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In our Zone 7B, the line up for Spring flowers is Quince, Camellias, Daffodils, and Forsythia. It is not cold enough for Tulip bulbs here.
By Christmas we are seeing Daffodils trying to push through.
The second week of January we see lots of promises.
This is now the 19th of January and the Daffodils have started blooming.
Promise fulfilled of another year of beautiful things to come.
Summer
Photos: Swede
This Texas Scarlet red Quince shrub starts blooming the first of January along the trail and creek behind our house. It is the first sign of Spring. This year it started blooming early and got caught in the ice so some of the blooms have damage.
All the rest of the trees and shrubs are still too cold to leaf out.
Miss Quince is loving the sun.
There are lots of buds still to open up.
Such a lovely sight to see in the midst of winter.
Lots of thick branches full of buds.
So delightful.
Summer
Photos: Swede
Today I am honoring the color magenta. It seems fitting in the winter being a warm color.
Baker Furniture chair with magenta and gold metallic embroidered pillow. Swede Collection console.
Magenta Williams-Sonoma hemp napkin brings out the color in the seaweed and the fish who is giving us the eye on an antique Limoges plate.
Glass magenta colored heart ornament on antique Limoges plate.
Lovely Petunia and Coleus from the summer garden. Love the magenta with the crisp green foliage.
We had ice today but so far still have power. Hope you are staying warm.
Summer
Photos: Swede
Today's daily thing of beauty is the cachepot of Hyacinths that I had on my dining table. I moved the pot to the Swede console for a photo shoot.
I have really been enjoying the scent of these for the past ten days.
I found out that this gray ceramic cachepot is from Napa Home and Garden of Duluth, Georgia. Made in China, it is in the Kings Road pattern. It nicely holds two small pots of flowers.
Love the purple.
I think the Hyacinths enhance the purple English transferware.
I was very lucky to find this large platter in perfect condition.
It is a charmer.
Have Hyacinths arrived at your local stores yet?
Next to arrive will be the little pots of English Primroses. Love those too.
Summer
Photos: Swede
It has been raining here the last three days and the temp got up to 70. Miss Red Camellia decided it was time to pop.
And, there she is.
You can see her over at the far right.
The trees are loaded with buds so I hope the temperature doesn't drop and they all freeze. Usually they bloom in February, so they are about a month early.
Pretty in red.
Lovely lady showing her stuff.
Summer
Photos: Swede
One of my main missions in blogging is to share my belief that a person should be able to find something of beauty in their lives daily. It can be anything from a sunset to a mud puddle. Beauty is everywhere if you just look. How much you miss if you look but don't see.
I am showing today the six Hyacinth bulbs in the gray cachepot or footbath, tub or whatever you want to call it. I wish I could tell you who the maker of it is, but I purchased it in an antique shop that has more new items in it than antiques and it was not marked as to the manufacturer. If anybody knows, please email me.
I love these large containers just for this purpose -- to hold a couple pots of bulbs or plants from the nursery, garden center or grocery store.
Here are the purple Hyacinths I bought a little over a week ago. They do grow fast.
The scent of these is just marvelous.
I highly recommend you run out and find some.
Finding something beautiful inspires me and makes my world go 'round. I'm sure I could find something beautiful even at the North Pole.
Summer
Photos: Swede
Today's tablescape I just threw together without much planning to examine how my new Versace chargers would look on the table. After months on order they finally arrived just days before Christmas.
The pattern is Grand Divertissement by Versace made in Germany by Rosenthal a great old porcelain firm. This is the charger at 13" diameter hosting "Mr. Eyebrows" in the center. The other items in this pattern have different designs on them. Love the big swirls.
You can also see this pattern in the November/December 2012 issue of Victoria magazine on pages 28-33. The purple of the plates on those pages look much richer and darker than these are in person. As you can see in my photos they are more lavender color.
I had a crinkled taffeta tablecloth that was approximately the same purple. The Sferra napkins I have are a bit too light so I need to look for darker ones.
Napkin rings are by Kim Seybert in the Mogul pattern.
I do love the way they used gold to accent the design. The dinner plate at top is an antique set of Wm. Guerin from Limoges. When I bought the set I thought the flowers were Bachelor Buttons or Cornflowers but now I am thinking they are Thistles. Anybody know for sure? I have no idea what the pattern name is. Most likely made 1890-1910. Purchasing this set on eBay carries with it some horrid memories of dealing with the seller who didn't seem to know the difference between a lie and the truth on condition. No chips or cracks has a different meaning to her.
I first fell in love with the HUGE soup tureen she was selling and ended up purchasing most of the service. I do want to mention that I was crazy over this set and I do NOT buy china with little flowers all over them. I'm sure you have seen Limoges plates with little blue, pink, yellow, etc. sprigs scattered about. They just don't appeal to me. So I broke my rules in buying this pattern. I am a nut case for any old French porcelain and had this not been French, I definitely would have passed on it.
Here's how they look on the table.
Hyacinths from the grocery store inside the gray ceramic cachepot.
One of the beautiful things that make January liveable. LOVE-LOVE-LOVE these in all colors including coral which you don't see commercially grown for the floral industry.
Glassware is !Home, James! on the left in Society amethyst pattern and on the right is one that I've had probably 20 years. I'm not sure if I ever knew the maker or pattern.
I thought my antique English purple transferware platters would look good with the Versace purple so brought them out for the console table.
This pattern was only made for two years, 1852 and 1853. I've never collected blue and white transferware, but I do love the purple and mulberry colors.
I think I'll cook Mr. Swede some pork chops in sauerkraut with gold beets, green beans and applesauce. Something simple.
I am participating in:
Tablescape Thursday on Between Naps On The Porch.
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/
Summer
Photos: Swede
Awe. You know what I wait for all through the holidays? Finally here. Now tell me why these can't be put on the shelf at Christmas time? Nope. Every year -- only on January 3. I get it. Market timing. But surely they are ready to go at the greenhouses.
Love at first sight. Pure thing of beauty.
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Scientific name: Hyacinthus
Rank: Genus
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Life is good again. I can watch them grow and take in their scent.
Summer
Photo: Swede
For those who are like me and suffer from Swedish furniture love [or serious disorder], I want to share this beautiful occasional chair.
This chair is in the style called Late Gustavian/Early Empire.
The little faces make it Empire. I wish I had started collecting Swedish antiques when I first started decorating. The issue was access not funds. Nobody I knew sold Swedish furniture and I have lived in some large cities. One thing the Internet has done is provide access to markets. Can we back up time thirty years with today's technology so I can go shopping?
Maybe I can convince you youngsters to develop your Swedish furniture addiction early. What I love about these pieces are how elegant they are in style but are not overdone. No shouting here. Incredible detail.
Makes my heart sing.
Summer
Photos: Swede
