Staying on Top of the Weather

An overnight temp of -10 and a high of  2 degrees for the day is very unusual for mid February here in Northwest Indiana.  More snow is expected today.  Winter still has us in its grip!  But like true mid-westerners we soldier on and try to stay cozy , warm, and cheerful.

New Haviland plates and brass napkin rings.

This winter we developed a little hobby of setting up a pretty table once a week using things that were usually just stored away.

For some reason the tablecloth looks red in this light.  It is actually burgundy.

Mr. Bill said we should keep the settings up all week for our use.  What a great idea!  It is so nice to have a pretty table to sit down to for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  And speaking of cozy things, there is nothing like a cup of tea mid-afternoon.  This week I am using an heirloom teacup from my Grandmother.

I love the little pedestal on the bottom of the cup.   The markings say "Hand Painted" , "Nippon", and there is  a small logo.  I have done some research on it and discovered it was made about 1912 in Pre-WWI Japan.  The cup has 1 miniature painting on it and the saucer has two.

Click on any of these pictures to see the paintings close up.  

So much beautiful artwork for such a tiny cup!  Needless to say, I am very careful with it.

Stay warm and cozy - and THING SPRING!