The Seasons of Door County

Fall is coming……………… you can feel it. 

There are so many reasons to love autumn in Door County! The geese are honking non-stop, the colors on the trees are amazing, the food and drinks at all the local eateries changes with the seasons, you can make it from one end of Sister Bay to the other on a weekday without driving 5 miles an hour, and then there is………………… wait for it………………… seasonal decorating!

I get giddy over seasonal decorating! I purposefully do not grow pumpkins or gourds on my property just so that I can go to the stands around the county to gather all the different types of goodies out there! Years ago, I realized I couldn’t find bittersweet, but I could find the vines to plant, so I do take care of that seasonal need right here at home. They grow more abundant each year. I even figured out how to grow Chinese lanterns (by mistake), and, as long as I remember that they are there, they get added to the mix!

Then, of course, there are the mums, asters, sunflowers, and assorted kales that can be found at the flower nursery! Be still my heart! I just cannot resist, and I am always so happy to go around my property here at Crosswinds to set the stage for bonfires, special outdoor dinners, and a space in the sun to read a book while taking in the seasonal sights and sounds. Reviving spaces by taking out spent summer flowers to trade with the vivid fall colors is just good for my soul. 

In the garden, I am in no hurry to dead head the flowers that are putting on their end of season show. The black-eyed Susan’s, cone flowers, phlox, and autumn sedum complement the extraordinary fall color of the hydrangeas, while the fluffy heads left behind of the sweet autumn clematis pick up the lower slanting rays of the afternoon sun. The cycle of the garden is apparent, and the feeling of déjà vu comes over me as I watch my sweet golden boy, Henry, walk through the garden a little slower than last year, but with so much appreciation and gratitude for his company. 

Indoors, the trappings of years gone by come out for (hopefully!) another season. Sometimes, a year in storage is enough to call it quits, but I am always thankful when I can use something just one more time. Switching out summer throws and pillows for fall is always a tad bittersweet, as summer is also so lovely, but the idea of layering sounds so cozy and feels so magical, that there is little time for regret, and only time for anticipation. Add the smells of autumn – like a freshly baked apple pie on the counter – and you are golden!

So, as we celebrate this last weekend of the summer season, you just can’t help but notice that fall feeling in the air. I love living with the rhythm of the seasons here, and how it seems to be genuinely celebrated by so many locals as well as our fall festival visitors. 

Every season is my favorite season in Door County! Which is your favorite?