Golden Summer Decor

A spell lies on the garden. Summer sits with finger on her lips as if she heard the steps of Autumn echo on the hill.

The Garden in August by Gertrude Huntington McGiffert

Golden Summer Decor. August 1, 2024.

The magic of August pays homage to a ripening landscape that is beginning to yield its fruit. The apples on our young espalier tree are growing so big and rosy that I imagine taking that first crunchy sweet bite. Friends are proudly harvesting tomatoes and corn from their gardens. Even a small yield creates a deep sense of pride. It is an act that brings us in connection with our ancestors and agricultural roots. Nearby meadows filled with wheat grass have now turned golden and are generously sprinkled with Queen Anne’s Lace, a combination fit for a fairy queen’s midsummer bouquet. The dainty mixed with the stalwart- a contradiction or a contrast? It is that contrast that inspires me.

In a house filled with floral decor wheat might not come to mind for decor, but I have come to appreciate the presence of wheat and the richness it adds to the room. It is an ancient symbol of abundance for our tables and God’s provision from the land. Typically, August is not a month I engage in much decor given the heat and time of year, and yet the golden sheaths inspired me to reconsider this. Decor can serve many purposes which vary according to the artist. For myself, decor is about celebration the moment as well as traditions in a spirit of joyfulness. There is purpose in keeping these things alive as reminders of what we continually work for each day. These things serve help to strengthen and bolster the flagging spirit.

Golden Summer Decor

Hidden Bluff is quickly becoming a house of roses both outside and in. Outside the rose bushes are close to 50 in number and dominating the landscape while inside we continue to enjoy the rose in our decor- clear evidence of our adoration of the rose. However, when I see the contrast of wheat with the gold accents and roses in the late afternoon sun of our living room it has a calming sort of effect. Dried roses felt fitting to pair with the wheat, but I didn’t have any as our roses weren’t quite as prolific as last year. Thankfully, I have some wonderfully realistic looking dried roses.

A wheat wreath adorns the mantle somewhere between the baroque mirror and Helen Allingham art, keeping an unbroken line of gold on the mantle. On a whim I tuck in some faux dried blush roses and am pleased with the effect.

What to do with the loose wheat? I gather and put in a basket tucking in some more dried faux roses.

I move on and tuck more loose wheat in simple rustic vase and then decide its done.

Later, when afternoon sun arrives at our living room window the room is transformed with a golden glow. The room has now become a peaceful golden haven to enjoy during the hot days of this month.