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Monday, October 21, 2013

"An Autumn Welcome" -My First Published Column/Southern Guide To Life



Welcome.  I am so happy that you stopped by.  My garden gate is always open for you to come in and sit and relax with a cup of hot spiced apple tea.  I am very excited to share with you that my first column was published by Southern Guide to Living Magazine - www.southernguidetoliving.com - an on line magazine about   "The Foundation of the World is the Heart of the Home".

The magazine shows you how to  create the best of Southern hospitality no matter where you live and features articles about Home - Food/Entertaining - Home and Gardening -Life/ Culture/Travel and Faith.  Most of you probably know that I am a North Carolina native living in Southern California who brought my N.C. roots and love of the South and its lovely traditions to my garden.  My new column is appropriately called " California Gardening with a Southern Accent" and I am so honored that the magazine invited me to join their family as a Contributing Editor 

Let's join Bentley, my Studio Assistant in the garden to share a small portion of the article about creating our "Welcome Wagon." 




Southern seasonal traditions are something that I treasure and brought with me to California.  One that I brought with me from the South was sharing the season's bounty with friends.  I have fond memories as a child of my family visiting dear friends who were great cooks and entertainers.  They always had a festive basket on the front porch loaded with homemade jams, apple butter and teats to welcome guests and announce the season and no one left empty handed.

I wanted to keep the tradition going and created a tradition in my garden to welcome guests - my "Welcome Wagon."  I park my old vintage red wagon on the porch and fill it with pots of mums or simple jars of flowers picked from my garden for guests to take on their way out.  The welcome wagon is decorative and my guests love it.  

You can also easily create your own welcome by using a big basket, large tin bucket or any container on your porch and fill it with ll sorts of items that will welcome guests to your Autumn garden.



I purchase small pots of Mums in a variety of colors and then replant them in terra cotta pots and tie with a colorful ribbon.  I also add tiny pumpkins to give to young visitors.





Sometimes I use my "Welcome Wagon" to serve tea to guests.




Today I have friends coming over for lunch and I am going to make little bouquets of flowers for them and use the welcome wagon as a container.


First I gather old jars and my Martha Stewart chalkboard labels.







Next I fill the jars with an assortment of Fall flowers - nothing fancy as I want them to be whimsical.



Then I put the jars in my Welcome Wagon to greet my guests in the garden- such a fun and easy way to say Welcome to My Autumn Garden.
                       You can read the entire article by going to www.southernguidetolife.com 

Thank you for stopping by.  I love hearing from you and sincerely appreciate your visits, e-mails, comments and those of you who follow my blog.  Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to see my paint something special.

Have a lovely week.  Blessings, Erin
P.S.  I am trying to change my posting date to Monday instead of Friday.  

                                       I just added some new items to my ETSY SHOP.


                              "The Lord remembers us and will bless us."  Psalm  115:12










7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Erin,

These are good news and well deserved. I am sure your readers will be delighted with your wonderful skill to make a welcome and cheerful home.
I love your idea of a welcome basket or welcome wagon.

Have a beautiful and joy filled week.

Blessings

Hélène

Linda Hartong said...

Congratulations. Well deserved

Jeanie said...

I just love your welcome wagon! And congratulations on your article! What a splendid accomplishment -- and one that is well deserved, Erin!

Lady Jane said...

Read your article and it was so warm and welcoming I am sure you gave inspiration to all who reads it. I know I came away with great ideas. LJ

lynne said...

Congratulations! An accomplishment that is well deserved! Your dog is adorable!!!

Donna said...

Congrats, Erin. Everything looks lovely, too.

Vicki Boster said...

Erin- such beautiful autumn photos! I love all the hues of yellow and orange.
Congrats on your newest venture- I look forward to reading your column:)
You are perfect for the feature--

Vicki