"In October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible." — Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond
READING:
Books:
The Women by Kristin Hannah — “The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era” (Goodreads). I took a break from women in war literature, having read so many WWII French Resistance stories, including Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale. The Women came highly recommended by several colleagues and since it’s set during the Vietnam War, I thought it might be “novel” enough to revisit women in war. Nazis and spies were replaced with gruesome injuries and debilitating PTSD. Kristin Hannah is a good writer, but this genre isn’t for me.
Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella — “Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets — secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone…until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger.…Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company's elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her…” (Goodreads). I have read Sophie Kinsella before. It’s proper “chick lit” à la Bridget Jones’ Diary, but I think it might have been the perfect anecdote to the gravitas of The Women.
Building Thinking Classrooms by Peter Liljedahl — 14 Practices for enhancing learning — a good read, but not exactly recreational.
Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin — “Violette Toussaint is the caretaker at a cemetery in a small town in Bourgogne. Random visitors, regulars, and, most notably, her colleagues—three gravediggers, three groundskeepers, and a priest—visit her as often as possible to warm themselves in her lodge, where laughter, companionship, and occasional tears mix with the coffee that she offers them. Her daily life is lived to the rhythms of their hilarious and touching confidences” (Goodreads).
Links:
Wisconsin’s Wine Country (Milwaukee Magazine)
30 Years of “It Bags” (InStyle) — It may have debuted ten years ago, by I still carry my Saint Laurent Sac du Jour to work everyday. Mine is black with cream over stitching — a classic.
The Most Sought-After Travel Guide Is a Google Doc (Thrillist) — I have created bespoke Google Docs and Maps for Paris, Door County, New York, Napa/Sonoma, etc.
WATCHING:
Gilmore Girls (Netflix) — Autumn requires an annual trip to Stars Hollow.
My perennial Halloween favorites:
Hocus Pocus — Would it be Halloween without The Sanderson Sisters?'
Practical Magic — I love the vibe of the town, the house, and the 90’s fashion.
Beetlejuice — Favorite Scene: The Banana Boat Song
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice at the Outdoor in Fish Creek
The Lincoln Lawyer Season 3 (Netflix)
LISTENING TO:
Cool jazz: It just reminds me of fall.
My personally curated Fall and Halloween playlists — perfect for road trips and evenings on the deck.
My October Instapuzzle Mini-Playlist:
The Great Pumpkin Waltz (Vince Guaraldi)
I Want Candy (Bow Wow Wow)
Take Five (The Dave Brubeck Quartet)
Autumn Leaves (Vince Guaraldi)
Hello October (Sugar Lime Blue)
Practical Magic (Alan Silvestri)
Spooky Season (Bradley Thomas Turner)
The Pumpkin’s Song (Oskar Schuster)
Spooky (Classics IV)
ENJOYING: October —- I love the colors and the smell of the changing leaves; “sweater weather” and cozy fashions; bonfires and football; comfort foods and red wines; super moons and starry skies; Gilmore Girls and Halloween movies, and a trip to the pumpkin patch, carving jack-o-lanterns and roasting pumpkin seeds…October feels a big hug.
