It's the very first Monday after the new year and when I woke this morning the sun was streaming through the windows in the most gorgeous way.
The sunshine in this house drew me in the very first time I toured and I believe I fell in love immediately.
The sun was shining on all the areas I "de-Christmasized" over the weekend. In between bouts of nausea.
I was a busy girl despite the nasty bug that tried to get me down!
The dining room table is no longer stretched. As a matter of fact, I removed both leaves for now....just for a change. I love a little round table, it's my favorite kind. It feels very cozy having a meal at a small round table.
And yes, those most certainly are my fall pumpkins and squash that were on my center island in Autumn. I will cook them this winter at some point.
During Christmas they hid under the guest bed. The dust bunnies kept them company.
The top of the bookcase once again holds plants and candles in lieu of Santas.
The tree stays up, as is tradition in our family, until at least January 6th. Which not only is Little Christmas and the Feast of the Epiphany but is also my dad's birthday.
A holiday in and of itself.
The mantel has been stripped of the twinkly stars and stockings and has been left with winter greens and my red wooden wreath and cones. They, of course, also look like Christmas trees.....when it's Christmas.
When it's not Christmas they revert to cones.
Because I said so.
No more Christmas linens....but I did keep the red going for now. I will lighten up at a later date for a change of scenery but for now the red just feels warm and welcoming.
Because, baby it's cold outside!
The bottles at the bar no longer sport scarves, hats, and sweaters.
Except for one. Mr. Maker's Mark still has his sweater and earmuffs on.
He's special. He's sweetie's favorite.
The snowmen are gone and the colorful bottles have returned to the kitchen windowsill. They just make me smile.
The little birdbath I hung outside the kitchen window is frozen solid now. Poor birdies. The creek at the end of the driveway is still running, though, so the critters are ok for water. At least for now.
A few more days like this may change that.
My farm animals have returned to the stove area, dangling their little legs over the edge.
Anyone for a cup of tea?
I hung up this absolutely adorable winter dishtowel from World Market - they seriously have the cutest dishtowels ever!
Did I mention I might have a slight obsession?
And this little guy, who was a gift from my younger daughter, keeps my glasses handy next to the stove...and brings a smile to my face every time I see him.
Change is good.
Today is a good day.
Happy New Year! Oh, I just love your sweet home and you're well ahead of me with taking down your Christmas decorations! I love all of the color you use in your decor! Here's to a new year of blogging with you.
ReplyDeleteBe a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Happy New Year to you also, Shelia!! I do love color....always have! I tried to keep the main pieces in my new home neutral so I could change out colors and accessories at whim - and yet I always seem to revert back to red! I guess it makes me happy!
DeleteI am another that keeps the tree up until the Epiphany...which happens to be my husband and his identical twin's birthday!
ReplyDeleteThe colored bottles look so nice in the window over the sink.
Happy Birthday tomorrow to your hubby and his twin, Marigene!
DeleteYour home is just lovely!! So welcoming and warm. I do the colored bottles in the kitchen window too! So does Brenda over at cozy little house.. Have you met Brenda? Like the red in your pretty home... It does look very nice and mot too christmasy at all!
ReplyDeleteOh, off course, I adore Brenda and her Cozy Little House! I have always had a penchant for colored glass...it just looks so cozy and happy when the sun shines through!
DeleteYou are right about the cold / took my morning walk in 9 degrees but it was clear and still and under a crescent moon ; very pretty, as is your home bathed in sunshine :)
ReplyDeleteIt was below zero here this morning when I woke up, Deb - I wonder how low it got in the wee hours? Now we're having a heat wave at 17 degrees. Winter took it's sweet time getting here but I have a feeling we're going to pay for that!
DeleteYou are right about the cold / took my morning walk in 9 degrees but it was clear and still and under a crescent moon ; very pretty, as is your home bathed in sunshine :)
ReplyDeleteSorry you are still not 100%...it eventually goes away... Love the red in the dining room...definitely warms up the area...cute eyeglass holder and towel. Happy Birthday to your dad!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna! I am definitely feeling a billion times better than last Thursday but yet there's still bits of the bug lingering. No fear I would have lost ten pounds or anything though! :)
DeleteYour home is so pretty and welcoming.
ReplyDeleteHope you are soon feeling better ~ FlowerLady
Thank you, Lorraine! I do love my little cozy home!!
DeleteAll Christmas decor both inside and outside came down over the week-end. I knew if I delayed it that it would be February before I put it all away. LOL Lazy? Why yes.... I am. I am loving all over those little hedge hogs on your towel. Way too cute!
ReplyDeleteWow, you are miles ahead of me for sure! I left everything up outside....I may leave it up for a while as "winter" decor since it's just fresh greens and lights. I took down all the random 'Christmasy' wreaths that were here and there.
DeleteI'm telling you, World Market dishtowels are just the cutest!!!
Your home looks so cozy for the winter months ahead. Love the cute towel from World Market and your glasses holder made me smile too. Very cute. Hope that bug leaves you and you start to feel better.
ReplyDeleteKris
Thanks so much, Kris! I'm on the mend and I'm sure my renewed healthier eating regime will help with that!
Delete♫♫♫ It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor, would you be mine?♫♫♫ Haha - don't you love Mr. Rogers? Your home looks lovely decorated for the holidays and equally lovely on just any normal day! I love that you recognize epiphany, which I always felt was really the day we are supposed to give gifts. Hopefully the sunshine brings good health your way!
ReplyDeleteTHAT WAS MY FAVORITE SHOW AS A KID!!!!!!!!! Remember the little train? And how he would change his sweater and his slippers? Loved that show!!!
DeleteYour home has such a warmth to it. That fireplace is my dream! Hope you are feeling back to normal now!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you so much, Jen! I fell in love with that fireplace instantly! Not the antique insert that was in there originally, but it's perfect with the new insert!
DeleteYour home is so warm and welcoming...don't you just love when the sun streams in the windows? Makes you smile as you're puttering and cleaning, doesn't it? Love the colorful bottles on your windowsill. Unfortunately, none of the windows in my house have deep windowsills, so I can only put pretty glass items on the ledge of the bottom window (double-hung windows). Sorry to hear you've had a tummy bug...hope you are feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteI envy the people in Europe with those huge, deep windowsills that can hold plants and such - they must be a foot deep! My lower level has them - of course, each window has plants in it!
DeleteI just love your home and all of that sunshine would have sold me also! I do hope you feel better and that the bug is finally leaving! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteMy bug seems to have gone, finally!! It took it's sweet time, though....yikes!
DeleteEverything looks pretty and "fresh"! i need your cute little glasses holder. Well, maybe not yours, but one like it. Hope you're feeling better now!
ReplyDeleteI asked my daughter where she got it - it was in Newport, RI in some little shop. I did a little search online and found them here:
Deletehttp://www.littlesunflowers.com/glasses-holders.html
Perhaps if you snoop around a little more you may find another site that sells them!