Thursday, September 24, 2015

monkey update ~ and hello to autumn

 Thank you for all your good thoughts, prayers and lovely messages for my cat, Monkey. He's doing much better after several cold laser treatments on his bladder. That technology is amazing! He's still not 100%, but he has one more laser treatment next week. This morning, I was in the backyard and happened to capture this photo through the screen. That's Zippo (my 16-year old kitty) on the left and Monkey on the right. Kiss-kiss!


 We said goodbye to a beautiful summer and autumn slowly slipped in, leaving us with stretches of blue, sunny skies and fields tinged in gold. Temps have been in the 70's. Just perfect.


 Most of the summer perennials - purple coneflower, black-eyed susan, phlox - in my gardens are drying up now, which always makes me kind of sad. Now the autumn sedum takes over.


Every fall, I photograph the color change of my neighbor's maple tree, simply because it is one of the most beautiful trees I've ever seen. It ends up turning a bright orangey-red. I noticed this morning that the leaves on top and on the right (in the photo) where the sun hits are just starting to change. Can you see it?


As for fall decor around my house, I'm keeping it simple. The front porch got the obligatory pot of mums...


and a new welcome mat from Target. I might add some pumpkins in October, but that's it.
 
 

In the living room, I decorated the buffet with the old window that I had outside all summer (rescued years ago from a rehabbed house in my neighborhood). The runner is really a scarf. I was going to donate it since I never wear it, then realized the colors matched the colors in the bird wall hanging. Ta da! The two vintage books in the middle are from our recent getaway to Galena. One is a scrapbook of brief sermons and poems and the other is the poems of Henry W. Longfellow.


Of course, every vignette looks better with a kitty.
 

The console table in the living room entryway...


Edited the day after the original post...I was just looking through the photos on my laptop and saw that I missed posting the photo of the ladder bookcase in my living room. So, here it is.

 
In the kitchen, I kept the china cabinet simple, too and added just a few decorative fall items that I've had for years. That little painting in the background is from one of those paint-and-pour classes I took last year. I know...it looks like I had too much pour and not enough painting instruction. ;-) In reality, I only had one glass of wine - and no instruction. My friends and I were not too pleased with that venue. But, I digress.



Some of the owls from my collection in the downstairs family room came upstairs to add a touch of autumn whimsy to kitchen shelves.
 

 And, that's it! The living room and kitchen are the only two rooms that I change up a little bit. How about you...do you go all-out with fall decorating or just add a few autumn touches here and there?


 

19 comments:

  1. I hope your kitty is getting much better. I know what a fur baby lover you are. Just like me.
    Brenda

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  2. So glad Monkey is better. It's so hard when our babies are ill.

    I don't decorate a whole lot for Fall. Just a few things here and there. I do put stuff on the porch.

    Have a great weekend.

    Judy

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  3. So glad your kitty is on the mend. I love that mirror over the console table. Stunning!

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  4. Good news that your kitty is doing better. Love all your pix with touches of fall. I enjoyed looking at them.

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  5. Beautiful Darling daughter. Haven't put anything out yet, but I may. :-) Did buy a pumpkin yesterday.
    Mom

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  6. Glad to hear that Monkey is doing better. xx

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  7. I love your decorative touches, and you're right. A cat is the perfect finishing touch in any room! Glad to hear your Monkey boy is on the mend.

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  8. Melanie, what good news! I'm so glad that Monkey is doing better. That photo of both the cats is simply adorable.

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  9. Love your Fall touches! The vignette is charming and yes a cat always adds an extra touch!

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  10. Glad to hear Monkey is doing better. That's a great picture you captured through the screen.

    Your home is lovely and I loved seeing your colorful vignettes.

    Happy Autumn ~ FlowerLady

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  11. Glad your kitty is on the mend. It has not really felt like fall here. Too warm but I did notice today that the leaves are just now starting to change. xo Laura

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  12. I'm sorry your sweet kitty was sick, but glad to hear he's doing better now. That is such a cute photo of the two!
    Your fall touches are very charming! My fall decorating will probably be fairly minimal this year and it's been so warm that I haven't bought pumpkins for outside yet. I'm afraid they won't last long.
    Have a nice weekend!

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  13. Good Afternoon Melanie, I was visiting Carol at Art and Sand and saw your blog so I thought I would pop over and pay you a visit.
    Here in England, Autumn has well and truly arrived and we tend not to decorate to welcome in Autumn. The next time I will be decorating will be for Christmas.... a time which I love.
    Its been lovely visiting you, so I have become a new follower.
    Have a lovely day today.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

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  14. I'm so glad to hear Monkey is on the mend. What a scare that must have been for you. And he's not that old. I'm always amazed by the life span of cats. All three of your kitties are beautiful.

    I like your decorations, you have the perfect touch. I have some great scarves for fall and I thought I would drape a few over chairs and use some for runners. Color is color, right? I'm glad I'm away, I'd have bought mums and pumpkins by now and I find they just don't last as long as I want...straight though Thanksgiving if I cave and get them too early. Patience!

    I only really decorated the living room. I added a small touch in the family room. When I get home I will add some "real" stuff to the kitchen, fall flowers and some pumpkins. I love the real deal in the kitchen!

    Take care,

    Jane x

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  15. Hi Melanie,

    I've been MIA in the land of blogs, once again, but how wonderful to have visited your home in this post, with such pretty fall decorating! I especially love the way you matched your scarf to the bird wall hanging, which I really love. I disagree re: your paint-and-pour piece; it's a Masterpiece by Melanie! And lastly, your kitties are TOO cute! How adorable they are Eskimo kissing each other!:)) Glad to hear that Monkey is making progress with the laser treatments.

    Enjoy your weekend, my friend, and Happy Fall!

    xoxo
    Poppy

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  16. No, I don't bother with autumn decorating anymore. I just enjoy Mother Nature's outdoor decorations! That being said, I do usually put out some pumpkins on the front porch, and maybe some mums and pansies. I love your little owl teapot, very cute! Glad to hear that the rascal Monkey is doing better.

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  17. Glad Monkey is better and continues to be all well soon. Love your fall decorating and don't ever seem to find Owls? I'm just starting to decorate since we've been having so much fun taking Minnie out!

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  18. Aw, the picture of them through the screen is just precious! Love all your outdoor photos and inside looks great...I haven't bothered with any fall decor yet at all...while the temperatures are cooling off a bit it doesn't feel or look like fall here yet.

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  19. Hi Melanie :)

    I'm so sorry that Monkey has been sick and I'll say a prayer that he gets well soon. It's scary when our babies get sick.

    Happy belated Anniversary! The trip you took sounded like so much fun and yes, I talk to random animals all the time ;)

    Your home looks darling all dressed for Fall. I love that you didn't go nuts ;)

    Where did you get the little squirrels in the same pictures with your painting? They're so cute!

    xo,
    rue

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