Let There Be Light

On our trip to Santa Barbara recently, we stopped in tiny Cambria overnight where they have a Cora-friendly inn and fun little weekend-getaway shops. As we were heading to dinner, My Beloved stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk and called me back to peer through the window of a local art gallery. He does that a lot - he's much more observant than I am and he loves to point out cool stuff to me.

So, Cora and I put aside thoughts of dinner for the moment and trudged back to see what had caught his eye.

It was this chandelier and it was love at first sight.

The gallery had a sign out front professing to be dog friendly, so we all went right in and looked up to admire it first hand. The colorful glass votives are made by a local glass artist. Apparently, he normally makes all the votives the same color; he just made this multicolored one on a whim. We were so glad for his whimsy - we wouldn't have been so taken with the other kind.

We picked it up in San Francisco a few days ago and it sat on the floor in the living room while we gathered the courage to try hanging it ourselves. Finally, last weekend, we tackled the task. We turned off the electricity to the room and, with side-by-side ladders, me holding and he attaching, we managed to get it assembled, hung and lighted without seriously damaging our regard for one another.

You can't really tell from the photo but the electrified part is stainless steel, polished to a matte finish. The globes are all different bright colors and signed by the artist. The light it casts on the dining table is soft and glowing, flattering to complexions and warmly welcoming. We are thrilled to bits; we keep turning it on, basking in the twin glows of illumination and accomplishment.

Let there be light.