A New Year's Miscellany

New Years day was spent quietly ensconced in our small temporary abode, reading and knitting.  

 

A little time was spent in my tiny, oven-less, two burner kitchen preparing a News Year's Dinner with a nod to Southern tradition:

Local Tennessee sausages with black eyed peas, and collard greens sauteed with garlic, ginger and tomato.   Not beautiful perhaps, but warm and comforting food nonetheless.

 

A new USB cable arrived for my camera so I attempted a WIW photo (what I wore) on New Years Eve.  The camera works slightly better than my cell phone in this tiny space, but is not ideal.  We spent a casual New Year's Eve with family and I wore this outfit during the day as well when I was out ordering a few pieces of furniture we had scouted out during the previous weeks.  Quite frankly I was quite happy to end the year without resorting to bulky coats and winter boots. 

 

On New Year's morning there was more banging and yelling than usual from our neighbors and much revving of engines in the parking lot. None of us have grown accustomed to having the great world in such close proximity.  Moisés returned to a favorite hiding spot. I seriously wished I could join him.

I'm off to see what everyone is up to on this Visible Monday.  Have a great week!

 

Comments

[RoseAG]

It shouldn't be that hard to kiss that New York snow and cold good-bye! When I see photos of gals in Texas bundled up and think that cold to them is 40 degrees I'm jealous.

[Patti]

I envy you not dealing with the cold. Love the New Year's Eve outfit!

[Patti @ NotDeadYet Style]

Your New Year's outfit is lovely, Mardel. And Moises has a look very familiar to us cat-lovers: "am I invisible yet?" : >

Thanks so much for linking up to Visible Monday!

[Anne @ The Frump Factor]

I love that top -- how fun is that? I'm also impressed by your mirror photo -- I've attempted those, but they come out horribly blurry. (I'm starting to suspect this may say something about how housekeeping... are you supposed to clean the dust off the mirror, first?) Cute kitty!

[Mardel]

Rose, I must admit that there are some days when it is warm here by NY standards that I still wear a heavier coat than the locals.  It is not so much the cold as the constant wind, and that the air is much damper than winter in NY.  The dryness never bothered me, but cold and damp seems to just seep into my bones.  I am sure I will adapt in time.

[Mardel]

You nailed it Patti -- that is exactly the look (and a feeling I sometimes share).

[Mardel]

Anne,  there have to be some advantages to living in a hotel.  Once I get into the house, the dusty mirrors may resurface.

[K-Line]

You look gorgeous in that outfit. Temp living is really tough (to put it mildly) - and I say this as an extremely inflexible, insanely noise sensitive person. Of course, I live in downtown Toronto so I feel the encroachment of others way too often. And I can't believe you whipped up a meal on a hot plate. Aren't you adventuresome!

[Duchesse]

Your festive yet relaxed ensemble is the sweet spot and the *green shoes*- love them! Impressed with how you rose to the occasion, with limited cooking facilities. Sounds as if being near family is already a pleasure.

[Terri]

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the collards. I eat them like crazy during the winter months.

[Tamera]

Your top is stunning!!! May I ask where you got it?

[Susan Tiner]

I love collards!

What a shame you have to listen to noisy neighbors. If I were you I would climb under the covers with your kitty.

[materfamilias]

That outfit is great! Did you make that top? I vaguely remember. . . and the shoes peeking out from below the pants -- wish I could see more of those. Definitely covetable!

[Mardel]

Susan, Im always happy to find another collard lover.  Sometimes I think there is a lot to be learned from kitties.

[Mardel]

Tamera,  I got the top at a store in Cold Spring NY called Art To Wear.  It is made by Art of Cloth.  I have a couple of pieces by them and they are all lovely.

[Mardel]

Ahh Terri!  Another collard lover!  They were a spring and fall vegetable for me in NY and I had trouble finding them in the winter.  I am looking forward to winter collards now.

[Mardel]

Duchesse, Thank you.  The green shoes alone made me feel festive.  Im still struggling to find the perfect balance between limited options cooking in and eating out.  Ill be happy for a bit more of a kitchen.

[Mardel]

Krisin, Oh I am extremely noise sensitive,  and I like time alone, a lot of time alone, it is always a balance for me between my social butterfly side and my isolationist side, and this is the most trying thing at the moment.