And so autumn has come, this year has been overbearing, a little not wished, or maybe, I wasn’t ready.
It’s been a very exciting beginning of September, a lot new projects, Luna’s school change, so many daily things accumulated to handle and now on 22 of September I’m a little unprepared. However “welcome autumn”.
Autumn’s equinox was arrived and I, still having picked up the images of my autumn, haven’t been able to assemble them.
Just today, Sunday 24, I can stay at home relaxing a little and finally writing.
I interrupted this half day the cycle of doing…
And it’s amazing this time, these hours for me.
I’m a fan of personal time, it’s the most quality time we have that needs to recharge us, to love us, to blow off steam, to then share with people relaxing and pleasant moments.
This is finally mine!
To be 24 September it’s not bad, but how you can imagine from these few lines, I’m not perfect either.
But let’s talk about autumn!
Until some years ago I didn’t like it at all, it was the saddest season for me.
The end of summer, that I love, and the recovery of the intensive rhythms, from a day to another. Days are getting shorter and mornings are cold to not have breakfast in terrace.
Now instead, since a couple of years, I’ve started appreciating it.
My tea rituals start, I spend so much time outside as possible and when we can we eat in terrace at lunch until the end of October. On Sunday you can take advantage of the day and the mild weather to go for a picnic or a trip around Rome. Luna who bikes. Take Candy out any hour because it’s not too hot but not cold too…
The mise en place changes, the colors of my table are less focused on colors, but the flowers remain colored or total white.
We can restart buying fresh flowers for our coffee table and make us delight from this company when we’ll be home late and we’ll have a tea, burning some candle and sitting on the sofa looking at them before restarting.
Our appetizers will be rich in cheeses, and red wine will be back on our table and it will warm up the atmosphere without sunlight.
Look how beautiful is the cutting board in the Inspiration Board, sometimes it doesn’t take much to enchant the sight and the taste. Some sliced pizza, some grapes, and in place of figs I’d put some cups of marmalades or particularly honey. I can’t wait to put on table what I’ve bought in Andalo together with Luna this summer, and serving it I’ll tell the story the beekeeper told us.
Create the atmosphere and tell something that for us has a meaning.
We create magic in our house, don’t forget about it.
Lights, strings of lights make the difference, the tendency sizzles, for young and old, and we can’t be unprepared.
I’ve put them in my studio, but I’ve bought other special lamps in Madrid and lights to insert in different places of the house, to the need, and in Luna’s bedroom.
For example I thought of putting a highlight made with these threads on the table in terrace, that it can be seen from the inside window. So that even the terrace in this season can be alive.
I don’t know you but in this season I start the ritual of an hot bath when I’m particularly tired, and this is the moment to buy some hydrating and relaxing fragrancies and masks to borne in pose during this sweet relaxing break, and candles. Some extra cuddle will make us good to reload from the new rhythms and the light changes. The change of season is approaching and I invite you to do some decluttering at least in the closet. You need energy.
The wardrobes that are full crease our beautiful clothes and in the end what we got?
We ended up wearing the same things and every morning we think: I have nothing to wear!
So what I started doing in Luna’s closet and in my shoes, I recommend doing it to you too. Pull everything out, door from door, so that you don’t go crazy and it’s not too heavy. When the closet is empty, clean it up.
Do a check of the dresses, one by one; for the kids is easier, the majority of the things has to be given because they barely arrived at the end of season, but for us adults it’s more complicated because there’s always the emotive and rational factor, that even if we don’t wear it since 3 years… who knows… maybe next year I shorten it up, tighten, or maybe I’ll lose weight and I’ll wear it again. But it’s not like that… it probably has had its day or we made the wrong purchase.
Marie Kondo claims to do an easy exercise and I admit it works, or at least for me.
Take the item in your hand and if it raises positive emotions you’ll keep it, or you thank it and you gave it away, making space to the other items you’ll take care of.
When I read this concept while I was reading the book I found it weird, while behind it there’s an interesting philosophy and I’ve been fascinated by it.
Try and then you’ll tell me. If I haven’t been clear and you want to, read her book, you’ll draw some interesting cues.
Autumn is that season I learned to appreciate since when I started baking muffins and biscuits.
Luna love sweets and I prefer doing them at home instead of buying them, but baking in summer is impossible, even pastry crumbles in my hands.
Recipes are pretty much easy, I use Bimby, so it takes so little to do muffins, 30/40 minutes and they’re ready. Chocolate chips inside of them and a dusting of icing sugar on top of it… but you know what is the thing I love the most of doing muffins? The delicious scent that emanates at home…
Generally when I bake them I always make a lot so that Luna could bring some at school and share with her friends during break.
For the kids it’s a moment of changing too, we don’t have to underestimate it.
It resumes intensive rhythms, school, extra afternoon activities, sports, the piano…and spend the rest of the time with them in open air or doing something they like.
Organize a space in their room that is comfortable with some cushions on the floor, or with a tent as in the picture. It will be a cozy space where they’ll take refuge in their moments, and not only of reading.
Take some time to take off some book or play they don’t use anymore, even this not only will be a moment to spend together but we can make us tell what they think about old plays and the new ones, all together on the floor take some time to empathize their growth and changing.
September is for me the start of the year, and it’s an intensive moment, even if full of projects, goals and things to do. But it has to be handled with some relaxing moments not to make disappear the wellness during the summer holidays.
I don’t know you, but I’ve done escort of a dozen of candles that I think they’ll arrive during this week. As my husband says, just in case of war, we could remain without light…
Obviously it’s a joke, because I always make myself caught up at the start of the season and besides when they arrive I don’t know where to put them.
I’ll take you updated on my Facebook page; in the meantime I continue my home decluttering to host the new arrivals.
Then I’ll pass to the new selections of teas of this autumn-winter directly from the pages of FortunandMason.com, only looking at the graphics the new selections of teas I go crazy, even if in the next days I’ll post another favorite tea of mine.
I wish you all a beginning of a special autumn and tell me about your Must of Season, it will be beautiful to share them together.
Viviana Grunert
