Guest Author - April Alisa Marquette
Many times when we think of beauty we think of a rose, with whisper soft petals and scent. Or we may think of a lovely lady or baby, one with flawless skin and radiant eyes. Stop right there. Today let us think of another kind of beauty. Let us ponder the simplistic joys that October can bring.
So you don't have a lot of disposable cash right now, or perhaps you do. Still what could be more beautiful than setting a seasonal table, and perhaps sharing a meal with those you love? It can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose. On your table you can create a centerpiece of candles, small pumpkins, gourds, colorful dried corn, or flowers. You can use anything that is of value to you, things you most likely already own. For when we look upon beauty, it has the effect of making us feel warm, enriched or even enticed. Just seeing it can aid us to feel beautiful, inside.
Why not take the kids to a pumpkin patch? One frosty morning or afternoon, forget your to-do list for a while. Just pull on your favorite sweater or jacket. Then get cracking. Out there as you tramp among nature's bounty, pick a pumpkin to carve. The one you choose doesn't have to be the biggest -- the midgies make great little 'homes' for votive candles. Yes, once the small pumpkin has been scooped out. Don't forget, you can roast the seeds, and thereby also make more fun and beautiful memories for your little ones.
This October, instead of allowing the kiddiewinks to have all the fun, you too can dress up for Halloween, Mama, and Papa. I'll tell you, I have bought myself a bewitching little mask. This I will wear when I open my front door to all the little ghosts and goblins who'll yowl "trick or treat!" Because really, what is more beautiful than the element of a sweet little surprise?
When the leaves begin to turn scarlet and gold, you can take a lovely wind-chilled walk, or a drive, to note them. Then why not enjoy the beauty of being a kid again, if only for the one evening a year when 'It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown ' appears on television. Have a glass that sparkles with champagne and enjoy the beauty of the bubbles as they tickle your nose as well as your palate. If you're not an imbiber, you can heat some cider and add a cinnamon stick. Then hold your mug in two hands to warm them, inhale and enjoy. Kiss your lover under the harvest moon.
Are you in a sentimental mood? Or do you love big band jazz or orchestral standards? If so, then re-visit songstress Natalie Cole singing the timeless 'Autumn Leaves.' Whatever your pleasure, remember that although the onset of colder weather may have been cause for some of us to feel blase -- in the past -- determine that this October will be different. Convince yourself that it will be beautiful...because with a little ingenuity and a few pennies, you can make it so!
