Top Centre - Clockwise: Blanket Grey Scarf | Chapters, At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon | JWD Bookstore, Heart of the Wolf Necklace | Pyrrha, Sweater Dress | La Vie En Rose, Tan/Brown Loungewear | Abercrombie & Fitch, Walking Boots | Sperry, Canon EO7 RP | Canon, Jeans | The Gap, Mixed Media Pleather Pants | RW&Co, Yoga Long Sleeve | LuluLemon, Yoga Pants | Aerie, Heartbeat Necklace | Gift from the bestie, Black, Brown and Burgundy Turtlenecks | RW&Co, Black Cami | H&M, Beige Cami | Ambercrombie & Fitch, Brown Turtleneck Oversized Knit Sweater | H&M, Butterfly Sweater | Winners

Autumn was a very full and busy few months. The back-to-school routine, preparation of Christmas, the celebration of Thanksgiving all have a way of creating those 'in the blink of an eye' moments.

The theme this month, seemed to be in replacing items that had broken down or were of low quality.

NEW TO ME

Cable Knit Sweater

I have always wanted a quality sweater that would last years. It's always bothered me how often the sweaters marketed to women are low quality that wears out within a year or two. Getting this sweater was a financial commitment, but I recognize it will last me a decade, if not longer.

Sperry Walking Boots

Not a purchase I was planning on making, but one that was necessary. These boots do the job of keeping my feet warm while walking through wet leaves and muddy places.

Canon Camera

Purchased for work, I hope to spend more time in the following seasons learning how to use this camera as an additive to my documentary filmmaking.

STILL GOING STRONG

Scarf

Purchased from Indigo years ago, this blanket scarf is a staple for me.

Mixed Media Faux Leather Pants

Love these. They pair perfectly with the majority of my capsule wardrobe.

Turtle Necks

Must have in the professional winter / autumnal wardrobe. When one finds a good turtleneck, buy more in varying shades.

TIME TO GO

Soft Moc Boots (*not pictured here)

It seems I forget to take pictures of the items which wear out and are on their way out the door into the garbage. A pair of walking autumnal boots that I used in autumn and winter met their end early this season. I didn't notice how bad they were until quite literally one boot fell apart in my hand. Upon close inspection, it was clear both boots were crumbling down with various splits and holes around the zippers and creases. They met with the garbage can after being deemed irreparable.

Tank Tops (*not pictured here)

Although I still have these, I am working towards replacing them. Over six years ago, I walked into Forever 21 (they have since left Halifax, Nova Scotia) and bought three tank tops of the same style and size. A black, white and tan, as something to wear underneath shirts.

They show their age, and although one may be good to keep for an option to pair with pyjama pants, the other two are beyond themselves. It's time to let them go and find a new set of tank tops.

Here is the playlist for Autumn 2021

Evidence | Josh Baldwin Dante Bowe

Early 2020 brought a hurricane of hardships, all of which I am still working to heal from. Placing the pandemic on top of these 'elements’ meant that I became numb to a lot of life, despite what it may have looked like. Dante Bowe’s voice cuts through so much of that feeling of being numb and has been a key to feeling the blessings that have all unfolded, because of, despite of and even so over the past two years.
This song has become an anchor.

Once Upon Another Time | Sara Bareilles

Sara’s songwriting will always be something I return to again and again. We can’t go back to who we were when we were younger or ‘before’ any one thing. But we can remember and harness that freedom. Something I attempt to do daily.

NDA | Billie Eilish

On a more edgy side of musicality and songwriting, Billie brings us one of the most impressive music videos of the day with NDA. With her new album she has found a very raw and edgy way to reveal the patriarchy and the havoc it can create. If you know anything about film production you will instantly see what type of guts, drive and dedication this woman has to her craft.

*Billie shared footage of BTS to show that yes, these were real cars that were speeding past her. A blocking and production feat.

I adore the way Autumn arrives in Nova Scotia.

It is not an abrupt overnight happening but a slow and mindful appearance. A leaf here, a leaf there. Nights that end just a titch cooler than before, until….the evening's air kiss assures you that sweaters and thick blankets must be pulled out again.

The sun looks different in Autumn. It has a more warm gold hue when it dances on the walls. It doesn't burn, but it reminds you that it's still here. Still shining, despite the darkness that is creating shorter days.

With the arrival of Autumn and the 'back to school routine, I am rejoicing.

It means a recentering of my mind and spirit into work that I have been digging into.

Yes, there are the distractions of both good and practical things.

Friends visiting, approaching thanksgiving, and the Christmas season. Not to mention Halloween, extracurricular classes for the little, a pandemic to watch, and home projects before the winter months.

But there is also open space.

If I allow it.

Protect it.

Space to develop my filmmaking skills on a personal level with a new camera. Freedom to collaborate with a corporation I have been loving working with. Space to spin tales in the dark evenings, reflect on the year on weekend walks. Space to putter around the house while putting to order the project decisions I am being faced with.

The space is there.

But, it's genuinely, honestly, and quite realistically up to me to protect it.

There will always be someone who lays an expectation down at your feet. A circumstance to attend to, a phone call to answer, a text to reply, day to schedule, medical appointment to show up to, a chore to complete.

And the beautiful and often anxious-inducing truth is that you get to take a deep breath and decide what needs to get attended to and what is not going to serve you in the things you have to show up for.

This is an exercise in trust that there is just enough time for the things you are called for today. And for what you need to let go of in the process...there is grace for that too.

Touch the ground in the business of Autumn and say “There there, there is space and grace for you to do what you are called for in this season.”