🌻 Our Little Friday Letter (Friday, 29th August, 2025)

A weekly catch-up from Our Little House in the Country

🌿 A Warm Welcome

Hi everyone, and happy Friday!
I hope you’ve had a lovely week. Can you believe we’re in the very last few days of August? This is officially the final Our Little Friday Letter of summer — which also means we’ll soon be saying goodbye to our beautiful sunflower header image 🌻 and welcoming in something a little more autumnal next week. A small seasonal change, but it always feels like a fresh start.

I’m so glad you’re here with me this morning. Sitting down to write these letters has become one of my favourite parts of the week — like a little journaling ritual that helps me reflect on the days gone by, share a glimpse of life here at Our Little House in the Country, and hopefully connect with some of you who find comfort in these small shared moments too.

---

🏡 From Our Little House

I feel like I’ve been saying this for a few weeks now, but it’s been another bit of a whirlwind around here — though maybe that’s just the nature of this time of year! We’re now well and truly in back-to-school mode. Both kids are fully back into their routines, and one of them even headed off on a two-night school trip this week — the first big outing of the year. Needless to say, it’s been a bit of a juggle!

That said, now that the return to school is complete, I’m hoping we’ll find a bit more calm around here next week. I’m craving that sense of rhythm again — slower mornings, more regular days, and a little bit of quiet after a few weeks of flurry.

To be honest, I’m also kind of glad we’ve reached the final week of August. It’s been such a lovely summer — not particularly wild or adventure-packed, but deeply enjoyable all the same. The weather’s been kind (by Irish standards anyway!), and we’ve had a few small trips and peaceful days at home that made it feel like a summer well spent. The kind you’ll look back on fondly for its simplicity.

But, like many of you I’m sure, we’re now adjusting to that slightly faster pace that late August and early September tend to bring. It’s always a bit of a transition. For me, someone who has spent nearly all of her life in education — first as a student, then as a teacher — this time of year always feels like a new beginning. It’s when I naturally want to reset, set new intentions, and start gently crafting a rhythm that will carry us into the months ahead.

So that’s where we’re at. A little tired, a little busy, but full of gratitude for the season that’s just passed — and slowly making space for the one that’s coming.

---

📚 On the Blog This Week

Well, it’s been a busy one over on the blog this week — I can’t deny it! First up, I shared our brand new Slow September Calendar — 30 gentle little prompts to help us ease into the autumn season with a bit more presence, peace, and intention. And wow — thank you all so much for the incredible response. I knew you’d enjoyed Slow August, but the enthusiasm for September has been next-level. I’m genuinely so grateful. It was such a joy to put together — from the calendar itself, to the four themed lists (body, mind, soul, and connection), to the little journaling prompts that accompany them.

And just a little reminder: these calendars aren’t a challenge. They’re not something to tick off perfectly. They’re a gentle menu of ideas. You can dip in and out, swap days, ignore bits that don’t serve you. It’s all about slowing down and noticing the little things that make up a season — and checking in with yourself along the way. If you missed it, I’ve linked the full blog post below — and you’ll find a free printable version of the calendar at the end of this letter too.

I also kept things moving this week with a few cosy autumn blog posts — because like it or not, when you blog for a living, you’ve got to work a little ahead of the seasons. I had a few chats with fellow bloggers about this during the week, how back in 2013 or 2014 we could blog in real time — post about autumn in October and all was grand. But now, thanks to SEO and social media algorithms, everything has to be published weeks (even months!) ahead of time so people can actually find it. So while you’re here living out the last golden days of August… I’m over here quietly prepping some Christmas content already. 😅 (Don’t worry — I won’t share any of it until we’re all good and ready!)

In the meantime, I’ve been busy creating simple, skimmable, seasonal lists — little blog posts you can dip into when you want a nudge of inspiration for cosy weekend plans or a self-care moment. Here are a few from this week:

🍁 1. Our Slow September Calendar

Gentle rhythms to ease into autumn — 30 thoughtful prompts for mind, body, soul, and connection. The response to this post has blown me away. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the full post:
👉 Read the Slow September Calendar post here
📎 And you can download the printable PDF here

I just want to gently remind you — these are ideas, not a checklist or challenge. They’re prompts you can dip in and out of. Life is busy, so use them in a way that serves you. That’s also why I’ve included a list version this time, divided into the four themes.

Thank you all so much for the enthusiasm. It means the world.

🍂 2. 10 Autumn Walk Ideas (and What to Look For)

A quick, skimmable list of ideas for beautiful walks this season — from misty mornings to woodland rambles.
👉 Read the post here

🧘‍♀️ 3. 10 Autumn Self-Care Rituals

Realistic, cozy ideas for taking care of yourself as the days grow shorter.
👉 Read the post here

📖 4. 10 Simple Nature Activities for an Autumn Weekend

A gentle list of seasonal, screen-free ways to connect with the outdoors and savour the beauty of autumn, perfect for slow weekends.
👉 Read the post here

🧡 5. 10 Ways to Save Money this Autumn ( while still enjoying it)

Practical, feel-good ideas for embracing the season’s magic without overspending—because autumn should be cosy, not costly.
👉 Read the post here

---

🔜 Coming Up on the Blog

As we move into September, you’ll notice the blog taking on more of that warm, seasonal rhythm — with posts focusing on intentional routines, mindful homemaking, and simple seasonal pleasures.

Next week I’ll be sharing a reflective post on what it really means to live seasonally — especially in autumn. It’s a softer take on “getting things done,” and more about embracing the pace and mood of the months ahead.

Also coming soon:

• 🍲 Cozy seasonal recipes
• 🕯️ 25 Slow Living Habits for Autumn
• 🎃 Our Irish Halloween traditions
• 🧵 Meaningful autumn crafts and family ideas

As always, if there’s something you’d love to read about, just hit reply and let me know.

---

🌼 Theme of the Week: Making Room for the Good Stuff

This week’s theme is one I keep returning to lately — making room for the good stuff. And it really came from reflecting on why I put together the Slow September Calendar in the first place.

At this time of year — that back-to-school, back-to-everything energy — it’s so easy to get swept along in the chaos. Summer has a rhythm all its own, often with no rhythm at all. The days are long, the structure looser, the weather (hopefully!) different, and life tends to take on a more relaxed, albeit sometimes chaotic, pace. But when autumn begins to nudge in, there’s often a shift — a transition that, while not always difficult, can be full on. And as you’ll know if you’ve followed me for any length of time, I’m big on transitions. I think they deserve our attention. They deserve a little planning, a little gentleness.

We live in a world that glorifies busyness. That makes it easy to get stuck in the go-go-go of daily life without pausing to ask ourselves why. What are we filling our days with? And is there still room in there for the moments that actually matter?

That’s what this season feels like to me: a time to pause, to reset, to ask ourselves honestly — what do I want these next few months to feel like? What do I want more of? What do I need less of?

It’s why I see September as a kind of second new year. I know that likely comes from being in education my whole life — first as a student, then as an educator — but I really do think there’s something powerful about this moment in the calendar. We’re shifting into a new phase of the year. The days are getting shorter, the light is changing, and for many of us, our responsibilities are increasing again.

And so I ask: how can we make space? Space for the calm, the cosy, the connection, the creativity — the good stuff.

For me, this means getting really intentional about how I spend my time. About what I say yes to, what I gently release, and how I care for my body, mind, soul, and relationships — which is exactly why this month’s calendar is divided into those four categories. When I sat down to set my own intentions for the season, those were the four areas that kept coming up. My physical health. My mental wellbeing. My joy and creativity. And most importantly — the people I love.

Because the truth is, if we don’t make space for those things, the world won’t make it for us.

And as we head into the darker months, this feels even more important. Depending on the year, I can find autumn and winter deeply comforting — or honestly, quite hard. Last winter, for example, felt long and heavy for me. I struggled a bit in the post-Christmas stretch, and I know many of you did too. And while I love the cozy evenings and candlelit corners of the early season, I also know how quickly the novelty can wear off once January rolls in.

So I’ve been trying to be a little proactive. By setting intentions now, in late August and early September, I’m giving myself the chance to build in the things that support me, so that by the time the clocks change and the darker days settle in, those gentle habits will already be part of my rhythm.

And I think this is true for many of us: if we take the time now to create some space — by letting go of what’s no longer serving us and choosing more of what nourishes us — we can create a season that feels more grounded, more joyful, more ours.

So this week, my invitation is this:
What might you need to let go of, in order to make room for the good stuff?
And what are the good things you’d love to make more space for?

I hope the calendar helps, even just a little.

📂 From the Archives

Maybe the September calendar isn’t quite what you need right now. That’s okay. Every season asks something different of us. So here are some of our past seasonal calendars — all still relevant, all free to download.

• 🧘‍♀️ Mindful May: 31 days of mindful prompts for a calmer spring
  👉 Read it here
• 🌞 Joyful June: Small, joyful shifts to start your summer with intention
  👉 Read it here
• 🌻 Slow August: Gentle ideas to soak up summer at your own pace
  👉 Read it here

Each one comes with a printable calendar and journaling sheet.

---

📸 This Week on Instagram

Instagram is a funny little place — chaotic, wonderful, often overwhelming. A few months ago I wasn’t sure what direction I was going with it. But something shifted… and suddenly, it clicked.

Instagram can be a wild place — in the very best and sometimes most bewildering ways. A few months ago, I’ll admit, I felt a little disillusioned with it all. So much of what I was seeing was polished, perfect, beautiful — but maybe just not real enough. It didn’t always reflect the slow and intentional life I try to live and share here at Our Little House in the Country.

For a while, I toyed with stepping back, even thought about putting more time into Substack again (which I still hope to return to soon). But then — something shifted. Maybe it was just persistence. Maybe it was the calendar content. Maybe it was just the rhythm of the year. Whatever it was, something clicked. And this little corner of Instagram I’ve been gently tending started to grow — and grow and grow.

This week, although I haven’t posted as frequently as usual, the response to our Slow September Calendar reel and post has been overwhelming. It’s been shared, saved, commented on, and has brought lots of lovely new followers into our little community. If that’s you — hello and welcome! I’m so glad you’re here.

Between all the real-life busyness lately (school runs, teen trips, back-to-school chaos), I haven’t had the chance to share quite as often or as consistently as I’d like — but that’s okay. I’ve decided not to stress about it. I know many of you are in the same boat.

That said, I’m really looking forward to settling back into a more regular rhythm over on Instagram next week. I’ll be back sharing my usual chats, stories, behind-the-scenes bits from our days, and of course, some lovely seasonal reels and carousels. I might even do a proper face-to-camera coffee chat — it’s been a while (and I do get a little self-conscious), but once I get talking, I always enjoy it.

And yes — the autumn decor boxes are finally coming down from the attic on Monday! I’ve held off longer than usual this year because I’ve really wanted to let August be August. But now? I’m ready. I’ll be sharing how I decorate our home for the season next week — simple, cozy, natural autumn touches, just as always..

I also posted a slow cooker chicken casserole recipe — ultimate comfort food for the season ahead. It’s always the simplest things that resonate most, and I’m glad it did.

Next week, I’ll be pulling down the autumn decor boxes and giving our home a gentle seasonal refresh — and yes, I’ll be sharing all of that over on Instagram too. I’m hoping to be back chatting more regularly in stories now that routines are settling again. I might even do a little face-to-camera catch-up (eek!).

Thanks for being there, for all the encouragement — and for keeping things real over on the ‘Gram.

So if Instagram’s your thing, pop over and join in the fun. And if it’s not, no pressure — I’ll always share a little round-up here, just for you

---

🌍 Things I’ve Loved From Around the Web (and Elsewhere)

Okay, so not technically from the web — but I have to talk about this.

🎬 The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime)
Okay, so this week’s favourite isn’t technically from the web — but it’s absolutely worth a mention.

The Summer I Turned Pretty — the Amazon Prime series based on the books by Jenny Han — has been an unexpected delight in our house this month. My daughter read the trilogy earlier in the summer, and we decided to watch the show together — starting from season one. Neither of us had any idea how hooked we’d become.

There’s something so wholesome and nostalgic about it — the coastal house, the teen drama, the slightly exasperating but somehow loveable characters. It reminds me of the kind of shows I loved as a teenager myself (think Dawson’s Creek, My So-Called Life, that whole era). And now, to be watching something like this with my teenage daughter — PJs on, wrapped in blankets on a Wednesday night, waiting for our weekly “dose of drama” — well, it’s become one of my favourite rituals.

The fact that season three is being released week by week has actually added to the joy. There’s something to be said for having to wait for the next episode — that old-fashioned feeling of anticipation and shared suspense. We’ve found ourselves gasping at cliffhangers and debating (Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah?) all week long.

And more than that, it’s opened up so many lovely conversations between us about relationships, growing up, and all the messy, beautiful parts of being human in your teens and twenties. We’re already planning what to watch next once it ends — Gilmore Girls is high on the list, with Stranger Things possibly making an appearance too.

So while it’s not a blog post or a podcast or a piece of deep intellectual content, it has brought joy, connection, and a lovely midweek ritual into our lives — and that’s more than enough.

---

🌿 Follow Along

If you’d like to keep in touch between letters, you’ll find me most days over on Instagram — sharing gentle reminders, snippets of everyday life, and chats over coffee in Stories.

Here’s where else you can find me:

• 📷 Instagram
• 📝 Substack
• 📌 Pinterest
• 🏡 Blog

---

💬 Share Your Thoughts

If there’s something you’d love to see in a future newsletter, blog post, or printable, or if you just want to say hello — I’d truly love to hear from you.

You can reach me any time by:

• 📩 Filling out the contact form
• ✉️ Emailing me at ourlittlehouseinthecountry@gmail.com
• 💬 Sending a DM over on Instagram

Comments on the blog or Instagram are always welcome too. I read every single one.

---

💌 Until Next Time

That’s it for this week’s little letter from our little house in the country — thank you, as always, for being here.

I’m really looking forward to the weeks ahead as we settle into this new season. With term-time routines slowly returning, I know I’ll find my rhythm again — and with it, a steadier pace for sharing both casually and intentionally, here and on Instagram.

I’m also so deeply grateful for the support and encouragement you continue to send my way. This week, I received a message from someone I’ve never met in real life — a longtime Instagram follower with an uncanny ability to send kind, thoughtful words at the exact moment I need them most. I’ve also had check-in messages from a few of you when I was quieter than usual online, just wondering if all was okay. Those little moments of connection mean more than I can say.

So, while life continues to be full and busy, I’m embracing the gentle shift into September and all that it brings. And I can’t wait to share more with you as autumn begins to unfold.

Wishing you a beautiful start to this new month and season — whatever it is you need right now, I hope September brings it your way. Maybe it’s peace, or calm, or joy. Maybe it’s clarity, healing, rest, or a little bit of hope. Whatever it is, I hope it finds you.

Until this time next week, from our little house to yours — sending you the warmest of wishes.

Chat soon,
Ciara x