Sometimes waiting for fall to arrive can feel a little like waiting for rain in the middle of a months-long drought. I’ve lived in the South for more than three decades, and I’m still working on my patience. However, when the first signs of fall reveal themselves—even if just for a few hours in the evening—there’s only one place you can find me. When temperatures and humidity levels lower, I’ll be outside on my porch or back patio until further notice. And more specifically, I’ll be on my porch or back patio watching football.
After a never-ending summer spent sheltering in the air conditioning, there’s nothing I relish more than time spent on my screened-in porch, safe from any lingering mosquitos but still very much enjoying the outdoors. And of course, nothing goes better with fall weather than football. On slow weekend mornings, I love waking up to ESPN’s College GameDay on the porch. If there’s even a hint of a chill in the air, I’ll bring out a blanket and a cup of tea or hot chocolate to further create the mood. On weeknights, my husband and I love bringing our dinner outside too. Can you think of anything more satisfying than sitting outside to watch Thursday Night Football with a warm bowl of chili? I personally can’t.
Of course, before I transition all my evenings and mornings to the outdoors, there are a few things I always do to prepare for fall a.k.a. patio season. The first thing I do is clean my patio furniture. Summer heat, bugs, critters, and leftover spring pollen can be rough on furniture, so I give everything a good hosing and scrub. I also give my cushions a good deep cleaning to up the cozy factor. Once everything is clean and my TV presets are set to football for easy channel changing, the finishing touch is finding a few accessories to help usher in the season. From decorative rugs and pillows to throws and wreaths, the options are endless for easy and inexpensive ways to transform your space. Of course, I always hit the ALDI Finds aisle at my local grocer first. They never miss when it comes to cute fall décor. The finishing touch? My favorite fall-scented candle.
Read the original article on Southern Living