There is something about the first signs of autumn that makes me want to bring a little of the outdoors inside. Not necessarily the bright, unmistakable colors of October, when autumn has fully arrived, but the quieter changes that come before them. A branch beginning to brown. Acorns appearing beneath an oak tree. Seed heads drying in the garden. Leaves curling at the edges. September has its own kind of beauty, and much of it can be found in things we might otherwise walk past without noticing. Recently, a large limb fell from the oak tree in my backyard. The leaves had already dried to a soft, papery brown, and there were still little acorns clinging to some of the branches. Instead of simply carrying the limb away, I began cutting pieces from it. One branch went into an arrangement. Then another found its way among some greenery. A smaller piece looked just right tucked onto a shelf. A few bare twigs ended up on a wooden tray beside a candle, and some of the smallest pieces were...