Before, After the Holidays

I guess I'm a bit of an enigma. As per google dictionary:

Dictionary

e·nig·ma

iˈniɡmə/

noun

1. a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.

   synonyms:

   mystery, puzzle, riddle, conundrum, paradox, problem, quandary; More

You see, I love Christmas and all its decor detail - red, green, plaids, checks. However, I can't wait to get it all packed away within one month of having it out, and bring out the calm cream, white, and green decor.

Before and After Holidays: Dish displays in sunroom, kitchen bar area

After holidays: kitchen bar area

After holidays: sunroom hutch

I love the family frenzy of hosting as many as I did this year - 32 - but I love the peace and quiet that January promises (barring any major snowstorms and illness which, so far, so good).

Sunroom  before (with Christmas decor) and after holidays (winter calm)

Winter sunroom, looking north

Winter sunroom, looking south

Before and After Holidays: where I relax

Before & After holidays: details

I love the sleeping garden in winter, a time where I sit inside and devour magazines and books and binge-watch a program or two. Yet, I couldn't wait to get outside with the two mild weather days we enjoyed last week. I raked leaves leftover from the late fall we experienced. It felt good to be out in the garden. A huge bunny jumped and scampered off as soon as I opened the wooden gate to the garden. We're both ready for spring. 

Are you any less of an enigma this time of year?

(A special thanks to Linda of Life and Linda with Dishing It and Digging Link Party #184 for featuring this post!)

Rita C. at Panoply

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