $10 off coupon.  Score!  Not only did my sweet husband bring me the branches, he braved the after Thanksgiving hoards and picked up the dishes for me.  

My dear friend Suzanne arrived over the holidays bearing more of her beautiful antique store gifts and brought me the lovely clear glass plates.  They came with 11 of the smaller plates and 11 larger dinner plates.  Does anyone recognize them?  I would love to find that missing place setting somewhere.

I know I complained about the drab, gray TN winter and yet there is sun in these photo.  When the sun was shining this Monday morning, it was such a surprise, that I had to run fast and grab my camera to capture it before it was gone.

In fact, I starting shooting so fast, I didn't even notice Punkin's bed on the chair.

 Punkin is our kitty,  our very L-A-R-G-E kitty.

Here's hoping that your January is filled with light and color and few fat cats!  

One last photo to show you the view from my dining room window right now.