Celebrating the Fall Season

As I continued to find fall this week, the weather turned to crisp autumn-like days. The creative spirit was awakened and I decided to invite fall inside. With DIY decorating dreams flying high, I prepared for a seasonal make-over. 

Thoughts of staging my house for the season led to an impromptu gathering of friends so after my professional development program on Monday, I devoted time to indulge my senses in autumn's colors, tastes, and smells.

Realizing that each one of my seasonal make-overs brings a sense of anticipation of what is to come, I recalled various past projects to get inspiration. Knowing full well that it takes planning, patience, and perseverance, I ventured to the attic where boxes of decoration wait for me each year. One pull-down of the attic stairs led to a procession of items carefully passed to my crew of not so intrigued men (husband and son).  

Next, the glue gun was fired up and the magic started.  A trip to the lake park by our house provided me with nature's bounty: acorns, berries on branches, and leaves. Creation time brought the season from outside in. After the front porch was decorated each room inside took on the colors of the autumn. A seed of an idea blossomed into a seasonal surprise.

What's a gathering without food so up next was the planning of the menu. Taste buds would need to be properly satisfied so while I prepared the main components of the meal, friends chose complimentary dishes to bring. 

Finding Fall Menu 

Hors D'oeuvres: apple flatbread pizza, Grandma's flatbread pizza, harvest nuts with candy corn, cheese platter with crackers and asiago toasts, autumn salsa and pumpkin chips, pumpkin pasta pockets with sage butter and hazelnuts, sauteed mushrooms, grilled eggplant with fresh basil, apple wedges with caramel dips, assorted wines, pumpkin ale, and autumn beer 

Entree: grilled pork with an apple, sauerkraut, and onion side, sweet potato and squash casserole, bread, cucumber, tomato, and onion salad, kale salad, grilled squash

Desserts: assorted chocolate chip cookies, apple crisp, pumpkin cakes, carrot cakes, dessert coffee with Bailey's Irish cream and fresh whipped cream, vanilla ice cream

The weather remained moderately crisp throughout the evening. The flickers of candlelight, hum of conversation, and satiated taste buds made for a memorable evening. As we all bid each other good night, I gave thanks for fall season and the years of friendship.  

As the week comes to a close, I celebrate fall and those who gathered together yesterday to savor autumn's tastes, smells, and sights with a short slideshow. I do hope you will find fall and join me in its celebration through my newest global gallery of artistic expressions, Autumn's Palette. You can enjoy last year's gallery here. 

For all those who enjoy creating digital inspirations, please see the unique capabilities of the digital tool Lunapic. 

Please visit two sites that celebrate along with me:Celebrate This Week with Ruth Ayres and DigiLit Sunday with Margaret Simon.