Fall Home Tour

Welcome to our Fall Home Tour! Well, maybe not the entire home, but where we spend the most time.

I had such fun decorating this year, adding some burlap and teensy wired lights to the mix. Everything is either from the dollar store or Michael’s. Rather than telling you what I did and how, I am drawn to reminisce a little. Something people with depression are dissuaded from. However, I’m in a particularly good space today, probably because the weather has turned a bit and soon the tree leaves will do the same.

My favorite season is Fall, maybe for all of the fond memories I have from growing up in Placerville, a little town a few minutes from where gold was discovered. We spent summers working – and playing – at Echo Chalet, our resort near Lake Tahoe, and would come back home on Labor Day.

Remember when school always started the day after Labor Day? Sheesh, now it’s the middle of August!

Anyway, coming down from the cool mountains to the Indian summer foothills always took some acclimating. I was so ready to wear all of my new school clothes but most were for cold weather so I had to wear the same ol’ clothes from the year before. Blech.

They couldn’t spoil my excitement for going back to school though and seeing all of my friends. Especially my bestie, Caroline. Fall meant there was always something exciting on the horizon – cheerleading, football, dances.  We shared it all and were downright giddy in anticipation of new adventures.

My memories of high school are clearer than grammar school. They’re probably etched into my hormones. Like music. When I hear a song now, not only can I remember all of the words *shock* but the melody takes me back to a specific time in my teen age years.

I remember so many things about Fall in Placerville. The parched oak trees, shedding their brown leaves. The smell in the air. It was crisp in the mornings and the slightest breeze brought whiffs of acrid smoke from people, like Dad, who saved their burnable garbage for the first cool temps. Going to Apple Hill.

Apple Hill. What a treasure. This was long before it was an area-wide family event in the Fall with paved roads and parking lots at all of the orchards and wineries. No, there were only a few places open for business and we’d grab our box of golden delicious beauties and head back home. Soon there would be homemade applesauce and the always scrumptious Apple Hill cake.

I could go on and on but I’ll stop here. I think I’m gonna take a little stroll outside. There’s a slight breeze today. If I’m lucky, someone will be burning their trash.