Poinsettias and roses. In the world of flowers, a winter summer romance can include poinsettias and roses, or even sunflowers and azaleas. Whatever I’ve grown and photographed in the garden in season.
Winter in Connecticut typically means I’m on garden hiatus- working inside on the computer with blooms of all color that defy seasonality. 
It’s a wonderful escape from the snow and cold. We heat with wood and pellets. The warm smell makes for a sort of cocooning that I’m sure bears similarity to hibernation in the natural world.
If you’re inclined toward escapism and haven’t quite made it to Spring break, a friend sent me this video of a garden pond in the mountains of central Japan- close to a wooden Shinto Shrine. 
It has beautiful similarity to a series of paintings by French impressionist Oscar-Claude Monet.
January 6 is the Feast of Epiphany, celebrated by many as the day the three kings visited the baby Jesus. Growing up with that tradition we always kept the tree and decorations up at least till the 6th. If you can manage the pine needles, the lights provide welcome a respite from cold dark evenings. The magic continues just a little longer.
I found one last holiday song that offers a welcome relief from the political stress that might going around in your house. An all time favorite musician,Yo-Yo Ma on cello, and Alison Krauss, singing a beautiful rendition of The Wexford Carol. It’s a little slow, but I’ve found there there’s always time to rush and be stressed. Breathe and enjoy some great music.
I think roses are the most romantic flower alive. 
Documenting their beautiful lives gives me great pleasure. The sunlight captured in their Paola Pillow petals is a vision after a long day at work. Soft and comfy too. These three roses are available ether direct through me or at PaolaStudio on Etsy.
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Putting together summer and winter flowers reminds me of taking geograhically separate things an putting them together, in my case, tropical and native woods. Bloodwood and purpleheart are exotic colors that make walnut and maple stand out. Bloodwood especially makes every thing stand out. My family also kept Christmas decorations until Jan. 6. The time after seems dark and heavy until spring arrives. The scent of burning wood is soothing to me always and I love the sight of the flames.
Agree! On many counts. I’m always drawn to opposites. It’s been challenging from a design perspective in home decor as many people have a hard time visualizing things that are different. They’re often inhibited from mixing floral and geometric shapes. Sometimes, all can be resolved by color. Do the colors work? I love your idea of the paring of different woods together. I imagine you still have to make sure they get along from material and finish perspectives. Yes! Love the smell of wood burning. We have both pellet and wood stoves. We HAVE to replace the wood burner prolly next year. Not so much the work as the fact that we can’t get it to burn through the night like the pellets. We will miss it.