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There is a shift that happens in September, quiet at first, then impossible to miss. The air turns crisp, the leaves begin to turn, and the weekends settle into the easy rhythm of football season and soup for dinner. Before the month is through, the first day of fall arrives and summer is behind us for good. Take these weeks slowly, and enjoy the comfort of a season made for coming home.
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1.) Into A New Season
As a new season begins, I’ve been thinking about what I want to carry with me, what I’m ready to let go of, and where I am right now. I want to carry my appreciation for the small moments. With each passing season, I realize more and more that these are the things that mean the most. My daily walks when the air turns cool. An evening when I reach for a blanket. Lighting a candle simply because it feels good to have it burning nearby.
I’m letting go of the expectation that everything needs to be just right. My life is simple and, if I’m being truthful, fairly ordinary. But it is enough. There is a great deal of comfort in finally believing that. Right now, I feel somewhere in between holding on and letting go. I don’t have everything figured out, and I don’t think I need to. I’m moving into autumn with an open heart, grateful for what I have, and determined to make the season as good as I can.
2.) Words Worth Sharing
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” ~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
3.) A Small Fall Pleasure
As the weather begins to change, I always notice it first on my hands. So this week I made a small batch of brown sugar scrub with coconut oil and sweet orange essential oil. The scent is light, and the scrub has a warm, natural feel that seems just right for fall. If you’d like to try it, I used 1 cup of brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, and 30 drops of orange essential oil. It made exactly two 4 oz. jars. If you’d like to make another version, you’ll find more ideas in my Homemade Sugar Scrub post.
4.) Gather & Savor
I recently went back and refreshed my Delmonico Potatoes recipe, and it reminded me how much I still like it. It’s simple, comforting, and especially nice because it can be made ahead. With family dinners and the holidays not too far off, this felt like a good time to share it again.
5.) THINGS WORTH MENTIONING
- What you might have missed: It was a busy week on the blog. I shared two fall recipes, Chicken Noodle Soup and Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, along with the 2027 OSP Printable Calendar. The calendar is always a big project, so I was very happy to finish it and finally share it with you.
- What’s Ahead: Coming up, I’ll be sharing a fresh look at some simple fall kitchen ideas, along with the October digital calendars. I’ll also be bringing back a little more seasonal inspiration from the archives as September winds down.
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I love everything you post. I especially enjoy the printables. I just printed the 2027 calendar yesterday and have used so many others. And your recipes are wonderful! Many have earned a place in my favorites. Thank you for all the beautiful work you do to bless us!
Dear Ann,
Thank you for your endearing and refreshing words. I love reading them. They help me to rest and be grateful during a very full and busy season of life.
You described exactly where I am at this stage in my life. Calm and simple is where I am finding the most comfort these days. Your posts always remind me of what is most important and beautiful in life.
Loving your subtle touches of fall.
Love your early fall post, Ann. Your living room fall decor is warm & inviting. Going to make a batch of your brown sugar scrub. Thank you for your lovely inspiration! Happy Fall! 🎃🍁
Yes, your blog is a calm, pleasant pause
Oh Ann..I know exactly what you mean about how you feel entering into Fall. As I age, I do think we change and our expectations of what’s really important in our life at this stage. I get very melancholy at the beginning of Fall. Thinking of long ago days when both my parents were alive and just how fast life is going by. So, it’s good to slow down and savour each and every moment and determine what is really important to us and what isn’t. The Autumn is a beautiful time of year and I think we need to leave our worries behind and just enjoy what Mother Nature is offering up for us . Life is short…