The crisp smell of autumn is all around us out here in Massachusetts along with an overwhelming amount of leaves that have fallen to the ground. There is no grass to be seen on our front lawn, just one big pile of lovely, curled, crunchy leaves. And sadly, my husband’s philosophy is that he “only rakes once.” So as we wait for the rest of the leaves to settle to the ground, I have have to be content with the ”au naturale” look. I know that my husband is secretly hoping for the first snow so that he’ll get out of raking entirely - ”Oops! Guess we’ll have to wait til’ spring to rake those leaves. Can’t do it with all that snow on top.”
Since I am 18 weeks pregnant with dreaded sciatica just beginning, I’m not exactly clamoring to do the raking myself - although it does takes great restraint to remain calm about the may lei. When I pull into the driveway, if I can find it since it too is covered completely with leaves, I try to focus on the front door of the house. At least that looks neat and tidy. And yes, two of my biggest pet peaves are a leaf-laden lawn and unkempt grass (I also can’t stand dirty snow but I can rant about that in January).
Yet Autumn, the dark harbinger of seasonal death and dying to some, is still sweet to me because it gets me thinking about the holidays, about cozy evenings in front of the fireplace, the aroma of comfort foods like turkey and stuffing, and the gathering together of dear family and cherished friends. Autumn takes the focus off the garden and brings me back inside where I am consumed with all things home and feathering the nest for winter.
Speaking of nesting, here are a few snapshots of a friend’s home, Diane Lucas, whom I met at Brimfield this past September. Her sense of style and grace speaks to all things peaceful and warm, cottagey and welcoming. Enjoy!
