Hello, Sunday Letter friends! September is here.
Goodness. Weren’t we celebrating Memorial Day ten minutes ago? And now, Labor Day is here to close out another summer.
Did I do all the things on my summer bucket list? Probably not. (I can’t even remember what those things were.)
Our family recently spent a fabulous week together at Lake Norfork. Bravo for unseasonably cool weather and family traditions. Lake time is always good for my soul; even more so when my kids are there and the air is not stifling.
Hello F A L L!
Fall doesn’t official begin until the 22nd, but in my mind, all of September belongs to fall.
Letting go of summer is hard in many ways, but I’m ready to say goodbye heat and humidity (I hope), and hello cool mornings and pleasant afternoons (pretty please).
The morning light already casts a different glow. I find comfort in harvest-time and the change of offerings at our farmer’s market. Even the simple turn of the calendar page lifts my spirits. Yes, August’s sauna is winding down.
Summer was good to me, but I’m ready to move on.
Hello G O L D F I N C H!
During the summer, I regularly deadhead our echinacea to encourage new blooms. But this is the time of year deadheading stops because dried seed heads are loaded with food for the migrating goldfinches. And bonus—dried stems and seedheads provide a Halloween vibe to our fall garden.
If you prefer, you can save your coneflower seeds to share with others next spring. My how-to is HERE.
Hello G O U R D!
I grew a small green gourd!
This happened quite by accident. You see, I am a lazy composter. I don’t tend to my compost properly. (In theory, a compost pile should heat up to the point nothing will grow in the soil.) But because I toss veggie scraps and yard waste willy nilly without turning and watering consistently, I was rewarded with this cute little pumpkin just in time for fall.
The truth is compost will happen even when you aren’t obsessive about it. And sometimes you get a fun surprise.
Hello BASIL!
Do you have excess basil in your garden?
I do.
Today I plan to whip up a big batch of homemade pesto; it’s super easy to make.
Pesto is yummy with pasta, as a burger or sandwich spread, or even as a pizza sauce. And it freezes well! Pour it into an ice tray, and once frozen, pop out the cubes and store them in a freezer bag. Enjoy the flavor of fresh pesto all winter.
Hello M O M M A! (aka Things Momma Says)
I usually don’t wear clothes at the lake. 😂
Haha. She’s a funny lady. In all my lake-going years, Momma has always worn clothes.
***
I hope your summer was filled with only good things. Before I go, I thought I’d share a list of my favorite summer 2024 reads.
These are not typical “summer reads”—there isn’t a romance or tropical beach setting in the bunch. But each story was incredibly transformative to me. (Check my reviews on Goodreads.)
Maybe my recommendations will give you a head start on your fall reading.
Happy September, Sunday Letter friends.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
P.S. The goldfinch picture is a stock photo. My pics of these quick little guys never do them justice.
Thanks for the September 1st read, we are definitely ready for cooler weather. It was great photos of seeing you all enjoying lake life. Please tell momma dear we all said hello from the not so little big O anymore. God bless each and every one of you and have a Happy Labor Day. Stephen Douglass
Thanks Stephen! Happy Labor Day to you.
That song makes me sad… I’m glad to see the heat pass into oblivion, but saying goodbye to summer is inherently soulful.
Will you be wearing white jeans after Labor Day?
I’m not sure I ever wore my white jeans this summer! Maybe I’ll hurry and pull them out and wear them on Labor Day – ha.
I’m welcoming fall and counting its start today, too! So glad you had a good summer.