Once it is October I gravitate towards anything orange. Since living in Tokyo we miss the beautiful autumns of northern Japan and our California hometown with bright colors overhead and crackly leaves beneath our feet. So...the next best thing? Surround myself with touches of fall inside to make up for the lack of it outside. 

A mug-cozy lovingly made by one of my sons

Pumpkin flavored anything! With lots of cinnamon of course!

I couldn't find any orange marigolds, but these little bloosoms did nicely to adorn my mini porch. 

Since I couldn't afford the beautiful Japanese wall hanging I admired in the window of a nearby little  kimono shop, I made my own. Since I already had the paint, it cost me only $15 for the meter of fabric, instead of the shocking $300 price tag.

And how can you celebrate fall without pumpkins? I am so happy to be able to buy mini pumpkins. Just a few years ago these were nowhere to be found. I guess I don't mind the western-Halloween-commercialism sneaking in to life in Japan if it means I can buy a pumpkin or two.