A Taste of Autumn in Summer

August is kind of like the February of wintertime. In winter, we are fed up with the cold, the snow, and the colorless surroundings that were once charming at Christmastime. Here we are in the latter half of summertime, pining away for chilly nights, cooler and shorter days. Let's dive into a taste of autumn and how to transition so we can savor the best season of all!



Woodpiles. It might be a good time to think about chopping wood for winter.  If you feel particularly talented, try artistic stacks - 

While it's still warm out, you might consider a jump start on your Halloween props. Some props can be done fast, others need a bit of time and collecting the right elements. Sketch out your plotted home haunt and see what you have stored away and what you need. Halloween is one time where you really should "rig" props by repurposing trash, like old wood boards, rusted metal cans, baby dolls that have seen better days. There is something much more scary about homemade. These masks for example - 

Wandering a cemetery around sunset is a fantastic activity that gets you in the darker season mood. They are silent and loving memorials for beloved family and friends. They also contain tall trees, interesting headstone carvings and moody statues. I bring a trash bag to clean up and flowers to leave one the graves that have not seen visitors for a very long time. I stop and say their name out loud, as it probably hadn't been referred to for a century. 

If you love the scents of autumn, hold off a bit on the heavy cinnamon/pumpkin scents as those are better utilized the day official autumn begins. You don't want to burn out on it and since it is still summertime and hot, try the light scent of apple or the orangish scent of bergamot. These two are excellent transitions toward autumn without smelling out of season.

Certain flowers can evoke a sense of coming autumn. Of course, Chrysanthemums are perhaps the most popular, but a good transitional one is sunflowers. They are tied to late summer and countryside and come in a variety of autumn colors.

It might be time to transition out of the iced coffee mode and back into a hot cup. If not, try adding tea to your regimen. It might not be hot cocoa time yet, but a good autumnal-tasting tea is a nice move. Try something with apple, a touch of cinnamon or perhaps an Earl Grey. 

A shift in the colors you wear and even the colors in your home can help move you from bright blinding summer and beachy tones to something a bit warmer and comfy. Don't go full-blast gold and brick red yet, but consider transitional warmth like pale gold, soft sage, or light persimmon. 

You might want to put on an autumnal horror movie. Some that take place in autumn or have an autumn feel include "Halloween," "The Fog," "Sleepy Hollow," "Hocus Pocus," "The Blair Witch Project," "The Covenant," "Salem's Lot," and "In Dreams." 

It's the time of  year for bonfires and take full advantage of that evening activity that brings darkness and light in that way that only autumn can. Be sure to tell scary true-life events or made up urban legends. 

Now, add to that some background sounds of "rustling leaves nature soundtrack," "thunderstorm nature soundtrack," or the haunting sounds of Nox Arcana.




Enjoy the transition and savor it. Pace you anticipation for the coming great season....