🎃 Our Little Friday Letter (Friday, 3rd October, 2025)

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

🧡 A Warm Welcome

Good morning and happy Friday — and happy October too! 🍂 I’m so glad you’re here for this week’s edition of Our Little Friday Letter.

With the turn of the month comes a new little seasonal touch — we’ve swapped out our basket of apples for a basket of pumpkins as our featured image for October. 🎃

As I write to you this Thursday afternoon, Storm Amy is swirling in, bringing heavy rain and wind across the country. Thankfully, here on the east coast, it looks like we’ll avoid the worst of it — just some blustery rain today and wind tomorrow. I hope wherever you are, you’re safe, well, and perhaps even a little cosy as the storm passes.

So pop the kettle on, grab a little moment for yourself, and I hope this week’s letter brings a pause, a smile, or even a bit of inspiration for the days ahead.

🏡 From Our Little House

This has been one of those weeks where I’ve had to keep double-checking what day it is — I mentioned it on Instagram too! Both of our kids were off school on Monday, and since then I’ve been playing catch-up all week. It’s been busy in the best of ways though — full of creative projects I love.

I’ve been working away behind the scenes on upcoming blog posts, many of which have a festive flavour, and I’m putting the finishing touches on content that will bring us right through to the end of the year (and even into January!). I really hope you’ll enjoy what’s coming — it’s a mix of thoughtful, cosy, and reflective pieces to carry us through the season.

On the candle front, I’ve been restocking the autumn collection — thank you so much to everyone who’s placed an order! Each one genuinely makes my day. I’ve also treated myself to a slightly bigger wax melter this week (very exciting for me 😂) as I prepare to pour my Christmas collection very soon. All the materials have arrived, and I can’t wait to get started.

Elsewhere, I’ve been busy with pony care as always — and I’m pleased to report I’ve cut my mucking-out time almost in half! 💪 The weather’s been a bit wild for gardening, but my husband has started tackling some pre-winter jobs outdoors.

We’ve had our fair share of dark, chilly mornings this week — and I must admit, I found them a little tough. I’m an early riser, but being jolted awake by the alarm rather than the light has taken some getting used to. Still, I’m leaning into the cosiness wherever I can, and looking forward to the mid-term break, now just three weeks away.

I’ve also picked up a little cross-stitch project to work on in the evenings — inspired by my daughter’s project at school and a few lovely accounts I follow online. Just something small and festive to stitch while winding down at the end of the day.

dried leaves on the table — Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

🌿 Theme of the Week: The Beauty of the Basics

There’s something about October that brings us back to ourselves. Maybe it’s the darker mornings, or the scent of woodsmoke and rain in the air. Maybe it’s the quiet shift that comes with leaves turning, birds gathering, and the sudden need for thicker socks. But whatever it is, this season always feels like a soft return — and this week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the beauty of the basics.

In a world that often celebrates the shiny and the spectacular, it can be easy to forget that life is mostly made up of quiet, ordinary moments. The morning cup of tea. The sound of the washing machine humming in the background. The flicker of a candle as dinner simmers on the stove. The quick hug from a teenager rushing out the door. A few pages of a book before sleep. These are not headline-worthy events — but they are the rhythm of a real, lived life.

And when things feel overwhelming, or when I find myself caught up in to-do lists and algorithms and all the noise that comes with modern life, I’ve started asking myself: What’s the simplest thing I can come back to? What’s the next right small step?

Because more often than not, clarity comes in the quiet. And comfort lives in the little things. Sometimes it’s not a grand gesture that recentres me — it’s folding a fresh pile of laundry, lighting a candle, or tidying one tiny corner of the kitchen. It’s not booking a retreat or overhauling my entire wellness routine — it’s taking five minutes to stand outside in the rain and breathe.

This week reminded me that I don’t need a polished plan or a perfect schedule to feel grounded or inspired. I just need to notice. Notice the good coffee. The warmth of the jumper I’ve pulled from the cupboard. The joy in a silly moment around the dinner table. The way the dog follows the sun as it moves across the floor.

When we strip life back to its essentials, what’s left is often the most meaningful. Kindness. Nourishment. Rest. Light. Laughter. Connection. A sense of home.

So if you’re feeling a little tired, a little scattered, a little like the world is demanding more than you’ve got to give right now — maybe it’s not about doing more. Maybe it’s about noticing more.

The basics are enough. You are enough.

And sometimes, the simplest moments are the ones that carry us the furthest.

autumn leaves on park bench in tranquil setting — Photo by Марина Суворова on Pexels.com

🍁 On the Blog This Week

This week I shared a gentle seasonal piece: “First Signs of Autumn: What I’m Noticing” — a personal post about the little shifts I’ve been seeing, sensing, and savouring here in the Irish countryside. From morning mists to the return of candles on the kitchen table, it’s a list-style reflection that also invites you to pause and notice the changes in your own corner of the world. You can read it here:

👉 Read “First Signs of Autumn: What I’m Noticing”

There’s lots happening on the blog right now, especially with Halloween just around the corner. If you’re looking for cosy, meaningful, or creative ways to mark the season, I’ve shared a full collection of intentional, family-friendly, and gently spooky Halloween posts.

Here’s the full list so far — perfect for dipping into any time this month:

👉 You can also browse all seasonal posts in one place over on the Autumn blog archive.

And coming up this Sunday (yes, a little weekend bonus post!):
“25 Autumn and Winter Activities for a Slow Sunday” — a cosy, skimmable list of slow seasonal ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. From soup-making and old-fashioned drives to journaling and apple picking, I hope it gives you a little inspiration for weekends over the next couple of months.

🎃 Coming Up on the Blog

Coming up next Tuesday, I’ll be sharing:

🍲 Autumn Comforts, Food Rituals & Little Joys to Savour
A gentle, reflective post about how to make the most of this beautiful season — from soothing meals and sensory rituals to simple joys, weekly rhythms, and slow seasonal habits that help anchor us in the here and now.

And in the following weeks, you can also look forward to:

🏡 Five Ways to Cozy Up the Home in October — comforting tweaks and rituals to make home feel warm, welcoming, and settled as the darker evenings draw in
✨ The Simple Magic of Halloween — an intentional guide to the origins, folklore, and soulful ways to celebrate the most magical night of the year

There’s so much coming your way this month — from slow seasonal rhythms to festive creativity and comfort, and I’m so excited to share it with you all.

📸 This Week on Instagram

If you’ve been following me on Instagram this week, you might have noticed a little shift in pace. 💬

While I truly love our community over there — the comments, the DMs, the stories we share — I’ve been feeling that quiet pull back to basics. Lately, Instagram feels like it’s all about reels, transitions, and polished content. And while I enjoy making those sometimes (I shared a little candle reel this week that I actually loved), I realised I was missing something…

So this week, I gave myself a mini challenge:
Post one photo a day — nothing fancy — and just chat underneath it.
No pressure. Just a little coffee chat in the caption — like I’m sitting across from you at the kitchen table.

It’s been lovely to return to those quieter posts — a snap of the foggy morning light, a cosy coffee moment, or even a silly one of me and my husband collecting conkers on a walk like a pair of kids. 🍂

And don’t worry — the cosy carousels and list-style content aren’t going anywhere! I’ve got a few new ones lined up soon (including some slow living roundups and seasonal prompts), but I’m also bringing a bit more “just us” back to the feed.

So if you’re not already following along, come say hi @ourlittlehouseinthecountry. It’s a lovely place to chat and connect.

🕯 Candle Shop Update

One of my absolute favourite things at the moment? Heading off to the post office with all my little parcels, each one carefully wrapped in brown paper, ready to begin its journey to a new home. I can’t tell you how much joy that brings me — and how incredibly grateful I am to each and every one of you who has placed an order from my little candle shop over the past few weeks. Truly, it means the world.

If you’d like to take a peek at the full autumn collection, you can do so here — as always, no pressure at all, but I thought I’d share a quick roundup of our October specials currently running:

🍂 Special Offer 1 – Wax Melts (until October 10th)
Mix and match any 3 wax melts and get 1 free — all for just €15.
Perfect if you’d like to try one of each autumn scent or stock up on favourites.

🕯 Special Offer 2 – 125ml Candle Bundle (all October)
Buy any 3 of our 125ml candles (mix and match your favourite scents) for a lovely bundle deal price — ideal for gifting or stocking up for the darker months.

👉 Browse the collection here

Sadly, I’ve had to pause shipping to the UK once again. I know — it keeps changing, and I’m truly sorry for the inconvenience. This time it’s down to customs regulations and VAT requirements. As a tiny business, I don’t yet have a UK VAT number, and I don’t want any lovely customer to be hit with unexpected customs charges on delivery. I recently had to cancel and refund a lovely order to Yorkshire for this very reason, and I’m so grateful for their understanding.

That said, I’m exploring other options, including potentially reopening my Etsy shop, which would allow me to serve my UK customers in a much simpler and more compliant way. I’ll keep you posted if that comes together!

In the meantime, it’s been all go behind the scenes — I’ve been busy restocking, hand-pouring new batches, and my slightly larger (and much more efficient!) wax melting machine is arriving today — a little treat that will make production smoother going forward. I’ve also applied to a couple of lovely local craft fairs and Sunday markets. Fingers crossed I’ll be accepted — I’d love to share this little dream in person someday soon.

So that’s this week’s candle shop news. As always, thank you for being here and for supporting something so small and handmade with so much heart. 🕯🤍

🌿 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…

Wishing you a peaceful weekend ahead, wherever you are in the world — and especially if, like us here in Ireland, you’re riding out the tail end of Storm Amy. I hope you’re staying safe, warm, and dry — and that there’s a quiet moment or two for yourself in the days ahead.

Whether it’s a slow Sunday, a cosy evening by the fire, or a little pocket of calm with a hot cup of something lovely — may you find space to rest and reset.

Thank you, as always, for being here. I’m so grateful to share these little letters with you each Friday. I’ll be back in your inbox next week with more autumn reflections, a fresh blog post or two, and a little dash of seasonal magic.

Take care of yourself, and chat soon,
Ciara x