What’s your favorite month of the year? Why?
The Magic of a New Season
There’s something uniquely special about November—something warm, grounding, and quietly joyful. It’s the month that ushers in the holiday season, but without the rush and pressure that December can bring.
In November, everything feels hopeful. You can sense the holidays approaching, but they’re still far enough away that the excitement is fresh and unhurried. Lights begin to glow in windows, the air gets crisp, and the world shifts into a slower, cozier rhythm.
For me, November feels like a deep breath — the moment where fall settles comfortably into winter, where anticipation replaces stress, and where gratitude becomes the natural theme of each day.
Sweaters, Fireplaces, and Comfort Food
November is the month when you finally give in and pull the sweaters from the back of the closet. When chilly mornings call for soft blankets, and the evening air invites you to light the fireplace for the first time of the season.
There’s nothing quite like the smell of cedar burning in the fireplace drifting through the house or the sound of fire crackling while the world outside grows quiet.
Inside, the kitchen shifts too — from summer salads and grilled vegetables to warm, hearty dishes. This is the month of:
- Big simmering pots of chili
- Fresh cornbread
- Homemade soups and stews
- Hot cocoa and herbal teas
The comfort is intentional. It’s part of the rhythm of settling into the colder months ahead.
A Time of Transition — Without the Rush
November is a bridge.
It’s the moment between seasons:
- Between the orange glow of autumn and the sparkle of the holidays
- Between harvest and hibernation
- Between the work of the year and the rest before winter
Unlike December, which tends to rush by in a whirlwind of to-do lists and events, November encourages you to slow down.
This is the time when the excitement of the holidays feels new and welcome — decorations begin to appear, recipes are bookmarked, and plans start forming, but without the overwhelm.
November gives you the space to savor it all.
November on the Homestead
For many homesteaders, November is one of the rare months when everything eases just a bit.
The garden has gone quiet.
The biggest harvests have come and gone.
The animals are settled into their winter routines.
After months of intense work — planting, watering, harvesting, preserving, tending animals through the heat — November offers the gift of slowness.
What November Feels Like on J & J Homestead:
- Fewer daily garden tasks
- Final fall cleanups around the coop and greenhouse
- Cozy evenings with the dogs napping by the fire
- The chickens settling into their winter rhythms
- Taking stock of the pantry and freezers
- Quiet mornings where the world feels still
It’s the pause before winter’s real demands arrive. When the coldest weather hits—frozen waterers, frostbitten fingers, endless layering—homestead life becomes a different kind of busy.
But November?
November is gentle.
A Month for Appreciation
More than anything, November is the month that invites us to reflect. It naturally pulls us into a space of gratitude — for the year we’ve lived, the food we’ve grown, the animals we’ve cared for, and the home that shelters us.
On the homestead, that gratitude is amplified.
Every jar on the shelf, every egg collected, every completed project becomes a reminder of the work and love poured into the year.
November allows us to:
- Look back with pride
- Live in the present with peace
- Look forward with anticipation
And that balance — reflection, rest, and excitement — is what makes November so special.
Final Thoughts
November is my favorite month of the year because it represents everything I love about homesteading and the slower seasons of life. It’s a time of cozy traditions, gentle transitions, and warm gratitude. A moment where the world softens just long enough for us to breathe deeply and appreciate the simple joys around us.
On J & J Homestead, November reminds us why we do what we do — and why every season, from the green of spring to the quiet of winter, deserves to be savored.
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