This time of year, we look to our family traditions as a way of remembering our past, celebrating the present, and bringing our families closer together.  Today, I have some marvelous fall traditions, brought to you by some additional participants in Guest Blogger Week. 

Candi writes:

“First of all, let me say that I am filled with GRATITUDE to Kate for featuring my “Gratitude Tree” idea on her amazing site. I sometimes look at her ideas and wonder when the girl must sleep – how does she do it all ?   Today, I’d like to tell you about our “Gratitude Tree.” Our family started a tradition a few years ago.  We sit down together during November and write down some of the things we’re grateful for.  In the past, we would simply write our ideas down on leaves and put them on our kitchen wall.  This year, I took branches from outside, placed them into floral foam in a pot.  With some tags, I began a new family tradition. “

Candi’s Gratitude Tree

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I’m completely over Halloween, however I’m still loving the all of the autumn hues.  I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to the warm spice colors of fall, yet I confess I’m definitely getting in the mood for Christmas.  I find myself in a flux, and somewhat in transition.  

It feels wrong to cheat Thanksgiving and jump right into Christmas. Here in America, Thanksgiving deserves its place in the spotlight.  The history, the traditions, the family gatherings, the feast !  Thanksgiving is so heartfelt, so family focused, and so patriotic. 

But I can’t help but be influenced by the beauty of Christmas that is everywhere, especially in magazines and in retail stores.  After all, Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year.  I object to the holiday’s decor coming out in September – that is ridiculous.  However, I do enjoy the glimpse of sparkle of the Christmas season, even in early November.   

When I spied a crimson wreath in the Crate and Barrel holiday catalog, I wanted to make my own version, just not with crimson colors.  Rather, I wanted a wreath in green tones that I could confidently display in November, but also one that would also carry me through until mid December.  So I came up with my own version of a transitional wreath.  Acceptable for November, yet festive enough for December. 

This hydrangea wreath was extremely easy to make.  And mine (hush hush) was less expensive than the Crate + Barrel crimson version. 

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We’re carving up some pumpkins for Halloween and I can’t decide which ones to mimic – these are all so inspirational. 

From Country Living From Martha Stewart

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“Mom?  I found these acorns outside.  Can we pleeeeeeeaase make a squirrel house today ?”

Me: The squirrels don’t really need a house for their acorns.

Mini CG:  “Well, can we make something pretty ?  Today ?  Right now ?  Pleeeeeease ?”

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It’s not often I have the opportunity to get away for a few days, but whenever I do, I am so grateful.  This weekend gave me a chance to breath some mountain air in beautiful Lake Tahoe, on the border of Northern California and Nevada.  There is something about being in the mountains that forces one to appreciate the absolute beauty of nature.  Mountain air can’t help but clear the mind, lift the spirits, and fill the soul. 

Last year, the holidays were hectic for me.  My older brother was serving four months of military duty in Iraq.  So I invited my sister-in-law and her three young children to stay with us in order to distract from the absence felt from a husband overseas serving our country.  It was a very full house, filled with constant activity, but we did happen to make great memories.  This year, I want to approach the holidays in a different way.  I want these next months to be filled with quiet moments and simple pleasures.  This year, I want to slow down. 

The holidays are rapidly approaching, and so is the frenzied pace that seems to accompany the season.  Today, I decided to focus on what I want the holidays to be this year.  I began to create my ‘To Do’ list.  Not a list of mundane tasks, but a list filled with activities that live in the beauty of the moment.  So far, my List includes the following:  Bake something that is mouth-watering delicious.  Carve a fantastic pumpkin with my children.  Set an inviting Thanksgiving table.  Start a new tradition.  Create something stunningly beautiful for the season.  Remember Christmases past.  Have a truly magical moment. 

Today, I was able to check off one of the items from My Seasonal To Do List.

Seasonal Goal #1 – Take a Long Autumn Walk with Family

Our country has so many scenic lakes, and Lake Tahoe is one of them.  We usually visit the lake in winter during the ski season, but this time we enjoyed the beauty of fall.  We had a great hike on Sunday, beginning at the vista of Emerald Bay.   

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I’m not one of those people you’ll find decorating my home at Halloween with anything gory, although I know the teenagers love it.  I prefer the whimsical kid friendly version of Halloween, especially since I’ve got to look at it all day.  And so do my little ones.  

So yesterday, I sent my cousin and her husband off to the Russian River Valley to taste more wine.  Healdsburg’s Dry Creek Road is a must see.  Meanwhile, I kept all four of our kids with me.  Together, we added some spooky decor to my home.  We made our own black cat out of painted pumpkins, created an arachnid invasion on the mantle, and cast a witch’s spell on the front porch.  

Come on along on the kid friendly tour.  And get ready to get spooked !  

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No doubt, many of you are sprucing up your porches or balconies with festive gourds, pumpkins and wreaths.  My friends over at Front Porches Ideas and More have just featured a few of my front porch ideas on their website.  You can check out this feature on my fall leaves wind catcher, and also this feature on my glazed porch pumpkins. 

But here’s the much more important message.

Front Porch Ideas and More is sponsoring an Autumn Porch Decorating Contest where the first place winner will be given a $50 dollar gift card to Plow & Hearth.  They’ll also feature the winner for an entire week on their site. 

All you need to do is upload a photo and provide a description of your porch, your porch steps, your outdoor floral arrangement, or even just your decorated front door.  You can submit up to three entries.  The contest runs September 21st through November 1st of this year.  Go here for guidelines and for the entry form. 

Now’s the time to get that fall decor outside and take a quick pic.  Happy decorating!

The temperatures have dropped.  A cold front is on its way.  The wind is blowing the leaves off the trees.  It’s officially fall in my town. 

With that in mind, I’m so glad the old saying about rebuking unnecessary ornamentation  specifically names the lily, and only the lily.  I thank thee Shakespeare.  Because I’ve gone ahead and gilded my pumpkins.  Well, actually, I’ve enhanced their already natural beauty with a golden glaze.  Then I stacked them high and tied them with copper ribbon. 

I made a few other decorative upgrades as well.  Here’s the autumn front porch tour.

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Five years ago, Mr. CG and I toured New England in mid October.  We started in New York City, drove through Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Cape Cod, and ended our trip in Boston.

Boston.  October 2004.  Ring a bell ?  Imagine trying to get a room in Boston in October of 2004 when the Red Sox faced the Cardinals in the World Series.  Ooops, didn’t see that one coming in my advance travel plans.  For hours, we dialed every hotel in town.  We lost count of how many operators said to us, “You do realize the Red Sox are playing in the World Series at Fenway tonight”.

Sinking further into stupidville with every call, again and again I replied:  “Yes, we are aware. **Sigh**  Do you have any rooms available?”  But like Mary and Joseph, we were turned away.  There was simply no room at the inn(s).  At one point, I even begged, “I have an eight month old baby.  Take pity on me.”  After several hours, and a crazy stroke of luck, we finally found the very last hotel room in town at the Hyatt.  Exhausted, we watched the fourth and final Fenway game from the lobby bar.  Reinvigorated by the beers, we became Red Sox fans.  Well, just for the night.  I’m a little off topic.  Where was I ?

Oh yes.  Throughout our New England tour, we were privileged to witness the fall foliage show.  Amazing aspens.  Magical maples.  I loved it all.  And let me just digress again.  You New Englanders seriously know how to prepare some chowda and lobstah.  I must have gained five pounds on that trip, between the New York bagels and the chowda.

While we were touring Newport (I heart Newport), we ran right into John Ratzenberger.  Wait, Kate.  Stay on topic !  Okay, while in Newport, I picked up one of my favorite Christmas ornaments:  a maple leaf covered with gold.  It was the source of inspiration for this next fall themed art project.

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I adore stylish groupings of unusual pumpkins on tabletops and porches.  This early in autumn, I am not interested in anything carved – after all, that’s what October is for.  Rather, I am drawn to the creative use of still life, branches, leaves and gourds to welcome the cooler weather.  Here are some of my favorite images of porches and centerpieces that require no carving whatsoever.   

From Sunset Magazine:

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