I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Thursday, October 21, 2021

Autumn Creeps in



Hi everyone! Mo and I are waiting for the doggy spa van. Mo needs a manicure. He just hurled his toy at me, he knows something is up, his routine is changed.


I am so disappointed --the weather bug said we were due for some chilly days this week into the weekend. Instead it's glaringly brilliant sun and quite warm, verging on hot, 70s*. And just now as I placed my weekly grocery order, I discovered that there is NO Charmin and NO Bounty paper towels to be had. Deja vu all over again. What the heck?

Despite the summery weather I 've been Fall cleaning and adding some autumn touches to my house. You may notice things look a bit shabby, but not shabby chic. Between my ongoing health issues and Mo's national debt sized vet bills, my spruce up savings are pretty much gone. But I'll share anyway, ''keeping it real'', you know? I am not a grey and white '' Instagram influencer'' anyway, just sharing how I add seasonal touches as the year goes by. (notice new lamps were first on my list to get crossed off, sigh)

I love this Year in the Country quilt, pattern a gift from Penny in SA. It is an entire year but somehow speaks to me of fall into winter.
















Close ups...














oldie!


new last year, Starry Eyed Jack.
















My collection of autumn colored mixing bowls, chocolate brown, almost black, pumpkin and caramel. They need their fall wash up and to be resorted. I have two more stacks to wash, today's housekeeping plan.





I love nature finds and dried botanicals. The mini punks from Trader Joe's, c. 2019, dried great, as did some acorns I collected. 



These are tree pumpkins or branch pumpkins  HERE



These baby jacks, from 2020, not so much. They turned into zombie pumpkins! And one exploded in a discreet corner over the summer. Hilarious Fail. 



Nostalgia---the two throw pillows' fabrics and the quilt were found for me by my mom. I display them every year and think of her pleasure in seasonal touches.



The center crock below was hers too, always filled with hydrangeas. It came from Steamboat Springs Colorado, her idea of a cool souvenir. My dad brought home a 4" blue spruce seedling sprout, extracted from a Wendy's parking lot's flower bed, his idea of a souvenir. It grew tall in Illinois, then he moved it to the Cape, where it majestically grew to maybe thirty feet tall or more at the front of his yard where it hid his potato patch and mom's lavender garden from the street view. [curb appeal!] 


Outside the cottage, I'm noting this year that the mums are very outstanding and pretty. There mahogany ones are on our deck, 



And these perfectly pumpkin orange mums are at my front/ back? door with a small classic pumpkin.



Hope your week has been great, enjoy the weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...


harvest moon  or hunters moon last night. [to me the hunters moon has to be in November]






Geese, trying to form their V.



First red leaf.


This is for Kel, the 15 cent thread. The object in it was an old time-y wire needle threader. I use the spool as a keeper, because the wind blows the old aluminum threader away. The spool must have come from my dad's sewing tin.

                                 

9 comments:

  1. My friend, I see no shabby anywhere in your delightful post! I love seeing all the care you put into your seasonal vignettes and the look is so natural. Those two quilts you showed in the closeup just speak autumn beauty. Makes me realize how little seasonal decorating we do around here, and we should do more. Anyway, thanks for sharing everything, including your mom's treasures. Your mums are looking wonderful, ours are now long past prime, especially after the frost earlier this week.

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  2. Lovely fall touches. Oh the mixing bowls! Great quilts and I love the story of your parents' souvenirs from Steamboat! That is so cute.

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  3. Your autumn decorations look great, Lizzy. All those wonderful quilts, the bowls, the hydrangeas, the mums, the pumpkins--all look so inviting. I love your crinkled little pumpkins. How did you dry them? I love them so much I would buy more and try to try them if I knew how. They look great!
    I love autumn but Halloween, not so much. Not many decorations here.

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  4. You always have such interesting stuff at your house, you don't NEED to add anything new this year! Everything always looks so nice and inviting, not 'staged' and stiff. The little dried pumpkins made me crack up, I've never even HEARD of anyone drying pumpkins! How did you do that? They're kind of cute all crinkled up.
    I think we got your cooler weather - not bad during the day but the last 3 nights have been in the mid to upper 30s - one night got down almost to freezing! Caught me off guard, I haven't dug out my blanket yet much less put it on my bed, so I got chilly. It's not supposed to be so cold for the next week so hopefully I can locate my dang blanket before I need it again!
    Thanks for sharing! Take care!

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  5. All your photos are wonderful! Your home looks great. And Starry Eyed Jack is awesome. I love all the color. And the items that remind you of your Mother. 😊 Kit

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  6. Your Autumn decorating is always so cozy and inviting. The Year in the Country is just right done smaller - a gem.
    I love the inclusion of fabric your Mum gave you. Associations are precious and a great comfort to me.
    This post is a feast for the eye. Hydrangeas, jugs and quilts of course.
    Are your mahogany chrysanths small flowers? I'm going to keep a lookout for some - perfect for little posies.
    I have a bad case of crock envy!!!

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  7. I think your house looks beautifully decorated; there is nothing like not feeling well to dull your vision of your surroundings --ask me how I know!! ;000
    My "Starry-eyed Jack" is nowhere to be found--he has vanished somehow!! (I cannot even be pulling things out now with my situation and I so wanted to display him. Where did he go?????) Yours looks so neat!!
    Anyway, I hope you are feeling better at least a bit...Meanwhile I have totally lost my "sew-jo" here; no energy...sorry for complaining ...
    Hope your weekend is restful and comfortable...
    love those mahogany mums--SO gorgeous...
    hugs, Julierose

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  8. It's ALWAYS such a treat to be able to get a peek at quilts we've seen previously. A Year In The Country, and Starry Eyed Jack are just as cute as I remember. Your decorating looks great, don't sell yourself short :)

    Oh my, what a story about your Dad giving the spruce such a wonderful life. Love it!
    You are blessed with so many memories from your parents. The spool included ;)

    The mums are perfect!

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  9. I personally love how you spruce up your home for the seasons! Such a cozy vibe.:)

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