Falling for fall . . .

Usually at this time of year, I am musing about the arrival of fall...

Last year, I wrote about autumn and art.**

Several years ago, I wrote about the “ember” months.***

I’ve been uninspired by the season so far. Until yesterday when I stopped at Starbucks and succumbed to an Iced Pecan Crunch Oat Milk Latte. If that didn’t hunker me down among the turning leaves, football, and sweater weather, nothing would. Trust me, forget the pumpkin options—this fall menu option (along with other deliciousness) is beyond yummy!

My reluctance to celebrate the fall season stemmed from a volatile summer. Births and deaths. Happiness and pain. Marriages and divorce figured in the mix; decisions made in joy and decisions made in anguish.

Completion of my third book (more about this soon), a memorable getaway to a lake house in Michigan with the best friends a girl could have, and a beautiful backyard gathering among the highlights of the summer season.

It’s been a whirlwind, but it all seems to be settling now. It may be time to curl up with a cushy throw and read a good book. Would LOVE suggestions!

I have some recommendations:

Culpability, Bruce Holsinger – a heart-wrenching family drama, thriller, and a thought-provoking look at AI and the digital age we live in—how technology is intersecting with our humanity. Page-turning from the first chapter!

The Emperor of Gladness, Ocean Vuong – a remarkably bold story that captures the hopes and disillusionments of people living in today’s America. An endearing relationship between a young Vietnamese-American and an eighty-year-old woman, a WWII refugee from Lithuania, helps them both navigate the stark and cruel world of East Gladness, Connecticut.

The God of the Woods, Liz Moore – another gripping thriller told in multiple timelines set in a summer camp in the Adirondack Mountains, this book is dark, atmospheric, suspenseful and intriguing. Tightly plotted, it seamlessly tells the story of the disappearance of two children from the same family

.

And a re-read of Booker Prize-winning novel, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje which traces the intersection of four damaged lives in an abandoned Italian villa at the end of World War II. I am always amazed when I re-read a book at how much I missed the first time through.

On television, I am currently captivated by The San Diego Padres push for the playoffs and Season Six of Unforgotten, PBS’ gripping British crime drama intricately told with brilliant performances. Oh, and always, Jeopardy!

Took in a wonderful movie over the weekend -  “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,”a lighthearted requiem to the remnants of empire, casts one eye on the future of the beloved upstairs and downstairs families and the other on the past.

Julian Fellowes’s beloved British series reaches its end with a graceful, engaging big-screen drama that sees the Crawleys weathering social scandal and financial woes at the onset of the 1930s. Life as the family has known is not so much fading as downsizing, as the old guard passes the baton to a young generation. All with brilliant performances, dazzling costumes, and beautiful cinematography!

I loved it, highly recommend it!

If you happened to miss my previous pieces on Autumn, you can click on the links below to read:

**https://www.marilynwoodswriter.com/post/a-u-t-u-m-n-arrives

***https://www.marilynwoodswriter.com/post/do-you-know-of-the-ember-months