Roses

I try to keep flowers in our wall sconces during the winter. It helps all of us with the seasonal depression. The livingroom, where these were hung, helps with the yellow walls, the seven windows on two walls, and the valences made from a French Provence cloth. The pattern is in French ultramarine (it appears a lot in my paintings, as well) with yellow grape leaves in a random pattern. The cloth print (which you can barely see in the corners of this photo) is called Muscadet.

The wine by that name is golden, and sometimes tastes to me like bottled sunshine. The first one I ever tried was in a French cafe in Charleston - Gaulart et Maliclet. It's our favorite indoor spot in Charlseton - good food, fascinating narrow space with French atmosphere, delicious escargots... All five of us love it (though only two of us - myself and oldest son - savor the snails). If you go, try a Rendezvous Tray. It's authentically Provence, and comes with a French wine of the cafe's choosing. The first one we ever had, nearly twenty five years ago, came with a Bergerac. For two lovers of Cyrano, that was magic.

(Gaulart et Malicalet serve their escargots without the shell. Much more relaxed to eat them that way. If you've never tried them, and you like garlic butter and other mollusks, like oysters, you would probably enjoy them.)