Remembering A Special Time

As the summer days come to a close and Fall sets in on the calendar, I am once again reminded of why this is my favorite time of year. My favorite color of orange displays its many hues from pumpkins to harvest moon sunsets. Comfort foods – soups, stews and roasts – find a place on my table. Sweet smells of cinnamon and spice greet guests as they enter our home. Though I live in a very warm climate, cool breezes occasionally find their way here to dance amongst the trees and eventually the leaves change color before falling to the ground. With all that said, Fall in Texas is more about football than the scenic backdrops of New England, so it helps on these warm Autumn days to think back to a very special trip I took with some dear friends to experience what a true New England Fall really is. Grab yourself a cup of tea or a Pumpkin Spiced Latte and join me as I share some of my favorite memories of that trip through photos.

Everywhere we looked were leaves of different colors.

Make no mistake, the covered bridges are exactly how Norman Rockwell described them.

I found myself mesmerized by this street. I wanted to live in one of these houses just so I could see this every day when I left home. 

Yes! God is a great painter.

Sleepy little towns beckoned us to their shopfronts with these sweet displays of comfort.

I just love that the decorations look just as beautiful as the jewelry in display inside.

Makes me want to go back to Sunday service.

We passed so many "honor" pumpkin stands. If only I could have put them in my suitcase.

You can't buy these at Michaels.

We drove up to a "pick your own" apple orchard. Unfortunately they were closed. So we drove up a little farther to a fruit stand that had plenty of fresh apples and apple cider doughnuts.

We took so many pictures of leaves and every one of them unique.

Julie and I hanging out on one of our Fall Hikes – yes, that is what we called them. We pulled over on the side of roads and just took off with our cameras. What a glorious feeling to not be rushed in this gorgeous country.

I'm so in my Happy Place!

It's not hard to figure out how painters get their inspiration.

Fresh crisp apples anyone?

How about a pumpkin?

One thing I noticed all over New England is that people had pumpkins or jack o'lanterns sitting on their wrap-around porches or stone hedges. Don't you love that you can see the lines still on this one.

Karen made each of us a little hand-stitched owl on the plane. We decided to take pics of our owls in each town like the Travelocity gnome.

Karen, Julie and I shared a moment in time that will forever be imprinted on my heart and soul. I am so happy that we had the opportunity to take this trip and these girls made it so special. Now if I can only persuade my husband to move me back every year from October to November, I would be the happiest girl in the world... I'm jus' sayin'!

Welcome Autumn

"Come," said the Wind to the Leaves one day. "Come over the meadow and we will play. Put on your dresses of red and gold. For summer is gone and the days grow cold." ~George Cooper

Autumn, such a beautiful season. I thought that I would share a little of my home (inside & out) to give you a taste of Texas during this season. It may not be chilly here and we may not have New England's array of colorful trees, but don't be fooled because Texas has superior beauty in it's own unique style. I'm jus' sayin'!

Our little Catahoula "Gypsy"


Even empty chairs in the corner get spruced up for Fall


Our mantle is adorned with a Lance Carter original
You can find more of his amazing photos here.


By just adding some artificial leaves, you can gussy up those window treatments in a flash


My kitchen table


Our front porch

In the Garden. Everything is in Full Bloom. Our Giant Meyer Lemon Tree
Very soon, these beautiful yellow globes will become Limoncello

Memories Old and New

Low and behold my birthday passed and October snuck up from behind with a blast of cool breezes and some welcome rain to perk up all my withered plants.

So many beautiful things occur during October. When I was little, I used think October was all about costumes, candy, caramel apples and cider. Now, as an adult, I realize that my palate has not changed much - except that now I can add so many more things to that list. I love how God created the different seasons, nature's cycle of refreshing itself, all the while astounding us with it's beauty. Just when we are through with the sweltering heat of summer, a leaf will slowly take flight from the security of its branch and fall ever so gently to the pile at the floor of the earth. The first sign of what's around the corner!

Farm stands will beckon me with colors and flavors of crisp apples and buttery squashes. Crimson pears will beg to be matched with a ripe blue cheese in a salad of Autumn greens. Pots will be bubbling with soups, stews and chowders. I will exchange ice tea for a pot of hot cider. I'll bake cobblers and pies and take warm cookies from the oven. My kitchen will be filled with the smells of vanilla and cinnamon. Warm blankets will make their return and I'll drape them on our couches or comfy chairs. Candles will again burn as the sun sets earlier each night, filling our house with a sweet aroma and warm glow. I will take trips to the farmer's markets and trips to the pumpkin patches. I'll clean up my garden and get it ready for winter. I will adorn our front door with chrysanthemums in hues of gold, hay bales and spooky ghosts. Pumpkins, too, wait to be carved and lit for all passersby to see. I will watch kids jump in a pile of leaves and ponder to myself if I should jump too. I will curl up to the ones I love and slowly watch the flames in the fireplace dance to an Autumn tune that says "Welcome cool weather... come stay for a while!" I will help my daughter create a costume that comes from her whimsical mind. We will try to slow down because we know this is our resting spot before the busy holidays take over. We will take off those flip flops and put on those boots. We will feel the comfort of those warm, bulky sweaters. We will replace ham sandwiches in the lunch box with chicken soup to warm our souls. And decorate our hearths with gourds and all things orange, brown, and green. I will do all these things not because I am pressured by "Martha" but because deep down inside, I love how warm they make me feel. Enjoy this month and take the time to pause and remember those little things - the ones that trigger a special memory. Without those memories, how are we suppose to create new ones? I'm jus sayin'...

Change

The arrival of every new season brings with it change. When I was young, I used to think God created the seasons because each of us was unique and in with that came the craving of a certain season, the season that makes us feel alive. That has not changed much in my daily theory of life. If you ask someone what their favorite season is, they will likely pop right up and say "Spring", "Autumn", "Winter" or "Summer". And of course, there are a few that will say every season is their favorite simply because they love change. For some, the mere mention of their favorite season will conjure up memories of a favorite pastime specifically related to that season. Personally, I love how food comes to mind 90% of the time. I read once that the sense of taste is the one that stays "alive" the longest in our memory. Whether this is accurate or not for the masses, I have personally found it to be completely true! You name a season and I instantly relate it to food. If I think of a person - any person - I can connect them with a food story. Perhaps I am a bit obsessed with food, however, I believe it's my special way of holding onto the memory of that individual and never forgetting how truly important they were (or still are) to me. With all of this said, I must not finish today's blog without letting you know what my favorite season is.

If you know me, then you know that my favorite color is orange and my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. If you have ever had the opportunity to come by my home during Autumn, you will no doubt have seen that our decorations rank right up there with Christmas - minus the outdoor lighting. I come alive when the thermometer starts to go down and that cool, crisp, familiar breeze forces the trees to release those amazing colors of amber, tawny brown and those lovely hues of my favorite orange. My mind races to pots of hot soup bubbling, scents of sweet vanilla and cinnamon permeating the kitchen. The smell of pot roast that has been in a crock pot all day and the power of its scent when you walk in the door from a long day at work. The feel of those warm slippers and the security of those down feather comforters that force you to stay under the covers just a little longer. The glow of scented candles and crackling fires. The giddy feeling you get when you see a pile of leaves raked up just begging you to "jump in!" and forget your an adult now. The dogs curled up by the couch enjoying the still moment. The apples at the farmer's markets that secretly scream at you to come taste there crispy texture and ponder over all the sweet recipes you can make with them. The children in their costumes running from door-to-door to get their next sweet treat. The blood oranges on my husband's tree out back that turn that lovely hue that says "It's time! Pick me!" The annual trips to the pumpkin patch to find that perfect one for carving and that perfect one for baking and that perfect one that will adorn the Thanksgiving table. The smell of the turkey sizzling in the vat of hot oil. Sitting at a long table of food and taking in the moment - the moment that all these people sitting with you are really, truly blessings and gifts that God has hand-picked just for you. The Fall picnics and the tailgating. The bubbling macaroni and cheese that just oozes comfort from the oven. The fall pies that cool on the racks on the kitchen counters. The mums in all of the shades of Fall, that come back year-after-year to remind you that this season is here again, and it's only here for a short time! So enjoy the walks, and enjoy the smells, and enjoy the tastes. Listen to the sounds and cozy up to the ones who bring you joy and remember that "change" is good, it brings new life. Whether you're Summer, Spring, Winter, Fall, or an equal lover of all, embrace it for all that it is and you will find that change is a gift that allows you to start anew. I'm jus' sayin!