Food, friends, and fire after sundown...what a wonderful send off to say "thanks summer 2023"...
Good day to you! Can you believe we just passed over the threshold from the lazy days of summer to the scheduled calendar of fall? I know we still hold promise for awhile as our air conditioner keeps us from the warmth outside our doors. It's a whopping 90 degrees today. No complaints, as it is a perfect time to rest from a most lovely and full Labor Day holiday weekend. I hope you went out with a bang and got together with friends and/or family, maybe a party...or two?, and had a chance to raise a glass of champagne or sip some lovely fruit drink... As you might have surmised from the collage of photos above, we did indeed take part in a combination of that and more. These photos were shot from inside our friends' boat, on their beautiful lake up in northern Michigan. Missing here is our daughter and her hubby; they decided to relax and unwind as much as possible before heading back to their abode for a full week of work and renovation projects. This last weekend surely provided the perfect mix of rest and retreat that gets high marks in our book.
So, as you walk, stride or hesitate to move forward into fall and away from summer, I hope you got what you needed over the past 10-12 weeks. For those that are on the school schedule (for your job or because you have a few pupils enrolled in that particular calendar) your next break isn't for a while. Still, there is something about getting back into a routine and that feeling of a "new start". It is like a fresh beginning, a new chapter, new experiences, etc; it swaps out the mundane often felt after "too much summer".
From a decorating perspective, this is such a great time to get an indoor project planned and/or underway. Now that the young people in your family are off to school, you might find you have time to breathe a little and what a great opportunity to think on what you might want to change/improve. Even, if it is a project that offers more organization, not necessarily getting involved with a total room makeover...unless, of course, you are ready for that. Post Labor Day in the past was such a sweet time to rearrange bedrooms, now that there was time to get in there, undistracted. Sorting summer clothing for donation or storage was always cathartic. Replacing toys to make room for backpacks and homework made sense. The whole mood of the kids' bedroom changed with a new school year. Soccer bags and practice clothing needed to be accessible and in sight. The transition must have been a doable thing and quite seamless as I can't say I could come up with a disagreement about the way things were done. My memory holds a lot and my husband hates that I can remember things (conversations especially) that happed 40 years ago. I do want to give my kids big points as I can honestly say not one of them ever complained about the shift in routines and responsibilities. That could be that one huge blessing as our family struggled in other ways, but, sports commitments, homework and being responsible were not in that mix.
If organization is a thorn in your side, perhaps you might peruse the magazine counter the next time you stop in at the book store or supermarket to pick up the latest find on organization ideas for fall. Country Living magazine put out an article for 45+ Organization Ideas To Kick Off the School Year Right. It is focused on helping parents with ideas for things like: digital calendars, storage bag options, beloved sticky notes, and organizing the main bathroom! I could use that last one.
Next time I would like to take you through my little guest bath. I posted photos on IG but it was awhile ago and I thought I would refresh the idea. I am a huge advocate of offering a lovely bathroom for my guests.
Until then, I hope you are falling in love with fall...because it is on the horizon, whether you are looking forward to it or holding tight to the last few days of summer.
Good on you today, Jeanine