Happy Fall, y’all! Or Autumn, if you prefer. Today is the Autumn Equinox and while it’s still quite warm here in Oklahoma, fall is definitely on the horizon. The leaves are starting to turn and there’s that special quality of light I always notice this time of year – sort of a warm, golden glow. I took this photo at my parents’ place a couple of evenings ago:

Isn’t that lovely?

A new season is always a good time to freshen up one’s home and routines. Let’s consider some ways we can welcome Autumn in all her loveliness.

10 Ways to Embrace Autumn

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1. Gather up all your throws, afghans, and sofa blankets then give them a good wash. After they are dry, fluffy and fresh-smelling, neatly arrange them on or near all your main seating areas. It is such a simple luxury to snuggle up under a cozy blanket as nights get chilly.

2. Buy a pumpkin and some mums for your front porch. If your summer porch flowers are looking as sad as mine, this will be a welcome and much-needed freshening up of your entrance. While you’re at it, give your porch a good sweeping and shake out that entrance mat.

3. Plan an outing. One final picnic, a day at the lake or a long drive to admire the changing leaves…make a point to get outdoors and enjoy the sweet days of early fall. Don’t forget to take some photos and if you share them on Instagram I’d love for you to tag me so I can enjoy them.

4. Spend a quiet afternoon or evening thumbing through your cookbooks or browsing Pinterest. As the seasons change, so should our meals. Make a list of hearty soups, casseroles and other cool weather recipes you want to try. Recipe boxes may seem terribly old fashioned these days but consider pulling out that one you received as a wedding gift (or purchase one if need be). Handwrite some recipes to try and file them at the front of the box. After you cook that dish, file it in the proper section if it’s a keeper. If this all seems rather silly to you, consider the fact that it will be almost impossible to pass a Pinterest board down to your daughter or granddaughter someday.

5. Spend some evenings outdoors before it gets too cold. If you have a fire pit, roast marshmallows or just sit by it with a glass of wine. Do some stargazing. Light several candles on your porch or patio table and just enjoy a quiet hour without your phone or anything else to distract you.

6. Indulge in a collection of fall-scented cleaning supplies. I just ordered this set of apple cider scented products myself.

7. My family teases me about this next one but I consider fall the start of what I refer to as “puzzle weather”. I love to have a puzzle set out to work on during cool weather. If you aren’t a “puzzle person”, pull out a few board games or keep a deck of cards on the coffee table for impromptu games. I’ll need a little refresher since I haven’t played for years but I’m looking forward to playing gin rummy with my husband in the evenings.

8. I love candles year round but there’s something especially nice about a room lit by candles as the days grow shorter. Take stock of your candle collection and if it’s a bit skimpy, pick up a couple of new ones. I like light, fresh scents in the summer but fall just calls out for warmer scents such as vanilla or sandalwood.

9. Consider some fall crafts or DIY projects. Here’s a link to several good ones:

Fall DIY Projects

10. For many of us it just isn’t fall without pumpkin. I’m not a fan of pumpkin lattes but give me a warm slice of pumpkin bread and I’m a happy girl. I’m in the process of collecting pumpkin recipes to share with you (hopefully tomorrow!) but in the meantime, here are the links to pumpkin recipes here on Life With Dee: