September has always been a month of transition to me. I adore summer, so I never want it to end. When we lived at the beach, it was easy to continue on as if summer was still going strong thanks to the hot temps and warm ocean water. In fact, September, outside of the possible hurricane and tropical storm threats (Stay away, Dorian), was always my favorite month in Myrtle Beach because it was free of tourists and it wasn’t oppressively hot.
But here, in western Pennsylvania, the embrace of fall is strong after Labor Day. Quite a few of our neighbors have already rolled out their fall wreaths and flags. With all the back to school mania and the early (and earlier) release of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I know fall is not far away, especially as the temperatures continue to cool.
However, I think it’s pertinent to remember that September is still (mostly) summer! The first official day of fall isn’t until September 23rd, so in that regard, my pumpkins and fall decor will continue to bide their time stashed away until the calendar deems it necessary to put them on display.
Here is what I am looking forward to this month…
A school routine!
Our little boy is 3 and started preschool this month, so we’re slowly getting into the swing of a Tuesday/Thursday early morning routine. It has been endearing to see him get excited about what the day might hold and who and what he will play with at school. I hope a love for learning and experiencing new things embraces him his whole life.
Baking more.
This month is always a great time to get back in the kitchen and experiment with a few recipes. Summer is often too hot to keep the oven running, but with the chill of the early mornings, baking a healthier version of banana bread, like Love & Lemon’s Healthy Banana Bread, or trying my hand at something more savory, like Half Baked Harvest’s Swirled Garlic Herb Bread, seems more realistic this month.
Blogging & writing more.
I’ve been meaning to make a go of this blog for a few years now. I get in the swing of it and then just as easily, I fall out of it. I need and want to work on my writing, finding my voice, and creating something that’s worth reading. I recently received a copy of my high school newspaper that I had a few articles in, and to say the least, they were BAD.
Listening to Natasha Bedingfield’s new album.
It’s been nine years since Natasha Bedingfield released an album, and she’s long been a favorite of mine. I’ve seen her twice in concert and hope to see her again this year when she’s in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Library on October 20, 2019.
“Kick It” is a strong first release from Roll With Me, and after listening to the album on Spotify, I want to make time to sink into and enjoy the lyrics.
Designing earrings for fall.
Earlier this year, I created a few sets of earrings that were colorful and made of sea glass, essentially perfect for summer. Now, as fall rears its ugly head (kidding), I need a few sets of fun designs that will accent a mostly neutral fall wardrobe. I want to work with wood beads (possibly painting a few wood beads in a metallic or teal hue), black lava rock, and yellow glass beads.
Reading Dorothea Benton Frank.
Frank passed away unexpectedly on September 2, 2019, and it’s disheartening to think that her words won’t continue to grace us. I’ve only read Pawley’s Island, but she was the embodiment of the Lowcountry. So in her honor, I want to make my way through a few of her titles, specifically her most recent release, Queen Bee, and a few others including Same Beach, Next Year, and her first, Sullivan’s Island.