It’s pumpkin time …

Back in early September Jack started persistently asking when I was going to start putting out our pumpkin stuff. To my surprise he was thinking about our Fall decorations weeks before I was. What a laugh! Oh, how times have changed, my friends. My holiday-indifferent sweetie has succumbed to the fun, fun, fun of the holiday season! I never thought it possible.

When we first met he didn’t care even one iota about the Fall season and its bevy of decorations and celebrations. In his mind it’s a waste of time and money. Plus, the number of tchotchkes in our house seem to multiply exponentially, which normally drives him bananas. I, on the other hand, absolutely love the Fall season and can’t wait to tchotchke-up our house as we move through Halloween, Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

Last week when I saw all the pumpkins hit our local farm stand I knew it was time to start decorating for Fall. Yay! Even Jack said, “Yay! Finally!”

This year I’ve got a miniscule budget, so I had to get creative. I ended up scouring the back roads of town for pretty grasses, twigs and reeds. They’re free and last for ages, which is a big win in my book.

First up: The front door. Instead of the typical corn stalks I collected dead/dry marsh reeds, which I just stuck in my little boxwood planters giving me lots of height to frame the doorway along with that wintery tree look without the bulk. I wanted something simple and very subtle. It’s still a little too summery to go heavy “Fall” so this is more “transition-lite”.

I left the bottom step below the pumpkins empty for now and plan to add big pots of flowers when I finally see something I like. Jack hates the traditional mums (they die too fast), so we’ll see. Any suggestions are welcome.

I also changed up the wreath on the front door (moving the old one to the back door). I replaced it with a ristra that I made from Indian corn that I picked up for $3. It’s a little slim so I’ll probably add more to it next year. For now it’s simplicity works for me. Jack and I both love the chili ristras of New Mexico so maybe someday we’ll add that to our scheme as well.

Our entry table has switched to fall grasses (again from the back roads) and flowers from our garden. This is also the time of year that I bust out our pewter serving ware, beloved pieces that I inherited from my Dad’s family in the South. I love tucking greenery and flowers in little pewter pitchers.

In our living room I’ve got my tree branch (again from the back roads of town). I really like simple tree branches, they’re so versatile. Throughout the holiday season I’ll change out the decorations on this twig to birds nests and swags of dried moss to a few beautiful ornaments at Christmas. In the Spring it can host green moss and butterflies. Really, the possibilities for it are endless and so easy. I also love the height and architecture that a simple tree branch provides. And shoot, it’s cheap to do, just go out and cut a new twig every year.

For now it hosts my funny little Halloween ornaments—they never fail to crack me up.

In the kitchen we’ve got more dried grass (in a pewter coffee pot) from the back roads along with cuttings from our garden. That’s a black sunflower there. Amazing, isn’t it? I’ve got some that are a deep red and then some that turn totally black, just perfect for Halloween.

We’re not done yet—there are still more pumpkins to place—but it’s a nice start.

Halloween is right around the corner and I’m already making our spooky-weekend movie list.

Is it me or is October moving along way too fast?