Bucket List, Autumn Edition
There’s really no other way to start this than with a gigantic Feck Yeah cartwheel. If I had a fireplace it would be crackling, bunting strung along the mantlepiece made from mismatched vintage florals, oranges and yellows and some deep reds thrown in, too. There would be flickering candles with some Bach crooning off to the side, a mug of green tea nestled between my hands, and the smell of roast lamb and rosemary potatoes would be wafting through my house, making me feel like it’s true; that Dorothy was right all along — that there’s no place, not one, like home.
It hit last Wednesday, the distinct edge to the air, the crisp bite on my skin that made me dig out all our socks and quilts and collection of teas, the teapot perched on the edge of our kitchen bench to remind me to savour the cold, to turn things cozy.
We made a few indulgent trips last week to buy new slippers and tights and cute winter dresses for our girl, while I finally filtered through Billy’s drawers, bagged all the clothes he’s long grown out of and made little piles of jeans and vests and beanies I’ll try to sneak on him. This, obviously, is the official flag raiser – The Closet Rehaul – because since we don’t have snow, or parks of fallen leaves to jump in, or even central heating to turn on, I take the ritual of The Closet Rehaul seriously in its significance. Autumn is here, you guys. This game is on. We are lighting fires and sipping whisky to celebrate.
Okay, we’re not sipping whisky. Whisky is gross.
Behold, in annual season-change tradition, our autumn bucket list. It shall inspire us both with spontaneous cold-ish adventures, as with savouring the smallest of things. Like spiced cinnamon tea. And stripy socks. And lentil and chorizo soup. And movie nights under patchwork quilts.
- bake muffins with the kids
- overnight getaway with Joel to the mountains, without the kids
- family toasted marshmallow night
- sunday soup night with my girlfriends – bring a soup to share, huddle under blankets, discuss how saggy our boobs have become, drink red wine, etc.
- learn how to crochet
- start on the patchwork quilt I was always going to make out of favourite, special outfits of the kids – ones they’ve long grown out of. Ella’s first christmas dress, her dedication day romper, Billy’s first halloween outfit, the dress I wore during his labour. There are piles of meaningful clothes I could never give away and I’ve always wanted to turn them into a quilt to tuck their little bodies under.
- autumn scavenger hunt with the kids
- make bunting from dried leaves
- bake pies
- family day trip to the Walkabout Creek Wildlife Centre for the daily animal feedings
See, I’m inspired already. What else to add? Tell me, what’s your Autumn must-do? This list is getting taped to the fridge, and in true Taylor style, there will be plenty of blank space underneath for more loves to be added.
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And a few more things we’ve been enjoying.
Last swims of the season.
Made up games between these two munchkins.
Family visiting from England. We’ve been showing them the best our little seaside has to offer, with long walks and fish and chips and pints of beer waiting for us at the end. It’s been lovely.
Ella got invited to her first school friend’s birthday party on the weekend. It was at a dance centre near us and I could not take my eyes off her – her in this new world of friendship and connection entirely through her own doing. She held hands with her friends, giggling, twirling around like she had not one care in the world, and she kept running up to me saying, “I’m so excited, mummy!”. I grinned back and swooped her into my arms, kissing this girl of mine with as much love as is possible to convey. I get to watch it all, I thought, the entire growth of her childhood. I felt like the luckiest person in the world.
I’m just going to say that I love this blogging ritual — the putting of my good down to document, savouring it for a second time — good begets good and the more I start focusing on it, the more I see is there. I am lucky to have the things I do, and it’s irresponsible not to see those things with the value they hold. It’s my duty to enjoy them – to allow them to bring me as much joy as possible.
And these two, oh, how they bring me joy.
Clean slate day today. Wipe it down and start afresh, filling your week with the good stuff. Behold this day, it is yours to make.
7 Responses to “Bucket List, Autumn Edition”
Yay the autumn bucket list!
We snuck in probably our last beach swim for the season on the weekend, the swimmers and sunhats are getting packed away… *sob. This morning I did a wardrobe purge, changing over the girls clothes and making room for this weeks winter clothes shopping spree. Loving autumn with the cooler shift in weather, but as I’m a summer lovin’ girl from way back, I’ll be over the cold within a month or two and dreaming on the return of summer again. But thank you Rach for reminding me what’s to love about the cooler months. I already have pumpkin and pea and ham soup done and in the freezer. Might have to dig out the pumpkin scones recipe soon 😊
love some pea and ham soup. yum. and pumpkin scones…they’re on the bucket list 🙂 x
We had a sudden cold snap a couple of weeks ago so the flannelette sheets are already on beds and pumpkin and chick pea soup is being made on a regular basis for my lunches 🙂 I love the cold weather – I saw snow on the Brindabellas last week and was suddenly grinning like a kid on Christmas! Beautiful leather boots, wool coats, gloves, log fires and red wine. Love them all! As for autumn bucket list? Definitely rake up all the thousands of leaves that fall off our giant deciduous trees so the kids can jump in them, take photos of them buried up to their chests in leaves, make the most of wearing just a tshirt before it becomes mandatory to wear more layers, get out in the garden, and a cheeky wine on the back deck watching the sun set before it is too freaking cold to be out there without michelin man style puffer jackets and beanies!
sounds dreamy! do you have a fireplace? i’ve designed that into our future dream house. now on the bucket list: find pile of leaves. jump in them. Thanks! 🙂
Sadly no fire place in our new house. It is on the list though, of many things, to be added/fixed/done up in our new place 🙂 Jumping in leaves is awesome!
Walkabout creek is just up the road from me! It’s really pretty. If you would like, I would love to join you. Enjoy your autumn bucket list. Our uggies are out and blankets on the beds. I brought out Joseph’s quilt I made for him when i was pregnant with him. He loves it because he knows i made it for him. I have to say i don’t like Autumn because it means Winter is coming. I don’t like the cold, but the days are pretty and it’s really only cold for a few hours in the day. We are pretty lucky in Brisbane.
Yes, I’d love that! We’ll let you know when we’re going xo