Weekly Roundup 9/29/23
Hi and happy Friday! This week has been a doozy. It’s simultaneously sped by with commitments and activities every evening, while also leaving me feeling just a bit blah and in a rut. I think it’s been a combination of some gloomy weather (although I am thankful for some much needed rain), the changing season, and September coming to a close.
Needless to say, the sun is finally shining today and I’m very ready for the weekend. Here are a few things that have been getting me through the week:
The gloom and cooler temperatures this week have me in full “fall candle” mode. My longtime fall favorites are Whiskey & Oak, Charcoal, and Woodfire and these warm and cozy scents have been lifting my mood considerably this week. I don’t always want something scented though, so I always turn to these adorable beeswax candles from a local Brown County shop whenever I want a candle’s flickering glow, without the scent. They make classic shapes like pillars and tapers, but also have the best selection of shaped candles like this ghost, morels, and more.
I’ve also been trying out a candle warmer lamp in my office to still get the delicious scents and warm glow of candles, without the flame, and I’m loving it! As an added bonus, it puts off additional light and seems to make the candles and wax last longer than when I burn them.
In addition to candles, cooler weather means that soup is majorly on the brain for me. I’ve got all my favorites mentally ‘lined up’ to make in the next few weeks:
Broccoli Cheese Soup with Potato - This one is on the menu for tonight. I love that it’s chunkier and filled with veggies.
5 Bean Chili - We serve up chili in all kinds of different ways, but my favorite twist is to serve it over cheese tortellinis.
Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff - I use venison instead of beef and serve it over mashed potatoes.
Sausage, Potato, and Spinach Soup - I use regular sausage, and usually kale instead of spinach.
P.S. Any time I make soup, I double or triple the ingredients to have extra to freeze and eat later. It doesn’t add much chopping or prep time on the front end, and saves me loads of meal prep time later on.
My girls are begging to decorate for Halloween this weekend, so that’s what we’ll do. I’m not big on decorating for specific holidays, but they’re only kids once and they take the lead anyway. I made my decorating contribution earlier this week when I tried my hand at the thrifted art ghost painting trend that’s big on Instagram and TikTok right now. It was so easy and such a cute result!
The types of books and podcasts I listen to definitely change with the seasons, and right now I’m on a spooky kick. I don’t really like anything that’s truly in the ‘horror genre,’ but there are a few things I can’t get enough of lately:
My Favorite Murder has long been a favorite of mine - their banter and sense of humor is not for everyone, but I love it. They’ve been podcasting for 7+ years now, so there are a lot of episodes to choose from. I wouldn’t recommend starting from the very first episode - they’ve grown a lot over the course of the show - so maybe use this list or this one to give you an idea of some classic episodes to start with instead, as you get a taste for the structure of the show and their style of storytelling.
Buried Bones is another true crime podcast I listen to occasionally, but they focus on historic crimes. This week they’re covering an early 1900’s case from Dayton, OH, just north of where I grew up!
One of my current reads is Hollow Kingdom which has a seemingly weird premise (it’s narrated by a domesticated crow after the fall of the human race due to a zombie apocalypse) but it’s so clever and a good read. It’s made me laugh out loud multiple times, while also being just the right amount of creepy for the Halloween season.
There’s a lot of gardening work in my future this weekend, and I can’t wait! On my list - bringing in houseplants for the winter, doing basic garden clean-up and planting a last round of seeds for fall, and double-checking the markings on the maple trees we’ll tap later this winter.
Will you be visiting Brown County, Indiana anytime this fall? Last week I shared a FREE downloadable Nashville, IN Scavenger Hunt (great for kids or adults) along with an enormous roundup of all the Best Free Things to Do In Brown County. If you’re trying to time your visit with peak fall colors, then definitely check out this post for some resources to help time it.
It’s a great time of year in Brown County - and I hope the same can be said for wherever you are too!
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