英语博客：Decorate and beautify.（在线收听）

　　The other day, when I went to lunch with my mum, I noticed that the restaurant was decorated in an autumn theme. It was beautifully done. The owner, or someone who works in that restaurant, must have gone to the local arts and crafts store to get the supplies. I love that place! There you will find all the bits and pieces you need to create beautiful projects for your house. The items are all expertly made, and imported mainly from China and Taiwan. There are artificial flowers, fruits, and feathers. Of course, there are all kinds of strings of lights that you can hang up, or wrap around something else to make a focal point. Candles, wooden boxes of about ten sizes, artificial birds and their nests and eggs, metal ornaments and stands, and all kinds of glass beads, paints, frames, and materials are available. It is a creators paradise! The nice thing is, there are examples, throughout the store, of the different projects you can make using items from the shop. All you need to do is take a few minutes to look at the finished project, make a mental list of the supplies you need, buy them, of course, and then put them together. Voila! A finished project. Most shops and restaurants, at this time of year, have something pretty that reflects the season. It's the pattern of things. After Thanksgiving, the autumn themes will be taken down, and Christmas decorations will go up. Until then, it's my turn to have a look in my storage boxes for the arts and crafts items that I have collected over the years, and to turn them into something pretty for my entryway. Candles look wonderful in the middle of these crafty arrangements. As yet, I can't use real candles, because my two youngest children would be tempted to touch them. There are, however, some tiny artificial candles, called tea lights, that I can use to add a comforting glow to whatever arrangement I make. And guess what? I'm out of them, so I need to make a trip to the arts and crafts store to buy some more, and ...perhaps a few more bits and pieces.
　　Grammar notes.
　　Bits and pieces, guess what, artificial flowers, to be out of something.
　　1. Can you tidy up your room and put things away? There are bits and pieces all over the floor!
　　2. He took me to a wonderful restaurant, and, guess what? He proposed.
　　3. You don't need to water those flowers; they are artificial.
　　4. We're out of groceries. Let's make a list and go to the supermarket.