Monday, October 22, 2012

Happy Fall!!

I love Fall.

I love the weather, the leaves, the decorations, the clothes, the holidays, the food - I love it all.  But one of the problems with living in Houston is that it doesn't start feeling like Fall until late October.  Up until then, it's usually 90 degrees and sandal weather.  No scarves.  No hot chocolate.  No fire in the fireplace.  No pumpkin pie.

Oh, who am I kidding?  I can eat pumpkin pie in the dead of summer.  But you get my point. 

ANYWAY . . . A few weekends ago, I was in a great little town in the Texas hill country with a group of friends.  While we were there, a cold front moved through and we finally got some fall weather.  We walked around the little downtown area, window shopping and drinking hot chocolate.  It FINALLY felt like Fall to me.  And, as we walked around enjoying the autumn weather, I found myself really admiring the seasonal decorations. 

In one store, I saw something that confirmed for me that Fall really brings out the joy in EVERYONE:


He can hardly contain his excitement as Thanksgiving approaches!  I imagine him spreading his contagious joy, psyching his pilgrim family up for the first Thanksgiving feast.  Getting everyone whooped up into a joyful frenzy as they prepare their turkey and dressing:


And the Indians.  How excited they must have been - joining these joyful Pilgrims for the first Thanksgiving dinner!  What a time for celebration . . .


Oh the frivolity!  The unmitigated delirium!  It's almost too much to watch.

And then I saw this little feathered snowman (a necessity for ANY fall vignette in YOUR home) and it made me wonder aloud:

"Why is there dog poop lining this snowman's head?" 

As I was deep in thought on that question, I turned around and saw this guy:   


And, after I stifled a small scream, I wondered if we had accidentally wandered into a psych ward.  But then I decided that I was being silly.  These were normal fall decorations.  Decorations that any person would want in their home.  There was nothing weird or unusual about them at all. 


 [gulp]

After we left the psy- I mean "lovely store", we went to another little shop where I saw these cute little Thanksgiving candles:






You know, I think some people might look at these little candles and see two precious singing Pilgrim children.  But not me.  I see two Pilgrim children saying "Wait - you're gonna do WHAT to that thing coming out of my head??"

We walked around for a couple of hours and had a great time.  And while I didn't end up buying any decorations our our trip, the stores in that town did inspire to break out my own fall decor when I got home.  I got out my candles, my little pumpkins, my fake fall leaves.  And I got out this little guy that I got from a friend of mine. 



Because nothing says "Happy Fall" like a cute little scarecrow and his trusty . . . ummmm . . . seal?
 
So I hope you are enjoying the season wherever you are today.  I hope that you have your decorations up, some cool weather to enjoy, a scarf around your neck, and a piece of pumpkin pie in front of you.  And I hope if you have any extra pumpkin pie in your fridge, you'll invite me over.

And we can whoop it up like a bunch of Pilgrims and Indians.