Autumn Whimsy & Wabi-Sabi

Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.   – Nora Ephron

We have decorated our porch for fall here at Crabtree. I had so much fun picking out this years look.  After walks in Kennedy Park this time of year, we often stop at a farm stand in Lenox called Farmer Don’s. All of that walking and hiking makes us think of dinner! The farm stand is tended by the farmer and his daughter.  It is a ritual that I adore every summer and fall.

This year, Farmer Don’s, was loaded with fabulous gourds and pumpkins ~ I had to stop myself from buying them all!

Gourds include the fruits of some flowering plant species in the family Cucurbitaceae, particularly Cucurbita and Lagenaria.

I feel like it is so cheerful and whimsical. It makes me happy. I like to be a garden fairy sometimes ~ so I surprised my neighbor too!

~ my favorite quote of all times for this time of year ~

Advice from a PUMPKIN ~ Be well-rounded ~ Get plenty of sunshine ~ Give thanks for life’s bounty ~ Have thick skin ~ Keep growing ~ Be outstanding in your field ~ Think big!  ~ Ilan Shamir

A big decorating trend this year along with all of the Hygge and Lagom, is an ancient Japanese term, Wabi -sabi. The art of imperfection and impermanence.  Although this is not a new concept, it is now a big trend for home decor.  Think natural flaws, nature and not generic. Beauty & simplicity too. Wabi-sabi!

“But when does something’s destiny finally come to fruition? Is the plant complete when it flowers? When it goes to seed? When the seeds sprout? When everything turns into compost?”
~ Leonard Koren, Wabi-Sabi: For Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers

I got thinking that as the season changes, it is the perfect term for that rustic feeling fall gardening brings. My old birch logs, the bumpy, lumpy pumpkins, and the whimsy of the and gourds. And, with summer still lingering, the bright geraniums still hanging out among the orange hues.  This could be a very wabi-sabi moment!

This past weekend we went on the Berkshire Pottery Tour. I love the rustic pottery we saw at a couple of the stops.  Now that Jeff is taking a pottery class, I feel like maybe I might like to do that too. All of this pottery is quite wabi-sabi. The imperfectness, that is perfectly perfect! That little pottery bowl with the red peppers in it is very wabi-sabi, as is the handcrafted table, Jeff made with reclaimed wood.

Julia has moved home from California, after two and a half years!  She is working via Satellite, a couple days a week for the Madison Gallery, where she worked full time in California.  She will travel there when needed, and continue to search for her new career too. We can’t wait to see what is next for her! She is fun to have around, and adds a lot of laughter and comedy to our home again!

~  Family News ~

Sadly, we lost our little Margot, aka Margie.   She was heartbroken after our Max died, and just couldn’t go on.  It was heartbreaking for the entire house, and we are beyond grateful to those lovable little ambassadors of Crabtree Cottage.  They made our house a home, and filled it with endless joy.  We are mad, crazy animal lovers, who I can honestly say, had no idea how much we loved those two little dogs. The loss was deeply profound, and very traumatic.  Within three months, we lost both of our beloved family pets.

~  My sweet little dynamic duo ~

Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love. They depart to teach us about loss. A new dog never replaces an old dog, it merely expands your heart.

Well, with all of that sadness, we had to do something to feel better. And, we did!! Welcome Baby George and Reese!  Talk about wabi -sabi!  We brought these new love buckets into our lives in June! It’s another whole blog, here is a peek at their absolute adorableness.

Here they are on their first vacation on Martha’s Vineyard!

I now wake up each morning with a smile on my face again.  I may still have some healing on this journey, but my joy and gratitude, are beyond measure. I get to do this beautiful dance of new life, and new love, all over again!

Thank you for coming by my blog today. Blessings for a beautiful autumn season!

Memory…is the diary that we all carry about with us.  ~ Oscar Wilde