From the Front Porch: October Magic

Hello from the front porch, sweet friends.

Welcome to the October Magic Edition of this weekly series.

How have you been?

Earlier this week, I took our dog Piper outside for a quick beak.

We’ve had heavy rain, gale force winds, rip currents and localized flooding on the island nearly every day.

So, I was more than ready for her to find whatever sweet spot she was looking for so we could go back inside and get out of the rain.

As we walked under our large crepe myrtle tree a huge gust of wind came through and we were instantly inundated with a whirlwind of falling leaves and raindrops.

I was this close to being grumpy about the experience because I was so cold and wet.

But then I saw Piper stop, lift her head towards the sky, close her eyes and take it all in.

The leaves.

The rain.

The wind.

They rustled her fur in that same gentle way a loved one rustles the top of your head and says, “I’m proud of you,” with the kind of tenderness that makes you feel five years old again seen, loved, and completely at home.

And that’s the real magic of October.

 It isn’t the perfect weather or the picture‑perfect moments we hope for, it’s the simple act of finding unexpected glimmers and having something to look forward to.

Even when the season doesn’t show up the way we had imagined at first, we can still choose to create tiny pockets of joy.

Embracing the season doesn’t have to be grand, aesthetic or perfectly curated.

It can be as small as trying one new thing, revisiting an old favorite, or giving yourself a moment that feels like a breath of fresh air.

And once you start looking for those sparks, you realize they’re everywhere — in the way you light a candle before dinner, in the first cozy movie night of the season, in a walk where the breeze finally feels a little different, in a recipe you’ve been meaning to try, when you curl up with a good book, or in a simple ritual that makes an ordinary day feel a little more special.

These small choices add up and create a kind of everyday magic that carries us through the month no matter what the weather is doing outside.

The magic is in the intention which is something we can hold onto all season long.

A Few of Our Favorite Posts from Around the Web this Week…

Beautiful Home and Garden Tours:

• This cozy Finnish Log Cabin via My Scandinavian Home is all kinds of cozy.
• I cannot stop thinking about this house in Minnesota featured via Domino.
• Lots of cute ideas in this post from House of Hargrove, Farmhouse Halloween Home Tour.
• If you need last minute Halloween decorating inspo, you’ll love this Vintage Halloween Home Tour by Ella Claire. At the bottom of the post there are additional homes to explore.
• 15 Beautiful Container Garden Ideas (via The Zhush)

Seasonal Inspiration:

• Love the festive way Michael from Inspired by Charm used paper fans on his Halloween Tablescape.
• Scroll through this post to see how Jennifer from Town & Country Living dressed up her sink for Halloween. I’m totally doing this for the littles!
• Speaking of easy Sugar and Charm shared Halloween Dessert Platter ideas here.
• This candy corn veggie pizza via Clean and Scentsible is super cute and totally doable too.
• These fingerprint ghost pumpkins from Finding Lovely would be fun to do with the littles too.
• These floating hats via Liz Marie are always so festive!
• 60 Elevated Halloween Decor Ideas (via House Beautiful)

Health and Wellness Inspiration:

• 10 Things That Will Make You Happier at Home (via Apartment Therapy)
• 9 Lifestyle Habits That’ll Help You Live to 100 According to Longevity Experts (via Real Simple)
• Loved this gentle reminder from Zing Life, Joy Comes in a Whisper.

Style, Travel and Entertainment Inspiration:

• How to Perfect the French Makeup Look (via My French Country Home Magazine)
• 11 Ways to Wear a Blanket Scarf (via InStyle)
• 31 Spooky Movies to Get You in the Mood for Halloween (via The Everygirl)

Encouraging Words…

If You’ve Missed Anything From the Blog or the Archives Lately, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…

Simple Ways to Transition Fall to Halloween Decor

How to Repurpose a Broomstick for Festive Front Door Halloween Decor

Simple Pumpkin Flower Arrangement Ideas

How to Decorate a Store Bought Cake for Halloween

Shopping Notes: Our Latest Amazon Haul…

**(Amazon affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. As an Amazon and Impact Media Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)

**As always talk to your healthcare provider before adding these items to your routines

• French Manicure Set (excited to try these, there are so many pretty shapes and colors)
• Collagen Powder (have used this in my morning coffee for years)
• Wrinkle Release Set (this bundle comes with 2 full sizes and a travel size too)
• Lashes (excited to try these lashes, they’ll be great for a pop of glam when the holidays arrives)
• Marble Run (gifting my nephew for Christmas)
• Real Touch Pine Garland (beautiful garland for a great price, I always double up so it’s really full)
• French Manicure Set (this set with adhesive tabs gave me a french mani in 10 minutes, they lasted for 2 weeks and took about 20 minutes to soak them off and rehydrate my nails; no nail damage, beginner friendly, my Mom is also trying these as well so I’ll report back)
• Omega 3 Minis (thankful they make these in a mini version because I take them every day)
• Toilet Cleaning Tablets (we have hard water, so I’m crossing my fingers these work)
• Lash Glue (dries clear)
• Book (gifting for Christmas)
• Ornaments (excited to hang these on the tree or use in the breakfast nook)
• Press on Nails (gifting in a Boo Basket, from one side they look teal and they’re purple from the other)
• Liquid IV (have and love, the packets travel easily)
• Dawn Power Wash (ours is the one with the Gain scent, love that the bundle comes with 3 refill bottles too)
• Hair Removal Cream (excited to try this 2-minute shaving solution)
• Book (gifting)
• Real Touch Cedar Garland (my Mom ordered this for her tablescape. She mixes all sorts of greenery and it’s so pretty)
• Nail Polish (this quick dry nail polish comes in 38 colors and is great for stocking stuffers and gift baskets)
• Creatine Powder (a morning afterwork out staple)
• Pajama Set (gifting the squirrel set now and the heart set for Galentines Day)
• Hair Color Kit (excited to try this ammonia free kit)
• Book (excited to read)
• Top Coat (insta dry formula, great for gifting or quick mani when you’re short on time)
• Pullover (gifting, this comes in so many fantastic colors)
• Vitamins (these minis are great)
• Bottle Wash Tablets (I use these to clean out our glass milk and creamer bottles)

That’s all for now!

As always, we appreciate you so much and we hope your weekend is peace-filled and relaxing.  We can’t wait to share even more with you next week!

Many blessings,

CoCo