some autumn goodness before my october series begins...

Dear friends, 

These early autumn days...and nights...have seen me writing away for my upcoming October series, which has become an annual tradition that I very much look forward to here at my Inglenook. I will be sharing all about that on Friday, but until then I wanted to share some of my older autumnal posts with you again. These are from my past October series and some of my personal favorites, so I do hope you enjoy. They can kind of give you a little taste as to what's to come in October.

So, until Friday, may your week be a beauty!

♥

For your reading pleasure...

 Autumnal Rhythms and Traditions

Blissful Autumnal Bits and Bobs

Cozy Reading Companions

Creating Autumnal Bliss in the Kitchen

Embracing the Slowness of Autumn

Slowing Down & Gathering In ♥ A Seasonal Rhythm

Cozy Rituals and Traditions

Reading for Delight ♥ Autumn Edition

Mission: Making a Cozy Atmosphere

An Autumnal Pace

Keeping a Cozy Home

When Daylight Grows Shorter

Gently & Mindfully Tending Your Heart, Body & Soul

Reawakening Your Creativity

Raindrops, Snowflakes, Slowness, & Gratitude

Coming Home to Autumn

The Magic Hour ♥ Celebrating Autumn's Return

a bookish farewell to summer

and just like that...

summer fell into autumn.

......................................................................................................................................................

 

The cheeriest hello to you, my reader friends! Are you as excited as I am that today is the official first day of autumn?!?! I am even giddier because yesterday's rainfall brought in some delightful cooler weather and so it truly feels like the beginning of autumn. Last night whilst we were out running errands, I opened the car window, stuck my head out like a dog, breathing in the fresh air...and smelt autumn dancing in the breeze. It's really, truly, seriously, finally...here.

I thought today was the perfect day to bid summer farewell with a bookish post...and share with you the books that were my companions through the sticky summertime months. As I've mentioned in the past, over the last couple of years, I've really gotten out of my reading rhythms, but this summer was the first time in probably four years that I read consistently...and happily. I found a wonderful selection of novels and stories to dive into each evening and, my, oh my, did it feel so good to find the beauty in reading again.

So, without further ado...shall we begin?

One of my dreams for this year was to read some children's stories. In the winter, I read the entire Brambly Hedge series by Jill Barklem. They were beyond dreamy in the illustrations and the stories were sweet and charming. I found myself wishing I lived with the mice in Brambly Hedge...and still have that wish to this day.

Another author that I wanted to get to know through story was Beatrix Potter. I don't remember ever reading any of her books before, so I picked out this gorgeous hardcover book...a full collection of all her stories...for my birthday in July. I haven't read all of them quite yet; I shall continue on this autumn. But so far, I've read the following...the little heart beside the titles mark my absolute favorites.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit ♥

The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin

The Tailor of Gloucester

The Tale of Benjamin Bunny ♥

The Tale of Two Bad Mice ♥

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle ♥

The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan ♥

Beatrix Potter is by far one of the most talented artists and storytellers of all time...I think many would agree. Her stories are sweet and charming, with humor and fun thrown in for good measure. While I loved most of the stories I've read so far, I think my most favorite (so far) would be the story of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle; it was the cutest tale and the illustrations were adorable beyond imagination. I'm excited to continue on with the rest of her stories...and eventually, I want to read a biography of her that I have sitting on my shelf. And...I'm thinking that I need to watch Miss Potter again soon because I just love it so. The soundtrack gets played more than I should admit and I've got a wee Peter Rabbit living on my bookshelf. He popped into the photo above, though, as you can see. He wanted to be sure to get his photo in this post. {{winks}}

My children's story reading continued on with a short, but oh-so-well-done, story about Tolkien. John Ronald's Dragons is a quick read, even for children, but it is such a whimsical book. The illustrations are so magical and the story is a fun one to introduce young kiddos to Tolkien. I'll admit that I've yet to read any of his novels so far...though, I'm hoping to change that very soon. This was a fun one!

Summer began for me with The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. This first novel in the series of five was a sweet story of four sisters and their father as they went to stay at a house on a grand estate. They befriend the boy who lives on the property and throughout the book, have many adventures and mishaps with him...and their dog and a couple of bunnies, too. My sister recommended this series to me after she fell in love with them last autumn. I've only read book one so far, but it was an absolute delight. It's just the ticket for a cozy night in, curled up with a blanket...or for reading on a blanket sprawled out under the sun on a spring afternoon. It just had that cozy feel to it.

Pilgrim's Inn was my very first Elizabeth Goudge novel to read and that was another dream of mine for this year. I cannot even begin to say how much I loved this story. It was about home, family, legacy, and all the important things in life. I had learned about Goudge from three fellow bibliophiles and all of them suggested that this be the first Goudge novel you should read. They were right! I think it was the perfect place to start...and now I've got two more on my shelf to delve into. While a good book is wonderful at any time of year, I would heartily suggest reading this one in the autumn. It really is the perfect read for this time of year! (Those fellow bibliophiles say this, too!)

Another of my bookish dreams for this year...yes, I have quite a few...was to finally read an Amish novel. In the spring, we found a huge selection of Amish books at Ollie's for super cheap so I picked up quite a few. The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis was the first one I've read. My mom has loved Lewis' books for years, so I knew I could trust her writing. And this one was a winner. It had drama and dilemma, a slow romance and sweet friendships, as well as dreams and picking what's most important to you. The setting was gorgeous as well...having been to Amish country in Pennsylvania several times and loving it, I could easily picture the farms and landscape and even recognized several of the towns mentioned. It felt like I was really there. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

Last autumn, I read one of Sarah Addison Allen's novels and fell head over heels in love. So this summer, I read yet another one...Garden Spells. This book was the first of two...the second of which I read last year. They can be read separately, though I must say you will understand so much more if you do read them in order. While this one did have a couple of scenes with content that I don't particularly like to read about and the use of a word I'm not a fan of, I really enjoyed this book. It felt almost as magical as the second in the duo, though I do admit to loving First Frost just a bit more. This is an author that I especially enjoy and a genre that is quickly becoming a top favorite of mine.

My sister was a bit surprised when I mentioned that I wanted to read a trilogy by Jenna Evans Welch, simply because I've never read YA books before. They sounded fun and light and good for summertime...just what I was looking for. So I read two! The first one, Love and Gelato, was my favorite. I read it in just a few days as I could NOT put it down. I fell in love with the Italian countryside and little villages and the characters, too. In Love and Luck, I went to Ireland...and let me tell you, the author described it perfectly. Having been there twice, and having visited most of the places in the book, it felt like I had returned. While I enjoyed this one a lot, it did start out a bit slow for me. The first third of the book had a boatload of teenage drama and I'm just not into that. I didn't have teenage drama myself, and now at 27, I don't really care to read about it either. After that, though, the story was fun and kind of quirky and totally hilarious. I found myself laughing at several points because the author brought the Irish holiday experience for an American to life perfectly...all the way down to driving on the opposite side of the road...with narrow dirt roads and stone walls on either side and the foggy weather on cliffs. Yeah, it was all there in absolute perfection.

 Earlier this year, I picked up the entire set of Paddington books for a great price at Ollie's, and just a couple weeks ago, I read the first one. Friends, let me tell you...I don't think you could find a sweeter story. I am now an official Paddington fangirl. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but whatever my expectations were, this book far exceeded them. Funny, heartwarming, and cute as a button...that's what Paddington books are made of. Oh, and marmalade, lots and lots of marmalade. We watched the movie last week for the first time, and while it was magical all on its own, the book was even better. This is one series I'm so excited to continue...also, if you're looking for a cozy series for bedtime reading, whether you are reading for yourself or to littles, this is it. Trust me on that one!

And, finally, I saved the worst for last. No kidding, either. My mom, sister and I enjoy watching the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries on Hallmark, so I thought why not try out one of the books. Boy was that a mistake! I read A Fool and His Honey which the movie A Bundle of Trouble was based on. And this book was such a huge disappointment. I rated it a one out of five on GoodReads, and honestly, that was being generous. The writing was so juvenile. Seriously, a second-grader could write better than that! The characters...Aurora and her husband, Martin...were so unlikable. Like, they were absolutely horrible. He was such a jerk and she was so selfish and immature. In the movies, Aurora is likeable and intelligent and kind, and Martin, whom she does not marry in the movies, is a great guy...a gentleman, helpful to those around him and caring and protective. (We did so wish she ended up with him in the movies!) This will definitely be my last book by this author; it was terrible. 

My summer was filled with so many good stories...some took me far away for adventures and others grounded me right at home. I met so many enchanting characters...some were even bunnies, mice and an adorable bear. Reading is so much fun when you find books you really love reading...ones you wish would never end and places you wish you could really go. I would so love to have a Paddington in my home, or to know a Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, or even have a Peter Rabbit rummaging through my garden. 

My autumn reads have already been selected, with room for on-the-whim book cravings, should I have any. This time of year inspires me to read mysteries, books with autumnal scenes or settings, home centered stories and the like. I can't wait to delve into my reading list and find some more stories to love and store up in my heart. 

 Dear bookish friends, have you read any good books lately? I would be so delighted to hear all about them, so please share, share, share...

And, I'd also love to know what's on your reading list for autumn. 

Happy reading, lovely ones!

♥ ♥ ♥

 

the best choco-banana smoothie

Hello, my lovely reading friends...

I'm back today with another smoothie recipe that we've recently added to our favorites collection. And I'm so excited that I get to share it with you today.

Over the last ten years or so, I've seen this recipe floating around on Pinterest here and there. It's been on my "to try" list for the longest time, but it was just something I never got around to. Until a few weeks ago, that is. And ever since, I've literally made this almost everyday for us to enjoy in the evenings. It is a healthy alternative to a sweet treat or dessert and it’s full of ingredients that are actually good for you.

The original recipe didn't taste the best to us, so I tweaked it ever so slightly and the end result was a magical concoction of chocolatey goodness that we literally cannot get enough of. It satisfies that sweet tooth craving and you don't feel like crud afterwards.

Here's how you make it.

(I usually double this recipe to serve three people.)

The Best Choco-Banana Smoothie

1/2 banana (fresh or frozen)

1 cup almond milk (see note below)

 about a dozen ice cubes

1/2 tsp. vanilla

drizzle of honey, according to your taste (I use probably about 1/2 Tbsp.)

just under 2 Tbsp. cacao powder

Pour everything into your blender and mix until thoroughly combined and silky smooth. Pour into some pretty glasses and enjoy!

Note: I always use unsweetened vanilla almond milk in my smoothies. This really gives them an extra yummy flavor! It's my secret for the perfect smoothie!

Do let me know if you give this recipe a try! And I'd love to hear your favorite smoothie recipes, so feel free to share below!

May your day be splendid in every way!

♥ ♥ ♥

 

from my inglenook ♥ september ponderings

outside my window

Slowly, but surely, the lush green of the trees is fading. Not into autumnal colors quite yet; in my corner of the world, that usually isn't until late October. But I can tell a difference in the shades of green on the leaves...autumn is tip-toeing in, bit by bit. We've had the most delightful end-of-summer weather these last couple of weeks, not going above 90 but just one or two days. And the nights are definitely getting cooler. Even our kitties, who are all 100% indoors, can sense the change of seasons coming. They have retreated to their usual cooler weather places to hang out and rest...on top of thick blankets, puffy cat beds and on warming mats that, in the warmer months, they have zero interest in. This in-between time of still summer/almost autumn is one of preparing for the coming season and anticipating it with giddy hearts...and I think the earth feels that giddy anticipation, too.

musical treasures

Instrumental music has been my jam here lately. I find it so calming and soothing and ever so delightful. I enjoy the soundtracks from the 1994 Little Women, 2005 Pride and Prejudice, Call the Midwife, Miss Potter, Lord of the Rings, as well as this lovely music from the Shire and this Studio Ghibli compilation. They are such wonderful things to listen to as I write in the evenings (especially for my October series!) or work on homekeeping tasks or craft projects or cook dinner. Really, they're perfect for anything at all!

bookish ramblings

I'm not going to say anything here because I will share a full post of all my summer reads at the end of this month. I can't wait to share these books with you all, my fellow book girls!

in the world of TV and movies

This week, I binge-watched a fun Korean drama called, Lovestruck in the City. And a couple weeks ago I finished what has got to be one of my all-time favorite K-dramas I've ever seen. It was the sweetest, most heartwarming story and I'm not over it yet. Thirty But Seventeen (also called Still Seventeen) is definitely one that I recommend a hundred times over...be still my heart. A show that can make you cry and laugh within minutes of each other is a real winner...this one was special. It was the sweetest! 

Last night, we also watched Paddington for the first time. It was the best movie I've seen in awhile and such a cute one at that! The Brown family's home is now officially on my list of fictional dream houses, too. {{smiles}} 

a grateful heart

I'm grateful for rainy days (I seriously love them!), crafting supplies to make cute things for our home, watching a favorite drama with my mom and sister in the evenings, yummy smoothies at night whilst watching said drama, twinkly fairy lights making their seasonal return, seeing autumn decorations pop up over town and in gardens of homes, the tiny meows of our sweet fur babies, laughing so much my stomach aches and my cheeks hurt.

from my kitchen

I've been compiling a notebook of seasonal foods I want to make during autumn and winter. This has been a yearly tradition of mine since I was probably fifteen years old. Aside from that, I made a wonderfully delicious new chicken recipe in our air fryer last week. And my mom made some incredible "crack chicken" last night. Both of these recipes are insanely delicious!

fashionable fun

Leggings, camisole and a navy blue cardie...it's just barely not too hot for a cardigan and I've declared it officially okay to wear one without nearly dying of heat. It's rather lovely to have them out again.

home and hearth

Autumnal cleaning and decorating. And more of that...and then some more.

these are a few of my favorite things

I've recently rediscovered the fun of Pinterest. I used it all the time back when it first was a thing, probably ten years ago. Then I sort of forgot about it. Now I'm loving it again...for book recommendations, new quotes to add to my journals, recipes to try, natural living ideas and crafting tutorials. You can follow me here if you're on Pinterest yourself.

I've also pulled out all my autumn issues of Bella Grace as well as the Cozy Issues. It's been fun rummaging through them again...and last week I got the new autumn issue. They are perfect for chilling out with a cup of tea in the evenings.

And, finally, a few weeks ago, my mom, sister and I went to the local community library's bookshop. They have two rooms full of used books for ridiculously low prices. Needless to say, we came home with a box full...and I found season one of Call the Midwife in perfect condition for just $5. Ooh, that made me so happy!

for the love of words

Happiness is in the quiet, ordinary things. A table, a chair, a book...

and the petal falling from the rose, and the light flickering as we sit silent.

(Virginia Woolf)

crafting and creating

At the moment, I'm in the middle of two embroidery projects that I want to complete this autumn. And I bought supplies at the shops last week for two seasonal crafts that I hope to set to work on very, very soon. I've also been perusing Pinterest as well as ideas I've stored up for craft ideas for autumn and Christmas. So many crafts, so little time! Hee!

....................................................................................................................................................................

Do tell me what's going on in your corner of the world, dear ones...

Until my next post, may your days be cheery and blissful!

♥

simply strawberry banana smoothie

A cheery good morning to you!

How are you on this fine September day, dear reader friend? In my corner of the world, the earth is whispering hints of autumn in subtle ways. The air outside has that autumnal feel to it, the breezes are cooler and I can tell a slight change in the way the green looks in the trees...as if it is fading into autumn's shades and tones. And one of the most obvious ways I know that autumn is on the way is the sunset. It is much earlier than it was just a month ago...and the nights are drawing in earlier and earlier, calling for curling up on the couch with a good movie or favorite show to watch in the evenings before trodding up the stairs to bed.

In these last weeks of summer for the year, I have come upon two incredibly delicious smoothie recipes. One is simply a remake of an old recipe that I made several years ago...I wanted to make it simpler and healthier, and the result was quite heavenly. The second, which I'll be sharing next week, is a slight revision of a recipe I've seen floating on Pinterest for literally years now. Today, though, I am sharing a simple strawberry banana smoothie. 

When I make smoothies, I have a few rules.

First, I like to keep the ingredients as simple and as few as I can.

Second, they must look appealing to the eye. I absolutely cannot drink a smoothie that looks like mud.

And third, they must taste good. I love putting fruits and even greens or seeds or oats in my smoothies, but they have to taste good. Period.

This recipe is simple, but oh so delicious...

and even though summertime is nearing the end for 2021, 

smoothies can be tasty all year long. 

You just may need to bundle up when you're drinking one in the wintertime.

But they do bring that fresh, fruity taste of summer to the cold days of winter.

Simply Strawberry Banana Smoothie

2 cups frozen strawberries or mixed berries for a different flavor(if you use fresh, add a handful of ice cubes)

1 banana (fresh or frozen) 

1 cup almond milk (see note below)

2 tsp. honey

2 Tbsp. ground flaxseeds or chia seeds

Simply pour all the above ingredients into your blender and give it a good mix until creamy and super smooth. Pour into your favorite glass and enjoy!

Note: For my smoothies, I always use unsweetened vanilla almond milk. 

I think this gives them an extra special flavor!

If you want to try a delicious green smoothie, head over to my post HERE where I share my family's favorite recipe! It's bright in color AND in flavor...a win win!

Have a lovely day, friends! And do give this recipe a try!

♥  ♥  ♥

a fresh beginning

My darling girl, when are you going to realize

that being normal isn't necessarily a virtue?

It rather denotes a lack of courage.

~ Practical Magic ~

Summer is slowly collapsing into autumn. And autumn brings with it a wind of fresh beginnings and new refreshment. And for me, that includes a bit of a fresh beginning on my wee blog here.

As you may well notice, I have blogged a lot less this year than in the past. I've been blogging for almost nine years and in those years, I have grown and changed and grown some more. I've shifted in this or that thinking, returning to my soul's truth and the real me deep within has slowly been crawling out of her shell. And then, I've grown even more and have learned about myself in countless ways. In lots of ways, I have blogging to thank for at least part of that journey. A journey which I am still on...I think we always are on a similar sort of journey. 

And autumn is the perfect reminder of how beautiful it is to let the things which are no longer bringing us good go. 

No, I didn't change. I just remembered who I really was.

This isn't a temporary phase.

I worked hard to find me.

I shifted through layer after layer of

bullshit stories I had been told about who I should be

and finally became who I was meant to be.

~ Brooke Hampton ~

The past two years have been especially challenging in this journey for me. I have been sifting through so much in my mind. I came to realize that so much of what I was receiving from the online world was incredibly toxic and damaging for my mind and heart and soul. This goes for the things people have to say about love and relationships, family life and home culture, religious beliefs and systems, styles of parenting and schooling children, dreams and longings, and so much more. It was getting to me in ways that I didn't even realize and affecting my mindset. It brought about doubts and depression, questioning of all sorts and feeling as though the world was just one big fat dark rain cloud. I had lost sight and knowing that there is beauty, goodness and magic out there. All over the place. I had to do something about it.

And this summer, I finally found freedom. 

I deleted my social media accounts and haven't looked back once. Not even for a fraction of a second. It was literally the best thing ever! And I no longer read the blogs I used to. I have a couple special ones that I dearly love and enjoy, and those I do frequent regularly. But all the toxic garbage isn't allowed in my life anymore. (And this was strictly something I dealt with online, not in my real in-person life.) The internet has so much garbage that at times, it can be hard to sift through to find the gems of goodness. But they are out there.

Life is simple and so much more enjoyable 

when you stop trying to explain yourself to idiots.

Just be real about what works best for you,

and then keep rollin' on down the road.

~ Brooke Hampton ~

And with all of that, came a time to make a decision about my blog. You see, a good number of my previous posts represent things that I no longer believe in or stand by 100%. I debated what to do for quite some time. I decided that I would remove the posts where the majority of the contents were things I could no longer stand by and leave the ones where those were just minor, unimportant things. And instead of beginning a brand new blog, because honestly, I love this corner and space I've built here, I decided to stay right where I'm at. So Ponderings from the Inglenook will remain and continue as it is. And I'm looking forward to adding more posts regularly. A fresh beginning of sorts. Just as summer falls into autumn.

You're right.

I am more than a little weird and a bit awkward.

No, I don't fit in and most people don't understand me.

But at least I'm being real and I think the world

needs more people brave enough to be real.

~ Brooke Hampton ~

I hope you'll stick around this corner...

I have several posts coming up soon that I'm looking forward to sharing.

Over the last few weeks, I've come up with a couple new smoothie recipes that

have become daily favorites in our home and I want to share them with you.

I'm also going to be sharing about the books I read over the summer at

the end of the month...

and I'm just beginning to start writing my annual October 31 day series.

The theme has been decided and I'm over the moon excited about it.

A little hint: if you enjoyed last year's COZY theme, you'll love this year's theme, too!

So there are some fun things to look forward to as autumn slowly inches closer.

Are you excited for this coming season? I'm beside myself with anticipation at the beauty this season holds!

With all that said, I want to say Happy September to you, dear readers...

and I hope you'll stick around.

Lots of cozy fun coming up very, very, very soon.

♥

P.S.- How do you like the new autumn header for my blog? 

I always have the best fun designing a header for this favorite season of mine. {{smiles}}