Welcome Autumn!

It may not officially be Autumn yet, but I am celebrating it early because it is my favorite time of year! Not only is it the season of my birth, but it is also the most beautiful one (in my opinion anyway). September always makes me want to go out and buy bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils, thumb through L.L. Bean magazines and begin stock piling cardigan sweaters of varying shades of orange.

Autumn is when I miss home the most, and for good reason too; the technicolored show that nature gives every year skips Texas completely. Here, the leaves do not gracefully transform into a rainbow of sienna, gold and crimson; slowly falling to the ground, giving way to months of winter snows. Here, they are ripped from their lofty branches while hurricane winds steal them away over night. It's unsettling, really.

Although Fall is known as the "end" for so much of nature, it always felt like a beginning to me. The red and orange leaves cluttering the streets and the cool breezes that September often brings, always made me feel alive! The idea of starting the new school year with new shoes and a new hair cut was always invigorating! So, in an effort to get a little bit of that feeling back, I have transformed our home into an Autumn retreat of sorts. Leafy multi-colored garland is draped from bannisters and mantles, orange ribbon hangs around the chandelier, pumpkins mingle on tables and scarecrow couples litter the floor. Baskets of apples and sleepy sunflowers decorate the entryway, welcoming weary visitors in from the windy autumn days. Every time I come in the house, there is no question that I am home. So I will share a little bit of our Autumn retreat with you all. Enjoy :)