Fall is a bouquet of orange, red and yellow with touches of green in an arrangement created by God. ~ Barbara Foster, August 29, 2013
September, the ninth month of the year and the month of changes. September is the month we make the transition from the hot long days of summer to the cooler and getting shorter days of autumn. It is when we lose the warm balmy breezes on an evening stroll to the warmth of a sweater to keep off the night chill. September also brings the beginning of a new school year and how things have changed since I was young. Now school begins two to three weeks before the first of September whereas I always looked forward to the day after Labor Day as being my first day of school.
I remember trying to decide which new dress I would wear and proudly carrying my tablet, no not the electronic one of today but a Big Chief paper tablet, new pencils, crayons, a ruler and an eraser. It was always exciting to see my friends again even though we had seen each other off and on during the summer, it was different on the first day of school. We were all anxious to meet our teachers and yet a little apprehensive as to what they might be like.
As I grew older, the supplies changed as well but I still had the same excitement and enthusiasm on that first day of school. It always seemed like September started a new year and a new life.
Now, I love to see September come with the cooler days but I also hate it when it goes away so quickly as it means winter isn't far off. I wish we could keep September year round. I'm way past the age to feel the excitement of a new school year or see old friends for the first time since our days of summer. My days all run together now and only the change in the season gives me a new look on the upcoming days. I see my friends year round but we can still get excited if one of us gets a new outfit or a new car or even a new piece of furniture. With age, comes a different outlook on what we view as exciting and important. Gone are the days when we look forward to being in a classroom, or playing on the swings and slides at recess, but as we gather, we often reflect back on those days with fond memories.
I am an avid holiday and season decorator. I want to celebrate every holiday and every season and my way is to decorate inside and outside my home. Whether it be lights, flowers, flags, garden statues or signs, I find a way to display something to commemorate the holiday or season at the time.
My daughter accused me of having OCD, Obessive Christmas Disorder, since that is generally the holiday that I decorate the most, but I never miss out on Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day, and of course we have to have spring floral bouquets and wreaths, then Easter and I even go all out for the 4th of July. But then all I have is the fall season which I decorate with wreaths and flowers of the season, scare crows and as Halloween approaches, I add the black cats and witches and jacko-lanterns but this year I have decided that I do not have OCD, I have ODD.
ODD is Obsessive Decorating Disorder. Yes, that is me, I always knew I was odd but now there is actually a name for it. I saw a wonderful idea to celebrate Fall and I just had to try it.
For those of us who have artificial Christmas trees, ( I do only because years ago when Melanie was small, we had a real one that caught fire and decided it was not worth the risk) this is the perfect solution if you love to decorate as much as I do. Put up your tree and then decorate with the colorful orange, purple or the new Candy Corn lights, assorted picks or autumn floral arrangements, some bows and anything you like in your fall decorating.
So I have a Holiday Fall Tree which supports fall things but will have Halloween decor and then Thanksgiving before I remove it all to decorate for Christmas and since I leave my tree up until the first of the year, I will make it a winter tree with white lights, white decorations until Valentine's Day when it will be adorned with Hearts and flowers. Of course, then there are the shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day and eggs and bunnies for Easter, then maybe a tree of spring flowers until close to the 4th of July when I can just see it covered in red white and blue. I'll do it as long as I can. I may grow tired of seeing the tree in the corner where it stands now but then again I may not seeing that I do love to decorate and this is perfect for me.
I hate seeing the stores refer to Christmas trees as Holiday trees so this year I'm going to tell them every time I see one of their signs that they are wrong. A true Holiday tree changes and when it is decorated for Christmas, then it is a Christmas tree, but if they want a Holiday tree, I'll be glad to decorate one in any holiday they choose. How do you think that will be accepted?
Maybe it is my age now and I know there have been changes that I can't control, but for those that I can, I will keep trying to keep them as they were, not for just the memories that I have but to share the joy I've had with those who are coming behind me. My wish would be for everyone to experience the joys of life in a simpler time and to make memories that they will never forget. So many flow along with the tide and accept the change not really knowing what they are missing.
We are all in a race. Whether it is time or just wanting to get somewhere fast, it seems everyone is moving so fast that there is no time to smell the flowers along the way. Why wait until retirement or when you have reached an age that you cannot be in the race any longer? Take time now and be a little ODD. Stop to enjoy the views, the changing of the seasons as if they are the changing of the guards and celebrate life now. Hang a wreath up or buy a flower of the season or go all out, just as long as you enjoy it. Go to the pumpkin patch with your children or grandchildren and be a kid again looking for the perfect pumpkin or maybe you just want a nice arrangement to display on the front porch. There is nothing that says we can't so have fun.
