Halloween Garland

I have been trying to make more of an effort to have seasonal changes in the house, to change the daily objects of our gaze in keeping with what is happening outside. The temptation is to call it decorating, but I don't want to use that word because the small changes I am talking about come not so much from a desire to celebrate any particular holidays (although that's there, of course), but from a more deep-seated need for a connection to the passage of time. Barring the opening and closing of windows, our apartment stays the same through the seasons. Summer brings with it only air conditioning. Winter does not frost our windows, and however copious the snowfall, it never blows in when we open the door. Flowers can be had year-round, and even though the box of vegetables from the farmer tends to be full of mostly tubers by the middle of winter, the grocery store fills in. And yet, time should be marked. Occasions should be noted and celebrated. Days should not flow one into another without pause, alteration, memorable incident. So this is one small thing to help with that. It is autumn. We have pumpkins - real, painted, kid-made, (perhaps even carved, if I can remember to buy a small carving set). Yesterday I found some bright red fallen leaves to spread on the dinner table like a runner. And now we have a Halloween garland hanging over the kitchen island.



Three blown-up clip art images, some poster board, yarn, and tape. Makes me feel the fall.