Dear friend,

One of the get-to-know-you questions that I ask and get asked a lot is “What is your favorite season and why?” You can learn a lot about a person from those two questions.

I asked Vella Karman this question and she said that she loves all the seasons, but her favorite is summer because it’s easier to get together with friends (which is on brand for her because she talks about friendship and belonging over at her website.)

I bet you can guess what my favorite season is. Hint: September, October, and November are its months.

Autumn is my favorite season because I find all the colors, scents, and weather patterns inspiring.

Autumn inspirations

Just go on a hike sometime and look at the leaves as they change through the season. If you go when it rains, pay attention to the colors different kinds of bark have. I like collecting pretty leaves that I find and pressing them in my dictionary to look at later.

Look at the sky and see how the clouds have more depth in autumn. Looking at autumn skies makes me marvel at the beauty and God’s creation.

Rainy days in autumn are great for baking as the weather cools. Try a new recipe and start a tradition, or continue an old tradition. My mom always made pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting when I was growing up (try this recipe).

Rainy autumn days are also great for reading. I wrote an article about reading which you can find here. Read a new book (there are plenty of lists of autumn-themed stories like this one) or an old favorite. I love curling up with a blanket, tea, and Howl’s Moving Castle this time of year.

These are only a few ways fall inspires me, but I’m sure there are many others. Go be inspired by the season!

Sincerely,

R. J. Catlin