The First Sign

The February Ledger Folio IV.26

By the last week of January, the house is read differently.

A vase of daffodils on the table is enough to prompt it. Not arranged, not remarked upon. Simply present. Their colour sits easily among old surfaces and worn edges, altering nothing and yet changing the tone of the room.

Those who live with antiques will know the effect. A settled interior can take a note of freshness without losing its balance. Old wood, softened paint and well-used ceramics hold their ground.

There is still a fire lit in the evenings. Coats are still kept close. Winter remains in place. But the light lingers, and the eye follows it.

The room is the same.
The attention is not.