are you still here?!

Welcome back then!!!

 I'm so happy to see you!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are enjoying the beginning of a very happy new year.  I had a relaxing break and am refreshed and ready to continue our conversation!

We've been having very unusual winter weather here in New Hampshire- on Sunday we were covered in snow here at the farmhouse, and then Monday morning we woke up to the snow being completely melted and had highs in the lower 50's that day.  Yesterday it snowed again!  Crazy, I tell ya!  Between you and me... Dan and I are both very happy to see the snow!  We love living with four seasons, and it is just so beautiful and peaceful, and quiet! 


It's cold outside...

 

so, come on in and sit with me by the fire and lets chat!

 

I thought this would be a good time to show you the winter mantle.  We have five mantels in the house, but this is the only one that I change each season.




The antique French gilt mirror is a staple on the living room mantel and it shares the stage with a pair of 17th century gilt and gesso church alter candlesticks that we found at the Paris flea market  (I borrowed them from the dining room, so you might recall having seen them there) along with a favorite oil painting (circa 1922), an antique Santos, an antique Chinese wicker-wrapped earthenware ginger jar, an antique Chinese blue and white dish and an orchid in an antique Russian brass jardiniere along with a trio of mercury glass candle holders from Pottery Barn.

I also wanted to show you the antique grisaille watercolor that you have not seen before.  It is just barely an antique as it is signed and dated 1912!  (In the truest definition, an antique must be at least 100 years old and a vintage item must be at least 50 years old.)  I purchased the antique gilt frame with its wonderful antique wavy glass several years ago.  It is not a frame that can be cut down since the corners are finished and covered in the same gilt decoration as on the frame (as opposed to having straight, diagonal-cut corners) so I knew the odds were slim that I would find a perfect fit, but I loved the frame so bought it anyway!  Luckily the watercolor was larger and had a lot of blank paper, so I was able to cut the watercolor down to make it fit the frame and "married" the two.

I love how subtle the watercolor is and how it mimics the antique oil painting of the same genre of ships in a harbor that hangs above it next to the sofa.

Since I missed my tradition at Christmas of having you leave your calling card I thought I would leave the tray out for the New Year, and ask you to please let me know if you're still here!!

For those of you who are new.... the antique brass tray (it was originally silver-plated, but the plate has worn off over the years down to the brass base metal) is engraved:

MA

from
Mary and Nannie
Christmas
1881 

 

As I've written in the past...

  Over the years I have spent hours wondering who was MA?, who were Mary and Nannie?, what was their Christmas like the year this beautiful tray was given as a gift?, where did they live?, and on and on... . 

Just as I wonder about these three people whose names are engraved on an antique tray that has a presence in my home, I also wonder about you, who also have a presence here.

Some of you I know, as you leave me dear comments or send me emails.... but others of you remain a mystery. On my site meter I get visits from places that are near and dear to us, and places that are far away and magical. Dan and I always talk about and wonder who all of you are!

 

As was the custom in the period of this Victorian tray, people would leave their printed "calling cards" in trays at the homes they visited.
Dan and I are hoping that you will let us know that you are still here and will drop your "calling card" in the tray and let us know that you stopped by to visit!  We would love to hear from each and every one of you- those who regularly visit and leave comments, and those of you who usually come and go quietly!!

So happy to be back!

xxojoan