in the bleak midwinter...

with the cold and drear days of winter, with months of rain and snow stretching, still, ahead of us, the roses of summer seem a long way off.

but our hearts begin to yearn for them, and so, outside, we set to doing those midwinter garden tasks that ensure that roses we will indeed have; here in northern california now is the time for pruning and mulching.

but inside, where all is warm and snug, i begin to look ahead and things with color and blooms sneak their way back into my decor.

i spend happy minutes going through my china cupboard and put a piece here and there among the white of my winter decorations.

for this time of year, i especially love the many rose-strewn patterns of china by haviland limoges.

i have collected these pieces whenever i happened upon them over the years; my mother loved them also, and i have a few pieces that i had bought for her years ago before i started buying them for myself.

to me, the beauty of these patterns is the way they so easily mix together. whether roses or apple blossoms, the delicate renderings and soft colors make them very easy to assemble to form a pleasing collection.

right now, when my eye is stil not ready for the full-blown riot of color that summer's roses will bring, the haviland pieces are perfect.

soft and muted, they are for me, just the right touch to move into spring, and usually by valentine's day, i have replaced all the white on my hutches with these pieces.

do you love and collect these wonderful patterns and pieces of china by haviland? whether you are blessed to own a full service or one treasured piece, we would love to have you share.

if you would like, email your picture(s) to us at polkadotrosevintage@gmail.com and we will post them with your name and blog address (if you have one) next week.

so enjoy a nice hot cup of tea and spend a little time browsing through your own china cupboards.

we would love to hear from you!

~karla