One of the blessings of having children is being taught by them day after day (they are patient teachers) how to notice and love the little things. On our walks, my son gets even more excited if we collect a few things to bring inside. They can simply be leaves, nuts, or berries. (Since we live in the southeast and I grew up in the northern Midwest, and get nostalgic for it, my mom sent us a packet of autumn leaves and acorns last year!)  He often finds wildflowers to give to his dad or me. There have been lizards, frogs, and insects that one of us has caught and yes, at times those have made their way inside the house.

Except for the insects, we use these pieces from nature as part of our dining table’s centerpiece for the season. I usually start with a seasonal candle on a doily and add the “nature” around it. Out of our small collection of candleholders, one of our favorites is the harvest candleholder draped with clay leaves, berries, grapes, apples, oranges, and a beautifully shaped pumpkin. It looks even better when we arrange similar real-life items at its base. When our son makes an art project using natural materials, we highlight that in the center of our table as well. It’s a great way to learn about the seasons and encourage our older son to take more walks and make more art.

We may also put flowers - wild, fake, or store-bought - in a wall sconce that holds a vase (one of many wonderful gifts from my husband). It sits right behind our dining room table and is one of my favorite easy decorating pieces. Our fresh bouquets and centerpieces stay pretty small because the whole family is afflicted with seasonal allergies. But it’s worth a little bit of suffering to mark the seasons in this most natural of ways.