Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot 

It is so hard to believe October is just days from being over.  The days are shorter, nights are cooler and the trees are turning brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange.  We are enjoying our first South Carolina autumn in all of it’s brilliance this year.  While many people I know look forward to spring, I live for fall.  I love everything about fall:  the colors, the smells, the temperatures, the holidays, even the last showing of my roses …. It just makes me happy!

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
~Albert Camus 

Along with my love of fall temps, color, holidays, and of course football season is my desire to do a little deep cleaning and a lot of nesting.  Don’t you just love to add touches of the season throughout your home and enter the Christmas holidays with a sparkling home?  Not only are you savoring the season, your are encouraging everyone who enters your doors to savor this time of year as well.

And what a glorious time to savor!

I love the blessings I enjoy as a wife and homemaker, the privilege I have to make our house a home for my husband and children.

Is that an old-fashioned notion?  Probably so.

Is it necessary?  In our world today, yes it is!

Our homes should be havens from the world, a special place for our family to feel safe and secure.  As a homemaker, it is my privilege to see that a haven exists.

“If you are a housewife, take pride in that.”
Anthea Turner 

I have always wondered how much these things meant to my children as they do like to tease me over my overindulgence in celebrating the seasons.  As we visited with our oldest daughter, Samantha, over the weekend in Alabama, I noticed from the outside, in, her own little apartment was filled with autumnal touches.  These touches were things she took the time for and carefully placed with love to welcome everyone who comes though her door.

Your family does take note of the ways you make a house a home and appreciate them, even if they don’t say anything at the moment.

Here is a peak at our autumn home.

Full & colorful mums, assorted pumpkins, childish Halloween touches and a simple grapevine wreath with a burlap bow greet our friends and family.

This little vignette in our dining room just makes me smile.

Our dining room is quite festive, filled with natural elements as well as a little fun, both which are pulled together for celebration of two autumnal holidays.
When I add Halloween touches I try not to make them dark.  Keeping it light and fun, sometimes elegant for the adults is my primary goal.

Our tabletop display of natures bounty.

Our Thanksgiving dishes arranged with pumpkin soup tureens and colorful leaves  fill the china cabinet gifted to us from Audley’s grandmother before she passed away.

“The cheerful joyous season,
the Autumn time is come.
With song and shout we welcome
The Golden Harvest Home.”
~Author Unknown

I always love to prepared a fun Halloween themed dinner for our children and then dig into those fabulous fall recipes tucked away for harvest favorites, and use my soup tureens and Harvest dishes for serving.  While we eat at the table together every night without fail, my kids and especially Audley really love when I light a few candles and set special table for our meals.  If you don’t think your family will notice, go all out one night.  Believe me, you will have their undivided attention!

Creating an inviting atmosphere for your family will encourage conversation and most definitely brings all closer together.

My week is crazy ….. Audley is out of town with work again and I am spending every waking moment preparing for a wedding that I am catering from dinner to cake this weekend, to serve 100.  It’s a huge deal for me, and I hope that I have wonderful details to share as I put it all together.

Have a wonderful week!