Fall Decorations – A New Endeavor By Jill Eileen Smith
I can’t say that I’ve always loved the changes in seasons, but as the years go by, I definitely do. Living in Michigan allows us to enjoy spring, summer, fall, and winter, in all their glory. And I enjoy each one of them.
Until this year, however, the only one that captured my creative abilities and interests was Christmas. I loved putting up the nativity (my favorite) on our mantle, complete with Christmas lights. In the early days, I even made a crude “hill” with three crosses on it, to tie Christmas to Easter.
I decorated everywhere I could on the first floor of our colonial, while my husband created a Christmas wreath with a white-lighted cross in the center. Another favorite of mine. And of course, there were all of the cookies he baked. I decorated, shopped, and wrapped. He baked cookies. It worked well during the years the kids were growing up.
But the day came when we welcomed an empty nest, and our kids moved across the country. For a long time, decorating for Christmas didn’t hold the joy it once did. It brought back bittersweet memories, and I’ll be honest, if I couldn’t celebrate in person with the kids, then I didn’t want to go to as much “trouble” as I’d always done. It was just us, after all.
In 2022, God moved us to a new home. Not across the country as we thought He might, but to a different county in the state. Suddenly, instead of living in the suburbs, we lived in a more rural community. We had a view of nature and animals (now and then) and we adopted two kittens after we lost our sweet Tiger.
The house was smaller, so I couldn’t put out as many decorations as I had in years past. There was no place to put them, or they were too fragile for two rambunctious kittens. Still, we managed a tree, which we tied to the window with command hooks so they couldn’t knock it over, and I had my nativity on the mantle.
That was last year. I’m not sure when it happened, but that bittersweet sentiment I felt from not having family near lifted. Suddenly, I wanted to decorate for every season just for us! It’s kind of like buying yourself flowers. Use the good dishes. Light the special candles. Enjoy the little things in life, yes?
So, when fall rolled around, we went shopping. You could say my purchases ended up being DIY projects that made me smile. Now, if you walk up to our front door, you will be greeted by a three-tiered stand with pumpkins and other fall décor. (See photo.)
A lighted tree graces the other side of our little porch and a wreath hangs on the door. When you come inside, you’ll see my mantle hosting pumpkins of different sorts, pine cones (some that I collected on a walk around the neighborhood), garland, some pictures, and my favorite prayer plant.
If you come to the table, you’ll find a table runner with a wood trough filled with potpourri, more pumpkins, pinecones, in a design I created. Unfortunately, Kody (our male cat) thinks my pumpkins are his playthings, and is forever stealing them from the centerpiece! He’s actually pretty funny as he takes them off the table and I find them in various places in the house. Once, he took one to the basement! Oh well…
Lastly, I found various decorations for my windowsill, including a pumpkin pie scented candle that I love! Oh my! If only I could find time to bake the pie as easily as I can light the candle.
I’ve decided that while I always loved making the house pretty for Christmas, and I used to decorate for birthdays, now I want to change it up for every season. I do find ideas online, but it’s kind of encouraging to know that I’m capable of creative things outside of writing.
So, our fall/harvest/thanksgiving theme will stay up until December. Then I’ll go shopping for some new things for the porch, and repurpose old things as well. Combining both saves on the budget. Free pinecones are one example, but I had a few other things that came in handy with my new creations.
I don’t have any fall hobbies other than this. House projects are year-round, so the only things I’m waiting for now is for the weather to get cold enough to light the fireplace fire and wrap myself in my favorite blanket. Maybe snuggle a cat or two. And write.
I should add that for Thanksgiving, when we are with family or even for just the two of us, I’ll make my pumpkin pie recipe (not just enjoy the scented candle), which came from the Little House on the Prairie Cookbook years ago, which I only tweaked by leaving out the maple flavoring and using a lot of my favorite spices – cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. (See my well-worn recipe.)
In all of this, the changing seasons have taken on new meaning for me. Life if too short to not enjoy each person and each moment. Saving the best for some future date that may never come, or denying yourself the joy of beauty because of loss you can’t get back or recreate is sad. Making my new home beautiful, as best as I can with two cats who do try to mess things up and two humans who tend to let in too much clutter can be a challenge. But it’s so much fun and adds a little joy every time I look at the front porch now. No more cobwebs. Just creative fall fun. The work to make it special for just us is worth it.
Check out Jill’s latest book that is releasing February 27, 2024 and is available for pre-order:::: The Ark and the Dove, the Story of Noah’s Wife
Zara and Noah have walked together with the Creator for their entire lives, and they have done their best in an increasingly wicked and defiant world to raise their three sons to follow in their footsteps. It has been a challenge–and it’s about to get much, much harder.
When the Creator tells her husband to build an ark to escape the coming wrath against the sins of humankind, Zara steps out with him in faith. But the derision and sabotage directed their way from both friends and extended family are difficult to bear, as is knowing that everyone she interacts with beyond her husband, her sons, and their wives is doomed to destruction. And when the ark is finally finished and the animals have been shut up inside, Zara and her family embark on an adventure that will test their patience and their faith as they await deliverance and dry ground.
Experience the story of Noah and the flood like you never have before. With bestselling and award-winning author Jill Eileen Smith as your guide, you’ll never look at a rainbow the same way again.
