The October 2023 Guide

Are you in on the trick that Mother Nature is playing? Somehow, it feels like the second part of the year speeds up as time passes! I’m not a fan of this trick, but maybe it means I enjoy the days so much that they fly right by. Or it could mean that I, and I know you too, need to be more relaxed and take the time necessary to savor the moments. We’re often told to take in each season, slow down, and enjoy. But time gets away from us, and we forget.

This newsletter is a chance to slow down and catch up. It’s an intentional check-in to see how we’re doing with the fall season and the upcoming holidays.

I enjoyed this fall. As fast as it felt, it seemed to happen slightly slower than in previous years. Here in Iowa, we’ve been somewhat warmer, with sunny days and extended plant growth. My ferns have been outdoors almost through the end of October. Instead of retiring them to the plant room and opting for a pumpkin-only display, I enjoyed the botanical interest they added and kept them well-watered.

Fall is my favorite time of year… until the next season arrives, so I’m glad we can catch up before moving along. I’m holding a warm cup… wait, that isn’t right. I’m holding a hot cup of coffee. I’m not too fond of anything tepid in temperature, and I hope you are having something cozy, too. Let’s chat!

Let’s talk about the garden.

I’ve been enjoying the views of my pumpkins much longer than I thought I would. I placed most of them outside in early September and a few in late August and have been able to sit back and relish in their autumnal colors. In 2019, we had heavy snow in October and many below 32°F nights that caused the pumpkins to turn soft quickly. This year, we didn’t have a hard freeze until October 29! This warmer weather helped keep the Swiss chard, leeks, and herbs growing in the garden, which made fall all the better.

Before the freeze, I took in the remaining ferns I wanted to save and squeezed them into the plant room. The room is very full and, up to a few days ago, needed no heat other than the sun. But with the highs barely reaching 40°F yesterday and today, I turned on the heat and will monitor to keep the room around 70°F.

I left the carrots in the garden until we had a hard freeze, and now I need to dig them up. Mom, and Grandma before her, always like to keep certain root vegetables in the garden until after a freeze because they tend to become sweeter. Carrots create an “anti-freeze,” using their starch and turning it into sugar. This makes the carrots taste sweet and less bitter. I don’t know if I always tell the difference, but it’s an excellent way to think they are better.

Pretty soon, I’ll mulch the leaves that fell from the trees into the yard and add them as the final protection for my garlic and shallots during their winter slumber. It feels like the close of the garden season, but after much hard outdoor work this summer, it’s always a bit of a sigh of relief.

Let’s talk about food.

I was recently asked on a Reel if I eat anything other than winter squash in the fall. I had to stop and think about what that person meant until a few friends mentioned that not everyone is as used to using squash (or maybe as in love with it) as I am. One of the ways I enjoy and feel the season is by using what I grow in the garden. I plant a lot of squash and use it all fall and winter long. If you’re in the same boat, whether you grow it or pick it up at the store, here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• ​Squash kale lasagna uses an easy and delicious squash soup as its base. I’ve been making this soup almost weekly, so even if you don’t make the lasagna, at least make the soup!
• ​Stuffed acorn squash casserole works perfectly to use up squash and is excellent to put on the menu for Thanksgiving in a few weeks!
• ​Fig, walnut, and squash kale salad satisfies the desire for a salad that is also super seasonal. Figs can be hard to find, so I substitute with pears or apples if I must.

It’s not all about squash, though! Here are some of my other favorites at this time of year:

• ​Slow cooker chili is a recipe that I also make just about every week because there’s simply nothing better than soup in the fall!
• ​Roasted sweet potato salad, which I first created this September, will be a long-time favorite and also perfect as a side dish at Thanksgiving. By the way, the sweet potato can easily be swapped out for butternut squash.
• ​Roasted tomato soup is one of my newest creations, and it all came about because I had too many end-of-the-season tomatoes on hand. The flavor is rich and deep, and it’s perfect when paired with grilled cheese croutons!

In case you missed any new recipes this month, here’s everything that I made:

• ​Brown butter squash pasta​
• ​Spiced carrot muffins​
• ​Cheesy butternut squash pasta (kind of like mac & cheese)
• ​Pumpkin bars​
• ​Sheet pan sausage with roasted vegetables

Let’s talk about Kip.

I’m so lucky to have a healthy and happy canine companion as of late. Since his pancreatitis and IBD episode in July, Kip has been so very, very good. He’s on a strict low-fat diet, and that means I have to, reluctantly, not dole out many of his favorite treats. Since he’s been so good, we’re able to do his monthly chemo treatments, which act as immune suppressants for his ongoing Meningomylitis, close to home. Every day, during one of our many snuggle and kiss sessions, I tell Kip I’m the luckiest human to have him as mine.

Let’s talk about my upstairs remodel.

As I write this, my second-floor remodel is on track to be completed by the very first few days of November. I’m partially moved in and in love! Throughout the past nine months, I’ve had many times when it was getting hard, and the mess was bringing me down. It’s a bit hard to feel creative when your space doesn’t provide inspiration.

Remodels are complex, and they’re often stress-inducing. The budgets are hard to stick to, and the timelines change. When it nears completion, though, those feelings of worry slowly fade as you realize what you’ve been waiting for is finally close at hand.

I’m doing a “slow move” into the space. This is a busy time of year for content creation (Thanksgiving and Christmas), and I want to enjoy the decorating process. I won’t be quick to hang things on the wall. I want to live in the space and feel where everything belongs. It’s easy to rush putting an area together after a lengthy remodel, but that can lead to rash decisions. The few items I have placed so far have made it instantly feel like home and get me excited for the Christmas season!

That’s all for this fall month of October. I hope that your month was either exciting or slow, whichever one was right for you. By this time next month, American Thanksgiving will be past, and we’ll be headed toward the holidays. Until we speak again, take care, stay warm, and enjoy each day to the fullest!