CELEBRATE AUTUMN

                      Autumn is a second Spring when every leaf is a flower.  Albert Camus

 Whew! I can't believe how fast Summer flew by! If you read my last post you'll know that I've been trying my hardest to prolong the Summer but with the changing of the leaves already happening and the crisper cooler weather, there is no denying it! And sooooo.... I'm ready to....

                                             CELEBRATE AUTUMN!

 I bought some gourds, clipped the dried hydrangeas, and plopped them in my dough bowl! Next up I'll be making my FALL BUCKET LIST which I will share with you in a future post!

I've got the Autumn scented candles going, bananas getting ripe to make banana bread,  and we even gave in and turned on the heat! I was freezing! I know some people try to last as long as they can to leave the heat off but with all the rain we had it brought along a dampness into the house, that with the cold, just chilled me to the bone!

Last week, Les and I had a little Get Away. A trip to the Lake for  a late Anniversary celebration. We just wanted to go where there was a relaxing lake to sit and dream over. Why is water so relaxing? We stayed at a condo near where we keep our pontoon, just in case the weather was nice and we could go on a little cruise up the river. But it was cold and cloudy. Yet, still relaxing!

We took a day trip around a "loop" that took us across the Mississippi River into Wisconsin from Minnesota, stopping at quaint little towns along the Mississippi. The highlights were the many antique shops we always stop at. And we happened to find one new one!

Another highlight of this Get Away was the calorie splurge of allowing ourselves dessert! I had Carmel Flan with Raspberries, Tripleberry Pie, and Carmel Pecan Cheesecake! Les had a Triple Layer Chocolate Cake, Coconut Cream Pie, and A Scoop of Carmel Ice Cream With Carmel Corn. At different meals of course! I just realized now that we must have missed some meals without dessert. We were gone for two and a half days! I guess the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that we devoured made up for that. And we only gained 5 pounds each! It was worth it!

GWEN AND ALMA'S SNEAK PEEK:  Here is a European Pillow Case/Sham that I will list soon in our Etsy Shop. 

                                                    Here's a closer look at some details...

                                  It fits two standard pillows but the pillows are not included. Check for it soon at Gwen And Alma's for more photos and details!

Thanks for stopping by!  

FALL DECOR

Oh, how we love pumpkin season! You DID know that this gourd-ish squash has it own season, right? Winter, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin...we anxiously anticipate it every year.   Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer

I had previously stated that I wouldn't be putting up any Fall decor until we got our boat out of the water. That would be the sign that Fall has begun and sadly, that Summer was over. But we're still trying to get some more "boat time" in and Fall is pretty much here to stay. So I'm giving in and putting out some bits of Fall here and there.

Really this bouquet started it all! ( Now what is that long green thing hanging down? ) Anyway, living here in this mansion and working as Resident Director comes with some fun little perks. See my Plummer House page at the top for more information about our "mansion". Often after someone has a party here, they will bring over some fresh flowers that no one seemed to want to cart home with them. So I end up being the lucky recipient. The flowers above were one such example of this. And it got me in the mood to bring in more Fall decor.

And now you can just feel Autumn in the air. It's crisp air now, not muggy like in Summer. So here are my simple attempts to bring in a bit of  the delights of Autumn.

    After some of the flowers in the bouquet died, I transferred the flowers that were still thriving to this blue Mason jar. I brought out my "mango" colored candles and filled the bobeche with coffee beans.

I also like to add some natural elements to bring the season indoors. It doesn't cost as much and it simplifies things because there is no storing of "stuff" that needs to be pulled out of bins. Simplicity has been my "word" for the year. I continue to look for ways to simplify our lives. So dried hydrangeas were brought in and tucked in between white pumpkins and plopped into my new dough bowl.

Adding natural seasonal decor simply takes a walk into the nearby wooded area and a fun trip to the Pumpkin Patch or Farmer's Market. Fresh air, a bit of walking for exercise are extra benefits!

                                 
                                       The squirrels got to the acorns before me this year.

"Baby" needed a new bonnet to go with the season. She is holding a little pumpkin.

 

Next up: Pull out the sweaters, get out the fire pit, drink some hot chocolate, go to some football games, plan a tailgate party at a football game, go to the local homecoming parades, make some homemade soup for dinner, make some apple crisp with Haralson apples, take a walk in the woods and kick some leaves, go for a ride and enjoy the changing colors, and CELEBRATE AUTUMN!

AUTUMN WHITE

While I love all the orange, yellow, and reds of Autumn, I decide this season to add some simple white Autumn decor. 

                               ENJOY EACH AND EVERY MOMENT OF THE SEASON!

AUTUMN BEAUTY

You can't get too much Autumn beauty so I'm sharing this mosaic I put together a few years ago. It's a sampling of all the beauty and creativity Autumn has to offer.  I'm enjoying every little moment of this season as the seasons fly by way too quickly.

And after feasting your eyes on  these gorgeous outdoor settings, step inside and warm yourself with a cup of tea. This beautiful teapot and teacup set was handed down to me from my grandmother. She collected teacups and I have become one of the lucky recipients of her collection.

                    The orange, yellow, gold, and red colors bring such a warmth to the season.

 I've been enjoying going through my Autumn Bucket List and loving the tastes, sights, smells, and even the sounds of the season. What sounds you ask? Why the crackling of the fire while roasting marshmallows over a fire pit of course! And the cheers of a football game! To see my list go here. Make your OWN Autumn Bucket List and live in the moment, enjoying everything about this fun and colorful season of the year!

I'm joining Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.

MY FALL/AUTUMN BUCKET LIST

I'm now ready to fully embrace FALL! It took me a while longer this time because the summer seemed so short. Having a big snow storm in May might have added to the desire to prolong summer. I know many of you have been "into Fall" about a month now. Yeah, I'm getting a late start. But just to make sure Fall doesn't come and go without embracing all the beautiful things Fall has to offer, I'm making a FALL/AUTUMN BUCKET LIST.

Here are a few things on my list:

                                                  Buy some Mums
                                                  Take a drive and enjoy the Fall colors
                                                  Walk through the woods
                                                  Make apple pie and apple crisp
                                                  Decorate for Fall

                                                  Roast marshmallows over the fire pit
                                                  Bring out the sweaters
                                                  Tailgate party at a football game
                                                  Rake leaves and jump into them ( or let the grandkids jump into them)
                                                 

                               

                                   Bring out the ginger, cinnamon, and pumpkin scented candles
                                   Make bread and butter pickles
                                   Buy some pumpkins and bittersweet
                                   Go to the Fall Farmer's Market
                                  

           

                    
                                                    Go to the Fall Junk Bonanza
                                                    Make chili and corn muffins
                                                    Make caramel apples
                                                   Make caramel corn

                               

                          
         One more thing...It wouldn't be Fall without taking my Mom to a church lutefisk dinner...a    Scandinavian tradition  with all the many Norwegians and Swedes here in Minnesota.

So what's on YOUR Fall Bucket List?

AUTUMN FARMER'S MARKET

It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the spring, who reaps a harvest in the Autumn. 
B. C. Forbes

Farmer's Markets are the most colorful in the Fall. The bright reds of tomatoes and apples, orange pumpkins, yellow squash, and beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers and wreaths make a trip to the market a feast for the eyes as well as our stomachs!

The diversity of the people who come, are as varied as the produce with peoples of many different nationalities. Everybody is happy and bustling around gathering up delicious, healthy food to take home in their baskets. A couple sings and plays guitar to add to the ambiance as folks drop donations into their guitar case. Others walk around with a cup of coffee for warmth, enjoying the friendly atmosphere. It's a delightful Saturday morning and it makes me smile!

Another of the wonderful things about Farmer's markets is being able to support local farmers and entrepenuers of homegrown and homemade delicacies.

There are so many benefits of going to Farmer's Markets that if you haven't been to one, and there is one near you, be sure and go to the next event.And if you're a regular at these markets, I'd love to hear your Farmer's Market experiences.

 

Today I'm thankful for Farmer's Markets!

MOSAIC MONDAY

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream another dream.    C.S. Lewis

 My goals for this month of October are simple:  To live within the "confines of today" and enjoy its simple pleasures: Planning a tailgate picnic before the beautiful colors retreat, visiting an apple orchard with our grandkids and picking apples with which to make yummy apple crisp, picking out pumpkins and gourds from the pumpkin farm because it's more fun to buy them where they are grown, and biking one more time with my hubby on our bicycle built for two, which can be pretty scary because HE is the one in control!

What are YOUR goals for October?

AUTUMN OUTDOOR DECOR

I thought I'd share some Autumn outdoor design inspiration with you today. Some of you already have your beautiful Fall  decor up, but for those of us who have had a hard time letting go of Summer, here are a few ideas to get you fired up for Autumn. I took these photos off of my PINTEREST board so for EVEN MORE ideas you can click onto my PINTEREST button on the right sidebar. There are so many creative people out there who share their ideas that if you don't feel you are creative enough, all you have to do is find a design idea you love and copy it. It's the sincerest form of flattery, after all.

Bucket with Hydrangeas!

Rustic little table with gourds and leaves. Simple! Add a hanging wreath, votives in the windows and voila'!

Sweet and Simple!

I would LOVE a bench like this! Add a large container with branches of leaves, and a simple board with hooks. Notice the wire formed into the "welcome" word.  Sweet!

Cute cart but I'll bet even a rustic wheelbarrow would work!

AND NOW FOR THE WREATHS..

                                        HAPPY AUTUMN!