September Hydrangeas in the Holiday Cupboard

I'm going to openly admit that I have a small obsession with updating and restyling my Holiday Cupboard that's out in the Garden Room. It has become a reflection of what's happening with the seasons and the holiday at hand. After the "late summer" version with the Majolica, I wanted to head into September, but wasn't ready for a bunch of orange and pumpkins. That will be here in the next week or so. For now I wanted to play off the gorgeous purples, mauves, greens and neutrals that I've been loving with my dried hydrangeas.

As I've mentioned lately, I have a tendency to make more work for myself than I probably should. I often just tweak small things, move them around, and add or subtract colors and items. In the past "before blogging" (BB) I would bring out all my tubs and it would automatically within a day or two go from summer to fall to Christmas. There were no subtle steps in between.

Of course that was in a time I was younger, busier; with more going on at church, businesses, and most importantly family and kids. I didn't have any physical limitations and I could work all day and get things accomplished by dogged determination. It's a different story now. I have to take it easy and cannot overdo things. So it takes me longer but I actually enjoy the step by step transitions into the seasons.

Back then I didn't savor the huge mounds of iris growing abundantly at the fence row, and the flowering crabapple trees along the side of the house. The zinnias I planted were beautiful, but I didn't bring them inside to marvel over in a vintage pitcher. I was busy with all the busy-ness of daily life. Easter time was lovely with new life and flowers and green peeking out of nature. Summer was all about mowing the yard, taking the kids to the pool, enjoying lazy days. I've always loved fall so it received much more of my attention, but usually that was focused on Halloween fun for the kids, then the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The in-between nuances got passed by. 

Now I have time and I've been forced to slow down (recent back surgery)... Blogging takes a lot of time, but it has made me more "intentional". I've loved each stage of the hydrangea bushes out front. Green, creamy white, pinks and mauves, and purple-y blues that amaze me how they've changed each week. Now they are drying on the bushes.

So I've been enjoying the subtleties of each season and my surroundings.

Early September, and I'm loving the brown transferware,

and those beautiful hydrangea hues.

And here are some of my nativity sheep.

They're always somewhere close by.

The orange and pumpkins 

will be here very soon!!

Here's my Sunflower Wreath from earlier in the week.

There's a slight change to the air. The temps are in the 80's again, not 90's. A few degrees makes a huge difference. We haven't had much rain, so we need that, but the lower humidity has been nice. It's getting darker earlier and the light has a different angle. I'm excited that it's September!

Hope you'll join us for All About Home on Monday evenings.

You might like these seasonal posts

Late Summer Sideboard

What's on the Sideboard

joining in for parties here:

 The House on Silverado  Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda, 

Hearth and Soul at April Harris

All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Inspire Me Monday at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch   

Celebrate Your Story at The Zucchini Sisters,  

 Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life  

Creative Crafts Linky Party at Creatively Beth

 Party in Your PJ's at Apple Street Cottage   

 Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles 

 Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 

Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode,  

Share Your Style at French Ethereal

Happiness is Homemade at LEO Wife
Centerpiece Wednesday at Karin's Kottage  

Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home, 

 Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home,  

Friday with Friends at My Hubbard Home

Create, Bake, and Grow at Shabby Art Boutique,

 Farmhouse Friday at The Painted Hinge and County Road 407