Frequently, I tell my young adult daughters, The Precious Pair, that I wish to live to 100 years old. Of course, that’s not up to me. But if I do, one of the best parts will be living through 100 Octobers!

We don’t get enough Octobers. 

For now, I’ll gladly enjoy the 53rd version of my favorite month and everything about it. I wasn’t even born in October. I’m a December baby. So, what is it about the fall that makes me freak out? Let us count the ways…in a minute.

I know Summer People don’t quite get me, and that’s okay. To each their own. I see you. I like you anyway. Bundle up until June. I’ll be over here soaking up the chill in the air, having a glass of cider, and picking out all my cozy fall reads. As I saw the internet declare yesterday, “Step aside Hot Girl Summer; it’s time for Book Girl Fall!”

Strangely, the worst things tend to happen in my life during the summer, not excluding the one we just endured. I lost my puggy, I faced family legal matters, and I spent most days sweating my ass off. Heat and I aren’t on friendly terms. 

But I cannot say it was all bad. I went on my first-ever trip to Canada, and I officially completed my MBA, both in August. My oldest turned 21 that month, too. In September, I took her to Vegas where we had a ball together. 

Now that October is here, each of its 31 days will feel like its own little holiday to me. In honor of that, here are 31 things I plan to enjoy throughout this epic “Ber Month”:

1. Apple-y everything
2. Pumpkin Spicy everything
3. Fall Mums in my porch pots
4. The color rust
5. The color maroon
6. The color gold
7. Wine colored nail polish on my toes
8. Book club ladies gathering on my porch 
9. Drinking wine on my porch 
10. Reading on my porch 
11. Reading in a hammock
12. Admiring the leaves as they change to all the colors named above 
13. Watching the leaves let go
14. The crunch of the leaves under my shoes on the sidewalk  
15. Driving with my windows down 
16. Hot beverages of every variety, but especially coffee
17. If I’m extra lucky, a few rainy days
18. My obnoxious stack of blankies in the living room
19. My brand-new “Everything Fall” 3-Wick Candle (pictured above for dramatic effect)
20. Huskers Football in Maryland during a 3-day weekend
21. Installing my new little library
22. Enjoying the furry corgi of the house
23. Fuzzy socks  
24. Spending time in Union Pier, Michigan (population: 609)
25. Adult coloring books 
26. Jigsaw puzzles
27. Potter’s Bridge Park
28. The artistry of Boo Baskets
29. Seeing my young adult children still dress up because Halloween was their favorite growing up
30. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”
31. Harry Potter movies on a loop, in no particular order – or maybe Gilmore Girls (even though Rory annoys me)

The simple comforts of this thing called life bring me the most joy, peace, and relaxation. Seeking out these glimmers translates to less stress. And who doesn’t need a cortisol detox these days? It’s rushing through our veins – due to the daily grind, politics, prices, traffic, social media chatter, and the unknown dangers lurking around every turn. It’s time that we fight back with all the fall vibes! 

But wait. This season represents the opposite of aggression. It’s about calmly letting go. It’s about breathing crisp air into our lungs and exhaling it slowly in a healing manner. It’s about soulfulness, in spooky ways and in old-fashioned forms of expression. Crafting, baking, reading, raking, carving, sipping, booing, snuggling, crunching, harvesting. Notice how the gerunds of fall match how it looks, smells, sounds, tastes, and feels. 

Where are my fellow Fall Fanatics?!?

Meet me at the corner of Patch & Orchard. We’ll grab a PSL in our favorite flannels before we hit the library to check out a witchy novel. After that, who knows? We might follow a curvy country road and chase the leaves until they land reluctantly in a quiet spot, intended for you and me and a long Saturday afternoon. There, we will be still, because that’s what fall requires of us. No chaos. No sweating. No more summer. Only Autumn and all of its chilly glory. 

Living my best season,

Meesh