It’s the most wonderful time of the year. You hear people gushing everywhere:

“I just love fall — the weather is changing, the beautiful leaves, the smells of baking pumpkin pie.”
“When the candy corn shows up in the stores, I really start to get excited about seeing my kids dress up in their costumes.”
“The kids are back in school. My life gets back on schedule!”
“Halloween leads into Thanksgiving and then Christmas is just around the corner.”
“Halloween is my favorite holiday — I mean really, I do sneak candy out of my kids basket!”

For me, I finally get to feel comfortable in my own home. It is the time of year where all my lack of initiative for the entire year develops into the perfect concoction of spook, gloom, and grime. My house color is “pumpkin pie orange” with dark maroon shutters and black rod iron railings. It looks amazing at Halloween and Thanksgiving and looks hideous with Christmas decorations.

I never go particularly scary with my decorations. You know, just the giant 3-foot spiders crawling up the side of the house, a huge dungeon chain hanging like a doorbell pull next to the front door, and a flock (or is it a gander or a gaggle?) of bats dancing around in all the trees. Nothing bloody or reach-out-and-grab-you scary. The haunted house look is the crowning glory to our shutters that having missing slats and peeling paint (after seeing this post, my husband will no doubt be guilted into replacing them). Overgrown bushes that hang over the walkway tickle the backs of the little goblins as they head up to my front door. On Halloween night, I cover the dining room table with candles and light them all — it’s the only thing illuminating the interior of the house and can be seen easily through my giant bay window. In front of the candles are two sculptures of gargoyles that cast long crazy looking shadows onto the “blood red” walls (the color is actually called BBQ, but “blood red” sounds so much more menacing!). Enhancing the entire scene are the layers and layers of dust that I have so carefully allowed to build up for the entire year. The real cobwebs gracefully drape my 1930’s chandelier. See, it has now all come together — my lack of house cleaning diligence has finally paid off!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I just love fall.

Tell us in the comments: how does autumn or Halloween excite you? What do you look forward to the most?