August Musings
There is something about September that will always feel like the true start of the year. Even in my 40s, as the summer holidays wind down, I still feel that distinct seasonal shift. As a gardener, September is the natural New Year, the time to clear the beds, mulch, overwinter crops, and start prepping for next spring. But before stepping fully into autumn, I want to take a moment to look back at the blur that was August.
The Kitchen Renovation Hits a Milestone If you’ve been following along, you know my house renovation has been a long journey. I’ve technically had a kitchen, but I typically describe it as an empty room with an air fryer in it! The new kitchen is finally going in. It’s taking longer than expected, one of the realities of DIYing everything around a busy life. My dad has done a monumental amount of the work, and I'm so grateful for his help.
As I write this, I am emptying the room back out because the floor is being laid tomorrow! It feels like a massive step forward after four years of effort. Speaking of which, September marks my four-year anniversary of living in this house. If you subscribe to my YouTube channel, keep an eye out for my four-year house tour update coming out over the next couple of weeks!
In the Allotment August was busy, and I’ll admit I almost completely abandoned the allotment during the heatwave. Keeping everything alive was a struggle, and I didn't manage to plant anything new. However, the sweetcorn has been my biggest success of the season! I also have one really promising pumpkin growing (with another sneaking underneath that might just make it). To save water during the hot spells, I recycled house water, using saved dishwater and the water from my tumble dryer condenser, which allowed me to prioritise keeping key crops alive without relying heavily on the tap. I uploaded a new YouTube video recorded at the start of the month, I’d love it if you would watch it.
Stepping Away: Canada & Nova Scotia I took a business trip to Canada this month. I’ve been traveling there for work for nearly eight years, but I’ve always just done the work and flown straight home. This time, I took extra days to actually explore. I spent a day playing tourist in Toronto, followed by a long weekend visiting a friend in Nova Scotia. We walked the Halifax boardwalk, drove out to Peggy’s Cove, stopped to dip our toes in the sea, and soaked up the peace and quiet. It was a beautiful weekend and such a privilege to be hosted by a good friend.
Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia
A beautiful weekend exploring somewhere new.
Back to the Kitchen I finally got to redeem a Christmas gift to myself, a bread-making course at Perry’s Field to Fork in Eccleshall. As a regular bread maker, I was into sourdough long before the lockdown craze, but house renovations meant I went four years without a proper kitchen. It’s been lovely to dust off my skills. My sourdough came out great, the plaited loaf and simple white rolls were spot on, and while my focaccia still needs a little tweaking, it was a fantastic day. On that same note, I also tackled homemade yogurt this month. It’s one of those concepts that I always thought would be very complicated, but it turned out to be so easy! As someone who lives alone, it’s the perfect answer to using up an abundance of milk.
If there are any specific bread recipes, sourdough techniques, or homemade yogurt methods you’d like me to break down in a future blog post, let me know in the comments!
Planning for September: Yoga & Public Speaking Behind the scenes this month, I’ve been spending a lot of time mapping out the new term. I'm getting everything ready for our upcoming yoga schedule, including our twice-weekly in-person sessions and monthly Sunday Zoom classes, finalising the details for my upcoming live public speaking workshop in Market Drayton plus a follow-up Zoom session and I have launched a new series here in the journal tackling The Art of Audience Stewardship, this is a good one for anyone who feels like building connections when speaking is challenging.
If you are subscribed to my newsletter, keep an eye on your inbox over the next few days for all the dates, booking links, and a special "adult + teen" offer for the public speaking workshop. Otherwise, you can head over directly to my Classes and Events page to read more and secure your spot.
As the calendar turns, I’m feeling refreshed, fed, and ready for the September reset. How are you feeling about the shift into September? I’d love you to leave me a comment so I can hear what you’re planning, planting, or making this month!
Best wishes,
Rachel Xx
