This post from a few years ago focuses on fall beauty in the everydayness of life. Hope it inspires you to keep your eyes wide open in your everyday this season.

The beauty of beauty is you usually don’t have to travel somewhere to see or experience it. Often, it just takes an awareness of or interest in beauty to find it where you live.

The last few days, as I've gone about my regular activities—going to the (dreaded) grocery store, running errands, meeting a friend for lunch—I’ve been astounded by the beauty of the season. The leaves in our area have just reached their peak, and the color this year in some places is stunning.

When I take photos, I often angle my phone or crop the pictures to eliminate visual distractions like streets, power lines, and cars. Today, though, I'm sharing a sampling of beauty in context. Maybe it’ll remind you to look for it during your everyday activities around your town too.

Here they are:

Grocery store/gift store parking lot. I love all the colors in this photo, including the orange trees behind the truck.

—The grocery store/gift store parking lot. I love all the colors here, including the orange trees behind the truck.

Table outside Barnes & Noble bookstore just before the landscaping guy blew the leaves away.

—A table outside Barnes & Noble, just before the landscaping guy blew the leaves away.

—Next to a construction site. The machinery and dumpster echo the colors in the leaves. That was unexpected for sure!

In front of a Target store. In the past if I noticed a hydrangea at this point, I would wonder why someone hadn't deadheaded it. But this year I'm noticing the stages of the blooms and appreciating the last few holding onto their deep pink shades, a color not normally associated with fall but gorgeous nonetheless.

—In front of Target. In the past if I noticed a hydrangea at this point, I would wonder why someone hadn't deadheaded it. But this year I'm noticing the stages of the blooms and appreciating the last few holding onto their deep pink shades, a color not normally associated with fall but gorgeous nonetheless.

—At an outdoor mall. The sparse number of leaves make the contrast between the colors and textures that much more interesting.

At the curb in front of a sandwich shop where I like to write. Red leaves make me stop every time.

—At the curb in front of a cafe where I like to write. Red leaves make me stop every time.

—A restaurant parking lot, across the street from a paint store. I met a friend for lunch and made her stop so I could take a few photos. Ha!

Where have you seen beauty in your town lately? I'd love to hear. Leave me a comment below.

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