November Favorites
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Like many folks, I love November because it kicks off the cozy season, with its shorter days and crisp cold air. I always feel nature is offering up an invitation to resume quieter indoor activities that may have been put on hold during the warmer seasons. Here are some of my favorite things for November that help me embrace this darkest month of the year.
Journaling
Long time readers know this is my go to. I love to journal in the morning quiet with a cup of black tea. While I am willing to try just about any type of stationary, pens and notebooks, I am extremely picky about my personal journals. My favorite journal is the 7.25 X 9 inch hardcover book-style from Peter Pauper Press. I think I am on my 11th or 12th book now. I have tried subbing out other journals and I just can’t do it. This is the exact Journal I am writing in at the moment.
Pens, I’m a little less precious about. I like a good fine point black pen. Currently I am using these quick dry pens.
Apple Recipes
I love freshly picked apples - Mcintosh to be exact. This is the time of year I indulge my inner baker and make apple crisps, apple pies, apple galette, baked apples. At Thanksgiving I make a signature ugly apple pie, because my crust never looks good. She might be ugly, but she is tasty! I have a curated list of some favorite autumn recipes on Pinterest, if you’d like some inspiration.
Extra Skincare
In the warmer months I tend to skip lotions because they make me sweat (TMI?). As the weather cools though, I pick up my skin care routine. Currently I am enjoying this inexpensive lip treatment; Dermasil night cream on my face from Dollar Tree, which is shockingly good. For the rest of me I apply this Eucerin lotion. I’ve made a nice evening ritual of skincare, which helps me close out my day and signal to my brain it is time for rest.
Art Meditation
Art meditation (AKA doodling) is something I was able to do while I was early in my recovery. I have these very fancy looking markers to doodle with, but you can use anything - colored pencils, old crayons, ect… The idea is to not try to make it look perfect, but rather just let your mind focus on the lines and coloring and retracing. There are several social media accounts dedicated to this type of art. I especially like Create & Meditate with Jayme on TikTok.
This is my doodle interpretation of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.
Yoga with Adrienne
One of the recommendations from my healthcare provider is to get moving after each meal, which can help with digestion (side note: this is not general medical advice - please discuss your individual health with your healthcare provider). So, as I’ve felt better over the past week, after breakfast I began doing a gentle yoga routine with Yoga With Adrienne after breakfast. She has tons of free routines on Youtube, including whole playlists for 30 days of yoga. I forget how good it feels to stretch and move and breathe. I am definitely out of practice and sore - but a good sore.
So these are some of my favorite things for November. What do you like to do to help you settle into the second half of Autumn?
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Five Things I'm Bringing Into My New Space to Make It Home
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I've been settling into my new home with my partner, and one of the things I've been figuring out is how to make a new space feel like my own.
I wasn't sure how much to bring from my house, so I've been slowly adding bits and pieces over the past several weeks. I didn't want to strip my house down completely, especially with family staying there over the winter, so I ended up purchasing a few things, too. But I've tried to use as much of what I already own as possible to make this new space feel like home.
Here are five things that have made the biggest difference.
1. Photographs
Family photos have helped me feel less homesick. There's something comforting about seeing familiar faces throughout the day, especially when you're adjusting to a new space and a different daily routine. They remind me of the people and places that are still part of my life, even when I'm not there.
2. Artwork
I had to temper my desire to bring all my favorite paintings and prints with me. This is a much smaller space, and I didn't want to strip my house bare, either.
Instead, I chose a few paintings I'd done over the summer, picked up some new pieces while thrifting, and framed a few photos of my partner and our life together.
Taken together, the artwork tells a little story about the beginning of our relationship. I love that these pieces are not just things I enjoy looking at, but little reminders of this particular chapter of my life.
3. Blue Willow China
I use vintage china for all sorts of things, from jewelry holders and soap dishes to storage and, of course, dining and serving. There's something about blue-and-white dishes that has always appealed to me. Maybe it's the timelessness of the pattern, or perhaps it's simply the comfort of something familiar.
Having little pieces of my collection sprinkled throughout my new space makes it feel more like home. They don't have to be used for their intended purpose to be useful, and I love finding new ways to incorporate things I already own into everyday life.
I love to mix and match blue and white china patterns.
4. Books
Much like the artwork, I had to curate the books I wanted to bring. Once again, I was working with a smaller space, so I had to be a little selective.
I brought some of my favorite cookbooks, reference books, and holiday books. I've also started buying books again, realizing how much more relaxing it is to sit down and thumb through a real book rather than scroll through Pinterest or TikTok.
I love having books within reach, whether I'm looking for inspiration, researching something that interests me, or simply enjoying a quiet afternoon. They make a space feel lived in, and I can't imagine a home without them.
5. Plants
Historically, I've struggled to keep plants happy through the winter. My house is cold and drafty, which doesn't make for the happiest indoor garden.
But now that I'm in a much smaller, cozier space, my plants are thriving. I have them in most of the rooms, and it's been such a pleasure to watch them flourish.
There's something lovely about bringing a little bit of the outdoors inside, especially as the days grow shorter and we spend more time indoors. My plants make the space feel alive, and caring for them gives me another small reason to slow down and pay attention to my surroundings.
I turned this old telephone shelf into a planter. My pothos are loving their new space.
A Few Other Things That Make a House Feel Like Home
Beyond these five things, I've invested in some new cotton bedding, a diffuser and essential oils, and a few practical pieces of furniture, including bookshelves and thrifted side tables and dressers.
I'm learning that making a home isn't necessarily about filling it with new things or getting everything in place at once. Sometimes it's about bringing along the familiar, finding a place for the things you love, and slowly creating a space that reflects the life you're living now.
I'm still settling in, and I'm sure there will be more changes as the seasons pass. For now, I'm enjoying the process of making this space my own.
What are the things that make your home feel like home?
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In the Pines
Who Is Hecate? Keeper of the Crossroads
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Hecate is one of the oldest figures in Greek mythology.
Unlike many of the Olympian gods, she was born to the Titans Perses and Asteria, placing her among the older generation of deities who existed before Zeus and the Olympians.
One of the earliest descriptions of Hecate appears in Hesiod's Theogony. Rather than portraying her as dark or frightening, Hesiod describes her as a powerful goddess honored by Zeus with influence over the earth, the sea, and the sky. She was associated with blessings, prosperity, wisdom, and protection.
Over time, Hecate became connected with places that exist "between" worlds.
She is commonly associated with:
Crossroads
Boundaries and thresholds
Liminal spaces
Magic and witchcraft
The moon
Dreams and the night
Transformation and the Underworld
Perhaps more than anything, Hecate reminds us that life's most meaningful moments often happen in the spaces between one chapter and the next.
Hecate: Keeper of the Crossroads
One of Hecate's best-known roles is as the Keeper of the Crossroads.
In ancient Greece, crossroads were more than intersections in the road. They represented places of decision, uncertainty, and transition.
As Hecate's worship evolved, she was often depicted as three women standing back-to-back, each facing a different direction. This triple form symbolized her ability to watch over every path and every possibility.
She is frequently shown carrying:
Torches, representing guidance through darkness.
Keys, symbolizing access to hidden knowledge and new beginnings.
A dagger, representing discernment and the ability to cut away what no longer serves us.
Throughout ancient Greece, shrines dedicated to Hecate were often placed near gates, city walls, crossroads, and the entrances to homes. People left offerings of food at these sacred places, asking for protection and safe passage through life's transitions.
The yew tree, long associated with death, rebirth, and longevity, also became one of the plants connected with Hecate.
Hecate and Persephone
One of my favorite stories involving Hecate comes from the myth of Persephone.
When Persephone was abducted by Hades and taken to the Underworld, Hecate was one of the few who heard her cries. She later helped Demeter search for her daughter and eventually became Persephone's companion, escorting her between the Underworld and the world above.
I think that is what drew me to Hecate. She doesn't rescue Persephone or make her journey easier. Instead, she walks beside Persephone, lighting the path along the way.
There are seasons in every life when we're moving from one version of ourselves to another. During those times, we don't necessarily need someone to solve our problems—we simply need enough light to take the next step.
More Than a Goddess of Witchcraft
Today, Hecate is probably best known as the Greek goddess of witchcraft and magic.
That association grew stronger in later Greek and Roman literature, particularly in stories involving Medea and Jason and the Argonauts.
Interest in Hecate experienced a significant revival during the late twentieth century through the work of scholars and modern neo-pagan authors. Today she is honored by many Wiccans, witches, and those seeking a more nature-based spiritual path.
Recommended Reading & Listening
If you'd like to learn more about Hecate, these are the books that have influenced both historical scholarship and modern interest in her: