Dozens of little kids at my house: Now that's scary

We had a Halloween party this weekend that culminated with a parade down the street. So I thought I'd salute this most entertaining of holidays with another parade of sorts here:

Scariest thing about some vintage Halloween items: The price

If you collect vintage Halloween decorations, there's always a lot to choose from at the Brimfield Antiques Show (where I visited last week for a few days). But, let me tell you, this stuff doesn't come cheap.

I overheard a dealer saying that prices had gone down a bit about six years ago, but now are back as strong as ever. I love looking, but I hardly ever buy. Even the stuff from the '60s and '70s can be expensive. The prices on early decorations can be in the $100s.

Many of the older decorations were made of paper and tons of them got ruined or tossed, leaving fewer behind. So... scoop up whatever you see if you're out at yard sales or estate sales.

Some booths were decked out for autumn. I loved the display by Log Cabin Country Primitives.

They did a great job pairing mums and pumpkins with the items they were selling. See how they used the long box as a table centerpiece? You could do that, maybe with an old toolbox.

Or you could copy this little arrange on the cupboard. Most dealers don't take the time to set up their booths like this, but I find myself drawn to the ones that do. Such a simple thing to do, too.

Aren't I too old for school?

My son started kindergarten today. He loved it. He's exhausted. His Mom and Dad are wiped out.

So, I'll keep this one short: Remember how I was talking about fall decorating yesterday? Well, you've got to check out The Inspired Room. Melissa has loads of links to loads of autumn ideas. As soon as my strength returns... I'm going to read them all!

Remember to post some of your favorite ideas or links to your posts here as well. I'll showcase fall fun later in the week.

Now, I'm off. I understand we have to do this kindergarten thing again tomorrow...

How do you decorate for autumn?

It's getting cool in New England. Farmers are selling their pumpkins. The school buses start rolling tomorrow.

As much as I'll miss the summer, I love the fall: the breezes, the foliage, the decorating. I plan to put out autumn wreaths, gourds and a big bowl of apples this week.

What do you do around your home to mark the change in seasons? If you've got a photo or a blog post you'd like to share, please email me or leave a comment here with a link for a roundup later this week.

I'm leaving you with a final look at summer: Above is a house on Loon Island in Newfound Lake in New Hampshire, where we vacationed this summer (at the lake, not that house. But, wouldn't that have been fun?).

And a tip for next year: Here's a good way (above) to stay warm and dry while touring Newfound Lake when the rain unexpectedly appears.