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A Letter from Caitlyn Paxson
Dear Reader,
I realize it’s a bit late to ask you to cast your mind back to September, but here we are. I honestly can’t believe September came and went so quickly. Perhaps it’s because it continues to be unseasonably warm on the Island, and even though autumnal activities are forging ahead, nature seems suspended in an eternal summer.
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Image Description: This zinnia is wearing a skirt of spiderweb and dew, and I think she’s lovely.
The cats are very happy that I’m spending a bit more time at home now that I’m on my fall schedule. The Contessa had some health issues a couple of weeks ago, and I am just so incredibly grateful that she’s better and settling back in to her routine. Magill and I joke that the three cats are the Naponauts, engaging in important missions while they snooze the days away, and sometimes we get “drafted” to assist them. I look forward to being drafted into numerous Naponaut missions as the days grow darker.
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Image Description: Bruce investigates Monty’s business. The Contessa presents her pork chop for pats.
In September, I continued to be absolutely swamped with reading for NPR, as I have three big roundups coming out this fall! The first one is a collection of YA novels that all give Academia vibes, and you can read it here. Of the five, A Study in Drowning was my favorite.
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Image Description: I only had digital copies of a lot of these so I’m relying on the image from NPR!
I did have time for some audiobook listening this month, and absolutely gobbled up All Systems Red by Martha Wells. It’s the tale of a Murderbot who is responsible for providing security for a team exploring a hostile planet, but all the Murderbot wants is to watch TV and not interact with people. I had heard it was delightful but thought it wouldn’t be in my personal wheelhouse. Then my friend C.S.E Cooney insisted I would love it and gifted me a copy. Well, I will tell you, a C.S.E. Cooney book recommendation is worth its weight in gold! This book is short, funny, and surprisingly moving for a story about a Murderbot. Now I have to read all the sequels!
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Interpreting
September began with the annual shutting down of the Green Park Shipbuilding Museum and the Historic Yeo House for the season. The site is located in a provincial park at the western end of the Island, and it’s completely inaccessible once the snow flies. Everything has to be packed up and tucked away for the winter. Later in the month, I stopped by Orwell Corner Village to take some promotional pictures – I’m going to be moonlighting as the Orwell Corner Witch and making potions with kids for Halloween. Fortunately, my friend Amal El-Mohtar was visiting and helped me get the shot I needed! We had a lot of fun witching around the village and spent some quality time with Chuck, Orwell’s extremely personable turkey mascot! The rest of September was all prep for The Beaconsfield Séance – tickets are still available here if you’re on the Island, and I’ll have lots of photos and updates to share about this in October’s letter!
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Image Description:The Orwell Corner Witch gazes into her scrying pool. Amal contemplates the fates of fragile mortals. Chuck the turkey is enthused!
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Crafting
Wreath of the Month as an ongoing project (and this newsletter, for that matter) would not exist without Amal’s enthusiasm and encouragement, so the very moment we began planning her visit, I started imagining how I could involve her in both! I decided that the best approach was to add more flowers to August’s (now dried) wreath and create a second dried flower wreath with a different-but-similar feel.
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Image Description: Flower crowns on the beach. Not visible: 100,000 mosquitoes!
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I had been eyeballing two massive Amaranth stalks for weeks, hoping they would survive various weather so that we could use them as sceptres! The effect surpassed my imaginings, and I was just so grateful to get to spend some time with my darling friend and make art together.
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Gardening
September usually provides the climax of the garden season here on the Island. The peppers ripen, the pumpkins begin to orange up, and the flowers go absolutely bananas.
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Image Description: The flower-cutting garden at peak glory.
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Even as some things went to seed and died back, others surged forth. Towards the end of the month, we were hit by the edge of Hurricane Lee, and thinking that the damage would be similar to last year’s Fiona, I prepared myself for the worst and said goodbye to all my plants. But then the storm was gentle with us, and everything carried on unharmed!
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Image Description: The veggie garden.
As I write this, most things are still merrily blooming away, much to my surprise. Normally we would have had frost by now, but it looks like we may get another week or more before it comes. I’m hoping it gives a few late bloomers the chance to shine. |
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Image Description: Two of September’s best bouquets. |
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Enthusing
I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to point you towards my mom’s pottery shop because she has been making the most adorable skull mugs and pots for the haunting season and I am in love with each and every one of them!
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Image Description: Cute little guys.
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She has a couple of big holiday craft fairs coming up, so get them while you can! As for myself, I’m headed back outside to enjoy this last bit of summer weather.
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Image Description: A view of the garden from my office, splendid in the sunset.
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Until next time, wishing you the best books and the most berry-full brambles,
Caitlyn
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I write this from the traditional unceded territory known as Mi’kma’ki. Two books by Indigenous authors that I really enjoyed recently are To Shape a Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose and Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline.
(All opinions expressed in this newsletter are my own and do not represent my employer.)
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