This and That

I hope you had a good week!

It’s been a week and a half since we returned from our two-month boat trip, and while it feels great to be home, getting caught up has been slow going.

We came home to a broken refrigerator and freezer. Thankfully, it must have just happened, because not much had spoiled yet. I’m so glad we came back two days early, or that homecoming could’ve been a whole lot messier!

Appliances just aren’t what they used to be. Remember those avocado green and harvest gold refrigerators from the ’70s? You could count on those things to last forever! I’m convinced people only got rid of them because of the color, not because they stopped working.

Between that, piles of laundry from the trip, being at least a month behind on fall decorating, and the never-ending garden to-do list, it’s been a bit chaotic around here. But I’m getting there — slowly but surely. And honestly? It just feels so good to be home.

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A Garden That Waited for Me

Dahlias, Zinnias, and Asters

It’s amazing how much changes in two months.

The garden has slowed down, but there are still a few stars of the show stealing the spotlight.

The dahlias, zinnias, and asters are absolutely breathtaking right now, bursting with color when most of the garden is winding down.

None of them were blooming before we left in August, so it feels like such a gift to come home to all this beauty.

We moved the dahlias to the fence along the front of the driveway this year, and they’ve absolutely thrived.

I love how they pair with the purple asters — it’s such a cheerful combination for early fall!

What I love about asters is that they can be divided once they’ve finished blooming. When we added the patio a couple of years ago, we split our three original plants, and each mother plant became four new ones!

They’ve grown even larger this year than I expected, and it’s been so rewarding to see how well they’ve filled in.

I planted several new varieties of dahlia tubers this year, and I’m so happy with how they turned out. Here are a few of my favorites — each one has been such a fun surprise as it’s started to bloom!

Let me know if you have any questions. I didn’t have time to look up the names of each one before publishing this.

October’s Cut Flower Garden

The yarrow is still blooming beautifully in the cut flower garden, adding that soft touch of color I love this time of year.

The best surprise, though, has to be the white pumpkins climbing up the trellis alongside the flowers.

The Fall Cottage Garden

As I walk through the cottage garden, there are still plenty of signs of life — the ornamental grasses, autumn sedum ‘Autumn Joy,’ calendula, and a few black-eyed Susans are all hanging in there, adding those last splashes of color before fall fully settles in.

There are even some lavender plants that are still in bloom.

October Gardening Tasks

There’s plenty to do in the garden this month. Here’s my list of things I still need to do.

• Mulching fallen leaves and layering them on top of garden beds for extra winter protection
• Planting spring bulbs
• Harvesting seeds from cut flowers to sow next year
• Drying cut flowers such as hydrangeas, strawflowers, zinnias, and statice
• Transplant geraniums from planters to individual pots to overwinter in the greenhouse
• Continue deadheading spent flowers
• More weeding
• Dividing perennials
• Planning next year’s garden (yes…already)

Cozy Cottage Fall Vibes

After soaking up those last bits of color outside, it’s time to head indoors.

The cottage is finally starting to feel like fall again — cozy textures, soft candlelight, and a few pumpkins sprinkled here and there make it such a warm and welcoming space this time of year.

Let’s just say—I went a little overboard on photos this week. I guess I’m trying to make up for all those weeks I didn’t share anything from home!

Take a look…

Fall Cottage Kitchen

I’m loving the larger kitchen island. I can’t believe how much easier it is to prep food and make meals with all the extra counter space.

It’s one of those changes that makes you wonder how you ever managed before!

Many of the pieces on the open kitchen shelves are new finds from our boat trip.

The brown and white vintage transferware came from Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon, and both the glass jar and green tin are vintage treasures I found at the Brentwood Bay Antique Mall in Canada.

I love how they each add a little personality and charm to the space — such fun reminders of our travels!

I have so many different shades of dried hydrangeas this year, and I’m especially loving the mix of green and purple blooms on the kitchen table. They add such a soft, cozy touch to the space and the perfect blend of summer fading into fall.

Fall Cottage Living Room

I’m really loving the new furniture layout in the living room. It feels so much more open this way, and the space naturally lends itself to conversation now. It’s amazing what a simple change can do!

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”— F. Scott Fitzgerald

On the Blog

28 Fall Gardening Tasks to Prepare a Flower Garden for Winter

Now that the leaves are falling from the trees and the flowers are fading away, what’s next for the garden? Here’s a fall task list to help you prepare your garden for the winter season…CONTINUE READING.

How to Make a DIY Fresh Magnolia Leaf Wreath

This easy-to-make DIY fresh magnolia leaf wreath is perfect for fall and holidays. I’ll show you how I incorporated magnolia leaves from the tree in our yard, branches of all kinds, and dried oranges. A step-by-step tutorial is below…CONTINUE READING.

How to Dry Orange Slices for Your Fall and Winter Holiday DIY Projects

Are you looking for the perfect natural addition to your fall and winter holiday decor? I’ll show you how to dry orange slices to add a touch of warmth, color, and charm to any DIY project…CONTINUE READING.

My Favorite Inspiration Around the Web This Week

This instant pot chicken pot pie casserole looks fall fabulous!

Step inside this modern arch-filled La Jolla sanctuary.

This brown and white transferware pumpkin fall craft is the cutest idea!

Find the best Halloween spooky cocktails, mocktails, and punches, plus drinks for fall nights and cozy sips!

This Urban Grace home project will inspire you.

Here’s a guide for cutting and arranging chrysanthemums that you’ll want to see.

I’m loving this DIY black and white swag crafted for Halloween.

These Toblerone shortbread cookies look so delicious!

Looking Ahead

Next week, I’ll be sharing a peek inside Wildflower, our trawler-turned-second-home, after two months of cruising the Pacific Northwest.

I’ll also have more updates from the garden as I dive into fall cleanup mode, plus a few new cozy touches I’m adding around the cottage as the temperatures cool down.

It feels like the start of a whole new season, filled with cozy evenings, garden planning, and maybe even a pumpkin spice candle or two.

Until next time,

Wishing a wonderful week ahead,

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