celebrating the seasons: creating cozy

yesterday and today are hot and humid again, though mostly overcast and a bit bleak. but earlier in the week we had some truly chilly weather. dan chopped up a fallen cedar he found in the woods (wow, it smelled good), and we fired up the wood stove for the first time this season.

there has been a lot more indoor play, blocks and puzzles are finding a new life. crayons and sketch pad and stacks of library books. we spotted a bear on our road yesterday, so indoors seems fine right now!

the rug tristan is sitting on i found for $10 at a yard sale. a nice addition i'd say.

but i'm looking forward to more of that chill. so we can keep those fires going. i love the flicker and crackle. the particular warmth and light a live fire casts across a room.

outside brother autumn continues to spread a blanket of acorns and leaves across our yard. below are some photos of a lovely seasonal garland our friend and playgroup host made with her family. the big leaves are magnolia. i think we'll give this a try with some finds from our yard.