Mid-Month Musings: October 2026

October has been a good month for reading and enjoying the changing seasons. We've watched the trees slowly turn their autumn colors, although the weather has had a few surprises of its own. We recently reached a high of 84 degrees, which is quite unusual for this time of year in our part of the Midwest. The sudden change must have confused our lilac, which has decided to bloom again! 

It's been quite a bookish month, too, with a variety of subjects finding their way into my reading. I've read Traumergy by Patrick R. Carberry, Space Shield: The Wrath of the Sun by Jeremy Clift, Where Is My Sparkle? by Alexandra Dakin and Kadysha, The Remote Leadership Playbook, Redirecting Children's Behavior by Kathryn J. Kvols, BENCHTALK: Wisdoms Inspired in Nature, The Lightwood Family Adventure Series: Prequel Volume: Road Trip to Mount Aurora, and Robert Browning by William Lyon Phelps.

Looking over my reading, I've noticed how many of these books have a nature motif. Nature has a way of finding its place in literature, whether through the setting, a source of inspiration, or the connection between people and the world around them. It's something I enjoy, and I find it interesting how often the natural world works its way into the stories we read. Perhaps that's one reason I enjoy watching the seasons change just as much as I enjoy turning the pages of a good book.

I've spent time watching Absolute History, which is part of the Little Dot Studios Network. They have wonderful productions on the Brontë sisters, with Shelia Hancock as a guide. I also watched a documentary on Daphne du Maurier. These productions are another way of looking at literature, and sometimes learning about the person behind the books makes the reading experience more interesting.

A visit to the Brumback Library (the first tax-supported county library in the United States) was on our agenda. The 125-year-old building is undergoing renovations, with the floors being redone, but the library remains open.  It's nice to see this historic building receiving great care!

On another note, Mom called to let me know she’d finished the bag of books I’d purchased for her a few months ago, so it looks like another trip to the bookstore is in our near future! One of the things I enjoy most is having the opportunity to share our love of books and talk about what we’re reading.

My husband and I rewatched the 1963 production of The Raven, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's work. I was thrilled to hear Vincent Price's recitation again. We enjoy looking back at older film productions and seeing the creativity that went into bringing stories to the screen. 

With half the month still ahead, there's time for more reading, and whatever surprises the autumn weather has in store. For now, I'm enjoying the books, the changing landscape, and even a white lilac that seems to think it's spring.

This blog has had many visitors this month from countries around the world. The United States, Brazil, France, Argentina, Germany, Mayotte, Colombia, Bangladesh, Mexico, Pakistan, Venezuela, Morocco, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Singapore are in the top 15.

Thank you for stopping by. Happy Reading!