The calendar has just turned over into October, and as much as I truly consider myself a ‘Summer Girl’, October has a place in my soul that can’t be denied. I was born in October and am a true-to-the-core Libra, so something in my DNA forces me to feel at home in October. I’m not going to bore you lamenting all things pumpkin spice, cozy sweaters, boots, crisp fall air, and falling leaves, but, I HAVE to shine some light on my favourite parts of October.
From homemade soups and stews with fresh bread, turkey dinner with the family (all the noms!) and a birthday cake shared by me and my mother in law (our birthdays are two days apart) October reminds me of ‘home’. And, if I close my eyes and quiet myself, I can still smell all the familiar scents that connect me to October in Northern Ontario. It feels like a warm, fuzzy blanket by a crackling fire (maybe drinking a pumpkin spice something-or-other).
Birthday Traditions
Every year since I turned 20, my dad would send me a birthday card with a cheque for exactly $10 for every year I was alive, and I absolutely adored this Birthday Tradition. I decided a few years ago to create my own Birthday Tradition to share with the world, which usually includes a special list of things exactly the number of years I have been blessed to be here on planet earth. So, here is some fun and insight into who I am.
These Are a Few of My Favourite Things:
1- Coffee in bed with my loves. (watching Caribbean Life + dreaming)
2- Kitties (beyond obsessed)
3- Real books with real pages (Amazon is my boyfriend)
4- Turkey dinners with all the fixings (stufffffffinnnnngggggg)
5- Beaches (sand or pebble, I’m in love)
6- The ocean (she heals me)
7- Fresh from the salon hair (srsly, tho)
8- Brand new white kicks
9- An all-black outfit (pretty much my life’s uniform since High School)
10- Red lipstick (Mac Ruby Woo for the win)
11- Poppies (le sigh)
12- Lemon curd anything (extra points for French meringue)
13- French Onion Soup (best hangover cure EVER!)
14- Cold pizza for breakfast (or just pizza)
15- Plants, plants, everywhere!
16- Road trips with my man (the longer the better)
17- Crackling fire (inside or out, you had me at fire)
18- My mom’s pierogis (she was a master)
19- Pickled anything (my Ukranian roots)
20- Sheets dried on a clothesline (fresh)
21- Freshly cleaned floors
22- The smell of a new country as I step off the plane (magical)
23- The Roaring 20’s (in a past life I was a flapper)
24- A really dirty gin martini (three olives, please!)
25- The end piece of a fresh baguette (I’ll fight you for it!)
26- The colour turquoise (all shades will do)
27- The smell of sandalwood
28- Rock n roll (Led Zep + Queen are tops)
29- Storytelling with friends + family (my heart explodes for these moments)
30- Laughing till I can’t breathe (even if I pee a little)
31- Television (sorry-not-sorry)
32- My Chanel handbag (that I bought myself, thank-you-very-much)
33- My free spirit and unwillingness to accept “good enough”.
34- My sensitive soul (thanks Mom)
35- The way my cats’ paws smell (sweaty + sweet)
36- Triangles and arrows (obsessed with Viking Culture)
37- Planning my next tattoo (can’t stop, won’t stop)
38- A drive amongst farmland (I secretly love the smell of manure!)
39- The crackling of an LP (records for life!)
40- A good make-out session (dreamy)
41- Daydreaming (I have a Ph.D. in it)
42- Watching people begin to rise from the ashes to thrive (it’s never too late)
43- Juicy conversation (even heated, always better than small talk)
44- Being a student again and again (unapologetically nerdy)
45- Having my hands-on people’s faces (like a moth to a flame)
46- Seeing how long I can go without washing my hair + still looking human (borderline obsessed)
47- The courage to share myself with the world. (like me or leave me, I’m here!)
I invite you all to find a Birthday Tradition of your own as a way to celebrate the unique gifts that make you the best version of you. Share them with the world in a way that feels like freedom and see what magic you discover. Happy Birthday October!
Love + freedom,
Shari xo
