Fall Fancy: 7 Ways to Savor the Season

No matter where you live, I think you’d agree that fall is one of the most special times of the year. I always think of it as the calm before the holiday storm and even here in the desert, where there are no fall colors or flannel, I find myself wanting to nuzzle into the season’s softness. Just like when you enjoy the last delicious bite of a hearty homemade soup, take special care to savor this season.

“October, baptize me with leaves! Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse me with split pea soup. October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins. O autumn! O teakettle O grace!”

~ Rainbow Rowell, Attachments

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‘Fall’ for Chrysanthemums

When you need a beautiful pop of fall color there is nothing better than a bunch of chrysanthemums. Deep burgundies, warm coppers, vibrant purples and cheerful golds; whether you plant them in patio pots or place them in a vase, their vivid colors and perfect petals exemplify the simple beauty of fall. Artificial flowers have come a long way and are so wonderfully realistic. Use an interesting glass jar or bottle as a vase to gather a bundle of artificial ‘mums’ with some twigs or feathery grass plumes from your yard. Voila! You have a dazzling fall flower arrangement that will stay gorgeous through December.

In Japan, where the Chrysanthemum is the symbol of the sun, they have a “Festival of Happiness” to celebrate this flower each year.

~ Teleflora

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Make Soup. Bake Bread.

Nothing says FALL like the smell of fresh bread and a burbling pot of rich soup on the stove. NOTHING. They are symbols of care, warmth, comfort and home.

Soup

I can’t wait to try these two hearty chicken-based soups this fall: Chicken Pot Pie Soup from Damn Delicious and this thai-inspired Healing Chicken and Rice Soup from Pinch of Yum.

Bread

The recipe for My Mother’s Peasant Bread by Alexandra’s Kitchen is the perfect bread for mopping up the last drop of soup. It is full-proof, quick and most importantly – so delicious. Make sure to read the directions once through before starting as she’s got some interesting tips and tricks.

“How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days.”

~ John Burroughs

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Read. Write. Sip.

Somehow, fall has a unique way of ‘allowing’ us to slow down; to appreciate the quiet and take time for ourselves. Take advantage of this as it truly is the calm before the storm.

Read

Spend a fall afternoon tucking yourself into a good book. Currently, I’m deeply engrossed in Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. I’m also a huge fan of Alice Hoffman. Her book, The Dovekeepers was wonderful and The Museum of Extraordinary Things is my next read. Having trouble finding a good book? Check out Goodreads.com; a website offering book reviews written by people like you and me AND recommendations based on previous books you’ve enjoyed.

Write

With today’s popularity of texting and emails, receiving a personal, hand-written letter is so special. Steal a half-hour from a fall day to sit and write a long-overdue correspondence. Make it extra-special by using some pretty stationery and a nice quality pen. You’ll be surprised how good you feel about accomplishing this and the recipient will absolutely love getting some unexpected pleasant mail.

Sip

Whether it be a warm cup of spiced chai tea or cider, a hot coffee or a glass of wine, make your reading/writing time special. Don’t rush. Outside of picking up a small child from school or putting out a literal house fire – everything . . . truly . . .everything can wait thirty minutes. So fix yourself a cup of something, grab a comfy spot, a warm soft throw, a fur-friend if you’ve got one and read, write, sip.

“Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love – that makes life and nature harmonise. The birds are consulting about their migrations, the trees are putting on the hectic or the pallid hues of decay, and begin to strew the ground, that one’s very footsteps may not disturb the repose of earth and air, while they give us a scent that is a perfect anodyne to the restless spirit. Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.”

~ George Eliot, George Eliot’s Life, as Related in Her Letters and Journals – Volume 1

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Feed Your Creative Soul

Fall is the perfect time to work on smaller craft projects and handwork. Hand quilt a table runner or pillow. Crochet a scarf or knit a hat. The summer is too hot to have a fabric or yarn project on your lap but fall . . . fall is the most perfect time to be cozy and create. If you don’t already have a project in mind, try an embroidery, cross stitch, needle felting or yarn punch kit from Etsy.com. There are so many modern, fun and creative patterns out there. Some of my favorites are from Cozy Blue Handmade, Namaste Embroidery, Hello Hydrangea, Christina Ann Studios or Delilah Iris Designs. Bonus – you may actually get a holiday gift or two completed.

“Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.”

~ Friedrich Nietzsche

For many of you, fall is swift, like a finch flitting from branch to branch before disappearing into the dusk. For those of us in the Southwest, fall takes a bit of imagination, an abundance of potted Chrysanthemums and sometimes, a trip up North. No matter where you experience Autumn’s embrace though, remember to slow down and drink it up. Savor every last drop as fall’s essence is what warm and wonderful memories are made of.

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Fall images from our recent trip to New York

Have a fantastic week and as always, happy crafting

Fall Frenzy – celebrate the season with more FALL related posts by A Crafty Composition.

Good Morning Muffins

Cool Mornings, Soft Light, Good Smells

Splendidly Easy Fall Centerpiece

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