Goodbye Summer. Hello…..Summer?

Labor Day, a holiday meant for celebrating the economic and social achievements of American workers. While that sentiment is easy to understand from the name alone, there is another occasion that this holiday marks. That being the unofficial beginning of Autumn. While this season doesn’t begin until September 22nd, those yearning for cooler fall weather begin tossing away the beach towels, and pulling out the rakes. Stores have begun selling orange and yellow trinkets, coffee conglomerates are swirling pumpkin spice, it’s encroaching upon us quickly. However, if you’re like me, at times you may become discouraged, especially with the thermometer still reflecting July’s temperatures. We just have to remind ourselves, that within just a few weeks, that’s all going to change. The days get shorter, the weather gets cooler, and the trees begin to ever so slightly change. In the meantime, while I’m here in the air conditioning, I’ve compiled a list of ways to welcome the change in seasons.

Leaves are only green during the warmer months due to the photosynthesis process. Cells within the leaves contain chlorophyll, a chemical which absorbs the energy from the sunlight. When the days begin to shorten, and the temperature drops, the leaves cease the photosynthesis process. The chlorophyll breaks down, and the “fall colors” appear.

Did you know?

Welcoming Autumn : Tips and Tricks

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Easy Ways of Bringing the Feeling of Fall Home

Decorating seems to be the obvious solution for bringing that “fall vibe” into your home. However, decorations can be expensive, especially when multiple rooms are involved. It all comes down to where you shop, and how much you’re willing, and able to spend. Shopping at specialty stores will often bring the price up, while going to your local home décor store or mega mart can bring you to great products, at a fraction of the cost. When shopping for fall decorations, look in places such as At Home, HomeGoods, Walmart, Target, or Big Lots. Stores such as these will often offer a large variety, at an affordable price. You should also consider storage space. If you have storage space, plan to purchase a plastic storage tote or use a recycled box to organize and put away your new décor items. If storage is what you’re lacking, consider small items that won’t fill your spare closet for most of the year.

When shopping for décor, you should only purchase what you know you need. Visualize the space you’d like to decorate, take pictures if you need to. Plan what you’d like to do before hitting the aisles. Poor planning can lead to unnecessary spending on items you didn’t need or don’t have room for. It can also lead to forgetting items, such as Command Strips for hanging lights. Save time and money, and plan before you shop. While this may sound like a big project, it doesn’t have to be. If you want “fall vibes” at home without a lot of work, there are a few quick things you can do to bring the season into your space.

• Often adorned with pumpkins, leaves, or even gnomes, fall style pillows make a great addition to any bed, sofa, or chair. Pickup a few fall-themed pillows and toss them wherever you’d like. Add a warm-toned throw for a bit of extra flair.
• Have framed landscape photographs around home? Simply slip a fall-themed photo in front of the existing photo in the frame for a quick decoration. You can find plenty of royalty free images online, and Walgreens is fantastic at processing same-day prints, for cheap. Once the season is over, simply remove the photograph, and it’s back to normal.
• Use candles that bring pumpkin, spices, and apples into the air. No need to purchase those expensive candles from designer mall stores. Simply look for inexpensive wax warmers and wax refills. My personal favorite, apple pumpkin, can be purchased for $1.10 a package. They’re often safer, and less expensive in the long run. If you’re really insistent on getting that “candle glow,” look at stores such as Walmart or Target for inexpensive seasonal candles.
• Take a simple vase and purchase seasonal floral arrangements, either real or fake, and display. This is a quick and easy way to add some depth to any space, while bringing the feeling of the season.
• Having people over? Put a photo of autumn leaves on your TV! It may sound crazy, but you’d be surprised at how much it adds to the space. It’ll leave your guests excited for the season.

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Take a look at how we implemented some of these practices here at the office!

“There is a time in the last few days of summer when the ripeness of autumn fills the air, and time is quiet and mellow.“

Rudolfo Anaya

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Ready to See the Fall Colors?

In my personal opinion, the best part of fall is the everchanging color of our already beautiful landscape. We’re blessed to be surrounded by natural beauty 365 days a year. Adding yellows, reds, and oranges, well that just takes it to another level. However, the bright colors don’t last forever. Actually, the peak period at which the colors show is quite short. According to the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, “the best time to enjoy the autumn color would be on a clear, dry, and cool day.” View the map below for information on when to visit each region for peak color.

Factors such as temperature, water supply, and light all have an influence on the color and duration given off by leaves this time of year. Color intensity is often favored the more rainy/overcast days there are. An early frost may lead to colors diminishing sooner than normal.

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You Hungry?

With all of the aforementioned activities keeping you busy, you’re bound to get hungry at some point. Home cooks, this section is for you. If you’re not drawn to the kitchen, find somebody who is, because you’re not going to want to miss this. Sure, pumpkin is the flavor of the season. You find it in breads, candies, and popularly, coffee. However, no pumpkin loaf or spiced latte can beat the taste of home roasted pumpkin. Yeah, you could easily purchase a can of the puree in the grocery store, but the extra time it takes to roast your own is worth it. Brighter color, fresher flavor, and frankly, if nothing else is getting you into the spirit, this will. Purchase, roast, and freeze your pumpkin puree now for use in recipes that’ll last you to the new year!

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Start by selecting your pumpkins. You’re going to want to look for sugar pumpkins, or pie pumpkins. They’re the same variety, stores just often label them differently. These are small, grapefruit to melon sized pumpkins used for cooking. Avoid the large Jack-o-Lantern pumpkins, as these offer a more “vegetable” taste, which we’re trying to avoid. I usually get about two or three per batch, but it all depends on how much you’d like to make. The sky is the limit, whatever you don’t use can be frozen for later use. I’ll explain how later, in the meantime, take your pumpkins home, and I’ll show you the rest.

1. When you’ve arrived home with your pumpkins, wash them well. Ensure is no dirt lingering on the exterior. At this time, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Take a sharp knife (be careful) and cut the top off of the pumpkin, stem and all. Then, turn it on the flat side and cut the pumpkin in half.
3. Using a spoon, scrape down the insides of the pumpkin, removing any “guts” and seeds. Save the seeds for roasting, if you’d like.
4. Brush the edges and inside of the pumpkin with a high smoke point oil, avocado or canola would work best for this.
5. Place flesh-side down on a parchment lined sheet pan. Be sure to use parchment and not wax paper, as wax paper is not heat safe.
6. Bake in the oven, about 40-45 minutes. Use a knife and poke the pumpkin, if it’s tender, it’s done.
7. Remove from the oven and peel the “shell” off, discard.
8. Drop the tender pumpkin flesh into a high powered food processor or blender and blend. You may also process this by hand using a potato masher or ricer. Be careful, the pumpkin will still be warm.

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Seasonal Events You Won’t Want to Miss!

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Questions? Concerns?

Email: leasing@theomnibusgroup.com

Call: (303) 444-2611

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

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