October 2022 Reads and the Pumpkin Patch

Fall Favorites: Simple Moments and Seasonal Traditions

As many of you know, Fall is one of my absolute favorite seasons. There's just something about pulling on a cozy pair of boots and stepping outside to enjoy the crisp air, the crunch of fallen leaves beneath my feet, and of course, capturing the stunning transformation of nature through my camera lens. The vibrant hues of reds, oranges, and yellows never fail to inspire me.

This year, I kept my outdoor decorations simple. Instead of going all out, I just placed a few scarecrows on the wicker chairs on our front porch. It's a subtle nod to the season but still adds a bit of charm to our entryway.

A highlight of my Fall so far was a visit to a local pumpkin patch with my husband. Typically, we look for small pumpkins to use in baking (specifically for pumpkin pie), but this time, I picked out three pumpkins for that purpose. What really made the trip special, though, was when the owner of the patch gave us a beautiful, heavy white pumpkin after I mentioned we had never owned one before. It now sits proudly with the others on an old table in our home, waiting for me to start baking.

And while tradition usually calls for a cozy night with my brother watching the Halloween classic It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, this year we switched things up. Instead, we enjoyed a marathon of Alfred Hitchcock reruns. It was a fun change of pace and still felt like the perfect way to celebrate the season.

All in all, it's been a lovely, low-key Fall so far—full of simple pleasures, family moments, and of course, plenty of pumpkin-themed memories.

Blog STATS:

October ended up being a busy reading month and I was able to surpass my reading goal for the year 2022. 

I also received many advanced reader copies,  from publishers, this month.

In the past 2 months this blog has seen an influx of visitors viewing posts on books that follow a religious, dystopian,  fantasy, and self-help-marketing/design, genre. 

October 2022 reads were

Meeting Jesus in the Holy Land by Ignatius Fernandez 

This is the top-read blog post this month and Fernandez's journey reflects great respect. 

I've enjoyed finding out more about the Biblical history that captures the extraordinary connection and love that people often feel for the State of Israel. 

The Art of New Ideas Unlock Your Creative Potential by Robin Landa

 has drawn a lot of attention from blog viewers. 

One of the key elements that many influential people use is observation and Robin provides some great exercises as well as a list of ways to go about finding goals, building habits, and why it matters. We see the importance of being flexible and that you really need to do your research as there are many useful products invented by accident. I have tried to list many of the brands and influential people listed herein.

Warspace by Jay Rodan

Jay Rodan is a British actor, director, and writer and he approached me to read his book Warspace. This story has a little bit of everything including holograms, viruses, and war! I will tell you that the world-building is well crafted and at times frightening.

What I loved most about this story was the use of all the symbols and the concept that right and wrong, good and evil, and beauty and ugliness share the same core of being and the choice is ours as it was those who journeyed before us.

Winning Streak Tales and Trivia of the 40 Most Popular Board Games John-Michael Gariepy

If you want to hone your skills at a  classic detective game like Clue or do a better job at wordplay or Chess or be crowned a winner by my friend ( not likely)  - you may want to check out Winning Streak: Tales and Trivia of the 40 Most Popular Board Games. I don't have a favorite but there are some listed that I wish I had access to when younger.

The Shadowmaker by T.J. Champitto
This cast of characters exchanges a lot of banter. 

I like that the action builds and the plot thickens throughout this read which includes potential scenarios, surveillance, death, and tactical secrecy. I would have to say that the final reveal is a reflective one in the Shadowmaker.

Roar Luke a Goddess Every Woman’s Guide to Becoming Unapologetically Powerful, Prosperous, and Peaceful by Acharya Shunya

I appreciate how the author writes in a conversational tone that is easy to absorb. She states that this book is created to inspire positive change and hope for all women and suppressed beings. 

It is a book that shows that we have a choice in making our own balanced and healthy life by determining our own goals.

Bully Brother by Craig M. Dial

It's intriguing when an author does something different and I really like that he incorporated music and suggests we listen to it as we read along with the story. 

This book provides nostalgia for the era and the area of Marin County and it is not without heartache. The best thing about this read is that Craig and David were able to mend their relationship.

The Ausumption of Death by Anthony David Vernon

I will tell you I was searching for tales of mystery when Anthony David Vernon sent me his collection. Vernon is a poet and writer of meditations on classic works of death. Vernon's work centers around the idea that living guarantees death is merely an assumption and not an absolute fact.

Fostered by Tori Hope Peterson.

Tori is a gifted storyteller and shows through a collection of vignettes the relationship of a youth facing trauma in the foster care system. She speaks about triggers, mental illness, violence, trafficking, abortion, and the power of guidance and encouragement. She also speaks about avoiding apathy and advocating. Tori shares her faith in God and in His restoration and renewal.

Z,O.S.by Kay Merkel Boruff

Kay writes," On February 18, 1970, my 24-carat life was shattered when Jon was killed flying in Laos. I returned to Texas, a CIA widow with PTSD."   

I've had this book for four years and read sections of it from time to time. My list of emotions is long and I can't help but feel a sense of entrancement. Each sentence elicits a reaction. Years ago, I'd read about the Plain of Jars on another author web site.

Our Lady of the Artilects by Andrew Gillsmith

This is an interesting read as it causes one a feeling of wanting to find out about something. 

While there are people who still appreciate simplicity there are many that are searching for powerful processes of enchantment.

The read mixes touches of next-generation techno and religious ceremonies of morning prayers in the mosque with commonplace things such as barking dogs.

ADDITIONAL BLOG STATS:

This month's Operating system visits are from Macintosh, Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, Unix, and iPad.

The Top 20 Blog visitors are from the United States, Belgium, Germany, Canada, France, Philippines, Romania, Vietnam, India, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, Italy, Japan, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

I hope you are enjoying the Fall season and are finding new books to love.