For me, October was a month that felt simultaneously really long and also lightning fast, mainly because, although I can't believe that we're in November already, I feel like I managed to jam pack so much into October that I'm struggling to believe that only one month has passed since I last sat down to write one of these posts. With such a busy month behind me, I've got no shortage of brilliant things to reflect on so, without further ado, here are some of my favourite things from the month of October.
{Book - Misery}
In general, October was a great reading month for me and I feel like I finally managed to break away from the reading slump that's been weighing me down for the past few months. But, in a month filled with brilliant reads, my standout book has to be Stephen King's Misery. While in many of my favourite King reads, the best part is the way he combines real-life issues with the paranormal, Misery entirely omits any paranormal elements and yet still managed to disturb and compel me more than any other King book I've read. Tension and fear are woven into every page of this book and, if you're on the look out for a truly thrilling horror, this is the book for you.*
{Food - Pumpkin Pie}
I jumped wholeheartedly into Autumn this October and finally tried my hand at the most autumnal recipe there is - pumpkin pie! Having never even tried a pumpkin pie before, I had no idea what I was going for when it came to veganising this classic recipe but, if I do say so myself, I did a bloody good job - so good, in fact, that my pumpkin pie recipe can now be found here on my blog! This seasonal classic, featuring flaky pastry and a silky smooth sweet and spiced filling is now a firm favourite of mine and one that I'll certainly one that I'll be re-making each and every Autumn.
{Activity - Pumpkin Picking}
Clearly a month filled with firsts, this October seemed the perfect time for my first trip to a pumpkin patch and, much like pumpkin pie, I can see this becoming an annual tradition. On what happened to be the perfect blue-skies-and-crisp-air Autumn morning, Jay and I headed to Yorkshire Pumpkins - a gorgeous country farm on the outskirts of York. As well as having the most instagramable seasonal photo shoot, we also came away with an array of squashes and pumpkins which have made the best photo props for all of my food photos for the last few weeks.
{YouTube Channel - Eamon & Bec}
Although I've come across their channel before, I found myself non-stop binging Eamon & Bec's content this month! A Canadian van-life couple who self-converted their sprinter van into an epic home on wheels and have since taken to travelling all over the world and vlogging the whole process - their vlogs have been an amazing reminder that happiness doesn't come from the things we own but from the people we spend time with, the places we go and experiences we have! As the weather gets colder and the days darker, Eamon & Bec's vlogs have been a constant source of brightness and positivity.
{Thing to Watch - Joker}
On a slightly darker note, October saw the much anticipated release of the new Joker movie. Being not much of a super-hero fan myself, I didn't imagine that Joker would end up being on my watch list but something about the trailer captivated me enough to challenge my bias against the world of super-heroes and honestly, I'm so glad I challenged my perception of the movies I usually go for! As the reviews promised, Joker was an exceedingly dark film that, in providing a backstory for the infamous Joker also managed to explore a narrative centred around mental health and the services and support often denied to those in less financially secure situations. From the aesthetic and soundtrack to Joaquin Phoenix's flawless portrayal of Aurthur Fleck, this movie was absolutely phenomenal.
So, with October behind us and November flying by, I feel like Christmas is just around the corner! What have been your favourite things this Autumn so far?
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