🍂 Our Little Friday Letter (Friday, 19th September, 2025)

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

🍂 A Warm Welcome

Hi friends, happy Friday!

I’m so glad to have you here on this lovely autumnal morning. Can you believe we’re already inching toward the end of September? I saw a post this week saying it’s 100 days until Christmas—what on earth?! Time is absolutely flying, but I hope you’re enjoying your Slow September as best you can.

Thank you, as always, for reading—I hope you enjoy what you find here today. We’re continuing, just like last week, with all the cosy autumn vibes and a few heartfelt reflections. There’s plenty to catch up on, so pop the kettle on and let’s dive in. ☕🍁

🏡 From Our Little House

This week has been a lovely, quiet, ordinary one in our little house—and sometimes they’re the best kind. No major dramas or distractions, just a gentle rhythm of normal family life ticking along. We’ve all been home, nobody travelling for work, though my eldest has been under the weather with a sore throat and cough (thank you September bugs 🦠), so we’ve had extra mugs of tea, blankets, and early nights all round.

In fact, early nights have become our new rhythm. By 9:30 every night, we’re winding down, locking up, and all tucked up in our own corners by 10pm—and I have to say, it’s been lovely. I’ve finally managed to get back into reading before bed instead of scrolling or zoning out to TV. It’s such a small shift, but it’s made such a difference to my sleep and my mood. I’ve been an avid bookworm all my life, but somewhere along the way, the habit slipped. It’s nice to reclaim it again.

Evenings this week have been all about slow, simple comfort. The rain and wind gave us full permission to hibernate a bit—cosy nights in with hot chocolate, books, colouring pencils, or a bit of TV. On Wednesday, we played a few rounds of Uno around the coffee table with popcorn and hot drinks, and it was just so good to reconnect like that. We’d talked about adding a little family games night into the week since our holidays and finally made a start. Not fancy, just fun.

We had hoped to begin our winter garden tidy-up this week too, but the weather had other plans. So we’re saving that for the weekend and early next week. Back in spring, we did a “one hour a day” blitz to get everything in order—and it worked a charm. Hoping to do the same now to prep the garden for winter.

And yes—there’s been some exciting work happening behind the scenes with the candle collection! More on that a little further down. But for now, the kettle is on, the days are getting darker, and life is slowing into its autumn rhythm beautifully.

Photo by JACK REDGATE on Pexels.com

🍂 Theme of the Week: The Heart of Connection

There’s something about this time of year — as the evenings draw in and the world slows down just a little — that brings connection to the forefront.

Not just the grand gestures or the “let’s catch up soon” kind of connection, but the quiet, everyday, deeply human kind: sitting side by side, sharing a meal, listening, laughing, being present — really present — with the people who matter most.

We talk so much about slowing down. About making space in our lives for what matters. But here’s the thing I’ve been learning more and more lately: if we don’t make space for connection, we lose it. Not all at once, not in some dramatic way — but in small moments, in missed opportunities, in distracted evenings and well-meaning “maybe tomorrow”s.

Why Connection Matters

At its core, connection is what grounds us. It reminds us we belong. It anchors us in a world that can often feel chaotic and overwhelming. It nourishes us. And yet, it’s also so easy to let it slip — not because we don’t care, but because life is busy.

I’ve come to realise that connection doesn’t just happen. It needs tending to, like anything else we hope will flourish. It needs time, intention, attention.

That might look like:

A family dinner around the table three nights a week.
A walk with a friend who always leaves you feeling more like yourself.
A hug that lingers a little longer.
A few minutes at the end of the day to ask your child how their day really went.
A text to someone you’ve been thinking of, just to say so.
Or even 15 quiet minutes with yourself, breathing deep, letting the noise settle.

Spaces That Hold Us

One of the most beautiful and unexpected things to come from creating Our Little House in the Country — this blog, this space, this little corner of Instagram — is seeing how it’s become a place of connection for others too.

I’ve lost count of the number of messages I’ve received from people who say, “I feel like I’ve come home,” or “I needed this today.” And truthfully, those words mean the world. Because as much as I write and share and post to document our life and help others live a little slower, I also do it to connect — to remind others (and myself) that we’re not alone in craving something quieter, realer, more rooted in what matters.

And so, if this little space offers even a moment of calm, or comfort, or clarity — then I’ll keep showing up, and keep sharing.

Protecting What’s Sacred

Of course, not all connection is equal. And one of the quieter lessons of recent years — for me, and perhaps for you too — has been learning which connections nourish, and which deplete.

There’s something powerful about choosing to invest in the relationships that offer mutual care and understanding. To stop pouring energy into connections that leave us drained. To lovingly place boundaries around our time and attention so we can give our best selves to the people and spaces that actually matter.

It doesn’t mean we stop caring. It just means we’re clearer about how we care, and who we offer that care to.

Everyday Ways to Connect

Connection doesn’t have to be complicated. Often, it’s the simplest gestures that carry the most weight.

A midweek Uno game with a bowl of popcorn.
Watching a YouTube clip your teenager is obsessed with.
Sitting quietly next to your partner, each with your own book or show.
A note in a lunchbox.
A shared cup of tea.
A kind comment left on someone’s post, not because you have to — but because it’s kind to let people know they’re seen.

Sometimes we think connection has to be deep conversation and emotional outpouring. But often, it’s just being with. Being available. Being open.

In the heart of a busy world, where it’s easy to feel untethered and overwhelmed, connection is what brings us home — to ourselves, to each other, and to the present moment.

And that, perhaps, is the real heart of slow living.

Photo by Ioana Motoc on Pexels.com

📝 On the Blog This Week

This week’s new blog posts have been all about creating space, rhythm, and connection in the middle of busy autumn days:

🍂 Seasonal Rhythms for Autumn Evenings: Finding Calm After Busy Days
A gentle guide to unwinding after a full day—cozy meals, screen-free moments, and calming rituals to help your family (and your own mind!) slow down after the bustle of work, school, and chores.
→ Read the full post here

🍴 Simplifying Weeknight Meals: More Time for Family Connection
This post (in collaboration with Gousto) looks at how simplifying dinners—whether with meal kits or a go-to list of simple favourites—can help us reclaim that ever-elusive time around the dinner table for connection and conversation.
→ Read the post here

🍂And if you’re in an autumn mood, I’ve also added a quick link to the full list of cosy autumn blog posts—perfect for reading with a cuppa:
→ Browse all autumn posts

🔜 Coming Up on the Blog

🗓️ Tuesday’s post will be the early release of our October Connection Calendar—a printable list of 31 simple, seasonal ways to connect throughout the month. Whether it’s with family, friends, your partner, or simply reconnecting with yourself, this month’s calendar is full of gentle inspiration. The design is one of my favourites yet!

💛 Later in the week, I’ll be sharing a more reflective piece—something I haven’t done in a little while—on Finding Joy in a Harsh World. It’s a bit more personal and explores why I share what I do, and how we can find small pockets of hope, comfort, and calm even when the world feels heavy. I really hope it resonates.

💬 A little note on brand partnerships:
From time to time, you might see me collaborate with a brand I genuinely love and use (like I did this week with Gousto). These partnerships are always chosen with great care, and only ever with brands that align with my values around home, family, and living well in real life. When you click on a link or try something I’ve shared, it can sometimes help support my work here—keeping this little corner of the internet going. Thank you, as always, for being here and supporting what I do. It truly means the world. 💛

🍁 This Week on Instagram

This week on Instagram, I’ve been reflecting on just how much kindness seems to be circling around lately. From the comments on my own posts to lovely interactions I’ve seen on others’—there’s something in the air, and I think maybe people are reclaiming Instagram as a warm, connected space again. I’m so here for that. Whether it’s a hello in the comments or a little DM to say hi, it has been really heartening to witness and experience.

As for what I’ve been sharing this week:

I joined in on that trending “Unfortunately, I…” reel—yes, I gave it a go! I’m not usually one for trends, but this one really resonated (and made me smile). From colorful mugs to seasonal decor, I had a little fun embracing the quirks.
I posted a handful of cosy carousel lists including:
- 10 Autumn Evenings Without Screens – gentle, family-friendly ideas for screen-free connection
- 15 Things to Collect on Autumn Walks – plus what to do with them
- 10 Gentle Autumn Self-Care Rituals – ways to take care of yourself in this slower season
I also shared a little reintroduction post, which brought about such gorgeous responses. It’s been so lovely hearing where you’re from, your stories, and how you connect with this space—from teachers and carers, to Nicholas Mosse fans and friends now living in Australia with Irish roots.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ciara Winters | Our Little House in the Country (@ourlittlehouseinthecountry)

It’s just been a week of lovely conversations, autumnal vibes, and a little bit of extra connection. I also gave a sneak peek of my candle collection (more on that below!). If Instagram is your thing, come say hi. I always reply to comments and messages—it’s where real chats happen. You will find me here!

🕯 Candle Launch: A Little Dream Come True

Today, I’m feeling a little emotional (in the best way) as I share something I’ve dreamed of for years: the very first Our Little House in the Country candle collection is now live.

This is a tiny, handmade, limited edition autumn range of soy wax candles I’ve poured, labelled, and packaged myself. It’s been months—honestly, years—in the dreaming, learning, and making. I’ve learned about fragrance blending, wax tempering, CLP regulations, branding, packaging, shipping, ecommerce setup, digital marketing, and so much more. It’s been a lot—but I’ve loved every minute.

You can view the full collection here:
👉 Our Little House Candle Shop

This first launch features four cosy, autumn-inspired scents:

🍁 Autumn Days
🍎 Apple & Ginger Cake
🧣 Cashmere & Caramel
🍬 Salted Caramel

Each one comes in a beautifully labelled tin, with accessories like a wick trimmer and snuffer, and everything is packaged with care (and autumnal tissue paper). It’s my version of a little autumn hug in a jar.

Right now, I’m only shipping within Ireland and the UK due to the high cost of postage abroad, but if you’re overseas and interested, feel free to get in touch—I’m happy to look into it for you. (Email me at ourlittlehouseinthecountry@gmail.com and I’ll see what I can do)

This isn’t a big business. It’s me, at my kitchen table, trying something new at nearly 47. And as I always say—there is never any pressure. If you’re curious, have a little browse. If it’s not for you, that’s perfectly okay. I’m just so happy to be able to finally share this part of my creative life with you.

If you’d like to take a closer look (or maybe even treat yourself or someone you love), you can browse the full candle collection here → Our Little House Candle Shop🕯✨

🌾 What I’ve Been Loving Lately

This week I want to give a special shoutout to a gorgeous small Irish business called Aureal Aromatics, who are also known on Instagram as Irish Turf. A few weeks ago, I stumbled across their Instagram—and then, completely out of the blue, they sent me a message offering to gift me a piece from their collection. No strings attached.

Aureal Aromatics was founded by Ian in 2019 with a simple but heartfelt mission: to create all-natural, luxury aromatherapy candles and fragrance products. Since then, his small business has flourished, expanding into white-label creations for other makers and launching unique Irish-inspired products of his own—including the now-beloved Turf Incense line.

Born from Ian’s longing to capture the nostalgic scent of an Irish turf fire—without needing an open hearth—he spent months crafting slow-burning miniature turf sods using only natural ingredients. The result? A beautiful, soulful nod to Irish tradition that’s easy to enjoy in any home.

After walking away from a toxic relationship and job and moving to the countryside to protect his mental health, Ian poured his heart into Aureal. Today, his creativity and commitment to sustainability continue to grow—and it shows in every detail.

They sent me the most beautiful package, including:

Irish Turf / Peat Heritage Set – Limited Edition

a ceramic thatched cottage incense burner (the smoke curls out of the chimney!!!!So cute!)
real Irish turf incense
a mini cart of turf pieces
one of their signature candles – Irish Turf Fireside

as well as two further beautifully Irish themed candles- Irish Coffee and Wild Atlantic Way!

The scent of turf brings me straight back to my childhood summers in Mayo—those cosy, earthy, smoky notes that are so distinctly Irish. I was blown away by the quality, the detail, and the thoughtfulness of it all.

I’m sharing their work because I truly believe in supporting small, creative Irish businesses—and this one has such a clever, unique concept. You can find them on Instagram @irishturf or browse their website here. Give them a like or a share if it resonates—it really does help.

(And again—this was a gifted item, but not an ad. Just something lovely I was happy to receive and even happier to share.)

✨ Until Next Time…

Thank you so much for being here this Friday. It was a slightly different newsletter this week, with the candle launch and Gousto collaboration, but hopefully still filled with warmth, calm, and real connection.

Don’t forget to make time for connection this weekend—whether it’s with your family, a friend, or even just yourself. That kind of quiet presence can be the most grounding thing of all.

And don’t worry, I’ll be sharing our brand-new October Calendar next Tuesday over on the blog and Instagram, with a link included in next Friday’s newsletter too. So if you miss it, you won’t miss out.

As always, thank you for reading, thank you for being part of this space, and thank you for your kindness and support.

Wishing you peace, calm, and joy this weekend.
Take care and chat soon,
Ciara x

PS. I Tried Gousto This Week – Here’s My Honest Take

🍂 AD | Gousto Collaboration

I had the chance to try a Gousto meal kit this week, and honestly? I was pleasantly surprised. It took the decision-making out of dinner, gave me new ideas (I’ll definitely make the loaded chicken fajita fries again—yum!), and felt like great value—especially compared to a takeaway.

I don’t often do brand work, and I’m very selective. But Gousto fit beautifully with what I care about: simplifying everyday meals, freeing up time for connection, and still cooking from scratch.

👉 I wrote more about it here: Simplifying Weeknight Meals to Create Space for Connection

🛒 Discount Codes

🇬🇧 UK Customers — 55% Off 1st Box, 40% Off 2nd, then 25% Off for 2 months Code: OURLITTLEHOUSE55 → Explore Gousto UK

🇮🇪 Ireland Customers — 55% Off 1st Box, 30% Off 2nd, 20% Off 3rd & 4th Code: OLHITC55 → Explore Gousto IE

(New customers only. Flexible subscription. Premium recipes/market items/delivery not included. Full T&Cs on the Gousto site.)

As always, these are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase—at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work in this little space. 💛