Monthly Archives: October 2024

Here in New England, it’s the most wonderful season of all – Fall! While I love all the four seasons and the charm of each, fall is the best reason of all to live in a New England state! No matter where you live, there are some great things to help you have a true-blue, wonderful New England Autumn!

There is so much beauty in Autumn, and none so beautiful as in New England. Connecticut as a whole really does “fall” like nowhere else – plenty of natural beauty abounds. Fall 2024 has been one of the most beautiful seasons that I can remember!

We’ve had cool evenings and crisp mornings, perfect for a cozy sweatshirt or snuggly sweater. Afternoons, when the sun shines, are perfect for walking – no jacket needed.

Warm breezes catch the trees as changing leaves fall. 

While New England sunsets and skies are always pretty amazing, this year did not disappoint. We were recently treated to a light show in the sky, as conditions were recently perfect for viewing the Northern lights!

I have always wanted to see them, and always seem to miss them, on the few occasions they have been visible. I even missed them when I traveled to Scandinavia. When we could see them the other evening, I was so excited I was like a little kid! Such beauty!

There are other things I love about fall, too. The warm, comforting foods, more downtime with a break from heavy gardening, a change in wardrobe – both in coziness and rich fall colors, and the cozy decor of this time of year, indoors and out. 

No matter where you are, there are certain things that help make a New England fall! Here are a few of my favorites!

As the temperatures change, so do our gardens, as annuals and perennials fade into winter. Fall outdoor decor would not be the same without annual mums, cabbages, and other beautiful plantings, all in deep and fiery colors, along with pumpkins, of course! 

Fresh pumpkins are a New England decorating staple! Since our fall temperatures can range from warm to cool, I always make sure to use pumpkins that have no blemishes, which can cause rotting. Nothing goes to waste! For the large carving pumpkins, once we carve them into Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween night, we roast the seeds for snacking. The rest of the pumpkin shell later goes to the chickens, as do the other pumpkins once the holidays arrive and decor is changed for the winter. Many local farms take leftover and cut pumpkins to feed their animals, such as llamas, goats and other farm animals. As long as pumpkins have no blemishes, they should last through Halloween, without using a bleach wash – a practice that makes pumpkins inedible for any animals that might feed on them after the season has passed. 

Inside, I love my pumpkins, as well! I put out pumpkin decor at the beginning of September and leave it through Thanksgiving, when it is then time to decorate for Christmas! 

New Englanders love their soups and stews! I love to cook (as most farmgirls do), and my choice of cookware has always been cast iron and enameled cast iron. If taken care of properly, both last forever! I have always wanted one of the lidded pumpkin-shaped enameled cast iron saucepans or dutch ovens, but they’re always out of my price range. For my anniversary this year, my dear husband surprised me this year with this beautiful enameled cast iron sauce pan he found on Amazon . Large enough for a side dish or soup for two, it’s so beautiful, and looks festive on my stove even when not in use. Heavy cast iron, with glossy paint in several colors to choose from, at a price point of $49 to $69 (and free Prime shipping), it’s a steal!

If you have never been to an At Home store, your mind will be blown when you do go. Think of it as a big warehouse store for all things home-related. My friend, Susan, and I go once or twice a year- it’s fun just to walk around and see what’s new in garden, kitchen, and holiday items. While most of my “holiday” tableware is more than thirty years old, I can’t wait to spice up my table for Thanksgiving, with this gorgeous set of cloth napkins!

Halloween in Connecticut  is just like it’s portrayed in Hallmark movies, or my favorite Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus. Binx, the black cat, is my favorite character. (Of course, I love all cats, especially my two sweet rescues)!

I also love nail polish – especially this time of year when I crave darker, sparkly and rich shades. So, what do nail polish and rescue cats have in common? Mooncat! 

My daughter found Mooncat nail polish online, and we are totally hooked! Vegan, woman-owned, and totally cruelty-free, the company also aids rescue cats! I love a company that gives back! 

Described as “wearable art”, the nail polish colors are amazing and different! I love “Dark Horse” for fall, a sparkly, rich and coppery chocolate shade. The website has all sorts of shades, and different formulations including thermal and magnetic! I love that I can get quick, gorgeously-colored nails at home. Even one coat covers beautifully, if you are short on time, and the quick drying time is unlike anything we’ve ever used. Even my dark polish dries lightning-fast and shiny! I also love that their website shows each color on different length nails from short to long, on different skin tones, in different lighting, with glamorous colors from light to dark…all beautiful!

While we are talking about our nails, my hands and nails get very dry once the less humid fall weather arrives, but this year I am not having that issue, thanks to my new favorite hand cream! Help keep your hands soft in cooler weather with “Hello Kitty”! Yes, that “Hello Kitty”! My daughter also introduced me to skincare products from The Creme Shop brand. Made in Korea, the products are great for young to mature skin (I’m 52, and so far have loved everything I’ve tried, from the masks to their creams), but our favorite is their tubes of hand cream, especially the limited-edition tubes for the fall season, with delicious fall-themed scents.

Cruelty-free, paraben-free, made with shea butter, the hand cream is wonderful without being greasy. I leave a tube on the sink vanity, and the tubes are also a good size for carrying in your purse or car, and make great little “I-thought-about-you-gifts”. Featuring characters such as Hello Kitty on the front of the tube, they make my Generation X heart so happy! 

We first found the hand cream on a visit to the largest Anime store in the United States, Arisu Anime, located in the wonderful collection of unique shops, Olde Mystic Village, in Mystic, Connecticut, (a must-visit, New England destination)! If you’re not in Connecticut, you can also find the hand cream at Ulta stores or online at thecremeshop.com.

New Englanders love their outdoors! There’s nothing better than sitting around a firepit or campfire on a crisp fall day, roasting marshmallows, or for our family,  making ”snorbrod”, hot dogs roasted over a fire with bread dough, a Danish tradition. I got tired of spending money on disposable, flimsy roasting sticks!

We love Zulay kitchen’s marshmallow roasting sticks! Color-coded on the ends, the telescoping sticks have a double-forked end, and are strong enough to roast more than just marshmallows, as we have loved using them for our snorbrod.

Once outdoor-cooking is over, they store neatly in their own drawstring pouch. Zulay kitchen products are found on Amazon, or at the Zulay Kitchen website. 

Once fall comes, there are also wonderful outdoor festivals all over New England. We recently went to the Connecticut Garlic Festival, in Bethlehem, Connecticut.

We saw the “Garlic King”, ate delectable garlic-steak-tips-and-mashed-potato sundaes, and walked through booths with all sorts of fun, small businesses from the area. For dessert, we tried garlic ice cream (surprisingly tasty)!

Our most favorite fall festival is the Connecticut Renaissance Festival! Held in the fall through October (it ends October 20th this year), it is a classic, fun Renaissance Fair! I love the turkey dinner sundaes and roasted turkey legs, the fun of seeing everyone dressed up and “larping”, and the wonderful vendors with unique items. It’s a great family day! 

This year, my favorite vendor was Auntie Arwen’s Spices and Teas, another woman-owned, small business located in Jewett City, (Griswold) Connecticut. There were so many spices and teas in the booth, it was so exciting! 

There is nothing better than a good cup of tea on a crisp fall morning! Auntie Arwen’s vanilla tea is hands-down the best tea we’ve ever tasted! I also love the lavender tea, (so fragrant and delicious). We also picked up her “Asthma and Bronchitis Relief Tisane”, since colds tend to start showing up this time of year. 

With both cool and warm days, I love a good spice blend or rub to put on meat or veggies, for either in the oven or on the grill. I couldn’t pass up Auntie Arwen’s “Translvanian Lovebite”, a spice blend with a savory, bbq flavor. I love it, (and the cute little vampire on the front of the jar)! It’s absolutely delicious sprinkled on chicken for a quick meal! What I also love is their commitment to the environment! Refills are available for their spice jars, for example. 

Auntie Arwen’s Spices and Teas website is so much fun to browse! With all sorts of spices from around the world, sugars, books, fabric dyes and more, it’s a magical website, with something for everyone! As a special gift, Auntie Arwen has made 50 online coupons available for this month’s blog readers! Use the Coupon code “Farmgirl” when you check out, and receive 10% off your order! Thank you, Auntie Arwen!

The leaves are turning colors and falling, the light is changing and fall is off to a great start. As a whole, the keys to a true New England Autumn are deep, rich colors, coziness, warm and comforting food and drink, and fun, festive celebrations – centered around friends and family! Have a Happy Halloween, dear readers, and here’s wishing you all a Fabulous Fall! Remember to leave me a comment so I know that you have stopped by!