I’m on a decorating binge–the autumn extravaganza in which I celebrate my favorite colors (treasure gold, burnt orange, deep-dark green, wine red) in memory of the glory that was summer and anticipation of the splendor that is to come. Then there’s all that other fun stuff: pumpkins and scarecrows, ribbons and straw, gourds and berries. It’s all fodder for home decorating and the great thing about it is that it carries through Thanksgiving. I’m not a big Halloween decorator, so I skip that one completely unless Princess decides to have a Halloween party. She has declared there will be no big party this year, though she may invite over a few of her friends for a sleepover. In that, case, I’m sure there will still be my annual graveyard cake involved.
But for me? What I love?
It’s fall decorating. I stick little scarecrows in everything I can, mostly big pots outside. I use them inside in vases, too. This one is in an old Blenko vase in the garden window in the kitchen.
I love to use home-canned goods in decorating. I enjoy seeing the things I love on a regular basis, not just in the pantry. I love home-canning, and I love the images of ripe peaches on the tree and apples falling on my head and blackberry bushes attacking me that come with seeing the jars on display. I like to put dried goods like beans and pasta in quart-sized jars, too. It makes me think of icy can’t-leave-the-farm days when I’ll cook things I’ve stocked up on and huddle in blankets, watching the snow fall over the hills.
I canned some spiced honey recently, with cinnamon sticks and clove-spiked lemon slices, and it is so good. It will be even better on crisp, cold autumn mornings on toasted Grandmother Bread.
This is a copy of The Farmstead Egg Cookbook, also in my garden window. I put all sorts of seemingly odd things in there that just make me feel good while I’m doing dishes. I love the image of the eggs on the cover. I think of my chickens and the day when I’ll have a full egg basket.
And I just believe in this one.
This is the centerpiece I made for my coffeetable this weekend.
It includes little pumpkins and gourds, pine cones from the old farmhouse, black walnuts from our farm, and a bit of grapevine with dried grapes.
Then I played around with one of the grapevine wreaths I made the other day. The leaf garland cost $1.50 and the scarecrow was $.94. With the homemade and home-grown grapevine, this wreath for my front door cost me under $2.50.
I’ve got a few other things on hand to play with, so I’m not done. I’m also still planning to hunt up some berries and other things to dry for my other wreaths. I’ll post pictures as I put more wreaths together.
So what about you? Started decorating for fall yet? What are some of your favorite ways to celebrate autumn?
SuzieQ says:
Favorite way to celebrate fall is to just watch Mother Nature get out her paints and go to town on the trees. She must have so much fun, picking out colors, blending them, brushing and throwing, expressing her inner Pollock and surprising us every day with a new palette. A cup of tea or coffee, a glass of wine, just watching the dogs enjoy the warm sunshine, reading on the deck…all of the above!!
On September 21, 2008 at 1:13 am
angiecmt says:
Oh my goodness, I love the colors and will enjoy the fall through your pictures. Living in Texas, no colors like that for me 🙁
Being born in October, the Fall has always been my favorite season. I miss the beauty of the changing leaves, apples, etc. when we lived in Connecticut. Of course, no pictures back then.
I love to put a few pumpkins out – love that orange! Love to go to the pumpkin patch (such that it is). This year we have twin granddaughters and they only have 3 or 4 different outfits to wear for Halloween. We will definitely making he trip to get some pictures.
I look forward to seeing more. I almost envy you being snowed in – cooking good food – reading a good book (writing a good book, in your case 🙂 )
Thanks so much!
On September 21, 2008 at 1:29 am
Janet says:
I plan to start decorating next week, now that summer is leaving and autumn is invading us (yippee)I love to decorate with artificial fall flowers and leaves, pumpkins and scarecrows. The rich hues are so pretty, I can’t wait for our backyard maple tree to turn colors and show off.
On September 21, 2008 at 4:20 am
Stephanie says:
I started my fall decorating yesterday also.. It’s still pretty warm here, and the leaves haven’t started to change, but the evening are getting cooler so I thought it was time. I made a grapevine wreath, and painted a paint can to hold flowers as part of my decor. I just love fall – the sights, the smells, the comfort food. What could be better?
On September 21, 2008 at 4:31 am
jane says:
Yes – Yesterday i got my 2 boxes out filled with ceramic pumpkins from the dollar store, genergal dollar and some large leaf plates from garden ridge and my fall leaves and dark flowers and my wreath. Igot the wreat at the thrift store, straw, for 1.00 and the leaves like you 1.50. made wreaths are really high. i have fall folliage everwhere and fabric pumpkins. I like your idea of the canning in the windows. like a stained glass when the light comes through – i like the idea of beans in the jars too. I am going to do that one too. I also have golden yellow teapots i put out too and one pitcher from the 30s called harvest. it is off white with fall leaves on it. I also made some candles – i cut out leaves from napkins and glued them on to glass votives and then dusted them with stuff called diamond dust – looks like crushed glass on it. I also have fall colors of other votives too.
also i bought an old can at the canton flea market from a lady. she painted it several fall colors and filled it with fall folliage and metal curly wire hanging from it. the can has leaves on it too. it is those large vegetable cans the schools use. love it love love it.
can you share your other canning recipes you mentioned here?
On September 21, 2008 at 7:13 am
jane says:
SuzieQ – I am with you a cup of tea – have been waiting all summer to make a pot of hot tea and sit outside.
angiecmt – i too live in Mesquite texas, born in Oct and it is my favorite time from Oct to Feb. Love it. but we do get some great colors in texas. i drive the back roads all the time to places i have to go, but of course not like New England – you can get drunk on it up there – so awesome.
On September 21, 2008 at 7:17 am
jane says:
OMG – yes what a great gift – canning jars – a couple hundred!!!!! I use the very very tiny ones for pepper jelly. they are so hard to find even at the store. I go to thrift stores and garage sales – they are really high even at walmart which stops carrying them around now until spring – what is up with that – i have discussed it with them forever too. i got a box a few months ago at a garage sale for 2.00 – i think over 25 jars with lids too – all sizes.
On September 21, 2008 at 7:22 am
DeeBee says:
Everything looks great! I can’t decorate for the fall right now because I’m in denial that the summer is over already. :hissyfit:
On September 21, 2008 at 7:34 am
Snapper says:
I start with mums and pie pumpkins from the local Farmers Market. Pretty soon I’ll pull the stuff down from the attic. We gather up fallen leaves and use a hole punch to make eyes and a mouth…they look like little leaf ghosts.
Today is the day I thank you for being a daily blogger, and an early in the day one too! Thank you!
On September 21, 2008 at 7:50 am
maddie says:
I love fall, too, Suzanne. I used to think it was because my birthday was in the fall but I know it’s more than that. It’s a teaser of things to coming in the winter months and for this homebody, there is nothing better than being home, piddling around the house, getting into a project, etc. Seems like I dig in and do more of that when the days are cooler and shorter. There is nothing better, however, than a walk with a crisp breeze in my face and crunchy leaves under my feet. Or the windows open! I love the windows open!
maddie
On September 21, 2008 at 7:56 am
wammy says:
I love fall also but just not quite reaSdy to come inside. Still lotswof work outside in the gardens to do. I love the grapevine wreaths. Have you thought of grapevine garland running the lenght of the porch like Christmas lights? It is beautiful.
On September 21, 2008 at 7:58 am
jane says:
PS or is it PSS – I have a lot of old quart canning jars and some are filled with buttons and wooden spools. at Elloit’s hardware the other day, getting lids since walmart didnt have any, i saw they have gallon canning jars!!! 6 for 11.00. I jsut might have to go and get them and fill them with all sorts of things.
also in my 2004 southern living christmas book – i saw they used fresh cranberries in canning jars and then put a candle in the middle and so it stuck out over the jar and then stuck in some berries and leaves. I guess you could put nuts in too or seeds, popcorn, beans and then add candles for your table. some of their jars had the wire handle too and were old.
love it.
On September 21, 2008 at 8:45 am
Amelia says:
I have done my fall decorating (check out my blog)…so love the colors …seems like they are of a loving nature. I agree pumpkins, leaves and scare crows are a must.
On September 21, 2008 at 8:53 am
Tori Lennox says:
We don’t do much in the way of fall decorating at our house.
On September 21, 2008 at 9:36 am
Joyce Bedford says:
Hello from Missouri—My daughter does a super job carving pumpkins for our front porch. Last year she took graduated sizes of pumpkins, stacked them like you would in making a snowman then drove a dowel rod down through the top (smallest pumpkin) to the bottom pumpkin (to help them stay stacked). She then dressed the stack of pumpkins as a Hallween Witch! Complete with a witches hat, fake red hair, black cape and a small curly gourd for a nose. Cute! Have a fun fall, we will!!
On September 21, 2008 at 9:47 am
IowaDeb says:
I love decorating with nature stuff and also love my garden window.I’ve used mason jars and layered with different colored beans and put a Votive candle cup in the top.When the leaves finally turn, I’ll press them and dip them in paraffin wax and use them for decorating.
On September 21, 2008 at 9:57 am
Claudia W. says:
Unfortunately, I am not much of a decorator. Sometimes I am just thrilled that I have cleaned my house! I love your decorations, and I will love watching for your new things as you make them.
What I have been doing though is making a couple of loaves of Grandmother Bread every week! I LOVE this bread! The recipe is simple and it turns out so yummy! My daughter even commented the other day that she likes this bread better than some other recipe I was making (that costs more too)
Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge, life and critters. You make my days!
On September 21, 2008 at 10:44 am
Abiga/karen says:
Fall has started here in central Illinois but not with much fanfare. We just moved here in July(from Chicago suburbs) so each season will be a new experience for us. The walnut trees are losing leaves already but they are so small you cannot really see them in the grass and they are not colorful. The corn and soybeans in the neighboring fields are drying out and changing colors so we see that. It’s a matter of time before they start coming to the fields to gather it all up. We have a lot of fir and pine here so I know they will not change colors. But they will protect us from winter winds. Our three maple trees have not changed yet. Spiders are making webs all over the place, more than in the summer so that must be a sign of fall here. You just have to be careful where you walk, bend or step. I guess we had better start decorating so we can feel like fall here. Blessings. :cowsleep:
On September 21, 2008 at 10:47 am
wkf says:
Good morning fall looks great in your house! This is kinda fun. Keep your gourds let them dry out. Then plant them next year. They are fun to watch grow, because they will cross pollinate (sometimes) and you’ll get some strange looking ones. Just a thought.
:flying:
On September 21, 2008 at 11:09 am
Laura says:
Apple-picking is the absolute best way to spend a fall day. Noone can convince me otherwise!!! You are just walking among trees, just reaching up and plucking apples and filling your basket without much effort. Then you go home and make applebutter and applecake and canned apple pie filling and everything else that is apple-rific. What could be better? :heart:
On September 21, 2008 at 11:32 am
RosieJo says:
So pretty!! Puts me in the mood to come visit you and Clover, but ya’ll probably don’t get many unexpected visitors….I’ll just read one of your books!
Jo
On September 21, 2008 at 11:32 am
Katharina says:
I just harvested my one, lonely Vif De Temps pumpkin and brought it up to the house. Placed it on the glass bistro table for now. Will get to decorating soon. Lovely weather here, busy walking in it.
On September 21, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Treasia says:
I love fall decorating as well. All the gorgeous colors, the crispness in the air. However this year I won’t be doing much at all. There is never anyone home to enjoy it anymore. princess is either at school, working or out with friends. Trucker is always on the road. And I’m always at work most of the time.
On September 21, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Susan C says:
I love Fall! We have wreaths, pine cone and chestnut baskets, scarecrows and pumpkins all around.
I am looking forward to fresh homemade apple cider!
Suzanne, your home looks wonderful. Aren’t you suppose to be working on your book though?
On September 21, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Treasure says:
Is it too early for “BAH HUMBUG”?
treasure
On September 21, 2008 at 1:12 pm
sunnid755 says:
oh my, now I need to decorate something, you are SO creative! Thank you for sharing. :friday:
On September 21, 2008 at 1:32 pm
TeresaH says:
I used to decorate,now I’m lazy I guess. :shocked:
On September 21, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Donna says:
It’s hard to feel Fall here, when it’s 90 degrees and hot until Halloween! However, I do always feel Fallish, when school starts. I also feel Melancholy in Fall – missing my mother, my best friend and most of my family, that is gone or we are non communicado. My mother/stepgrandmother said they felt homesick too in Fall. I miss walking into my mother’s home, feeling that love – seeing all her decor for the holiday (she loved Christmas best) and seeing what she was cooking in the kitchen..ect.
Okay, on a brighter note…one of my nephews called me last night, to ask if I have my Autumn Decor out yet and to go to Party City, or Michaels or Walmart, because that’s where he gets all his flags, and flowers and such…LOL So far I have one ceramic Pumpkin dish out.
I LOVE all you have displayed and what a CUTE idea of the scarecrows around…and all the pretty colors you have! Such a feast for the eyes!!!!
Makes me want to head on out for more Mums or scarecrows, gourds….
I love watching the squirrels bury their nuts by our trees…and I call all of them “Rocky”. My husband said “uh, I think there is more than ONE squirrel in our neighborhood” and I said “I know, but I call them ALL Rocky” from Rocky and Bullwinkle!!! Lately, Rocky has been climbing on our bird feeder and circling around the bottom of it, sitting there enjoying bird food. LOL Little stinky!! My father’s used to do this too = hang upside down by their feet, from the top, to eat. Funny!
So, I LOVE Fall….and the harvest colors and then later, the trees changing glorious colors, PECANS….COOLER WEATHER and HOMEY MEALS…yes!
On September 21, 2008 at 2:17 pm
catslady says:
I’ve gotten lazy too but I still put a few things out and we have flaming bushes in our front yard that turn red and are surrounded by hills with lovely colored trees. We have a pumpkin carving party every year so soon we’ll have those. I did a lot more when the kids lived at home (sigh).
On September 21, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Brandy says:
This time of year I always have the urge to redecorate my home. Finally bought new drapes this year and am going to repaint the walls. The kids and I decorate the storm door with leaves and pictures of pumpkins and at Halloween we add a skeleton, last year we posed him in a Yoga pose. *G*
On September 21, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Estella says:
Fall is my favorite season. I used to decorate when my kids were a home. They’ve been gone for 20 years and I guess I’m too lazy to decorate for the two of us.
On September 21, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Rozie says:
That’s so much fun! My mom uses the Farmstead Egg Cookbook all the time and loves it.
On September 21, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Shari C says:
I love Fall here in the Midwest. Seeing all the gorgeous colors on the trees when I drive around and then I love to have various decorations in the house from small scarecrows to wreaths to candles with fall colors and scents. I enjoy putting pots on the porch and sidewalk with flowers in golds, reds and yellows as long as possible and then put artificial flowers, leaves, small pumpkins and scarecrows and anything else I can find in my boxes of treasure. On my kitchen counter I also have one of the old fashioned extra large all glass cookie jars that I put decorations in for the various seasons and also decorate the dining room table, the mantle above the fireplace and our three season porch so when I look out there I can see a fall scene.
On September 21, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Dani says:
I skip right over Halloween decorating too. I got out all of my fall stuff last weekend. This weekend I planted mums and am baking Pumpkin Cranberry bread as we speak. . .the house smell so yummy.
On September 21, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Carole @ Fowl Visions says:
I’m in the process of moving but have all my fall stuff ready to be used for decorating just as soon as close on our new property. I even bought my curtains today for the new place and they are plaid with burnt red, yellow, and sage green. I love those colors and I love fall. Fall in Florida means a drop in humidity and wonderful evenings to spend outside.
On September 21, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Katie says:
Halloween is my favorite holiday and autumn is my favorite season so I absolutely adore decorating for both. My birthday is September 21st (happy birthday to me!) so I always start decorating then 🙂 It’s a happy way to celebrate for me.
On September 22, 2008 at 7:50 am
MARY says:
:hissyfit: Decorating for fall? I’ve just begun my spring cleaning!! LOL! Your decorations are beautiful! There are wonderful things to be found, and nature’s bounty is better than anything you can get from the store. I like unusual seed pods too, which I’ve seen lately. Glitter is fun too! Have a great day! :treehugger:
On September 22, 2008 at 8:55 am
Jennifer (prayedforone) says:
We decorated for all this past weekend, too! Fall is my favorite season. My girls and I are able to stay outside longer to enjoy the weather. I’ve always loved the “smells” of fall, too. (cinnamon, apples, spices, pumpkin, etc)
On September 22, 2008 at 1:05 pm
NeoCleo says:
I can’t decorate for fall this year. Every year since I moved in with my husband I’ve wanted to celebrate Autumn Equinox but life keeps getting in the way. I’ve moved 3 times in the last 5 1/2 years. I’m hoping next year I’ll be in the same house and it will be MY year!!
In the meantime, thank you for such inspiring photos of domestic beauty and bliss! I will, thank god, get to can my tomatoes this year, but the trimmings will just have to wait until then.
On September 22, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Brandy says:
I love your old Blenko vase. I just bought one at Stonewall Jackson Resort last week. I got an amber one. I wanted a green one, but they don’t make that color anymore. They are beautiful! :yes:
On October 4, 2008 at 11:06 pm