Celebrate the Seasons

In The Napa Valley, fall signals harvest.  It is an exciting yet hectic time of year. The perfume of wine in the air is a rare treat enjoyed by all fortunate to be here during the season.

Fall in the Napa Valley feels a bit like going back in time as farming is at the core of the community. Evidence of the change of seasons can be found virtually everywhere… in markets, restaurants, shops, front yards, gardens, and most of all in vineyards. The kaleidoscope of unending rows of gold, green, orange and red is spectacular. Tractors and flatbed trucks stacked with bins of grapes bustle throughout the valley. It is something to be experienced. I highly recommend it.

When I decorate for fall, I look to nature for inspiration. I bring the outside in when practical.  I find that changing little things as the seasons evolve keeps me present and aware of what is happening around me NOW.

Colorful leaves make a rustic statement scattered on tables or counters. Bowls of fruit and/or vegetables become art in the right places. Sprays of branches in buckets, jars or vases can transform a room, porch or corner. Arrange candles, pumpkins & gourds in the center of a table on a runner as a centerpiece.

The look of a collection of pumpkins (real or artificial) makes a grand statement. Home Goods has the most unique and realistic pumpkins I have found.

Several ceramic and velvet pumpkins fill my hearth this time of year. They look so real that you have to touch them to know that they aren’t. I like mixing textures. Peppering in velvet pumpkins adds depth, particularly in photos.

I found silk leaves in beautiful fall colors on Amazon. They look like the real thing. I scattered them inside my non-burning fireplace under my hurricane lanterns filled with candles and glimmer strings from Pier One.

My mercury glass addiction was satisfied by illuminated pumpkins I discovered…again at Home Goods. I arranged a trio of them and let them take center stage on my hutch.

Trick

Place freshly picked leaves in a large Ziploc bag and put it in the freezer for 20-25 minutes. This will stun any clinging bugs and make them fall to the bottom of the bag. Remove your leaves and release the bugs in your garden.