End of Summer Welcome

It's too early for pumpkins and the leaves are still green on the trees but you can definitely feel Fall in the air here in Michigan.  Our town's population has increased by about 10,000 this weekend as college classes start today.  So Big Rapids is hopping!

I'm hosting a Bible study in my home this Fall and Winter so it's so much fun to decorate knowing that others will enjoy it weekly.  "Others" being women - that is!  Not 6'4" basketball players that don't notice anything except how many cows I have in my kitchen! lol

I was at the market this week and spotted a bucket full of sunflowers.  And what says 'end of Summer' and French Country more than sunflowers, dried Lavender and ripe apples?

There's fresh wood in the basket next to the fireplace. (Our fireplace actually has a gas log that puts out wonderful heat, but one day my daughter said, "Every time I see that basket of wood, I keep thinking the fire is real!"  So that's enough reason for me to keep it there!)

And the throws in the basket next to the couch are freshly washed.  I love when guests pile onto our couch Indian-style,  wrapped in a throw, and we share our lives with each other.

There's a new 'Welcome Sign' and some beautiful multi-colored mums at our front door to greet our guests as they arrive.

Please don't notice that one of my mums is all broken.  It was the victim of a basketball. lol  (I'm going to pretend like I didn't notice. I'll miss him so much when he moves out!)

I made the Welcome sign and will share with you how I did it later this week.  When the leaves turn and the pumpkins are ripe, I'll add them to the mix.

And I love when the first thing my guests say when they enter my house is how good it smells! I always have a scented candle, or two, burning. I match them to the seasons and this time of year it smells like spiced apples, spiced oranges or caramel.  And I don't even have to bake!  ;)

On another topic, one of my other son's friends told me recently how much he liked the rug at the front door!  lol  He said it felt so good on his feet.  You would have been so proud of me!  I just smiled and said, 'Thank you!' and didn't tell him how mad I was at it.  My Dirt Rug

Our Bible study group is going to be reading and discussing two books that I have gained so much from - "There Were Two Trees in the Garden" by Rick Joyner and  "What the Bible Says About Child Training" by Richard Fugate (links to Amazon)  God willing, I'm going to post our topics on my other blog Summits of Rubies.  And I'd love to have you follow along and share if you'd like!

Have a great day!

love and blessings~

 "I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You."
 Psalms 22:22

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