I returned home from a week out of town yesterday and this morning standing at my kitchen window asked myself why my flowering plum tree had no leaves...duh... in three days it will be November. Trees are supposed to be naked this time of year.
So for those of you who have also been caught unaware, here are some of the things you need to do both inside and out. (yes, inside too)
For the outside: clean gutters, inspect chimneys, wrap hose bibs, drain hoses, caulk, have your heating system inspected by a professional, check weather stripping, put up storm windows and doors. Although I live in sunny California, I still remember life in the Rockies, and I still do many of these things, plus it is always a good idea to take time to walk around inspecting your house on a semi-yearly basis. You have a huge investment in your home and you want to keep it well maintained.
For the inside: if you have lived in your home for as many years as I have (and even if you haven't) you tend to get in a rut - change is fun- change is a good thing- change need not be expensive- change is seasonal. Preparing your living space and your emotional space for the coming season is quite simple. Put away your pastel pillows and replace them with lush textured jeweled tone ones. (For example: if your pillows are yellow, replace them with ochre colored ones.) If you have a pink throw on your couch, replace it with a burgandy one. Add an extra throw to your room. If you have a bowl of seashells, replace it with a bowl of pods and nuts. Replace your cotton table runner with a brocade or textured table runner. Put an area rug down over your carpet. Change out your scatter rugs (I swap my yellow kitchen rug for a deep red one). Change your candles (In my family room I trade my summer light sage green candles for persimmon) It is all about adding layers, cozy textures and warm colors with out breaking the bank.
And besides, in sunny California, if I didn't change my assessories, how would I know it was winter?
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