August 2024 Events, Deals & Planning Guide

August always feels like a small new beginning. Even now at 37, when I’m not heading back to school, I notice the days growing shorter and the garden starting to hint at fall. This summer brought steady rain, so instead of the usual late-season stress from drought, the yard is lush and thriving. Every gardening year surprises you in different ways, and that unpredictability keeps me returning to the beds season after season.

August is a true transition month. I’m not trying to rush fall, but I am beginning to prepare both inside the house and out in the yard. There’s still time for late harvesting and preserving, while small decor changes inside help the home feel a touch more autumnal. Wherever you are and whatever your climate, I hope you’re enjoying this shift in the seasons as much as I am.

Let’s Talk About the Home

This month I focused on subtle indoor updates rather than garden chores. I found a jar of dried bittersweet in the basement and brought it up to the kitchen. Placed in a large antique demijohn, it adds an effortless, fall-inspired touch to the counter without feeling overdone.

On a recent shopping trip I picked up a simple yellow wreath that now hangs above the range. Its bright, warm tone quietly signals the season without dominating the kitchen. You’ll probably spot both the wreath and the bittersweet in some of my new videos—they’re small accents, but they change the feel of the space.

I also harvested a few miniature pumpkins from my patch—Caspertia for a pale white variety and Jill-Be-Little for classic orange. I grouped them in a large wooden bowl on the coffee table. Combined with a seasonal table runner and a couple of scented candles, those small additions make the living room feel cozier and ready for fall.

It really is the simple things that make the biggest difference.

Let’s Talk About My Recent Getaway

My sister Kelsey and I share birthdays three days apart, and while we used to celebrate together growing up, we hadn’t spent one in the same place since high school. For her milestone birthday, Mom and I flew to Virginia to celebrate with her. Kelsey lives and works in the Shenandoah Valley, so we spent a few days at her place before heading to Charlottesville.

We stayed at Boar’s Head Resort and enjoyed quiet mornings with coffee, wandering bakeries, and dinners at local restaurants. It was a low-key, restorative trip—time with family that felt overdue. We vowed not to wait so long before doing it again.

Let’s Talk About Food

My cooking and preserving routine follows the garden through spring, summer, and into fall. This month Mom and I continued a family tradition, preparing stuffed pickled peppers from my grandmother’s recipe. It’s a bit of work, but the jars are worth it—those peppers are a favorite on relish trays and make a great snack.

I added jars of hot peppers, hot pepper mustard, salsa, canned green beans, and tomato juice to the pantry shelves. Canning tomato juice might surprise some people, but home-canned juice is dense and flavorful and becomes the base for many soups and chilis in winter.

If you missed any recipes I published this month, here are the highlights:

• Blueberry jam
• Easy gazpacho soup
• Tomato jam
• Watermelon salad
• Panzanella
• Fruit pizza
• Grilled cabbage salad

And if you’re hosting a Labor Day gathering, these crowd-pleasers have you covered:

• French potato salad (dairy-free option)
• Slow cooker BBQ baked beans
• Italian tortellini pasta salad
• Family favorite potato salad
• Sweet barbecue baby back ribs
• The best grilled burgers
• Easy macaroni salad

Let’s Talk About Kip

Kip has been part of these monthly updates since the newsletter began in January 2022. He was paralyzed and later diagnosed with meningomyelitis, so progress updates have often been cautious. This month I’m happy to report the best kind of news: no news is good news. Kip is doing wonderfully. He continues monthly chemotherapy to manage his immune system, but otherwise he’s energetic and loves running in the yard. His recovery has been remarkable, and I’m so thankful for the support many of you have shown us along the way.

I’ll be back in about a week with a big announcement that will land in your inbox—so stay tuned. Until then, enjoy the start of September and the quiet, small changes that make this season so welcome.