No.570: Living Intentionally in October

Well, September was a bit of a bust.  Some of us were sick at the beginning of the month and I never seemed to regain my momentum!  We didn’t complete most of the list, but some months are like that.  A few highlights from last month: We celebrated the Nativity of Mary with my daughter’s cookie bars.  We also observed the fall Ember Days.  The boys continued cutting firewood and we got a good start on our property fence.  I tidied up the coat closet and pulled out too small or unneeded coats to sell on ebay.  I also wiped down the light switches and knobs, which was perfect timing after being sick!  My biggest project of the month was finally finishing the painting on the little boys’ headboards.  I slowly started rotating the kids’ clothes as the temperature starts to cool.  Here’s what I’ve got for October:

Eating Seasonally 

Bring on all the cozy, comfort foods!  I am excited to start adding soups and stews to our dinner menu this month.  Also in season in October:

• apples
• pumpkins
• sweet potatoes
• squash
• cranberries

Celebrating the Liturgical Year

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary.  In my Saintmaker Planner, it says, “In 1206, Mary appeared to St. Dominic to praise his fight against the Albigensian heretics and to give him the Rosary as a mighty weapon.”  (My post on how we started saying the Rosary as a family is here.)

• Therese of the Child Jesus (1)
• Holy Guardian Angels (2)
• Our Lady of the Rosary (7)
• Margaret Mary Alacoque (16)
• Ignatius (17)
• Isaac Jogues (19)
• John Paul II (22)
• John of Capistrano (23)

Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency 

• Get our propane tank filled.
• Prepare for the arrival of a new animal on the homestead!
• Continue work on the property fence.
• Invest in alternative light sources (candles, lanterns, flashlights).

Homemaking 

• Clean out and vacuum the car interior.
• Organize the garage.
• Wipe out and organize the refrigerator shelves.

100 Little Things Revisited

• Make a cookie cake. (100LT #7 from Round Seven)
• Make my own laundry detergent. (100LT #88 from Round Six)
• Reread To Kill a Mockingbird. (100LT #9 from Round Two)

Family Fun

• Celebrate two birthdays!
• Celebrate some silly holidays:
  • Do Something Nice Day (5)
  • National Dessert Day (14)
  • National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day (21)
  • National Tell a Story Day (27)
  • Frankenstein Friday (29)