Last week a dear friend of mine got married.

I had the delight of being a bridesmaid, and my Little M had the big task of ring bearer.  It was a quickly-planned wedding (about two months?)  Yet it was pulled off beautifully and made perfect by the warm sunshine the Lord gave that day.  I thought I’d share a few pictures I managed to snap during the reception on my phone.

(The details, in order of importance.)

(The scheme was based on “burlap and lace”)

(Recognize my settee?  It was a cozy little love seat for the bride and groom)

(The blanket on the loveseat was given to the bride’s mother by her mother for her wedding.  So special.)

(The reception featured a number of talented friends and family playing music.  The Hutchisons are pictured here, and I could listen to them all day.)

(And how often do you get to roast marshmallows for a s’mores bar in a bridesmaid dress?  Not often, my friends.)

(Kids found the play tent downright magical: colouring, dress up clothes, games, swords and fairy wands…)

(My sweet little fairy)

(Croquet, bocce, badminton… people stayed long and played together.)
 

(Don’t you love the way the sun shines on a perfect autumn day?)

(A lemonade/cider stand built by the bride’s father for the day.  The bride and I gathered the old wood ourselves.  It was totally worth the tetanus shot I needed.  No, seriously.)

(The stunning bride.)

It was such a beautiful, fun, blessed day.  But even after a good day like this…

…sometimes a girl’s just gotta’ climb into a nice warm bath. ;)

ignitelight:

Any Canadians with a house full of kids this Thanksgiving long weekend, or anyone feeling crafty can check out my two easy pumpkin crafts (that don’t involve pumpkins, mostly ‘cuz I’m cheap).  And the jar-o-lantern can be done with toddlers!  (Well, I did it with my toddler… I shouldn’t guarantee all toddlers will sit and do this.)

Have a great weekend!

Design by Sarah Richardson, Photography by Stacey Brandford

What little blogging I have been doing has been over here… check out this post on finding everything for a beautifully decorated Thanksgiving dinner!  (I’m still wishing I could buy the brown transferware and Hudson Bay blanket…)

suziebeezie:

country home

meggielynne:

gorgeous.

Isn’t it strange how your aesthetic can shift as the seasons change?  The fresh, bright whites, and light linens that are so refreshing in summer are downright bland in the dead of winter.  The rich jewel tones, shimmering gold, and heavy textures of winter are opulent at Christmas time, but oppressive in the spring.

photograph by Justine Taylor

And with the mere suggestion of Autumn in the air I’m finding the woolen yarns, rustic wood tones, caramel-y leathers, coppers and brasses, and autumnal colours extremely alluring.  But I find myself saying “not yet”.  Last winter’s ruthless iron-fisted grip still lingers in my memory, and not even the easy-going summer days can erase it.  It reminds me to relish every last drop of summer.

As I thought about this tension between savouring summer and anticipating autumn I realized that, here in the prairies anyways, August is a season unto itself.  A beautiful marriage of summer and autumn.  The days are still wonderfully hot, but the mornings and evenings are blissfully cool.  The light is bright, but more golden and dappled.  There is an exquisite smell in the air - of dried crops, ready for harvest.  The trees still rustle with green, but are dotted with a few gilded leaves that hint of the gorgeous array to come.  And somehow listening to the football game on the radio is very appealing to me - no doubt arousing the nostalgia of late summer road trips, and hours in the combine just to be alongside my Love.

photograph by Justine Taylor

So, there’s no need to anxiously await Autumn.  Nor do I need to mourn the brevity of Summer.  No, I’m going to drink in every sweet day of August and its fusion of two beautiful seasons.

toatlantis:(by northpolemama)

giseledaily:

Gisele for Esprit by David Sims

kreaturette:

Autumn Tea by tfelix on Flickr.

jongenandmeisje:

(via Alexandra Grablewski Photography)