The first weekend in September, I climbed my stepladder and brought down the two boxes of fall decorations stored in a closet. Though the thermometer still showed summer time temps
just opening the box led me to think about cooler weather, fires in the fireplace and fall holidays, especially Thanksgiving.
Every year I sort through the boxes deciding what to use, what to save for later and what to pitch in the trash. This year I’ve added a new element to my fall arrangement, the Gathered Round, our refreshed card holder wreath which comes with a chalkboard centerpiece. Here is mine with a simple sentiment, expressing perfectly how I feel about the beginning of autumn. Relief. Even a bit of relaxing before the pace increases in early November.
For now my Gathered Round is unadorned but I’ll be adding photographs, maybe some beautiful leaves once they start changing, or I may weave a burlap ribbon through the loops. For now it’s beautiful just as it is.
By the way, the chalkboard centerpiece is magnetized and can be removed so that our Written and Remembered centerpiece which says, “Forget Not,’ can be placed in the center if your family wants to focus on learning thanksgiving for the month of November. We’re excited about the Gathered Round and hope you will be too.