by Marilisa Sachteleben

Created on: September 12, 2008   Last Updated: August 27, 2009

A luminous harvest moon bathes the lawn in cool blue-white light. Green grass turns tinsel-bright on frosty autumn mornings. Canadian geese urge each other south. The first wood smoke exhales from chimneys. Spicy apples so fresh that they crack when you bite them perfume the air. Sassafras in lemon yellow, maple so red it glows, dark red wine oak leaves, pumpkins in jack-o-lantern orange paint the landscape autumn bright. I want to collect the sounds and taste of fall and swim in it. I want to gather the color and smell in my arms. How can I bring the wonder of autumn into my home?

Sight of Autumn

-Fill baskets with fall leaves. Use them as you would plants or cut flowers. Mist with water to keep leaves fresh.

-Juxtapose several contrasting leaves in a clear bowl of water.

-Attach leaves to a plain glass candle holder with a dab of glue. Create a fall leaf wreath.

-Arrange pumpkins and gourds in corners. If you're very brave, and you don't mind cleaning up the mess, place several dried corn stalks behind the pumpkins.

-Make leaf print table linens. Choose a plain ivory colored linen tablecloth. Collect fresh leaves with the children. Sponge fabric paint in fall colors on the back of a leaf. Carefully press leaf onto fabric. Repeat to create a pattern. Make table runners, place mats and napkins to match.

-Make a simple fall candle holder wreath. Gather pine cones, nuts, acorns and leaves. Arrange these in a wreath on a 6" diameter butter dish lid. Leave a small open space. Glue in place. Place a tall taper candle in the center. Spray paint your autumn candle wreath collage gold. Add dried berries for color. I made a wreath like this when I was four in 1968. Grandma always displayed it on her dining room table for holiday decor.

Sounds of Autumn

-Play one the many serenity CDs, like chirping crickets or falling rain, quietly in the back ground for mood music.

-Play 'Autumn' from Antonin Vivaldi's Four Seasons concerto.

Fragrance of Autumn

-Fresh Apple pomanders: Slice apples across the middle Hang slices from red ribbon.

-Apple wreaths: Arrange sliced apples on a tagboard circle. Allow to dry. Glue in place.

-Apple Spice potpourri: Collect apple parings; allow to dry. Simmer in water stove with whole cloves and cinnamon sticks.

-Evergreen potpourri: Collect fresh evergreen needles and cones from Eastern hemlock, spruce, pine, fir and cedar. Simmer in water on stove or in potpourri burner.

Taste of Autumn

-Place apples peels, black tea, cinnamon bark and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth. Draw edges together. Tie with ribbon. Pour boiling water over sachet. Enjoy delicious fall tea.

-Bake pumpkin custard. Make your pumpkin pie filling recipe. Bake in a buttered baking dish. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

-Fill acorn squash halves with fresh sausage. Bake until cooked.

-Make donuts. Serve with cider.

Let autumn fall in your home!

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