Fall in three phases

For me, fall decorating comes in three stages, much like the leaves changing. A little hint of color and then more color and then finally full blown fire at every treetop. When September rolls around, I finish out Labor Day with the final red, white and blue decorations, and this year, with September 11th being a 10 year mark, I wanted to keep my patriotic decor up a little longer than usual. Now the time has come to start sprinkling in the fall accessories and oh how I love it.

Being in Florida, the weather has not quite caught up to the calendar. Thanks to a little Tropical Storm, we have been given cooler morns and evenings, but the sun still warms up qute a bit through the day. As you can see by my photos, fall is creeping in with the addition of pumpkins and harvest type decor.

October 1st will bring all the Halloween decor to our prim home. I focus on the hocus pocus of black cats added to my pumpkin decor set out in September. Those ebony felines will take positions throughout the house to watch for ghouls and goblins. Our own Hairry Baker and Jackie will join them, though they would have to wear costumes to be in black attire!

November will signal Thanksgiving decor in my home. I have been collecting turkey platters for a number of years now. Great large platters adorn tabletops and mantels reminding us the big celebration is on the way. I have an enormous Tom Turkey salt shaker that I so enjoy putting out each year. He is so proud and wise looking! He's probably happy the black cats disappeared come All Saint's Day!

So it is, the three phases of fall at our home. Pumpkins bring cats that retire to turkeys. Acorns and bittersweet ( when I can get it! ) bring the out of doors in. The front porch gets a heaping helping of pumpkins and wreaths to welcome jack frost as he makes his way south. We enjoy the first glimpses of fall followed by the decor of All Hallow's Eve. Then, as winter draws closer, those majestic birds that were recommended to be our National Bird strut about the house. Yet, once that turkey hits the platter, I hear bells.....jingle bells that is!

Happy Fall, Y'all! ~ Beth

Prim and Pretty

This year has been a year of weddings for me! I have assisted in hosting a few showers, and held a few on my own. It has been quite a treat. Many of the girls getting married have known my Loryn since kindergarten days. These young ladies have been to many a birthday party together, had many classes together, plenty of spend the night gatherings and so much more. The moms and I have been friends all these years as well. Loryn beat them all to the altar, finishing college in three years and marrying her sweet Marine Corps pilot Michael long before these girls met their young men! None the less, they have all been to each other's showers and some in each other's weddings. It is such a special time.

Each shower we have said our thank yous. The thank yous moms say when they know special women have helped raise their children. Thankfulness for prayers lifted, for kind words spoken, for encouragement and friendship, for blessings of hand me downs and carpools, of traded talents and traded photos through the years. Oh how these women have blessed me and oh how their sweet daughters have blessed Loryn as well.

I wanted to share the latest shower photos with you. Since my home is colonial prim in decor, all those fancy clothes and cut crystal look a little out of place. I simply choose to use our decor to set the backdrop for prim and pretty. I hope the brides don't mind a little warm southern charm for their showers. It is all me, all from the heart and all about the simplicity of love between friends and family. ~ Beth