Small Things - First Saturday in September 2025

Life is not, for most of us, a pageant of splendor, but is made up of many small things, rather like an old fashioned piecework quilt. No two people have the same, but we all have our own, whether it be listening to Beethoven's fifth with a beloved friend, or seeing a neighbor at the back door with a basket of white dahlias. Or after a long, hard day, having the family say, "That was a good supper."

- GLADYS TABER

In no particular order, here are six things that inspired me this week.

1. A Visit to Brambly Hedge

As soon as I saw there was a new Brambly Hedge book in the works, I pre-ordered my copy immediately! This is a lovely companion to the series, and a must if you love these books as much as a I do!

"A behind-the-scenes look at the miniature world of the hedgerow – with never-seen-before stories, sketches and archive content, perfect for fans young and old!

Immerse yourself in the world of the hedgerow in this collection of unpublished artwork, photos and never-see-before content from the creator of the beloved Brambly Hedge stories.

Spanning the seasons and all of Jill Barklem's hedgerow stories, discover all the research and intricate detail which underpinned her creative process, learn how these mice live and work in harmony with their environment, and watch the world of the hedgerow take shape through behind-the-scenes drawings from Jill’s own sketchbooks."

2. Brambly Hedge - Autumn Story

And speaking of Brambly Hedge, I've shared these links before because they are so lovely and so much fun for children (and adults, too!) that I always find them worth sharing again and again.

There was a Brambly Hedge TV series on BBC some years ago, and you can find the episodes now on You Tube. I've linked the Autumn Story episode above, but you can easily find others as well.

If you've never read the book and don't want to purchase it, there are several read-aloud's on You Tube, as well, I particularly liked this one from the The Cozy Bookish Cottage!

3. Cozy Cottage Life In Autumn

The same vlogger, Indoora World, has also created a two hour compilation of cozy autumn baking and  crafting! A feast for the eyes and the imagination!

4. My Favorite Seasonal Movies - With Honors

We kicked off Seasonal Movie Sundays in our house this past weekend. The selections for September share a bit of an academic theme, and with began with one of my favorites, With Honors, and you can watch it for free on Tubi!

With Honors is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Alek Keshishian. It stars Brendan Fraser as a Harvard University student who finds himself at the mercy of the demands of a homeless man (Joe Pesci) when he holds his senior thesis paper hostage. Moira Kelly, Patrick Dempsey, Josh Hamilton, and Gore Vidal also star. You can learn more about the movie, here.  This movie is rated PG-13, but you may feel that even 13 is a bit too young for some of the subject content.  Here's a breakdown of what you can expect to guide you from Kids In Mind. We didn't watch this with our girls until they were older.

5. Vanilla Spiced Pear Butter

I'm slowly building our winter pantry, and on the list this week is Vanilla Spiced Pear Butter, one of my favorites! This recipe is simply the best.

6. Fall Is Here! Nostalgic 1940's Vintage Autumn Music

I just love these vintage autumn playlists! If music from the 40's isn't your vibe, a quick search on You Tube or Spotify should provide you something more to your liking.

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Small Things - Last Saturday In July 2025

Life is not, for most of us, a pageant of splendor, but is made up of many small things, rather like an old fashioned piecework quilt. No two people have the same, but we all have our own, whether it be listening to Beethoven's fifth with a beloved friend, or seeing a neighbor at the back door with a basket of white dahlias. Or after a long, hard day, having the family say, "That was a good supper."

- GLADYS TABER

In no particular order, here are six small things that inspired me this week.

1. Cottagecore Coloring Book For Women

I've loved coloring since my childhood, and even now I often find it to be a relaxing pastime. So when I came across this beauty, I was immediatel intrigued! There are a couple of examples on some of the pictures in another image, and they just look lovely.

I've had a few others on my wish list for awhile now;

- Brambley Hedge Nature Coloring Book

- Restful Retreats: A Beatrix Potter Inspired Coloring Book

Of Cozy Animal Naps

There are so many varieties of coloring books for adults, I was actually a little surprised! A quick search in Google or on Amazon will provide you with a plethora of choices.

2. Vanilla Bean Pear Butter

I have been making a lovely Vanilla Pear Jam for a couple of years now and absolutely love it! But this recipe caught my eye this week, and I think I might give it a try.  I'm looking forward to the outdoor tasks that summer inevitably brings to wind down, and to spending more time indoors and in the kitchen. 

3. Ideas For Christmas Crafting

Is it too early to begin thinking about Christmas gifts and crafting? My eyes were feasting on a number of images on Pinterest this week. There's just no other time of year like it!

4. Our Little House In The Country

Clara's site is new to me, and I've really enjoyed perusing her offerings. In particular, Slowing Down In August, can you believe it will be upon us by the end of this coming week? I also liked the sound of Our Little Friday Letter, which is a weekly offering, much like Small Things, I suppose?

5. I Miss My Library

I don't recall exactly what put me on to this site, and to be honest, I'm not even sure it's something I would utilize. But the objective is to provide the user with a virtual space designed to evoke the feeling of a library, and also provides a customizable to-do list to enhance productivity and focus. And if libraries aren't your thing, try I Miss My Cafe.

6. 30 Best End Of Summer Quotes

Though technically summer is still with us until near the end of September, in our home it ends on August 31. That means there are roughly five weeks of summer tasks to complete, and while there will still be outdoor/garden tasks through September, that is when I begin to pull back a bit and begin focusing more on our home and beginning early prepartions for the upcoming holiday season. I was particularly moved by this quote.

"Summer will end soon enough, and childhood as well."

- GEORGE R. R. MARTIN

I read an article recently that said we get only 18 summers with our children, and expressing the importance of cherishing those days. I don't know about how many summers we get, not only with our children, but with our parents, our spouse? I think the important thing is to do our best to cherish every moment of life, because things can and often do change so quickly.

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Summer Is Here!

S U M M E R

There is burgeoning growth all around.

Joy fills the air as all thngs celebrate life.

Sap has well and truly risen, and the garden appears

to be bursting with a kaleidoscopic of color. Solstice marks 

the high point of the year when all around seems full 

of exuberance and gratitude. The warming rays of the 

sun on our backsfill us with blissful contentment.

Amid all the frantic activity, we find time to pause, 

and give thanks. Abundance beckons.

Today is the summer solstice, though it does not officially arrive until 10:42 p.m, which I think means that Saturday will be the longest day of the year, but to be honest I'm not really sure how all of that works.  All I do know is . . . summer is here! 

I'll be back soon, with ideas and inspiration to savor every moment of this beautiful season! But for now, here's a lovely recipe for . . .

SUMMER SOLSTICE TEA

1 quart sized mason jar

2 green tea bags

3-5 sprigs of mint

3 peach slices

Filtered water to fill the jar

Place all ingredients in your jar and fill with filtered water. Cover with a lid and place in a sunny spot. 

Fuse in the sunshine for about 3 hours.

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In The Garden

"Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace."

- MAY SARTON

We've been working in our yard/garden all week, and things are really beginning to shape up!  

There is a hill leading up to the woods in our back yard that until this week had become a bit overgrown with weeds. I'm not one to dig up a good weed, especially if it has a pretty bloom, and so many "weeds" are actually medicinal, so I'm slow to throw them off.  This week we walked through square every inch of that overgrowth and identified what was there to decide what was worth keeping, and what wasn't. We had an overgrowth of a few things, so we strategically kept a few and dug up the rest. If it is medicinal it went into a plastic tote that I'll be processing over the next few days, drying and preparing them to store. It's been so nice to see it start to take shape  and it's nicer still that now it's easy to identify the plants we're keeping, so we aren't just haphazardly weeding out perfectly good plants.

We've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest recently, dreaming about some features we'd like to add, especially if they could be functional, as well. Here are some ideas that we hope to incorporate over the summer.

(l-r) I've asked my husband if he could build this simple trellis as a decorative feature in my herb garden. I'm not sure what kind of vine I'll grow yet, but I'm sure I can figure something out.

We recently had to have a tree taken down on our property and we have a ton of logs, branches and tree stumps that we are going to use for various projects.  One of those is building a taller fence around the garden extension, and some smaller ones along the hillside. 

And finally, we plan to cut a path across the top of the hill and one leading out into the back of the woods and we'll be using various logs and tree stumps to form the natural curve of it. We'll place a few stumps here and there and set potted plants on top. I can't wait to see how this turns out!

We love using various decorative elements as planters, like the old tool box in this picture and we're looking to add more. I've got my eyes out for an old dresser. We went to a yard sale last summer and one of the houses we visited had one on the front porch with the drawers partially opened and used as planters for various flowers and they had set potted plants on top. I knew right then and there that one day, I would do the same. My husband found an old desk for free on marketplace, and my plan is to use the drawers as beds in our garden extension, and the rest I'll use in my work station. We also have plans to go to an estate sale this Sunday, so I'm hoping we can pick up some interesting things there.

I'm excited to see how it all comes together and I'll definitely keep you updated on our progress. Yard work has always been hard for me, because I struggle to find the balance between what needs to be done outside and other things like cooking, laundry, and house cleaning. But knocking some of these projects off of our to-do list is important, so I've decided to lower my standards a bit. The house probably won't be as clean as I would prefer, and I'm keeping our meals as simple as possible. 

What about you, do you have any big outdoor projects you're tackling this summer? How do you balance inside vs outside work during this season? I'd love to hear your suggestions! Meet me in the comments. If you're looking for ideas and inspiration for your own garden, visit my Pinterest board!

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Two Sweet Ideas For Summer

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, 

simple things in life which are the reals ones, after all."

- LAURA INGALLS WILDER

We went to the most lovely garden center today, and the hydrangea bushes were so beautiful! I've always dreamed of having a white hydrangea bush in my yard, and it's something we will be adding, eventually. The problem now is, which variety will I choose? I'm not sure I knew there were so many, and I loved them all, so now I'm thinking . . . maybe three? They also had some beautiful butterly bushes and lilacs,  the scents were just heavenly!

And speaking of . . .  one of the things I like to do to make our home cozy year round is diffusing seasonal essential oils! I've tried a few over the past couple of weeks, and here are two I've really enjoyed, Sweet Summer is especially nice!

❊ SWEET SUMMER

- 4 drops tangerine

- 2 drops lavender

- 1 drop lime

- 1 drop spearmint

❊ SUMMER NIGHTS

- 4 drops juniper berry

- 2 drops grapefruit

- 2 drops bergamot

- 1 drop ylang ylang

You can also find floral scented oils to use in your diffuser, as well. Two that I like are lilac and peony! (Affliate Links) I just diffused peony yesterday and the whole house smelled as fresh as a summer day!

Another thing I like to do as the days grow warmer, is to make up a pitcher (or in this case, a jar) of iced tea!

And did you know that tomorrow is. . . .

❊ NATIONAL ICED TEA DAY - June 10

Over the weekend I made a little jar of sun tea nothing fancy, just a tea bag, some water and the sun! I'm r-e-a-l-l-y trying to cut back on Coke (I'm addicted!) and tea is my go to replacment, especially in the summer! I've been drinking sweet tea, but to make it even better, now I'm cutting back on that and made the sun tea unsweeted and I actually liked it!

The thing you have to be careful about when making sun tea, is not to create a breeding ground for bacteria.  Tea leaves can carry bacteria, and the process of them steeping for hours in the sunlight raises some concerns. But, that doesnt' mean you can't still enjoy the fun, just do it safely!

1. Make sure your container is clean. I don't make a lot of tea, so I just use a 16 oz. mason jar which gives me 2-3 glasses throughout the day. I run the jar through the dishwasher every night so its ready to be used again the next day. Super simple!

2. Add your tea bags. For my 16 oz. jar, I use 2.

3. Steep in direct sunlight for 3-4 hours. Make sure it remains direclty in the sun, moving it if necessary. Do no exceed four hours, as after that time bacteria starts to breed.

4. Refrigerate immediately. This will slow the bacterial growth and keep your tea fresh!

5. Enjoy your tea! But not for more than a couple of days. Sun tea, especially, doesn't keep it's freshness and flavor as well as boiled tea bags, so best if you drink it quickly!

I like to add flavors to my tea, like blackberries and cucumbers, they are my favorites, especially together. But every now and then I like it mixed with a little pineapple juice, yum! 

I saw a recipe on Pinterest for a recipe for Jolly Rancher Iced Tea, and since someone gave our daughter a bag of them, I thought we might try it a try.  Here's how to make it

Pour water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil

Add tea and jolly rancher to brew

Strain the tea and discard the residue

Transfer to the pitcher and place in the refrigerator

Serve over ice and enjoy

Not the healthiest version you could drink, but it might be fun just to try!

Well, my friends, it's time to close this post! I pray you all have a lovely day tomorrow,

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The Sweetness of June

What is one to say about June — the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade? For my own part I wander up into the wood and say, "June is here — June is here; thank God for lovely June!" The soft cooing of the wood-dove, the glad song of many birds, the flitting of butterflies, the hum of all the little winged people among the branches, the sweet earth-scents — all seem to say the same, with an endless reiteration... June!

~ GERTRUDE JEKYLL

A follow up to my previous post. I did indeed begin the next series featuring Libby. There are only three or four books and of those only two are available from the archives. I read the first one in the series, Look Alive Libby. I will say, it didn't grab me like the Cathy series, but the setting, Cape Cod in the summer, is the perfect seasonal read (if you love vintage children's literature like I do!). I've decided to forgo the other book the archives has available, Libby Shadows a Lady, for now at least. It's a mystery and I'm not a big fan. Haven't decided yet if I will delve into the Ginnie series just yet, I'm honestly considering re-reading The Moffat series. It was a favorite from my childhood and my children's. Might be a sweet trip down memory lane. Do you have a favorite book from your childhood you like to re-read?

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The Cherry Blossoms Are In Bloom

This morning we left early and made a quick trip downtown to see the cherry blossoms. We have been to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington D. C. a few times now, but it's just so busy. And while our small town can't compete, in many ways I think I much prefer this setting, smaller, quieter, these are things I am seeking more and more in my life these days.

Spring is in the air, and after a legendary winter, at least in my lifetime, I am ready. I worked outdoors for awhile for the first time this season, clearing the patio of all the leaves that have piled up. Over the winter my husband and I decided that we built our raised beds on the wrong side of the yard and with the location of our water sources, it would make more since if they were on the opposite side. The materials we used are also not holding up that well, but thankfully can all be repurposed. So we've decided to downsize our gardening goals this year, anything we grow will be mostly in pots, maybe a few small beds if we're able to manage it, but we are going to use a different design. The space where we feel the garden needs to be is currently where we have our fire pit, but thankfully that's portable and easy to move. Anyway, it's all going to be a rather huge project and most likely will take at least two seasons to see it through. I do like the idea of a smaller garden this season, and growing things in pots will help to determine if there are enough hours of sun in the area where we want to move it for it to be successful.

Spring cleaning is next week. I had planned to begin this week but a few appointments came up, and I prefer, when possible, to undertake such things when I have a string of uninterrupted days, and as of today next week is wide open. So today I'm looking over my lists and finalizing my plans and come Monday morning I'll set to the task. There are a few jobs that will most likely bleed over into the following week, and that's fine. I'm not holding myself to any time frame here, other than I do hope to get the bulk of it done in a weeks time. 

Another type of cleaning on my agenda is digital downsizing. I simply have too much saved in far too many places and it's overwhelming. There are so many good ideas out there, and it's so easy to bookmark, pin or like things. But the truth is there is no way one person could accomplish it all, and honestly, who would want to? With that, I'm going to try to be more mindful of the things I pin/bookmark going forward, and only save things that I honestly think I might want to try. But first, I need to weed through and delete a lot of content I have already saved, as well as find a way to mainstream it all so that it's in one place. I'm not sure what that might look like just yet, but between Pinterest, Instragram, Facebook and my web browser, well, let's just say I've got my work cut out for me.

And speaking of pins, I came across this lovely thought on one my boards today and wanted to share.

"Experience one beautiful thing a day. However small. However trivial. Read a poem. Play a favorite song. Laugh with a friend. Gaze at the sky just before the sun's final tumble toward night. Watch a classic movie. Eat a slice of lemon drizzle cake. Whatever. Just give yourself one simple reminder that the world is full of wonders. It always helps to remember that there are things in this world to enjoy."

- AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Here are some beautiful things I experienced this week;

- To my delight, I discovered little buds on both of my lilac plants that we planted in autumn. I was worried, with winter being so cold this year, that they might not make it, but they both appear to be fine.

- While helping my husband haul off some limbs to the outer skirts of our property, I came upon a natural path leading into a field. The field belongs to the county, but unless they are working on the electrical lines they are never there. It is surrounded on each side by tall, majestic pine trees, and the entire setting reminded me somewhat of a cathedral, and thus it is now named. We hope at some point to clear out more underbrush and add some decorative elements, perhaps, to add to the loveliness, but it is beautiful even now, just as it is. I plan to visit it frequently.

What about you? What are some beautiful things you've experienced lately? I'd love to hear.

Until then . . .

❊

 

Merry Christmas!

 Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

❈

Merry & Bright - Day #1

The internet is full of so many wonderful ideas and resources, especially this time of year, and I've come across some gems recently. So, I thought it might be fun to write a little series of posts and share some of what I've found with you, my loyal readers and friends, a little gift you might say, wrapped in love and passed on to you. There will be a series of five posts starting today through Friday, and then the final post in the series will be on Monday, December 23, so five posts total! I'm looking forward to putting them together and sharing them with you, and I hope you'll enjoy!

If you were here earlier today, I hope you'll take a second look, because I decided to jazz this post up a bit and make it pretty!

And with that. . . .

Good morning, and welcome to Day #1 of MERRY & BRIGHT!

So to start right off, is this not possibly the most beautiful quilt you've ever seen? It showed up when I was searching on Instragram, and gah! I have hopes of quilting one day and I have a lot of smaller pieces saved in various places with the intention of making them, but, well, I won't tell you how long they've been saved. But, thankfully I can appreciate someone else's work and ooooh and aaahh over their accomplishments. Also, I don't remember who posted this picture, but if I can figure it out and I will come back and give due credit!

QUITE CHRISTMAS INSTRUMENTALS

I came across this playlist just this week, it's perfect to have playing in the background during your holiday get together, or while decorating the tree.

A LOVELY BLEND FOR YOUR DIFFUSER

I love my diffuser and use it year round to fill our home with lovely scents. This is one I've enjoyed lately.

O Christmas Tree

- 3 drops fir

- 3 drops cedarwood

- 3 drops pine

SEED AND SPARROW

Kelsey is one of my favorite You Tubers, a true kindred spirit! This video is particularly lovely, but I encourage you to peruse her other offerings.

- Enjoy!

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My Favorite Old Movies - Seasonal Selections for Autumn

 

Today I thought I would share some of my favorite classic movies that I enjoy watching during this season. I love old movies year round, but I do have a number that I set aside for each individual season, and this time of year there are a number that we enjoy watching. No one in our family likes horror movies or anything too witchy, and even though a few of these movies do include witches, there is nothing dark or scary about them, at most a few of them may be a bit suspensful at times, but they are all light-hearted and fun movies to watch.

*Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Arsenic and Old Lace is a screw-ball comedy crime film direct by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant. But for me the two most loveable characters in the movie are Aunt Martha (pictured above left) and Aunt Abby (right). With the exception of their habit for helping forlorn old men to pass on to a better life, they are completely loveable, everything one could want in a doting old aunt. It's a perfect movie for the season, warm and cozy with just a hint of suspense.

*Bell, Book and Candle (1958)

Released in 1958 and starring Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon and Kin Novak. The perfect romantic movie, and just a little witchy! 

*I Married A Witch (1942)

A charming comedy which went on to inspire the TV series Bewitched.

*The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)

This is our favorite go-to classic movie for the season, and we watch it every year on All Hallow Eve! I absolutely love Don Knotts, and of all the movies he made this one is my favorite!

If you've never watched any of his movies before I highly recommend them. The Reluctant Astronaut is very good, too, as well as How to Frame A Figg.

*The Private Eyes (1980)

Another great movie featuring Don Knotts joined by Tim Conway, so double the laughs! A comedy/mystery perfect for the season.

*Young Frankenstein (1974)

Directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene Wilder, Young Frankenstein is another family favorite this time of year. I would recommend using discretion when watching this movie with younger children as it has quite a bit of secual innuendo. Marty Feldman as Igor is probably my favorite! 

So there you have it, my friends! Maybe I've put you on to a movie you've never seen before, or perhaps you have some classic favorites that aren't on my list. If so, I'd love for you to share in the comments! I'm always looking to add to our collection!

❊

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On The First Day Of October . . .

"Days grow shorter now, the nights chillier. Crisp mornings call for buttermilk pancakes and maple syrup, with country sausage on the side; at supper the popovers are almost too hot to hold. The trees kindle with color, a few at a time: small flashes of scarlet appear in the swamp, and the sugar maples begin to glow, as the great wave of autumn glory slowly rises to full tide. Leaves start to fall; I pick one up. It is cool to the touch; a hint of pink lies under the gold. As it dries, the serrated edges curl inward and the leaf turns to tawny brown. I think, I am holding autumn in my hand."

- GLADYS TABER

Good afternoon, friends, and a warm welcome to the first day of October! Isn't this a lovely image? A sweet homestead in New Hampsthire taken a few years ago when my husband and went on an extended New England road trip. I fell in love with New Hampshire and would move there at a moment's notice, although I am certain I would miss my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains. I often reminisce about living for short periods of time in various places, even Washington D. C. and New York City, though I doubt they would hold my attention as long as the mountain villages and countryside homesteads that I prefer. Still, big cities hold their own enchantment, and to live for awhile in Washington D. C. and making weekly trips to the Cathedral, now that would be enchanting!

I'm writing today from my newly refurbished office/craft room. I've shared a few pictures over on Instagram, if you're interested.  I still have a few things to do, primarily painting and leveling my desk, but with all the rain we've experienced over the past week (which does not lend well to painting), I haven't been able to find the time.  That and acquiring some sort of rug for the cement floor and then this space will be pretty near perfect.  Even as it is, I'm enjoying a small space to seek quiet and solitude.

I've been enjoying reading a few of my favorite books by Gladys Taber in this season,* Stillmeadow Seasons and *Stillmeadow Calendar. Have you read any of her works? If you haven't and love stories and depict sweet images of home and cottage living I HIGHLY recommend them!  Knowing of my love for Taber, a friend suggested I read* Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Stevens. I downloaded the Kindle edition and I'm going to give it a try, It doesn't sound much like Taber, but several of the reviews were promising. Apparently for some it takes a bit to get into but you just might end up loving it, so we'll see. In my perusing I also discovered that there is a sequel, Cold Comfort Christmas, which might be fun during the season, depending on how I liked the first one. Have you read either of these books? If so, I'd love to hear back from you. 

I discovered in downloading Cold Comfort Farm that the November edition of Country Living UK is available, and I still need to peruse both the October and September issues.  Having access to these magazines with one click makes paying monthly for Kindle Unlimited worth every penny, at least for me. Like books, I would much prefer to hold an actual copy in my hand, but being a bit of a life-long magazine junkie, I simply can't afford the near $10 cover price for every publication I enjoy reading, so for now at least, Kindle Unlimited  is much more affordable. I've also found that reading them on my iPad rather than my phone is a far more enjoyable experience.

Aside from reading I've been busy cross stitching for my upcoming birthday in November and for Thanksgiving.  As usual, I'm getting a late start so I'm not completely sure I'll finish everything I hope to in time, but I'll do what I can. Every year I say I'm going to work on pieces a season ahead, the problem being I'm not much inspired to work on stitching pumpkins in June and July, and here I land again at the eleventh hour. Thankfully I plan to use most of the pieces for both occassions, so there's a chance I just might succeed.

I've also been playing around with some lovely diffuser scents and wanted to pass on a few of my recent favorites.

❊ FALL FARMHOUSE

- 4 drops pine

- 3 drops cinnamon bark

- 2 drops orange

- 1 drop peppermint

❊ PUMPKIN PATCH

- 2 drops cinnamon bark

- 2 drops ginger

- 1 drop cardamom

- 1 drop clove

- 1 drop blue spruce

- 1 drop nutmeg

I particularly like the Fall Farmhouse blend!

Before I close I want to direct you to a lovely blog that I've followed for a couple of years now, Inkberry Hill Cottage. She is hosting a lovely October series, Autumn Notes From Home. I've thoroughly enjoyed just about anything Elizabeth shares and particularly look forward to her annual October offerings, so be sure to click on the link and visit!

And now my friends I'm off. I've got a new recipe for Chicken Alfredo in the crock pot that I hope turns out nicely (I'll let you know!), and it's time to check on it!

Until then . . .

❊

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we receive a small commission from Amazon.

We appreciate your support

Three Cozy Videos To Usher In Autumn

Cozy Days of September
A Cozy Rainy Day At Cinnamon Cottage
Welcoming Cozy Autumn Enjoy!

The Small Ways and Ordinary Days of August

It's hard for me to believe that we have passed the half way mark of the year! We have arrived at August, and in thirty short days the autumn months will be here!  This week I've been doing a little pre-season planning and thinking ahead to the coming months and days, but today I want to focus on the time at hand, the lovely month of August.

"August brings the sheaves of corn,

then the harvest home is born."

- SARA COLERIDGE

Here are some small ways I plan to spend the ordinary days of August . . .

- Complete my regular daily and monthly tasks.

Over the summer months I typically set aside my more disciplined schedule of tasks for keeping our home neat and tidy.  The yard and garden take up much more of my time in this season, making indoor tasks harder to accomplish. The necessary day-to-days are seen to, but a good bit of dust does build up over the summer months, which is why late summer and late winter have always been my preferred times to deep clean.  I'll be seeing to that here in just a few weeks, but over the next week or so, there are a few outdoor projects that I need wrap up.

- Switch Out Files / Update Planner

I have a rolling cart were I keep 3 months worth of daily, weekly and monthly files. I used this system heavily in my homeschooling days, and while I don't need it as much now as I did back then, I still find it helpful in keeping things moving along at a smooth pace. As with other things, however, it's sat untouched over the summer, in fact, I never even switched out the spring/summer files! So today I'm going to take some time to clean it and straighten it and get it ready to serve me for the rest of the year.

My planner is actually updated, I did that this week! :)

- Make a list of outdoor tasks to be completed by September 1

I still have a few things on my list that I would like to complete this year. We have so-many-outdoor-projects, and about 80% of those fall to my husband.  But this year I discovered that I like landscaping, and I'm fairly good at it. My nemesis, of course, is weeds. I've tried pulling them, and had some success with that, but the largest percentage of them just grow back. To my detriment, I tend to be a touch it once and done kind of girl, and gardening does not lend well to that thinking. Come to think of it, not many other things do, either . . . laundry, cleaning, cooking. If only. I had hoped to accomplish a lot more than I have this season, and I may still piddle away at a few projects here and there come September, but the 'ber months bring with them a their own list of to-do's, so anything outdoors that requires my involvement (at least on a large scale), needs to be wrapped up this month.

- Deep End of Summer / Autumn Cleaning

I'm not sure at this point which week I will schedule this for.  I briefly considered the first week and to then set my mind to outdoor tasks. But, since so many of those outdoor tasks track dust and dirt into the house, it seems more fitting to move this to the end of the month. My husband is going to be out of town for a week at some point later in August, and that might present the perfect opportunity. It will keep me busy and we won't have to work around each other.  In the mean time, I'm going to begin making a list of all-the-things that entails beginning this week. 

Fun Ideas For the Month of August

This week I sat down and did some seasonal planning, including filling in my calendars from now to the end of the year with all the fun days ahead!  Here are a few that are coming up in August.

- Today!

August 1 is National Ice Cream Sandwich Day, which is and always has been one of my favorites!

August 2 - National Watermelon Day, this one is on my Summer Bingo Challenge, which I need to review and update, but I know I haven't marked this one off yet.

August 3 - National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day - hands down, my favorite cookie! I think I'll make up a batch for the coming weekend and be sure to eat some on Sunday!

August 9 - Booklovers Day - I've had Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright on my summer reading list for a couple of months now, maybe I'll try to tackle it in my spare time this week and write a review.

August 12 - National Vinyl Record Day - I have a turntable and a small collection of vinyl records, but when we moved I somewhow misplaced the power cord to my turntable.  If I have time maybe I'll try to locate it and spin some tunes!

August 17 - National Thrift Shop Day - I used to a do a lot of thrifting, and while I still enjoy it, I decided it was high time that I do something with all the items I had already thrifted before I brought anything new into the house. But, I do have a few things I'm on the lookout for, so maybe this would be a good day to peruse a few shops.

August 18 - National Fajita Day - this one is easy! I LOVE fajitas and I have a couple of wonderful recipes for beef and chicken fajitas! I really love throwing shrimp into that mix, too, so maybe I'll splurge and do all three!  I'll share my recipes in time for you to make up a batch if you want, too!

August 30 - National Beach Day - my daughter and I do have plans to go to the beach this month, and by beach, I mean a local beach at a nearby lake. While my daughter would prefer a trip to the ocean, I am definitely not a sun and sand kind of girl, and I won't even get in the ocean! The man made beach at the lake suits me just fine, and thankfully she enjoys it as well!  We have been going to this particular lake since she was a child, so it holds a lot of memories.  We didn't get there much last year, and this summer we promised ourselves we would be intentional about going at least once a month, and we've been three times already! One more to go!

August 31 - National Eat Out Side Day - the weather towards the end of August can be pretty hot, so we'll have to see about this one. If nothing else, maybe we'll eat under our covered porch? We typically do this on Labor Day Weekend, which is the official end of the summer season in our home, so we'll probably just wait until then. It's a nice idea though!

"The long, languorous days of August have cast their spell over the earth. Little by little, nature yields to the seductive influence and sinks into her summer sleep. Lazily-languid like southern beauties, the hours follow each other in slow succession. "

~ SISTER MARY BLANCHE - from "A Summer Siesta," Idyls and Sketches, 1916

I'll be sharing more in the upcoming weeks about my plans for my seasonal deep clean, my yard and garden projects, and my daily homekeeping routines, so if you are interested in things like that, be sure to meet me back here! What about you, do you do a deep clean this time of year?  What are some of the to-do's on your end of summer list? Let's chat in the comments!

❊

A Life With Time To Live

 I want days without a schedule

to keep. Hours left open

for unplanned adventures.

Moments of true stillness.

I want a life outside of our busy 

schedule . . . a life with time to live.

- BROOKE HAMPTOM

Headed to the lake today. See you soon!

❊

Sunday Kind of Love

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE BACKROADS OF VIRGINIA, ON A SUNDAY DRIVE

"All in all, it was a never to be forgotten summer, one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of memories in their going, one of those summers which, which in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends, and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world."

- L. M. MONTGOMERY

Anne's House of Dreams