October Lilacs

There's something magical about the early stages of autumn in northern Minnesota. Sure, it's glorious when the leaves become an explosion of orange and yellow, but to me, it's even more beautiful to see surprises of color mixed amongst the green. It's as if Autumn has taken her paintbrush and dabbled a bit here and there. As October goes on, she’ll add more and more, until we're enveloped in red and orange for a brief moment before she tears it all down, leaving the canvas blank for Winter's snow- and ice-filled creation.

The stark contrast between seasons in our area never fails to amaze me. It has definitely helped to define my idea of beauty – my favorite things are filled with contrast: light with a touch of dark, sweet with a hint of salt, and summer leaves with a little bit of fall mixed in.

As I reflect on the changing seasons, I can't help but think about my poor, confused lilac bush this year. A blight has been spreading through our area and, after looking terribly dead from June through early September, it is now blooming. In October. These were next year’s buds, they weren’t supposed to make an appearance until the spring. But here we are, and I suppose I'll enjoy them now. I can only hope that this isn't some sort of death-song; I love my lilac dearly and would be heartbroken if it didn't make it. But if it is the end, I guess there’s some beauty in that too, you know? On its way out, it’s pushing everything it has left into the world.

Here at Sumac & Pine, you'll find vintage images that capture fleeting moments of beauty, paired with timeless quotes from old books that speak to the ever-changing, yet somehow constant (and often absurd), nature of life.

Our items celebrate contrast, and we invite you to explore these juxtapositions. Who knows? You might just find the perfect image or quote that captures your own "autumn dabbling in summer" moment.