October is wild geese and worn flannel sheets and turning up the heat. If October had a theme song it would be Joni Mitchell's “Urge for Going," and if October held a family reunion, it would be on Samhain, when the dead cross back over to earth at the thin places--Hello, ghosts of our ne'er-do-well cousin and our mad, bad aunt by marriage, come in and sit a spell (or cast one) until it’s time to evaporate. Leaves swirling, birds migrating, spirits rising—change is in the air. 

I’ve been trying to curb my use of plastic bottles and my Fuji-water fixation, but I can’t stand bulky bottles with spouts and flip tops or adult sippy cups with slides. I hadn’t been able to find a reusable water bottle that I’d actually use until I discovered the Copco Hydra. It feels like a regular water bottle with a twist-off cap, and the top third of it unscrews for easy filling and cleaning. 

I’m a little worried about letting people know about the three Hip Little Cabins vacation rentals in the Asheville, NC, area. Owned by a former Charlestonian, they all look irresistible, and I’m afraid if I let you in on them, I’ll never get a vacation booking. The link on the @hiplittlecabins Instagram bio will take you to each of the Air B&B sites.

I’m a huge fan of Judi Dench (isn’t everyone?) and Ciaran Hinds (who starred in the best version of Persuasion ever), so I can’t wait to see Belfast in which they play a married couple. I never imagined I’d also be a fan of Jamie Dornan until I saw his unforgettable, creepy turn in The Fall, so the fact that he stars in the movie is a big plus. Coming in November.