The October Gather

The Joyful Hospitality Newsletter

from Amber Dawn at The Host Notes

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The Monthly Gather brings intentional, joyful living tips straight to your inbox: a new seasonal recipe, hospitality insights, upcoming events, and current notable media obsessions.

Hello there.

As I tee up all the things I’ve been eager to share with you, I feel compelled to provide an update: 40 isn’t so bad. In fact, I’m kind of loving it? While I may not enjoy some of the symptoms of aging (note: skin + hair changes, wellness puzzles to solve), every wrinkle and gray hair means I’m still here — still cooking, still learning, still opening my space with a little less perfection and a lot more joy. And also, what they say is true: the older we get, the less we care about what other people think. For that gift, I will happily embrace every fine line.

Let's get into it.

Didn't we vote to abolish daylight savings? Am I imagining this? Well, it's happening on Sunday, so get ready for several weeks of complete and utter confusion. My internal clock is already furious - by 6pm I start to feel the pull to tuck into bed for the night. (I usually resist.)

In light of the shortened days, I recently started giving in to the 3pm snack attack and making an occasion out of it. You know that pull toward the kitchen when you’ve had an insufficient lunch, or no lunch at all, and all the random cheese ends and pickley things are just waiting to be enjoyed? I’ve started calling it ‘At Home Happy Hour’ and it basically consists of me plating up the aforementioned goods, a few stale crackers or bowl of popcorn, pouring a couple of glasses of something frothy or full of sulfites, and sending a text to my partner-in-crime that “happy hour is served.”

We meet in the kitchen, giddy with rebellion. Enjoy our little snacks, cheers to the good stress in our lives, and mosey back to our respective work areas until dinner. It’s a mini date, a way to connect, to host each other in our shared, chaotic space. What started as a gesture to turn a rough day into something passable has become a ritual to remind us that life is good and so long as pickles and cheese exist, we are going to be okay.

I try to hold back on At Home Happy Hour until Thursday, sometimes to be repeated immediately on Friday. I also reserve the right to whip out an A.H.H.H. (the best acronym of all time?) on a random Monday if needed to turn the ship around. There are no hard and fast rules here.

A.H.H.H. brings a little joy into our lives - which is needed when it’s about to be dark for the majority of our days. Buckle up. The Big Dark is here. (Very niche reference for the Pacific Northwesterners which means: It’s dark and rainy here and it will be for the next six months.)

Are you still with me? Okay, great! Let’s make something delicious, shall we?

October Recipe Feature: Butternut Squash Salad with Quinoa and Feta​

I love a side dish everyone at the table can enjoy. This Butternut Squash Salad with Quinoa and Feta is for the gluten-free, vegetarian friends (or friends of friends) who want to eat more than hummus and veggies at holiday gatherings. Nutty quinoa, caramelized squash, and a hit of salty feta - it's autumn in a bowl. (Click image for full recipe!)

Hospitality Note

Halloween is literally upon us (as I finish this up the night before the spooky festivities). We always have lots of friends, family, and neighbors popping in and my favorite thing to make is enough three-bean chili and corn bread to feed everyone and their brother (and keep our household from sustaining solely on miniature Reese’s). Note: I’ve been perfecting a chili recipe that just might become your new favorite – stay tuned!

Joyful Living: Things I'm Loving

• Recipe Reviews!!! So many of you are making my recipes from thehostnotes.com and you’ve even started taking the time to leave reviews. This warms my heart like nobody’s business and I cannot thank you enough. But I can try…!! All recipe reviews between October 1st and November 30th will be entered into a drawing to receive ‘The Host Notes’ Favorite Things’ mystery delivery. That’s all I can tell you right now. It’s going to be GOOD. XOXOXOXO
• Slowing Down: Swapping my evening glass of wine with an herbal, warming tea as the temperatures continue to drop. The whistle of the kettle makes my heart so happy and sipping from a steaming mug slows me down in the best way.
• Hostess Gifts: I’m pulling a basket together for a bizarre coming up and will definitely include a few of my favorite simple bee’s wax taper candles. They smell subtly of honey and I adore them. *Remember to take a little something to the host. It’s hard work bringing people together and we’re so grateful for their efforts.
• Making Art: I’m back at it! Evening ceramics at Burkhead Art Center. If you’ve been curious about creating something new or want to learn how to throw pots, sculpt, paint, weld - you name it - there’s a class for that. The location is serene and the people are wonderful.
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce: Lastly, I made you a Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce recipe last year and I think it’s worth sharing again. I’ve made life-long friends over this Thanksgiving favorite.

Until Next Time...

If you try the salad recipe or find your own way to Gather this month, tag @thehostnotes or hit reply - I’d love to see it. I hope you’re making space to do more of what you love!

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cheers & gratitude,

amber dawn

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*Tag @thehostnotes in your latest creations so I can see what you’re cookin’ and hosting!

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links included in this newsletter may be affiliate or partner links and I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. Anything featured in this newsletter is intentional, because I believe in them. Please let me know if you have any questions!