“What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes”
- James 4:14
“All we must decide is what to do with the time that is given to us”
- Gandalf
We began this month full of anticipation for what was to come: harvest season. Ready to reap what we have spent many months planning and sowing.
We have also been living in eager anticipation of autumn splendor – the reaping of crops long-labored, gorgeous frost covered mountain tops, lakes reflecting the golden aspen leaves, and the joy of preparing for the holiday season ahead. This month was full of anticipation and did not disappoint.
Many of my handmade soaps, salves, balms, and candles made their way into your homes this month – small ways of savoring the season and preparing for the cold months ahead. This has been a season of gathering and gratitude, and seeing the fruits of our labor come to fruition!
Preparing for the Season to Come
At 7,500 feet, winter doesn’t wait long. This season, we have been intentional about preparing for the coming cold. Our evenings are slower and more meaningful. We gather for family dinners by candlelight, reading autumn poetry by Emily Bronte and Anna Seward, learning old folk songs, and reading stories of early settlers and famous art from early America. This has been anchoring both in terms of the season and those that have come before us in this great country we call home.
We are looking forward to November and as part of our home curriculum we are in the process of collecting books on the reformation, the Mayflower, the early lives of the pilgrims and the relationships with early settlers and the Natives on the continent.
I made corn husk dolls with my neighbor’s kids like the early settlers did by shucking corn, wetting the leaves together, and Pendleton wool scraps from my leather bags to make a poncho, and leather twine for the belt.
We have made fresh milled bread loaves from local made apple butter and enjoyed apple picking at a local orchard and will buy a book about Johnny Appleseed to bring home the lessons of the season.
Slowing Down and Seeing Clearly
In years past this time was always met with excitement and an almost insatiable hunger for all things pumpkin spice. But after several years of fall archery season, I have begun to appreciate fall more for the change in the woods.
There is a lingering warmth of summer but cold mornings and evenings promise the chill to come. Animals are incredibly busy in preparation. Squirrels have been making countless trips back and forth to hide preservations for winter. Deer are in full rut and the turkeys are scouring the garden to put on extra calories before snow flies. In full camo, it’s always amazing to see animals at work in front of you, unaware of your presence, in a way that’s rarely observable in our normal day-to-day rush.
The Home and the Work of Preparation
Rather than seemingly squandering the season as I have in years past, I have become more adamant about winter preparation. In the mountains, we experience winter as an eight-month season from October’s first snow until the end of May.
This year, outdoor toys are packed away under shelter until the spring (for the most part), the garden lays fallow and overturned – providing much needed nutrients to the soil that will be revived by the time spring planting comes. The greenhouse has been scrubbed from roof to floor with a vinegar soap solution to let maximum sunshine through during the winter months. This year we are over-wintering lemon balm and rosemary in hopes that we can keep them sheltered until next growing season.
Wood has been stacked and season and our woodburning stove is already being utilized early in the morning and in the late afternoon to provide warmth to our family room. My favorite memories lately have been watching our son play by the fire as my husband and I catch up at the end of the day.
Building the Family We Want to Remember
This season’s intentionality has extended beyond homemaking. In Bible study this fall, I was challenged to “intentionally consider what kind of family I want to build”. That question has weighed heavily – especially now that our son (who turns four next month) is beginning to remember what we do year to year. These are the years that shape his earliest memories, the foundation of his sense of home.
At the start of the year, we began using the Gentle + Classical Preschool Program, a beautiful curriculum that integrates Scripture into our daily learning – something I value since it cannot be taught in school. The more I read through the curriculum, the more I realize we are just scratching the surface and it will definitely be something we can build upon in the years ahead.
Obedience and Time
This season, I’ve been reflecting on the Bible verse above in the book of James – “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes”. Naturally, I’ve found myself asking – how can we make the most of our time here?
And that raises the next question: What is the most meaningful use of our time? Like the quote from Gandalf, “all we must do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us”. It's ultimately an expression of love in a fleeting life – to use our short time meaningfully.
For me, it has become centered around one thing: family. So through all of this, I have been trying to keep it really simple. Honoring that core relationship from which all others are derived - husband, wife, and child, with Jesus at the center.
Handmade for the Holidays
Looking ahead, I’m excited to share a few new things from my home to yours.
The new collection features pre-boxed gift sets you can send directly to loved ones or gift in person – each beautiful box is enclosed by ribbon and ready for Christmas. These are the same products I make for my family to get us through long winters: nourishing balms, gentle soaps, and beeswax-tallow candles that provide warmth and light to the long nights.
Closing Thoughts
I have been blessed by Creative Mountain Mama because it allows me to offer what truly reflects our life here – handmade, intentional, and rooted in the rhythm of the home and the seasons. As the brand turns two this October, I’m filled with gratitude and wonder at how much it has grown in influence and offering. I cannot wait to see where we take it in the future!
From my family to yours,
Cicily Fisk, Creative Mountain Mama.