October is absolutely, positively, without question, my very favorite month of the year! Each morning I open the door to cool, crisp temperatures and bright blue skies. The days are fresh and new, just waiting to be filled!
Then, as each day comes to a close, evenings leave me awestruck. If I catch sunset at the right moment, it highlights the autumn leaves in brilliant shades of russet, gold, and copper. Here in the Midwest, there’s a week, maybe two if we’re lucky, when the fall leaves are absolutely amazing. And as the sun sets, the skies become awash in shades of pink, orange, and purple. Still, the show isn’t over…wait for the night of the Harvest Moon to arrive, and when it does, it lights up the nighttime skies with just one more bit of magic.
Each October I get that feeling of “busyness” – a little nudge that reminds me I need to wrap up whatever needs doing before Old Man Winter arrives. However, I need to remember: it’s OCTOBER…I just can’t miss it!
This is the ideal time for a Farmgirl she-bang…a quick day trip or a warming soup supper. Let’s tie on our aprons and have a pie party, host a hayride, or make s’mores around a bonfire. The trick is to keep everything simple. There’s enough hubbub in the months to come; October is meant to be fuss-free.
Below I’m sharing a few of my very favorite things to do this month, and I would love it if you would do the same! What brings you joy during these autumn days?
A Little Getaway:
Reminding myself of last month’s challenge to “rotate the crops,” my daughter and I decided an afternoon jaunt to a few antique stores was in order. No long distances, no tight schedules, just leaning into this picture-perfect month with ease.
We wandered through a couple of nearby shops (my daughter’s been thrifting vintage purses to restore – so neat to watch the transformation!) She found a couple for a song, then we backtracked to a barn sale we’d passed along the way; it was terrific!
A Pie Palooza:
For me, the next couple of months wouldn’t be the same without homemade pie. How about gathering some girlfriends for an afternoon of pie baking? Share recipes for the perfect pie crust, the juiciest filling, and catch up on lots of girl-gab! Everyone goes home with a fresh-baked pie to enjoy…what could be better?
A Soup Supper:
I know I’ve talked about this before, but to me there’s something so old-fashioned in its simplicity, I have to mention it again.
With the much welcome cooler temperatures, I’ve been planning a soup supper with a dear friend and Maizy. Some day I’ll introduce you to Maizy, my 1963 Yellowstone camper, and I’ll tell you the story of how she came to the farm.
This supper will be soup for two! Truly, Maizy is so small, that two of us are all that can comfortably fit inside. She’s 13 feet long, 6’6” wide, and 6’3” tall and I laugh every time I read her owners manual that tells me she “sleeps 4 to 6, or 8 comfortably!”
We’ll keep our favorite soups warm in vintage thermoses and slice a loaf of homemade bread – it’ll be a no-fuss meal. And even though Maizy won’t leave the backyard, I know she’ll be the ideal spot for catching up – no restaurant could be any better. If you want to make the sweet little pumpkin, it’s a snap – a black permanent marker is all it takes. Free-hand the lettering or use a stencil; it’ll look terrific!
A Bonfire:
This month we’ve finally had a break from the summer heat, so it was agreed: it’s a wonderful “excuse” to have a bonfire! Before the sun went down, we pulled out a few quilts for the chilly evening, stacked firewood, and dusted off extra chairs.
Some friends were passing through town that night, and even though they knew just where to find us, we had fun welcoming them with a rustic sign we made years ago. So simple, it’s just spare wood and a little paint.
Maybe it’s only me, but I can’t have a bonfire without s’mores. I’d seen this creative idea before, so I decided to give it a try: an old window and a window marker were all that I needed. The hardest part was deciding which four “recipes” to choose! There are so many clever combinations, you really can’t go wrong. What are some of your favorite ways to make s’mores?
Pumpkin Carving:
Soon it’ll be pumpkin-carving time, and while a grinning Jack-o’-lantern always makes me smile, sometimes I’m in a pinch and don’t have time to do a lot of carving. That’s when I pull out a drill. Yep…a drill. A simple twist or spade drill bit comes to the rescue and in no time at all, I have a cheery polka dot pumpkin. And a permanent marker is oh-so handy for large pumpkins, too!
The weather forecast is picture-perfect for the week to come. During the days we’ll hear the rumbling, whirring sounds of combines harvesting the last of the field corn. While the cool, crisp nights will be spent watching the moon rise and listening for the call of owls in the distance. And as the bonfire pops and crackles, I’m sure to be reminded of the joys of October…a time of harvest and home.
I’ll see you soon, with more “tails” from the farm.
Weekly Blogs and Recipes