FloatingTheBoat

My Autumn Bucket List

10/3/2023

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

It is October! I can't believe September is already over. I can never wait for the -ber months to start, as autumn and the Christmas time are, by far, my favourite time of the year. September usually kicks off autumn with a crisp edge in the air and the unmistakable back-to-Hogwarts vibes. Sadly, this year, September was summery and warm and we've barely had any autumnal days yet. The trees are still very green and all my autumnal sweaters rot in my closet.

Now that October has commenced, I really want to get into autumn spirit, regardless the weather. October is for me all things spooky and pumpkin. I love the orangeness of October, the warmth interspersed with the spookiness of cold grey and black.

As November is almost Christmas-time already, I often feel autumn is really just September and October, so I really want to make the most of them. This year I have compiled an "Autumn Bucket List" to help me really embrace the season, and while autumn started almost two weeks ago, I only now came round to posting this. I hope I can do all of the things on my bucket list, but anything I can't do this year will instantly go on next-year's autumn bucket list, so let's delve in.

1) Spend an afternoon in your local bookstore and enjoy a cup of tea

Image by Birgit Böllinger from Pixabay

Is there anything better than whiling away an afternoon in a bookstore? Until this day, my favourite kind of store are bookstores. As I am currently living in Austria, my choice of books is sadly quite limited, but there is still nothing better than perusing the shelves for your next greatest find and then start over a cinnamon roll and a cup of tea.

2) Read all autumnal Harry Potter scenes on a rainy day

There are some Harry Potter parts I've read so many times I can retell them by heart. And I particularly love the beginnings when they are in the Burrow, or early on in Hogwarts, when it's still all about the Hogwartsy vibe and not the adventure so much. I can't wait to return to Hogwarts on a rainy day for Halloween, may it be the Deathday Party, a loose troll or the Goblet of Fire ceremony (you might also be interested in this post about Harry Potter and Hallowe'en).

3) Bake a pumpkin or apple pie

Image by Дарья Яковлева from Pixabay

I love baking, but I've actually never baked either or these pies - can you believe it! But this year this will change and I will probably even manage to bake both. I have actually also never tried a pumpkin pie before, as you don't really get them in Austria. So that will be a delicious undertaking. I'll share the recipe here when I found one and if it was a success.

4) Do a ghost photo shoot

I first saw the ghost photo shoot idea on Darling Desi's Youtube channel and loved it! I definitely want to do one too. I still need to get a large white sheet, but I'm sure I have something I can use somewhere. I hope I can persuade my hubby and kids to join as well. Now the weather just has to finally become a little less cheerful and we're all set.

5) Make an autumn-themed sensory bin

When you peruse Pinterest, you will find a ton of ideas for sensory bins. I am particularly partial to seasonal themed ones. Sadly, because of the weather, it's been hard to get my hands on chestnuts, but I'm planning to do one with pine cones and chestnuts, maybe some leaves, for the kids very soon.

6) Do at least two autumnal day trips

I think one good way to drink in autumn is to go somewhere you can really feel it. A forest or a little town with cobble-stones and local bookstores. This autumn I want to do at least two day trips to nearby places to soak up the autumnal air. We might go to Salzburg or the Raritäten Zoo in Ebbs in Austria where they have free monkeys and many farm animals. We might also go to Mittenwald, a quaint little town in Northern Germany.

7) Watch Dan in Real Life while drinking hot chocolate

Do you know the film Dan in Real LIfe with Steve Carrell and Juliette Binoche? My American great-uncle actually wrote it, but that's not why I love it. It's a perfect autumnal movie, the acting is great and the story comes with brilliant and heart-felt conversations and twists. It's about widower Dan Burns who's struggling to take care of his three bereft daughters. The big family meets for an annual family event and while in Rhode Island, Dan meets Marie in a bookstore (see, good things happen in bookstores). He's intrigued and they share coffee. But things get complicated really fast. I won't say more, as I don't want to spoil anything, but it's a really great movie.

8) Go on an autumn hike

Image by Foto-RaBe from Pixabay

OK, let's be candid. I kind of hate hiking. I mean, it's like walking, just upwards and with no destination. And yet, this is the only thing I actually already ticked off my list - today! It's my mum's birthday and we went for a little autumnal hike, had lovely lunch in the mountains and walked back down. However, I might go on another one when the trees are more coloured and the weather isn't so warm, but a hike in October counts as an autumn hike in my books.

9) Watch a slightly spooky film on a blustery night

I love Halloween. I really do. Yet, I hate being scared and watching anything even remotely scary. While, during the Christmas season I can watch any nonsense Netflix spawns during the season, I cannot really watch most Halloween-related films. There are, however, some slightly scary movies, like Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic and even the second season of Stranger Things (which is set during Halloween), I might give a go.

10) Make at least two autumn crafts (that are not pumpkin carving)

I have definitely not been gifted in the crafty department, but I want to do at least two autumnal crafts this year. We will, of course, carve pumpkins again, but I want to do something else, too. Maybe a wreath or some Halloween decorations. I've already compiled a few ideas on Pinterest, but I want to find something I can do with my daughter, so we can have some bonding time. I guess I'll just make a wreath and let her decorate it with glue and some autumnal items.

So these are my top ten things on my Autumn Bucket List this year. I hope I can do all of them in the next six weeks before the Christmas period begins. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. See you soon!
x,
Angie