With the trees showing their first signs of changing and the air blowing in from the open windows feeling a touch crisp, I stopped the October episode of As the Season Turns, rewound it, and listened again to what was just said.
“October is when autumn really settles into itself.”
Sigh.
I’ve never felt October summed up so… perfectly?
This is the month where autumn shines the brightest. There’s not a doubt.
How fortunate for us that we get to have it every single year.
Here’s your October Ever Diaries.
P.S. If you are new here, welcome! At the start of the month, I send these little overviews out about the time of the year we are greeting—and don’t tell the other posts, but these are some of my favorite ones to write! From astrology to history to what’s happening in our skies above, you’ll find a hodgepodge. Every Ever Diaries also includes photos from the place I am dreaming of visiting that month. I always save the location for the sign-off, so see if you can guess the spot as you peruse the post. Wishing you an ever joyfilled time, Claire
Once Upon an October…
If you followed along our September Ever Diaries, you'll remember that from now till the end of the year, the months are named after the order in which they fell in the old Roman calendar days.
“Sept” marked the seventh month, “Oct” marked the eighth month and so forth. Back when there were only ten months a year, this worked great…until January and February were added and suddenly we found ourselves with a calendar that has months meaning numbers that no longer align with their order in the year. A lost cause at this point!
But, did you know that October held a few other names across England as well?
Old England used to call October Winmonath, which translates into Wine Month. As you can guess, it was the time of the year associated with the seasonal making of wine.
October also had an English alias as Winterfylleth, meaning “Winter’s Full Moon.” But, October is autumn, not winter, right? Well, the Brits associated October’s full moon with the inauguration to the winter months. Interestingly, there’s the folklore that “If October brings heavy frosts and winds, then will January and February be mild.”
What shall October bring? As the saying goes—only time will tell.
Sources: https://www.almanac.com/how-did-months-get-their-names
Worth a Revisit This Month
October, in Ten Words
Ten words to describe this tenth month…
Enchanting: There’s something enchanting in the air.
Fleeting: Every leaf that falls reminds you how precious this time is.
Pinnacle: The peak of autumn is here.
Stunning: Look out at the world and be stunned by the beauty this month.
Pronounced: There’s no overlooking this month!
Bewitching: It certainly casts a spell over you.
Brisk: The weather calls for sweaters, fuzzy jackets, and slippers.
Fiery: A warm hearth is calling…
Spooky: Boo!
Celestial: Call it fate if you must, but the night sky feels extra special this time of the year.
October, Written in the Stars
What’s happening in the skies above this month. Psst: It’s a packed one!
October 4: Saturn in Opposition—look for it in the sky!
October 8/9: The Draconid Meteor Shower
October 10: New Moon in the sign of Libra
October 12: Mercury in Elongation—look for it in the sky!
October 21/22: The Orionid Meteor Shower
October 26: Full Hunter’s Moon in the sign of Taurus
Notes of October
On the Counter: Chrysanthemums
Tunes on Repeat: The Good Witch soundtrack
Currently Watching: Hocus Pocus
Book Dog-eared: Practical Magic
From the Market: Apples & Plums
“October, crisp, misty, golden October, when the light is sweet and heavy.”
—Angela Carter
This month, I’m dreaming of an October in Germany.
Auf Wiedersehen,
Claire
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