Autumn is the reward we Arizonans receive when we live here all year long.
Summer is not for everyone. And winter can be a bit dark and cool.
But fall……oh, yeah. Bring on that perfect weather.
There’s just one tiny problem.
September is not the month of perfect weather.
It’s still really hot outside.
But it is under 100° right now, and that’s something, right?
And the mornings are in the 70s.
Ahhhh.
You know you can find me at first light with a cup o’ somethin’, enjoying the morning and probably being joined by a kitty or two.
If you’ve been following along, you know I’ve been embracing the beauty of slow summer living in our desert home all season.
My patio requested a few minimal updates to give a nod to this most excellent time of year.
And I complied with just a couple of new things and a couple of things I already own.
So if you’re looking for simple fall patio ideas, this is about as easy as it gets.
Here’s all I did:
- Two new Walmart throw pillows
- One throw blanket I already own
- Replaced the flowers in the vase on the coffee table with some beautiful faux cacti
That is absolutely all I did.
And it’s enough!
Of course, not all my improvements are small. We’ve done bigger projects out here, too — including adding our pergola and expanding our covered patio space. See our backyard pergola reveal.
The New Throw Pillows
The two new throw pillows from Walmart were delivered the same day I ordered them, and they are so beautiful.
One is from Better Homes & Gardens and the other is from My Texas House.
Neither of them are outdoor pillows per se, but they will be perfectly fine on my covered patio during our dry fall season.
And if we get some crazy rain, I can easily bring them inside.
I love how well they coordinate with my cute cowgirl and cactus pillow that I already had out there.
A little plaid. A little western. A little desert.
It feels like fall without going overboard.
A Cozy Throw
I had an extra cream-colored throw blanket, so I brought it outside.
It adds just the right amount of coziness without screaming “PUMPKIN ALERT!”
And, as it turns out, the blanket has another very important job.
It comes in handy for hiding my feet and ankles from the nasty no-see-ums that are still hanging around.
Because apparently even the bugs are not ready for fall.
Goodbye, Hydrangeas. Hello, Cacti.
The vase I use on the coffee table is really lovely, but I wanted a change from the hydrangeas I’ve been using all summer.
So I rounded up all the spare faux cacti in the house and made a thoroughly acceptable arrangement in that same vase.
I think it works.
And if it doesn’t…
Well, in addition to all the other awards I will not be winning, floral arranger is also not one of my strong points.
Always room for improvement, right?
Wrap Up
No matter where you live, there really is no need to give up patio season quite yet.
And for us, patio season is just getting started.
But in order to feel a little fall in the air, these few small changes made a big difference for me.
No pumpkins.
No major shopping trip.
No complete patio makeover.
Just a couple of new pillows, a cozy throw and some cacti I already had around the house.
Thank you for spending a little patio time with me.
May God bless you and yours.
