Dear friends,
Happy October! If you’re in the Northern hemisphere, autumn has finally arrived.
Here in Colorado the pumpkins are piled around the entrance of our neighborhood grocery store, and the leaves are just beginning to turn on the maple trees in our back yard.
Even though it’s forecast to be 82 degrees F here today (!), I’m looking forward to cooler days ahead, soft sweaters and hearty meals.
Check out some of our favorite October recipes and ideas below, and be sure to enter to win a copy of my favorite autumn cookbook Pumpkin It Up!
Until next month,
Eliza Cross
Win a Copy of Pumpkin It Up!
You could win a copy of my favorite fall cookbook, “Pumpkin It Up!” This 128-page hardcover book features 75 of my favorite pumpkin recipes, like the chocolate-y pumpkin swirl brownies shown on the front cover.
To enter, simply leave a comment below and answer this question:
What’s your favorite thing about autumn?
You’ll be automatically entered to win! I’ll draw one random name from all the comments received by midnight MST October 8, 2023 and announce a winner the following week.
Super Easy Dinner Idea: Meatball Sliders
Easy Italian Meatball Sliders are one of my favorite go-to weekday dinner recipes.
They’re simple to put together, and bake in the oven in about 20 minutes. Here’s the recipe for Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders.
Hitting the Pause Button to Enjoy a Special Time
You’ll be receiving this newsletter on the morning after my daughter Gracie’s wedding to her sweetheart Joe. The photo above was taken at the rehearsal dinner, which was the most fun celebration of introducing and blending two families.
Weddings are inherently events with a million tasks and details, and a wise friend gave me advice to remember to pause now and then and take every breathtaking moment in — because it all goes so fast.
I wrote the word “ENJOY” on my daily To Do list, as a reminder to stay present and have fun. (Come to think of it, that might be a good daily habit to incorporate even when I’m not Mother of the Bride.)
Things You Can Do Now to Start Getting Ready for the Holidays
Want to enjoy a more fun, festive, relaxing holiday season this year?
Santa might still be on vacation, but you can get a jump start on Christmas tasks so you have more time to pause and enjoy the season. Here are 7 things you can start doing now to get ready for the holidays.
Corn Chowder is the Ultimate Comfort Food Soup
Corn chowder is an easy dinner recipe that you can make with fresh, frozen or canned corn.
A garnish of crispy bacon makes it an irresistible comfort food meal! Here’s the easy recipe for Old Fashioned Corn Chowder.
Got Leaves? Here’s How to Compost Them
Did you know that you can turn your fallen leaves into rich, crumbly compost to enhance your garden soil? Check out our article “Autumn Gold” for all the tips and tricks.
More Simple Living Ideas on Pinterest
P.S. We’d love to connect with you over at Pinterest, where we have dozens of boards with ideas and recipes to make your life easier!
About Eliza Cross
Eliza Cross is the author of 17 books, including Small Bites and 101 Things To Do With Bacon. She shares ideas to simplify cooking, gardening, time and money. She is also the owner of Cross Media, Inc. and founder of the BENSA Bacon Lovers Society.
The most special thing about autumn is hearing the Elk Bugle. We used to live in Evergreen Colorado and I Loved the sound. We live in Texas now and I miss the Elk and their haunting call so much!
My favorite things about Autumn are:
The air getting crisper
The leaves changing color
Apples & Pomegranates
Apple Cider
Pumpkins
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Snuggling inside my home to bake and cook
Fall is my favorite season. I love everything about it, but my top favorite thing is the incredible beauty of the changing colors. Especially when going for a nature walk in a park or a drive in the countryside. The mixtures of green, light yellow, golden yellow, orange and red leaves are a feast for the eyes and bring peace to my soul. God does color so perfectly!
My favorite thing about autumn is the breathtaking color of the trees apes! I love to walk outside while falling leaves dip and sail to the ground like raindrops!
My favorite thing about autumn is the wonderful weather. It is a perfect time to be outside and enjoy God’s beautiful and wonderful creation. This is also a time to put the yard to sleep, preparing for winter and then of course, there is pumpkin and more pumpkin, and more pumpkin!
My favorite thing about fall is the changing of the leaves. We just recently moved south and you don’t get to see the beautiful colors but I can’t ignore the beautiful fall weather here in Myrtle Beach. I’m glad we moved here forever.
Maureen, Myrtle Beach sounds absolutely lovely! Hope you’re enjoying a wonderful November. ~Eliza