Here & There and This & That

The nice thing about the study is having a home for my bears.  Those remaining (except for a couple new bears) are what is left from a long ago collection.

I seem to be fighting the same cold which has kept Hubby miserable for a couple of weeks.  So far it is in the "is it going to settle or not?" stage.   So I've been resting more than usual these past few days.

One day I fluffed my pillow and brought out the throw which sits on the magazine stand at the end of the living room sofa.  Thinking I'd read "a chapter or two" of The Shell Seekers, I started reading.  Except for a few small breaks, I kept reading until I finished the book in the early evening.

You know... one of those times when you get so lost in a book it feels like you are visiting your own home and the pages of the book are real life?

I did thoroughly enjoy the book (obviously) but I liked Winter Solstice better for a variety of reasons and I can see why some have The Shell Seekers as a favorite.  One thing I have noticed in a lot of British novels (those not Goudge, Stevenson, or Miss Read) is how open their society was to people just living together and "sleeping around".

I shouldn't be surprised (and there is nothing at all graphic in the books) as British comedies even in the early 70s showed a difference in what shocked the Brits and what shocked Americans at the time.  Of course, now... it is not at all unusual for Americans to live together before marriage.

Anyway, I did enjoy the books very much.

I did get some organizing done early in the week, two drawers in the hutch were last minute projects.  Decided upon when there was no room to put the large tea cozy back.  After about forty-five minutes of tweaking and cleaning and deciding I did not need a few items... the tea cozy rested comfortably at the top of a variety of table linens so it is in easy reach when needed.

Yes, this particular tea cozy keeps the contents of the teapot hot a lot longer than if one does not use it.  Someday I'd love to have a cute knitted tea cozy.   The pretty tea towel was a gift (last year?) that I enjoy using.

Although I have been enjoying a few other Holiday tea blends, I have been sipping lots of my favorite Candy Cane Lane tea since receiving some as a Christmas gift.  The large tea cup shown above is also one of the older Starbuck's cups. 

After reading the comments on the My World this Week post, I had to go back and look at the picture of my studio again.  It does look like the walls are blue!  Probably due to an optical illusion of filtered winter light coming in at such an angle as to create blue shadows on the wall.

It is actually a grey-ish white-ish very slightly green-ish shade.   Often when the sun is filtering light through the windows, it looks a little more green than it is.

The throw rug I showed in the same picture is now back to its' home between our bed and the closet.  I've decided the study calls out for a round rag rug... in shades of browns and creams perhaps?  I will continue looking for a small such rug at Goodwill off and on.

The chair is one of my all time favorite Goodwill finds.  It is so comfortable!

Now just one more tidbit of news.  I know some of you are also fans of Anne Ortlund's books.  Did you know she passed away a couple months ago?  I guess because she is not as well known as she once was (her son and daughter-in-law are well known now) that it was not publicized very much.

There is a touching tribute to her by her son... here.

The breakfast dishes have been soaking and they await my attention.  As does a load of laundry and a little decluttering here and there.  :)