Winter Nights
And so it goes that winter nights are dark and cold. Sipping a cup of hot tea, watching the dance of a roaring fire, and listening to music by Enya feed the soul and brighten the spirit.
It was a wonderful Christmas season: there were many good days with family and friends. May magical scenes in snow continue to delight us.
Welcome to The Tea Room
There is an extra bedroom in my home that I have furnished as a guest room for overnight guests. The furniture is dark wood and traditional in style, and the fabrics are small floral prints of blues and yellows, crisp white, and a faint touch of pink. This inviting room has a daybed under a window, a small fireplace, and an oval hand-painted occasional table I've placed in front of the daybed. There is a writing desk, as well as an old toy chest, and collections of plates as well as a few mirrors are hung on the cream colored walls. When my older son saw this room taking shape, he commented that it looks like a tea room. It was a few days later when I decided I would not refer to it as a guest room, I would call it The Tea Room.
I have been a subscriber to several beautiful home decorating magazines, my favorites are Victoria, Tea Time and Traditional Home. In the January / February issue of Tea Time, there is an interview with Paul Burrell, Royal Butler to HRH Queen Elizabeth II and to Princess Diana. The interview focuses on the importance and routine of afternoon tea, and has inspired me to reclaim my love for sipping a warm cup of hot tea in space filled with beautiful things.
On this New Year's Day, I know the year ahead will be rich with both opportunities and challenges, and there will be days that are calm with routine. The Tea Room is a place to spend time reflecting, thinking, planning, and enjoying the comforts of life.
