November’s Best: Home Transformations, Garden Essentials, Must-Read Books & Entertainment Picks
Welcome to our monthly curation of delightful discoveries and worthwhile recommendations! Each month, we bring you a thoughtfully compiled list of good things to see, buy, read, and watch. This November’s edition is particularly exciting, featuring the impressive completion of our barn’s exterior makeover, essential fall garden tasks to tackle before winter sets in, a review of incredibly comfortable and affordable rain-garden boots, an in-depth look at six books I’ve recently devoured, and much more! Get ready to be inspired, informed, and entertained as we usher in the cozier months.
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And just like that, November has arrived, bringing with it the exciting buzz of the approaching holiday season! While it’s always a little bittersweet to bid farewell to the warmth of summer and early fall, shifting our focus to the delightful plans ahead for November and December makes the transition much smoother. I sincerely hope this perspective helps you embrace the changing seasons with enthusiasm too.
To ease into the cooler weather, I recently acquired this highly sought-after barn coat. Though it’s sadly sold out now, I’m absolutely loving it. It’s so comfortable and stylish that I’m genuinely happy for the cooler temperatures, as it gives me an excuse to wear it! Sometimes, a small, comforting purchase can make all the difference in embracing a new season, don’t you agree?
My wish is that this carefully curated list of good things provides you with a dose of inspiration, practical tips, and enjoyable recommendations as we smoothly transition into the festive holiday season. Let’s dive in!
This Month’s Good Things List
Barn Exterior Makeover: From Drab to Dreamy!
This spectacular barn makeover has undoubtedly been the highlight of the past month! While I gave you a sneak peek into the progress in the previous Good Things List, it’s the truly transformative finishing touches that have elevated this old outbuilding, breathing new life into it and allowing it to live out its full barn potential. Those distinctive X-shaped accents on the doors and the carefully chosen exterior light fixtures truly make all the difference, don’t you think? It’s remarkable how much character and curb appeal simple changes can add to an existing structure, transforming a functional building into a picturesque focal point on your property.
For those eager to replicate this transformation or simply curious about the process, you can find a comprehensive breakdown of all the simple yet impactful steps we took right here. The detailed post includes captivating before-and-after photos that showcase the dramatic change, along with a transparent cost breakdown. It’s a fantastic resource for anyone considering a similar project and will help you understand what went into bringing this vision to life. We focused on maximizing impact with budget-friendly solutions, proving that a stunning makeover doesn’t always require an exorbitant investment. What would your best guess be for the total cost of this incredible building makeover? You might be pleasantly surprised!
Every time I catch a glimpse of this renovated barn from our windows, my heart does a little flutter of joy. It’s more than just a functional building now; it’s a beautiful focal point that enhances the entire property, a testament to what a little vision and effort can achieve. The fresh paint, updated hardware, and new lighting have revitalized its appearance, making it a source of immense pride and a charming addition to our landscape. It truly brings a renewed sense of character and curb appeal to our home, and I couldn’t be happier with the results and the welcoming atmosphere it now contributes to our outdoor space.
Essential Fall Garden Tasks to Prepare for Winter
As the vibrant colors of autumn deepen, it’s time to shift our focus to preparing the garden for the colder months ahead. While you can always refer to the comprehensive November garden chores list for a full rundown of what needs to be done, I personally lean towards a “bare minimum” approach here in western Oregon. Our mild climate allows our gardens to keep producing well into October, so my fall season is often dedicated more to preserving the bounty than extensive garden cleanup. This strategic prioritization ensures we make the most of our harvest while still setting the garden up for success.
However, even with a minimalist strategy, certain fundamental tasks are absolutely crucial for ensuring the health of your plants and the productivity of your garden next spring. There’s immense satisfaction in ticking these vital items off the list, knowing you’ve set your garden up for success during its dormancy. Performing these tasks now saves a significant amount of effort come spring, allowing you to hit the ground running when planting season arrives. Here’s a closer look at my essential “bare minimum” fall task list, designed to protect your garden and streamline spring preparations:
- Fertilize Fruit Trees: A late-fall fertilization provides essential nutrients that trees can store and utilize for robust growth and fruit production in the coming year. This helps them recover from the past growing season, replenish depleted resources, and fortify themselves against winter stress, preparing them for a strong spring awakening.
- Unhook and Store Hoses: Preventing water from freezing inside your hoses and spigots is vital to avoid damage. Disconnecting and properly draining and storing hoses extends their lifespan, prevents cracking, and most importantly, protects your outdoor plumbing from costly bursts due to expanding ice.
- Cover Planted Beds with Frost Protection: For delicate plants, overwintering crops, or newly sown seeds, a layer of frost protection – whether it’s a lightweight row cover, a thick layer of straw, or fallen leaves – insulates the soil and guards against sudden temperature drops. This is particularly important for extending the harvest of certain cold-hardy crops and protecting vulnerable root systems.
- Harvest All Remaining Green Tomatoes, Green Beans, Zucchini, and Cucumbers: Before the first hard frost arrives, gather any lingering produce. Green tomatoes can ripen indoors on a windowsill, and other vegetables can be processed for storage, cooked immediately, or added to the compost bin, ensuring no potential food goes to waste. This also cleans up the beds, reducing pest habitats.
You might notice a significant omission from my list: deadheading or cutting back perennial plants. And that brings me to my absolute biggest fall gardening tip: hold off on cutting back your perennials! There’s a wonderful, natural reason for this – the local birds absolutely adore foraging on the seed heads left on my plants throughout the colder months. This provides a crucial food source for them when other options are scarce, turning your garden into a vital wildlife haven and contributing to local biodiversity.
Beyond supporting local fauna, delaying the cut-back until late winter or early spring offers several practical benefits for you, the gardener. The dried stalks provide natural insulation for the plant crowns, protecting them from harsh winter conditions and temperature fluctuations. They also add visual interest to the winter landscape, preventing your garden from looking completely barren. By the time you do cut them back, the plant material will have broken down even further, making the task significantly easier to manage and reducing the volume of material you need to compost. It’s a win-win strategy that promotes a healthier ecosystem and a more manageable spring cleanup!
Discover the Perfect Pair: Comfortable & Affordable Chelsea Style Rain Boots
I am absolutely thrilled to share my latest and possibly greatest practical purchase: the BEST rain boots I’ve ever owned, and they were a steal at only $18! These aren’t just any rain boots; they are a classic Chelsea style, renowned for their sleek profile and easy slip-on design, making them a stylish addition to any wardrobe. Equipped with a robust lug sole, they offer superior traction, which is absolutely perfect for navigating a muddy garden, wet paths, or simply walking around town on a rainy day. And because they’re so cute and versatile, you won’t feel the need to change out of them the moment the rain stops – they seamlessly blend into your everyday attire.
What truly sets these boots apart from my previous, more traditional pairs is their unparalleled comfort. Unlike taller rain boots that often hit uncomfortably at the calf, restricting movement and sometimes causing chafing, the lower profile of these Chelsea boots ensures unrestricted movement. This thoughtful design means they move naturally with your ankle and leg, providing exceptional flexibility. The top portion features a stretchy material that flexes with your ankle, adapting to your every step and eliminating any discomfort. Furthermore, the inclusion of a cushiony foam insole provides exceptional support and comfort, making them ideal for prolonged wear whether you’re tending to your garden, walking the dog, or running errands in inclement weather. If you’ve been searching for a versatile, comfortable, and incredibly affordable pair of rain boots – either for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a fellow gardener or outdoor enthusiast – I wholeheartedly recommend checking these out. They’re a game-changer for staying dry and comfortable without compromising on style or budget!
Transform Your Kitchen Drawers with Unlabeled Bamboo Baggie Storage Boxes
I cannot express how genuinely happy I was to discover this fantastic set of UNLABELED bamboo storage boxes designed specifically for baggies! For far too long, my kitchen drawer for food storage bags was a source of minor frustration. I had been using the original cardboard boxes, which were not only taped up and falling apart but also just slightly too tall. Every time we opened or closed the drawer, they’d snag on the top, making the whole process clunky and irritating. I’d looked at other storage solutions on the market, but many came with pre-applied labels for specific baggie sizes (e.g., ‘Gallon,’ ‘Quart,’ ‘Sandwich,’ ‘Snack’), which wouldn’t work for me as I don’t use all those types, or I use different quantities of each. I needed flexibility and customization, which most options didn’t offer.
This particular set of five versatile bamboo boxes turned out to be the perfect solution. It comes with optional labels that you can apply if you wish, but the beauty of them being unlabeled initially is that I could customize their use entirely to my specific needs and the unique items I wanted to organize. As you can see in the image above, they fit flawlessly within my drawer, transforming it from a chaotic mess into an organized haven. I’ve repurposed them creatively: one box now neatly houses our reusable bowl covers, another organizes rubber bands and small bag clips, a third holds produce bags, and the remaining two are dedicated to quart and gallon-sized freezer baggies. This level of customization and adaptability is precisely what I needed for efficient and personalized drawer organization.
The impact of this simple organizational upgrade was immediate and profoundly noticeable. The boxes fit flawlessly, allowing the drawer to glide open and close without any snagging or struggle, making everyday kitchen tasks a little less frustrating. Even our visiting daughter, who rarely comments on such things, immediately remarked on how much easier the drawer was to operate! It’s a small change that has made a significant difference in daily kitchen functionality and overall drawer aesthetic, proving that sometimes the simplest solutions can yield the greatest improvements in home organization. Highly recommended for anyone looking to bring order and efficiency to their kitchen storage!
My Latest Reads: Six Books Reviewed from October
October was a wonderfully varied month for reading, filled with a mix of highly acclaimed titles and engaging series installments. It’s always a pleasure to dive into new worlds and perspectives, exploring different genres and authors, even if not every book hits the mark perfectly. Reading is a journey of discovery, and sometimes the most unexpected stories are the ones that leave a lasting impression. Here’s a closer look at the six books I managed to read, complete with my honest thoughts on each, offering a glimpse into my literary adventures this past month:
Brooklyn, Colm Tóibín. This novel has garnered so much buzz and critical acclaim over the years that I finally decided to pick it up from my local library, eager to see what the hype was about. While I consistently appreciate narratives that transport me to unfamiliar places and historical periods – in this case, 1950s Ireland and New York – I found myself surprisingly disconnected from this particular story. My main struggle was with the protagonist, Eilis Lacey; I never truly felt I understood her motivations or inner world. She often seemed to drift along, making decisions based on the suggestions of others rather than her own strong convictions, which made it difficult to empathize with her journey or feel invested in her choices. Furthermore, the ending felt incredibly abrupt and unresolved, which, for me, is usually a detractor from an otherwise potentially immersive reading experience. It left me wishing for a more definitive conclusion to Eilis’s narrative arc, leaving too many questions unanswered.
The Perils of Lady Catherine de Burgh, Claudia Gray (Book #3 in the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series). This third installment in the delightful series offers a refreshing change of pace from its predecessors. Instead of a straightforward murder mystery, readers are treated to a series of mysterious occurrences that seem to specifically target the formidable Lady Catherine de Burgh, a character famously known from Jane Austen’s *Pride and Prejudice*. The plot is lighthearted and sweet, weaving an engaging tale as the two main characters, Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney, navigate these perplexing events, slowly drawing closer to a romantic connection by the novel’s conclusion. I particularly appreciate Gray’s masterful portrayal of a hero who grapples with neurodivergent behaviors, and a heroine who possesses the unique ability to see beyond these traits, recognizing the true depth and character of the man himself. It’s a charming and thoughtfully crafted continuation that Austen fans, especially those who enjoy character-driven stories with a touch of mystery and a slow-burn romance, will surely enjoy.
Remains of The Day, Kazuo Ishiguro. I vividly remember being captivated by the movie adaptation starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, and ever since, reading the original novel has been on my literary bucket list. I’m pleased to say the book is, of course, exceptionally well-written and deeply immersive. Ishiguro masterfully describes a segment of the world during a specific era – post-World War I England, specifically the intricate inner workings of grand English manor houses – a period and setting about which I previously knew very little. It’s remarkable how the seemingly mundane details of butler Stevens’ life and duties can generate such profound tension and intrigue, revealing the quiet complexities of loyalty, duty, and unspoken desires. The revelation of the characters’ deeper connections and underlying motivations unfolds with a much slower, more contemplative burn in the novel compared to the film, allowing for a richer, more nuanced understanding of their suppressed emotions. The ending, while undeniably bittersweet, was handled with such grace that even though it’s not my preferred ‘happily ever after’ conclusion, I could deeply appreciate its artistic merit and emotional resonance, finding beauty in its melancholic realism.
System Collapse, Martha Wells (Book #7 in the Murderbot Diaries). This book brings us to what is, for now, the conclusion of this incredibly popular and unique series, and it certainly keeps you on your toes. The narrative kicks off with a compelling mystery, featuring numerous “redacted” portions in Murderbot’s diary, cleverly hinting at a significant past event that has noticeably impacted our beloved security unit’s performance and overall disposition. The primary storyline revolves around the crew’s valiant efforts to assist stranded individuals on a perilous planet, striving to extract them before they fall prey to a ruthless corporation seeking to enslave them for their own nefarious purposes. While the plot was engaging and kept me turning pages with its characteristic wit and action, my only notable disappointment was the increased and, in my opinion, unnecessary frequency of strong language (specifically the F-word) compared to the earlier books in the series. It felt out of place and didn’t add to the narrative’s strength, which was otherwise compelling and true to the series’ unique voice.
My Brilliant Friend, Elena Ferrante. Here’s another title that has been extensively praised and highlighted across countless “best-of” literary lists, particularly the entire “Neapolitan Novels” series. With such widespread acclaim, I approached this book with high expectations, hoping to be swept away by its narrative. Sadly, I must confess that this book simply wasn’t for me. From the outset, I found many of the characters to be quite unlikable, with their motivations often appearing selfish or inexplicable, and the narrator’s actions and decisions often left me bewildered and unable to connect on an emotional level. Ultimately, I found very little to genuinely enjoy or appreciate within the story itself – the relationships felt toxic, and the overall atmosphere was rather bleak. Given my experience with this first installment, I certainly won’t be continuing with the rest of the series – a rare occurrence for me, but sometimes a book just doesn’t resonate, no matter its reputation or popular appeal!
A Girl Called Samson, Amy Harmon. This novel was an absolutely wonderful and deeply moving historical fiction piece, recounting the incredible true story of Deborah Samson. She was a remarkable woman who, driven by courage and conviction, disguised herself as a man to join the Continental Army during the final years of the American Revolution, seeking to fight for freedom. Her extraordinary ability to keep her true identity a secret for 17 long months is a testament to her bravery, ingenuity, and sheer determination, only to be discovered when she was injured and required a doctor’s care. Amy Harmon masterfully adheres to the known historical facts of Deborah’s life, thoughtfully weaving in fictional dialogue and exploring the profound reasons behind her decision to serve, as well as the unique circumstances that led to her honorable discharge upon the revelation of her deception. I listened to the audiobook version of this, and the narrator delivered a truly outstanding performance, bringing Deborah’s inspiring story vividly to life with compelling characterizations. It’s a powerful read that sheds light on a lesser-known but incredibly significant figure in American history, highlighting themes of identity, courage, and perseverance.
What We’ve Been Watching: Movie & TV Series Recommendations
When it comes to unwinding and enjoying some screen time, October brought a couple of truly engaging watches to our attention. Whether you’re in the mood for an animated family adventure or a clever legal drama, we’ve got a couple of solid recommendations. Here’s what captivated us and why:
Wild Robot (in theaters). We absolutely adored this movie! It’s a heartwarming and profoundly uplifting animated film that offers a truly beautiful and compelling portrayal of motherhood, resilience, and the power of connection in the natural world. The animation is stunning, creating a visually rich and immersive experience, but it’s the emotional depth and the powerful narrative that truly set it apart. There’s a particular scene where the robot repeatedly runs to “launch” her charge, all while subtly leaking fluid from her own body, that encapsulates the essence of selfless parental devotion and sacrifice – it was pure perfection in its storytelling and emotional impact. The story is poignant, inspiring, and suitable for all ages, delivering a powerful message about adapting to new environments, finding family in unexpected places, and the enduring strength of love. Definitely a must-see in theaters if you get the chance to experience its magic on the big screen!
Matlock (CBS). This is a wonderfully enjoyable reboot that feels both fresh and nostalgic, without being a direct copy of the original. It successfully captures the spirit of the classic while infusing it with modern sensibilities. Kathy Bates takes on the titular role with incredible skill and charm, bringing a new dimension to the beloved character of the astute and unconventional lawyer. She does a magnificent job portraying the witty, sharp, and slightly eccentric legal mind, making the series feel both familiar and distinctly her own with her unique comedic timing and dramatic flair. The show retains the clever mystery-solving elements that fans loved about the original *Matlock*, but with a contemporary sensibility and a strong supporting cast that makes it accessible and engaging for new audiences. If you’re looking for a fun, well-acted, and intelligently written legal drama that balances humor with intriguing cases, this updated version is definitely worth tuning into for some compelling prime-time entertainment.
That concludes another exciting and inspiring edition of the Good Things List!
If you’ve enjoyed this collection of recommendations and wish to explore more curated content, you can delve into all previous Good Things Lists right here. I genuinely love hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments section below! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these featured items, books, or shows, or if you have any fantastic recommendations of your own that you think I (and other readers) would appreciate. Your insights and suggestions are always welcome and help build our community of fellow enthusiasts!
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