September
I am off on an adventure this Thursday, wandering all over southern England for the next three weeks, taking a sewing course, retreating with friends, taking dips in tidal rivers and pools in Cornwall, and meeting up with family to close out the time.
September has sped by as I’ve had my nose firmly in Possession for the slow read that started on the first. The group that’s been active in the comments discussing the book has been delightful — we’ve explored color schemes, character motivation and even solved a spelling mystery together. I’ve enjoyed reading this book together every bit as much as I’d hoped and then some, so more slow reads will come in 2026.
I return from my trip mid-October, and plan to run a member workshop on October 24, but on a topic I find on my travels. Given the way travel works for me, picking a topic now will only mean my wanting to change it later when I find a better fit during a conversation with friends, learning new sewing techniques, or finishing a sweater by the fire. As soon as I know what it will be, I’ll share here.
In the meantime, save October 24th for a topic that future me will be on fire to share.
The days are shorter now and we’re lighting candles at the dinner table again, pulling on sweaters first thing in the morning while sipping that first coffee, and I’ve delighted in chopping apples into my morning porridge again.
I hope the turn of the season, whether it’s into or out of the colder months, is bringing color and delight to your world.
Let’s look at the delights I’ve found this month, shall we?
Favorite September books:
Inciting Joy,
. Given that Ross Gay and I both have August birthdays, this was my second year starting one of his books on my birthday, and I hope he keeps writing books forever, because I can’t think of a better way to celebrate. Last year I read The Book of Delights, and I may have loved Inciting Joy even more. Gay has a genuine gift — his writing connects to joy while also acknowledging all the heartbreaking things happening on earth right now. If the world has you down lately, this won’t tell you to look away from that; it will show you how to survive the times we are facing.Aflame, Pico Iyer. I have been lucky enough to spend time in Big Sur, and Iyer’s reflection on the Hermitage along that stunning coast took me right there. In addition, his elegant writing about the benefits of time spent in contemplative silence left me feeling I’d attended a retreat alongside him. I suspect this one will get reread many times.
The Feast, Margaret Kennedy. Written in the 1940s and recently reissued, this story is a literal cliffhanger: in the opening scene, we learn a landslide has crushed a local hotel in Cornwall, leaving many guests dead. Then the book shifts back to a week earlier, and we follow the personal intrigue of all the guests, not knowing who lives and who dies until the last moment. I could not put it down! Many thanks to reading queen
for recommending this.Possession, A. S. Byatt. Of course I had to add this one. Despite having read this book twice before, taking it about fifty pages a week and preparing debriefs for each excerpt has transformed the experience. Byatt is even more brilliant than I realized, and I could easily stretch this slow read to ten pages a week and still not run out of things to explore and marvel at. Whether you’re a slow-read fan or not, this is a classic prizewinner for a reason.
You may have missed
I had a lovely cozy chat with
about both of our decisions to end our successful podcasts in favor of new projects. Here’s the replay:
I’ve spent a lot of time knitting recently, which got me thinking about what crafts have taught me about letting go of perfectionism in writing:
Other inspiring discoveries:
- shared this beauty of a post about pressing apple cider that made me feel like I was right there in the orchard.
I was stunned by this gorgeous story of finding thousands of depression-era garments that documented generations of a family. Storytelling through garments, truly.
This post contains a wide array of options for images to use royalty free images rather than AI. It came out in April, but I just discovered it and it’s really worth checking out.
Many of you reported enjoying Ruby Granger’s commonplace notebook video. She’s recently made one on creating a personal curriculum, which pairs brilliantly with the guest post I wrote for
. She also has a follow-up on applying her personal curriculum, so you’ve got a treat of a lineup waiting for you if this topic is a favorite.
What’s on in October
For members this month:
Possession’s slow read continues through October and November.
Our members’ live this month will be on Halloween!
As mentioned, our seasonal member workshop will be Friday, 24 October, on a surprise topic, likely discovered on my travels.
I’ve had so much fun testing planner choices, so prepare yourself for a massive notebook and planning round-up post to help you choose your set-up for 2026.
Enjoy the candlelight and the cozy days, curled up to craft or read.
lots of love,
Caroline
I love that you are allowing your topic to come from your travels! I also want to hear more about the retreat! Are you writing or reading or something else?