The End of Summer

I know I was watching, but it still feels as though Summer ended when I wasn't looking in the right direction....

Recently, I was a guest blogger for a friend, Sue West (an Organizer and Life Coach) I talked about the changing seasons, and what they meant to me...

Growing up in a warmer climate, I never understood what seasonal decorating was. We didn’t even own coats, so to change our surroundings to suit the weather, was not something I could relate to. Now, I live in a four season world, and as well as the constant excuse to go shopping, I look forward to the surprises that each month can bring.

Soon, it will be Fall, and after the brutally hot Summer we have had, I find myself craving the cold nights and the warmer colors. A quick look outside will tell you that Mother Nature is starting to adjust her settings; the lush greens of Spring are giving way to fallen leaves, and the flowers are taller, their colors more saturated and bold. Always a good teacher, I take my cue from her, and I start to go through my own transformation.

• I tidy up the garden, and bring in plants that I want to nurture through till next year. I stop at farm markets to buy pumpkins and gourds; arranging them onto my front step, and piling them into the gaps of my faded windowbox.
• Inside my home, I start to look through my linen closet for blankets to toss on the sofa and chairs. I am already anticipating the first cold night, and the mis-matched textures make me feel warmer already. A bowl of seashells is put away, and I bring out a large collection of buttons instead – collected over many years, they make me think of late night sewing and heavy, woolen coats that need to be repaired.
• I also put away some decorative glass pieces, and replace them with accessories that feel less harsh, and more organic. A wooden bowl is filled with pinecones, a bunch of twigs is arranged on the table and a favorite photograph (sans frame) leans against a pile of books.

Whenever you want to decorate, think of the four seasons as a wonderful game of opposites. If it is cold outside, make your home warm by using soft edges, organic elements and saturated colors. Conversely, when it is hot, cool down with simple shapes, lighter colors and fewer layers.

Thanks to Vicki Horton for the gorgeous Volkswagen bug photograph.

For more information on Sue West, go to: http://organizenh.com/