🍂 Our Little Friday Letter (Friday, 5th September, 2025)

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

🍂A Warm Welcome

Happy Friday, friends — and happy first Friday of September! 🍂

I hope this week has been kind to you. Isn’t it funny how quickly we slip back into the rhythms of everyday life once the term begins again? Just two weeks ago, we were still in the tail-end of summer holidays, and now here we are — back to early mornings, packed lunches, and that familiar school-day flow. It always amazes me how adaptable we really are — how quickly routine becomes second nature again.

September, to me, always feels like a soft reset — not as loud as January, but gentler somehow. A quiet return to rhythm, to structure, and to the things that help keep a home running smoothly. And it’s in that spirit that I’ve really enjoyed settling into this new month — slowly, intentionally, and with just a hint of cosy anticipation for the season ahead.

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🏡 From Our Little House

This week at our little house in the country has been all about finding our feet again — and thankfully, it’s felt far less whirlwind than the weeks before. There’s a rhythm gently forming again, one that starts around 6am most days. Mornings are slow and steady here — we’re not fans of rushing if we can help it. Everyone wakes early, drifts into the kitchen at their own pace, and we all just go about our morning routines quietly and calmly. It makes such a difference to the rest of the day.

Once the kids are dropped to school, I’ve found a lovely little rhythm that’s grounding me right now: a morning walk, a coffee with my husband, and then down to the yard to check on our sweet Polly and muck out her stable. It’s simple, but it’s starting to feel like a new anchor for my days.

I’ve also been pouring candles again this week — the fun, creative part of a little idea I’ve had brewing for a while. I mentioned it here a few weeks ago, but I’ve now officially registered Our Little House in the Country as a business (eek!). I’m slowly working through the less glamorous admin bits — insurance, labels, packaging — but I’m hoping to launch a very small batch of hand-poured autumn-themed candles in the coming weeks. Just a little project filled with cosy, seasonal goodness. 🍁

And yes — we decorated for autumn! The house feels so warm and inviting with all the little touches of amber, russet, gold, and rust dotted around the kitchen and living room. The evenings are getting noticeably darker now, and those pops of autumn colour make everything feel that little bit softer, cosier, and more comforting.

So that’s life here this week — slower, gentler, and all the more beautiful for it. We’re beginning to find our rhythm again, and I’m really enjoying the return of flow to our days. 🍂

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✍️ On the Blog This Week

It’s been another busy week over on the blog! I’ve been working hard to get more organised with my writing — partly so I can carve out a bit more space for family life and other creative projects, but also because I truly love blogging and want to keep showing up with content that feels meaningful and helpful. Of course, writing and prepping blog posts takes time, but it’s a labour of love — and I’m slowly finding a rhythm again.

My main post this week dives into something close to my heart —
➡️ Seasonal Living in September: What It Really Means
This is a reflective piece on what seasonal living actually looks like at this time of year — beyond just the cosy aesthetic. It’s about rhythm, presence, connection, and choosing to live a little more aligned with the world around us. If you’re curious about how to bring that intention into your everyday, this post is for you.

I’ve also continued sharing more of those gentle, list-style posts that are quick to read but hopefully rich with ideas and inspiration. Here are a few you might enjoy this week:

🍁 20 Signs You’re Truly an Autumn Person
From falling in love with crunchy leaves to being first in line for a spiced latte, this lighthearted post is full of signs that autumn really is your season.

🍂 15 Things to Collect on Autumn Walks — and What to Do With Them
Leaves, berries, acorns, and more — this post is your go-to guide for mindful gathering and simple seasonal crafts or displays once you’re back home.

🍁12 Quirky Autumn Traditions from Around the World
Take a wander through harvest festivals, fire celebrations, and more — a lovely peek at how people across the globe honour the season in their own unique ways.

🍂 10 Forgotten Autumn Pleasures to Bring Back
A cosy, nostalgic post that invites you to slow down and rediscover some of the little joys of autumn — things we often forget in the hustle of modern life.

You can find all of these over at ourlittlehouseinthecountry.com — just scroll through the most recent posts or pop over to the Seasonal Living category tab

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🍂 Coming Up on the Blog

With September now fully underway, we’re shifting into full-on seasonal mode — and I’ve got lots of cosy, nourishing posts planned over the coming weeks. Expect gentle routines, comforting recipes, seasonal homemaking, and ways to embrace this time of year with calm, presence, and purpose.

Here’s a little of what’s coming soon:

🍲 Slow Cooker Recipes for Autumn
Comfort food at its easiest and most satisfying — perfect for busy weekdays and cosy weekends.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 25 Slow Sunday Activities for Families and Teens
Simple, meaningful ways to reconnect and spend time together before a new week begins.

🗓 October Calendar of Intentional Ideas
Coming soon! A free printable full of seasonal prompts and small ways to savour the month.

🏡 How to Cozy Up Your Home for Autumn
My favourite touches for making the house feel warm, welcoming, and autumn-ready.

🌟 Seasonal Joys and Autumn Evenings
We’ll talk food rituals, comforting habits, and the little things to notice as the evenings draw in.

🍂 First Signs of Autumn: What I’m Noticing
A personal reflection on the early shifts of the season — from hedgerows to home life.

📅 Seasonal Rhythms for Autumn
A gentle guide to finding flow in the months ahead, with practical ideas for rhythm and routine.

All of these will be landing on the blog each Tuesday (and sometimes more often!), and I’m really excited to share them with you. This time of year is full of possibility and comfort — and I hope you find a little of both in what’s to come.

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🍁 Theme of the Week: Living Seasonally

Let’s talk about living seasonally — what it really means, how we can embrace it in simple ways, and why it might just be one of the kindest things we can do for ourselves, our families, and our wellbeing.

Living seasonally is not about perfection, or about achieving some kind of Pinterest-worthy aesthetic (though it can look beautiful, of course). It’s about aligning our days and our rhythms with the natural world around us — with the changes in the light, the weather, the food that’s growing, and the way we feel in our bodies and minds as the months roll on.

It’s about noticing. Paying attention.
It’s about slowing down enough to live in tune with the season you’re in.

So what does that really look like in everyday life?

🍂 It begins with observation.

Seasonal living starts when we become a little more present. When we walk outside and take a moment to really feel the air on our skin — is it crisp and cool? Still warm from summer’s leftovers? When we look around and notice the trees beginning to turn, the sun dipping lower, the apples ripening on the branches.
Living seasonally invites us to tune in to the world around us, instead of rushing past it.

🌻 It invites us to shift our routines gently.

As the seasons shift, so can we. In autumn, for example, many of us naturally crave more warmth, more comfort, more routine. So we start lighting candles again in the evenings, making heartier meals, going to bed a little earlier. We trade salads for soups, beach walks for forest rambles. We come inside a little more — but we also try to stay connected to nature as it changes.

Living seasonally means allowing ourselves to respond to those inner and outer cues. To eat what’s in season (even some of the time), to dress for comfort, to rest when the world is darker and colder, to gather with others when our hearts need lifting.

🍃 It’s deeply grounding.

When we begin to live in rhythm with the year — not against it — we begin to feel more grounded, less rushed, less at odds with ourselves. It reminds us that everything has a cycle. That there’s a time for doing, and a time for resting. A time for sowing and a time for harvesting. A time for quiet and a time for connection.
It helps us honour the moment we’re in — rather than wishing it away.

🍎 It brings joy in the small things.

There’s something very comforting in looking forward to the return of certain seasonal rituals. Blackberry picking in late August. Cosy stews in October. Hot drinks after long walks. Apple cake. Crunchy leaves. Pumpkin patches. Advent candles. Early spring daffodils.
These little markers remind us of where we are in the year — and bring such richness to our everyday lives.

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Seasonal living doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. It’s not about buying all new decorations or jumping on every trend. It’s about noticing and responding.
It’s about asking:
👉 What do I need right now, in this season of the year?
👉 How can I support myself gently through this time?
👉 What rituals or routines could help me enjoy this moment more fully?

So this week, maybe take a little moment to look around and ask yourself:
What season am I in — both outside and within?
And how can I honour it, even in some small way?

Wishing you a beautiful start to autumn,
and a gentle return to rhythm.

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🗃From the Archives

Just a little throwback this week to two of the most loved and most visited posts ever shared on the blog — and while they’re often associated with Christmas, they can absolutely be enjoyed right through autumn too.

🍊 How to Make Dried Orange Slices at Home
One of my favourite slow, sensory crafts. These little slices fill the house with the most gorgeous scent and make beautiful natural decorations for autumn tables, wreaths, or even tied to napkin rings.
Read how to make them here →

🌸 Orange & Clove Pomanders: A Beautiful, Natural Scent
Another favourite — simple to make, utterly nostalgic, and so lovely for creating that cosy seasonal atmosphere we all love at this time of year.
How to make your own →

Sometimes the simplest traditions are the most comforting — and these two will have your house smelling like autumn in no time. 🍁

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🌸 This Week on Instagram

Over on Instagram this week, it’s been all about the Slow September calendar — and the loveliest thing of all has been the chats that have come out of it. I’ve been sharing my own little take on each daily prompt, and what has brought me the most joy is seeing how you’ve all been interpreting them too.

From journal entries to early autumn walks, from words of the month to little moments of peace — it’s been such a joy to hear your reflections and see your stories. I’ve received gorgeous messages, thoughtful comments, and even DMs from new friends who have just discovered the calendar or the blog, sharing where in the world they’re tuning in from and how these prompts are resonating with them. That little sense of connection — of talking about real, meaningful things — is exactly why I keep showing up in that space.

So if you’re one of the many who has downloaded and shared the September Prompts Calendar — thank you! It honestly means the world to know it’s being used and enjoyed. I truly hope it brings a sense of calm and grounding to your month.

Here’s a little roundup of what I’ve shared this week:

🌿 Monday: I shared my Word of the Month — nourish. It took me a while to land on it, but it felt just right. This whole month is about nourishing body, mind, soul, and connection.

🍂 Tuesday: Some snippets from my early morning school-run walk. With the wild weather over the weekend, there were already leaves scattered on the ground — it looked and felt so autumnal already!

📝 Wednesday: A gentle reminder to journal — just as you are. I also linked to a post I shared recently: 20 Autumn Journaling Prompts to ease into the season. If you missed that, you can read it on the blog here.

And the best part? So many of you have shared your words, your rituals, your reflections. I’ve loved every comment, every message — and if you’re new to the community, welcome! It’s such a joy to have you here.

✨ And if we haven’t connected yet, don’t be shy — pop over and say hello!

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🌿 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

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💬 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.

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💌Until Next Time

And that’s it for this week’s little letter, friends.

Thank you so much for being here — for taking the time to read, reflect, and join me in this quiet corner of the internet. Whether you’re catching up on the blog, joining in with our Slow September prompts, or simply pausing for a moment with a cup of tea to read these words, I’m truly grateful to have you here.

It means more than you know to have this lovely little community gathering each Friday — to share stories, swap ideas, and remind each other that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful. We’re just showing up, doing our best, and carving out moments of calm and intention in the middle of busy, real life — and I think that’s something worth celebrating.

I’ll be back next week with more seasonal content, cozy ideas, and plenty of little joys to savour. In the meantime, you’ll find me over on Instagram if you fancy a chat — I always love hearing from you.

Wishing you a beautiful, peaceful weekend — and a nourishing start to the new week ahead.
Until next time,
With warmth from our little house to yours,
Ciara x

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