The beginning of January is upon us, and the shortest day of the year has passed. Hooray – it’s all to the good now, getting lighter by about a minute and a half a day. While waxing philosophical, in reality I’m a bit more impatient, so I hurry spring along a bit with spring bulbs for the table. These are my favourite variety, parrot tulips. In lovely pastel shades, their ruffled petals delight the senses and cheer the spirit.

I picked up these whimsical glass bird napkin rings from Pottery Barn a few years ago.  Creamware dinner and soup plates, painted glasses water glasses, and French blue Venetian wine glasses complete the picture.