There's something about this time of year that just gets me. The light is softer, the leaves are putting on their final show, and after months of go go go, life finally slows down enough for me to actually feel it. This week was one of those weeks where everything seemed to line up, and I wanted to share a little bit of it with you before we flip the page to the holidays.
That's a Wrap on Season Five
Wednesday was our final day in the Dining Room, which officially marks the end of the tourism season for us. I always feel such a big mix of emotions on that last day: proud, a little tired (okay, a lot tired), and so incredibly grateful. To our Jambassadors, thank you for showing up with your whole hearts all season long. And to everyone who came to visit us this year, whether you stopped in for brunch, wandered the Gardens of Hope, or stocked up on your favourite preserves, thank you for being part of our story. We truly couldn't do this without you.
Nothing Fuels Me Like My People
If you've been around here for a while, you know nothing fills my cup quite like time with family, and last weekend was overflowing in the best possible way. We celebrated my niece's 18th birthday (how is she 18?!) and my father in law's 70th, and then wrapped it all up with our belated Thanksgiving dinner with the kids. When you run a business through the busy season, holidays sometimes get shuffled around, but honestly, I think the belated ones might be my favourite. There's no rush, nobody's watching the clock, and everyone is just happy to be together.
A Belated Thanksgiving Worth Waiting For
The menu was pure comfort food: braised beef ribs, smashed broccoli, and of course my twice baked potatoes, because they're a must at our table. We finished things off with a delicious caramel chai pumpkin tiramisu, then kept up our annual pumpkin carving with the kids, which never gets old no matter how grown up they get.
And then there's our newest family tradition, which might just be my favourite one yet. For whoever is celebrating a birthday, we each light a candle and make a wish for that person. It's such a simple thing, but watching those little flames light up one by one, each one holding a wish for someone we love, gets me every single time. My heart is genuinely full.
My Favourite Time of Year to Create
After a weekend so full of people and celebration, I found myself craving a little quiet, and fall always knows how to give me that. It has always been my most creative season. I have the sweetest memories from my 20s, sitting in my spare room at my sewing machine, making clothes for my nephews with the bright sun pouring in and the fall foliage in its prime outside the window. Those days felt like pure magic to me.
This week took me right back there. With nobody else home, I spent the day tinkering in the kitchen with apples and all those cozy fall smells, the sun shining in and Ina Garten's happy hour playing in the background. There were a thousand things I could have been doing, but this is what felt good. Honestly, it was so lovely it almost brought me to tears.
Earlier this week I wrote about giving myself permission to rest, and this feels like the other side of that coin. It got me wondering why I don't give myself more of these days. I am the co-creator of my own life and my own space, so why does it need to be a picture perfect day for me to allow myself this gift? I'm learning that rest isn't just about stopping. It's what makes room for the creativity, the joy, and the little moments that remind me who I am.
Next Week, We're Into Christmas
So here I am, soaking up these last golden days of fall with a full heart and a whole lot of gratitude. The season may be over, but the magic definitely isn't. Next week we're officially into Christmas at the Preserve Company, and I can't wait to share what we've been working on. Stay tuned, friends, it's going to be jamazing.
Lots of love,
Marsha
