It’s no wonder that many folks suffer from the post holiday “blahs.” As the holidays come to a close and we start to take down all those festive decorations and lights, things can seem a little drab, leading us to search for ways to recapture the life in our surroundings. The first thing to do to reignite our senses is to simply open up all the blinds and curtains to let as much light into our homes as possible. Sunlight alone can have an uplifting effect on mood.But then we look out the windows and find that much of the sensual experience of our landscape is missing this time of year. Winter has visibly set in across our outdoor environment. Empty branches remain in all but our evergreen trees, our lawn has faded to a pale straw color and most other color has faded from our landscape. Now, I am a nature lover, and I know that we are supposed to enjoy the graceful look of the leafless tree branches and that every season has its beauty, but I just miss the color! Of course there are some flowers that can survive the cold winter temperatures; like pansies, which seem to smile back at you even through a blanket of snow, or ornamental kale for some color and texture in your beds. But let’s face it; unless you live in a tropical climate, the color options for your winter landscape are fairly limited.Thankfully, there is another option to brighten your landscape that you may not have encountered at the nursery or the home improvement store. I recently discovered some wonderfully creative artisans that design and create (by hand) glass wind chimes in an amazing array of colors and designs that add a whole new element to patio and garden décor. Glass wind chimes, you ask? Ah yes, but more than wind chimes, these are like art glass for your patio or garden. We have hung one right outside our living room window for a pop of color when we look outside across the now-barren tree line.Now, you may have wind chimes hanging in your yard or on your patio now, some of them even with a little color, but these chimes are pure color in this luminous tumbled and frosted glass that is designed to be hung outdoors. When I say luminous, I mean they truly light up when the sunlight hits them! They are like having a wind chime and a sun catcher all wrapped in one! There are even floral designs that look like beautiful blossoms. I think they just may tide me over until those spring blossoms return to our landscape.If you are wondering how you will brighten up your environment once the holiday decorations come down, this is one idea that may delight your senses. And when those warm spring breezes return, they will continue to bring sound, color and light to life in your surroundings – and a break from the ordinary, which is my favorite part.
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