I know it's technically summer for a few more days, but the weather is undoubtedly fall here. I'm currently sitting at my desk with camp socks, cozy pants, a sweatshirt and a down throw over my legs. Tea's a'brewin' on the counter. Fall doesn't care about the days on the calendar. It's here now and it's time to enjoy it!
At the start of summer I posted a few goals and ended up liking it so much that I thought I'd do it for fall, too.
I think the keys to goal setting are being very specific while also holding back a bit. I could write out a list of a zillion things I want to do before winter comes, but time is limited. My main goal is to enjoy the season while being productive and healthy, so I'm focusing on 4-5 goals within each category.
GO
- To a dark sky park and see the Milky Way before it gets frigid. We're looking at maybe trying the Torrence Barrens in Muskoka.
- To a pumpkin patch and drink hot cider. Lots and lots of hot cider.
- To an apple orchard, get a giant bag of apples, and make pie (see below).
- On a Sunday drive through the country to see the fall colors.
- On one more hike. I've been looking at maybe Mount Nemo or Spencer Gorge near Hamilton, Ontario for beautiful vistas and dramatic waterfalls.
- To Muskoka for Canadian Thanksgiving. Oh yes, I get two Thanksgivings!
- To Niagara for a family visit and maybe to wander into some wineries for tastings.
Ok, so maybe I'll allow 7 goals in this category because I make the rules on this blog and all of these things are fun!
DO
- Start adding more destinations to the Get Inspired section
- Finish planning our honeymoon and start a series about how to plan a honeymoon and not go crazy.
- Finish the design and layout for the Versailles Vignette Guide PDF (ooh yes!).
- Practice calligraphy!
- Start a good bedtime routine. No screens after 9. Have a tisane, decaf tea, or warm almond milk. Maybe do a little yoga or stretching to unwind. Read in bed. Sleep like a champ!
MAKE
- This Pumpkin Chili - I made it last year with way more than the recommended amount of chili powder--I am New Mexican, ya know. It's healthy and delicious!
- This Real Pumpkin Spice Steamer/Latte for at-home, non-dairy, spicy pumpkin goodness to go with my reading list.
- These Apple Pie Tartlets - Because if I can't have diary, I'm bound an determined to have delicious desserts options anyway.
- This Butternut Squash Risotto - I might mix it up and add a little Thai green curry and coconut milk instead of cream.
- These oven roasted ribs - I might have to make them this week, we just got a giant package of ribs at Costco. They are calling my name from inside the fridge.
- Pumpkin Pie, of course! What's fall without it?
READ
I have a couple of carry-overs from my summer list and some gothic, mysterious reads that I can't wait to get cozy with.
- #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso - This book's been on my list for months and I'm keeping my fingers crossed my number comes up at the library soon.
- The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton - From the description on Goodreads: "A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery." Sounds like my kinda book. I can't wait to read it!
- Blood Work by Holly Tucker - A non-fiction tale of science and murder in 17th century Europe. In 1667 a physician named Jean Denis transfused the blood of a calf into a notorious Parisian madman in hopes of curing his madness. Instead, the madman ended up dead and Denis was framed for his murder. The book unravels how intense rivalries and heated debates surrounding the burgeoning science of transfusion led to this peculiar case.
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - Two friends recommended this Pulitzer Prize winner to me and I keep seeing it everywhere, so I figured it's time to give it a read. From Amazon:
“Theo Decker, a 13-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his longing for his mother, he clings to the one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.
As an adult, Theo moves silkily between the drawing rooms of the rich and the dusty labyrinth of an antiques store where he works. He is alienated and in love—and at the center of a narrowing, ever more dangerous circle.”
So there you have it. My goals for making the most of fall. I might revisit them throughout the season, but I think they're going to stick.
What about you? Are you setting goals for the fall? Do you have any must-reads or favorite recipes you can't wait to make. I'd love to hear about how you make the most of the season.