I’ve begun to notice that Carlsbad is starting to look a lot like the Fall season–and La Costa homes are decked for Autumn!
There are walkways lined with pumpkins, witches on broomsticks, gravestones and spider webs. There are also baskets filled with gourds and child-crafted wishes for a Happy October.
How do you welcome fall at your home?
Once upon a time in Big Bear Lake, we put out hay bales, carved up the pumpkins for each of the boys, and welcomed the brisk howling wind as we awaited leaves falling to the ground. Unlike La Costa, October in the mountains might offer an Indian summer in first week or so of October, but by the end of the month leaves were mostly on the ground and a cold wind was blowing. Fireplaces throughout the community were lit, as everyone stocked up on firewood for the winter months.
These days, our sons are grown and La Costa’s weather in October tends to be warm with blue skies and offers less-crowded days at the local beaches. We still lay out pumpkins and gourds, but truly miss the excitement of Scott, Eric and Mark as they tried to outdo one another with their carved masterpieces.
Regardless of how you greet October, fall has arrived, bringing a crispness to the air, laughter and costume-plotting to children and teens– and earlier sunsets for all of us. As you think about how to extend a little more light into your day, consider brightening up the porch of your home with a well-carved jack-o-lantern–or a basket full of fall color.