The Last Pennsylvania Autumn

I've enjoyed being able to love on our little half-bungalow (my name for a duplex) SO much over the past year. Fall is important to us. It's our wedding season (year 1 wraps up Nov. 8!) and when both our birthdays happen. And we're big scarf people - as in we'll wear each other's. 

I asked Cody what his favorite things about fall are and he gave me the Hallmark answer: crisp and cozy. But I must say I agree!

We only have till May here now, when we make our next big move for wherever Cody's PhD work takes us. This means that I'm taking in each season a little slower, trying to be more mindful. I spent this week getting our little home into the fall spirit! I love keeping our decor simple, and meaningful.

Here's a little list of what we cherish about this most bittersweet season.

 1. Pumpkins! Well duh. These are locally grown pie pumpkins, and we plan to slowly eat them over the season until the mantle is empty and ready for Christmas! The cotton stems remind me of fall in Louisiana. I grew up going to a cotton plantation with my school every year.
2. The herbs in the garden are still cranking out goodness. This was for Saturday's brunch frittata.

3. Crafting. This is the first fall wreath I've made from second-hand yarn and leftover fabric samples from our local creative reuse store. The whole thing costs about $10.

 4. Walks in the woods, seeing everything changing into its next stage of life (and death) for the year

 Goldenrod and Aster

 No serious tree color change yet. But man the air is cool.

 5. Backyard fire pit!! Probably the BEST thing about the half-bungalow.

6. Knowing that this leaf's look will be replicated by the trillions across Pennsylvania in a few short weeks.

7. This is a new one: making our own fall coffee. This is a pumpkin spice latte, with only 4 ingredients, and way less than what you'd pay at S***bucks. You can see there recipe on my Instagram account.

8. Finally, and most importantly, this has been a new season for me in light of my beliefs. I came across She Reads Truth, a series of online scripture-based Bible studies especially for women. They're short, full of inspiration and bring ancient words into our modern world to help us grasp their true meaning and apply them to our lives. I read one every morning with my coffee before heading out into the unpredictable world we live in. Just doing this one little thing has brought me so much peace, and ritual is not something I'm gifted at so the fact that I've plugged into this so well means much to me.

How is the changing season changing you?

P.S. Another style collaboration coming Tuesday with The Creative Closet (my first is here) - pumped to share the first of my sustainable fashion posts!

Spring woods

Who writes a blog post on a Friday night? 

This gal! 

This post is hardly any writing either, just a celebration of the first day of spring through photographs. I got these this morning on a quick walk through a park to get my head in the game to knock out some big work projects. It was cold, misty and still. But things are creeping up from the ground that was one big ice cube just last week!

I love the rhythm of seasons here. I love looking for the next change - the tiny buds at the end of the tree branch twigs and the breeze that no longer bites when it hits your face. 

No matter what I'm dealing with, I've always found comfort in this global road map. 

Snowdrops blasting through the soggy cornflake leaves!

Paths through the park and the silver birch refusing to give up last year's leaves.

The overcast day had colors popping, especially anything green

First day of spring is 'logged'. :D

Who hit fast forward??

I am definitely crawling into home plate after an intense week of career development. Think five meetings yesterday. FIVE! Two on the phone and three in person. Four were for potential jobs and two were for some articles I'm writing in a freelance gig.

I'm grateful though, becuase it all means the gears in the cosmos are turning and great things are happening that I will share more once it all solidifies - don't want to jinx myself before anything is official. I will say though, everything I've been working toward over the past two and half years that combine sustainability and marketing are taking shape.

For now I can leave you with a blur of how the week went.

Last Friday: Talking with the nonprofit Haiti Friends, and enjoying a metal art exhibit at their Reynolds St. gallery. The do some seriously good work that combines reforestation, art and public health - all in Haiti.

Saturday: Purple Muffins.

Monday: A girl's day with a dear friend, then meeting another great friend's new baby girl!! 

Aaaaand fast forward to Thursday, where I met this awesome lady representing the women's bathroom at one of the coolest places in Pittsburgh, The Cube. (where a lot of my meetings were)

weekly.

cooking, crafting, resting. i am at last regaining a sense of self with graduate school and wedding planning out of the way (as much fun as it was). this is such a renewing time, especially with christmas so imminent.
p.s. never been so excited about the holidays right around the corner, getting our first real tree next weekend :)

 Tortilla Espana. Simple goodness and ALOT of olive oil.

 Beets and olives.

 Pit stop at Primanti's for fries.

 Endless and beautiful snow last week.

 This is some of our favorite soap, especially the "sunshine" scent

 Cody's 26th birthday dinner right before TG. We had pumpkin soup and I created this masterful pig cake with whatever I could find :D

 The living room is finally together. Can't wait to post home pics to the Little House Section soon!

 Cody's other love. Pumpkin pie.

 Bikers in the park in the night, just cool.

 Getting started on some simple tree crafts.

 Turkey sopa with leftover dark meat. The flavor goes thru the roof with cheese and green chiles.

A mantle of love! The cutest wedding cards, and the beginning of our Xmas decor stock pile.