It’s officially my favorite time of the year. Gaia blessed us with a cool breeze and lows in the 60s here in South Carolina this week. A gentle whisper and promise that Fall is on its way. The Farmer’s Almanac predicts October will be warmer and drier than usual so I’ll be looking for ways to get in the spirit. I’m looking forward to weekend mornings spent on our back patio sipping some sort of hot drink and eating baked goods for breakfast while we shoo away lingering mosquitos and two hungry-eyed dogs plotting the best route to sneak a treat from the unsuspecting, fleshy hands of one of my children.
I’ve been slow to come around to celebrating Halloween. I grew up in the Episcopal church and we put more emphasis on All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day. My kids love Halloween so this year we are continuing our tradition of planning DIY family costumes. A trip to the pumpkin patch and farmer’s market will be in our future to pick out our pumpkins. I’m a big fan of the blue, green, white, and pink varieties. I’m also planning themed movie nights featuring meals and sweet treats that are pumpkin-shaped since we’re not huge pumpkin spice fans over here! Last night we started with the classic duo of tomato soup and pumpkin-shaped grilled cheese sandwiches and watched Halloweentown.
One of my favorite parts of motherhood so far is creating simple seasonal rhythms for my kids that make the holidays feel special without involving a lot of work or costing a fortune. The Art of Making Memories: How to Create and Remember Happy Moments by Meik Wiking is a great book to pick up around this time of year to help create happy moments of connection with your family. I read it a few years ago and it helped me realize it doesn’t take much to create a moment that is memorable in your kids’ eyes.
When the holiday events start to pick up for the rest of the year, my reading habit begins to slow down. I’m currently in the middle of Secrets Never Die by Vincent Ralph, a teen thriller that is giving off 90s horror movie vibes. So far there’s a tight-knit friend group, blackmail, and plenty of unexpected twists. The short chapters and chapter titles have kept me flipping through the pages. I feel like I need to read just one more chapter! It’s a fun read and has definitely set the mood for Halloween. If I weren’t such a scaredy-cat, I’d stay up reading it by candlelight.
Speaking of candles, in her latest Substack,
asked what cozy rituals we like to indulge in this time of year. For me, it’s lighting a candle every night and cracking the windows to let some fresh air into the house. Something about those two simple acts helps connect me more with nature and puts my mind at ease.
While I’m eagerly anticipating the changing colors of the leaves, I’ll be cozying up with a knit blanket, rewatching Normal People, and figuring out little ways to tweak our routines to incorporate all things Fall.
Let me know how you’re approaching this season and what you’re doing to embrace a slow mindset in the -ber months.
Thanks for sharing and I love your Autumn ritual! Any particular candle? I’ve only recently started getting into them and have realized that things have changed QUITE a bit from when Yankee Candle used to be the king of the roost.
And also, oh wow, you have just inspired me to make grilled cheese sandwiches and watch Halloweentown. I’m not much for scary movies but I do love Halloweentown! I hope you’ll share the other movie lineup you’ve got going.
Love South Carolina in the fall! I did an event in Myrtle beach last year and it was so fun! Charleston is so gorgeous too. Lucky you!