Autumn: Decorating and such....

The calendar says it is autumn so up goes my "Autumn Welcome" sign.

This is meant as a hint that I really would appreciate it if Autumn would come and kick back with us instead of playing chase/tag games with summer; a game that results in temperature variations going from

 whew it is hot/turn on the a/c!

 to

where are my slippers/turn on the heat!

This year I reverted to using my fake squashes and gourds from my Houston years where the heat of autumn made cooked pumpkin out of real pumpkins left on the porch.

I quickly learned that having real pumpkins outside in Houston was out of the question.

I've learned that the sudden freezes in SLC likewise make mush of pumpkins.

The fake stuff looks great from the street and no goopy frozen pumpkin mess to worry about.

Five years here...I've finally given in to the reality of local freezing autumn weather and am willing to go fake pumpkins again.

Inside decoration is minimal for now.

I add more later, for Thanksgiving, and I plan to make a real leaf garland when the fall leaf colors get rolling here.

Minimalistic is fine for now, at least in my humble opinion.

Some folks of course have other opinions on the subject.

An orange cat sprawled on the mantel does add a certain flair...

The exact placement of said cat is a matter of trial and error.

Looking out the window:

Cute.

 

Looking straight ahead:

Obviously sending a message about the state of his food dish.

Looking up at the ceiling:

He is playing mind games with us, trying to make us look up at the ceiling too.

It always works...

Seriously...the food dish is empty.

And I need some Greenies too.

Doesn't matter where one goes in the room, one feels like someone is watching every move.

Kinda spooky really.

Back outside, the mums from precious years came back nicely and recently even more were added to the flower bed.

I'll buy a few more yellow and orange pansies to fill in around the mums.

Then I will tuck in some glass jars

for holding tea candles which look so pretty lit up when we are expecting evening company. 

Saturday night we had our family feud football rivalry game:

San Diego State vs. Oregon State.

SDSU grad Jeff came with his family.

Bernie and I both attended SDSU but we are loyal to OSU where I finally got my degree.

The next door neighbor went to SDSU too, so he came with his 3 year old while his wife stayed uncomfortably at home.

(She is giving birth to their second child today...I was happy she could rest up instead of partying with us.)

I was so happy to have little Anne and Luke scamper about during the game, throwing the arms up for touch downs and throwing arms out for first downs, while we ate "football grub".

The table full of dips and carnitas and cookies and...and...and...

you know what I am talking about!

 

Autumn food.

Besides the lure of soup and stew and bread making there is also the abundance of fruit growing in our neighborhood.

I take walks and with permission, help myself to the bounty.

Tree ripened pears.

Oh yum!

Are you glad of Autumns arrival too?

We sure are!

Happy Autumn everyone!