A monthly roundup of things to do, buy, read, watch, and enjoy.
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Welcome to September! This month feels different for many of us, but we can still enjoy the cooler weather, changing leaves, and the comforts of home.
I’m deep in harvest season — making more tomato chutney so I don’t run out again — and working on farmhouse projects. Renovations like tiling are taking longer than expected, but progress is happening. I share updates on Instagram stories when I can.
Here are the good things for this month. I’d love to hear what you’re enjoying—leave a comment to share your favorites.
Good Things
Enjoying Summer
I spent much of August savoring small pleasures: warm days, reading outside, and watching pollinators at work. I read on the garden patio whenever I could and enjoyed the strawberry sunflowers and busy bees on the marigolds.
The garden produced generously — beans, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, and hot peppers. Some of the harvest went straight to the grill after a toss in olive oil and a simple all-purpose spice rub. And when the first tomatoes ripened around the 20th, I celebrated with a happy garden dance.
How did you make the most of the final full month of summer?
Planting Fall Garlic
For the biggest bulbs, garlic is best planted in late summer or fall — about 4–6 weeks before your first frost. In the Pacific Northwest valley where I live, that usually means early to mid-September with an October 15 frost date.
Garlic bulbs sell out fast; garden seed suppliers often start shipping in September and stock moves quickly. If you haven’t ordered yet, try reputable seed companies or your local nursery for certified varieties, especially hardneck types that are less common in grocery stores. Nursery-bought seed garlic is typically grown for planting and often yields larger, hardier heads suited to regional conditions.
Goji Berries for Eye Health
After a baseline eye exam due to family history of macular degeneration, my optometrist recommended healthy eating and suggested adding dried goji berries to my diet. I now sprinkle a tablespoon into my morning granola, which makes them easy to enjoy daily.
Research shows goji berries may support eye health and offer additional benefits such as immune support, skin health, blood sugar stabilization, and improved mood and sleep. They’re a simple, flavorful addition to cereal, yogurt, or baked goods.
Have you tried goji berries? They’re a handy pantry item to try if you’re looking for a nutritious snack or granola mix-in.
Dollar Tree Online Ordering
If you need multiples of the same item from the dollar store but can’t find enough in one trip, try Dollar Tree’s online ordering with in-store pickup. For a small handling fee you can reserve the quantity you need and pick it up locally — a real time-saver for party favors, craft supplies, or matching containers.
August Reads
Two of these books were audiobooks we enjoyed as a family on a road trip; audiobooks make long drives fly by and give everyone something to talk about afterward.
Sleeping Giants, Sylvain Neuvel — A sci-fi story told through reports, interviews, and journal entries about a woman discovered in the palm of a giant metal hand and a later effort to locate other pieces of the mysterious machine. The format is intriguing, but we found it harder to connect with the characters. Entertaining, though we’re unsure about continuing the trilogy.
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier — A classic atmospheric novel about a shy young woman who marries a wealthy widower and moves to his estate, where the presence of his dead first wife, Rebecca, looms large. The unnamed heroine’s experience of being overshadowed is chilling and immersive. We enjoyed the book; the Hitchcock film adaptation didn’t capture the book’s depth.
Code of the Woosters, P.G. Wodehouse — A delightful, comic introduction to Bertie Wooster and his incomparable valet Jeeves. Light, witty, and laugh-out-loud funny; perfect for a road trip palate cleanser.
Conjure Women, Afia Atakora — A powerful debut that alternates between pre- and post-Civil War times on a remote plantation. It follows a healer and her daughter, exploring survival, resilience, and community. The writing is evocative and transported me into the characters’ world.
Romans 8–16 For You, Timothy Keller — A thoughtful, practical guide to applying Paul’s letter to Christians today. Keller’s clear, relatable approach helps ground the text in everyday life.
Close Enough to Touch, Colleen Oakley — A compelling contemporary novel about a woman who developed a fear of being touched as a child and learns to face her condition. The characters are believable and engaging, though the ending may feel unresolved to some readers.
Watching
TV:
Endeavour Season 7 (PBS) — A season with familiar mysteries and character backstories, though we found it more overwrought than previous seasons. Still worth watching for longtime fans.
Umbrella Academy (Netflix) — We sampled the first episode; it offers an offbeat take on superpowered families, similar in spirit to X-Men. We may revisit it depending on how the rest of the series lands with our kids.
Movies:
Radioactive (Amazon) — A biographical film about Marie Curie starring Rosamund Pike. It’s thoughtful and worth watching, especially if you’re interested in scientific history.
Troop Zero (Amazon) — A heartwarming story about an outsider pre-teen who finds friendship and purpose. It has a Because of Winn-Dixie feel and is a light, uplifting watch with a few odd moments.
Project Power (Netflix) — An action-packed, sometimes violent thriller about a drug that grants temporary powers. Jamie Foxx delivers a strong performance in a high-concept, fast-paced film.
The Aeronauts (Amazon) — A visually striking historical drama inspired by real-life ballooning pioneers. The film blends fiction and fact to tell a dramatic story about exploration and scientific curiosity.
That’s it for this month’s Good Things List!
If you want to see more items I enjoy, check the Good Things List archive. I’d love to hear what you’ve tried or recommend — leave a comment with your thoughts.
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