Wonders from August.

Paper dolls, floral pillowcases, meadow, wooden satchel and autumnal picture books.

This book is for sparking creativity.

Our tiny paper dolls. We have four because the fifth one was falling apart.

First, there’s The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb. It is such a lyrical, tender tale of five paper dolls who go on magic adventures through the house, across the garden, and back into that quiet space of memory. It swept us into a world of scissors and paper, coloring and pretend play. So we made four paper dolls ourselves, named them, and now they stand in a neat line on the wall above my son’s table. I catch glimpses of him flying them across the room, dancing with them, making stories of puppet shows and adventures that only he understands.

I love these ones the most. We slept on plain white pillowcases for years, and now I finally know the magic of sleeping on floral ones. So cozy.

Second, those floral pillowcases—finally shortened. I’d kept them in the closet, knowing they were just too big for our pillows. But this month, with a new sewing machine and time spent at my parents’ countryside, I sewed them down, hemmed them gently... and now our dreams rest soft on their surface.

Finally I found place and time to paint my meadow. I wanted to do it for a long, long time. Now she is framed and looking beautiful on my walls.

Third, painting of my beloved meadow. I walked after a night of rain, sat in the damp grass with shells as my palette. Layer upon layer of gouache created texture, earth tones, the tender hush of early autumn. Now, that painting is framed and hung high in our home. On quiet evenings, it greets me like an old friend that remembers my walks among fields, silence of the valley, red foxes and deer, the mist, that special autumnal golden light.

And this wooden satchel is now my perfect walking companion.

Fourth, the wooden painter’s satchel I ordered and carried with me down the fields. It’s sturdy, warm wood, with brass clasps that close with a quiet click. Inside I carried my colors, my mixing shells, my brushes, and a little metal cup for water. It became part of the walk itself.

All of the wordless ones from Gerda Muller are perfect for every child.

Fifth—autumn picture books. We’re on the edge of the season turning, gathering acorns and hazelnuts, snapping branches, watching leaves turn yellow and crisp underfoot. On the balcony, we listen to rain as it taps on the tree canopies beneath. With scissors and scraps of paper, we craft mushrooms, woodland gnomes, wild geese, hares, deer—tiny creatures of paper and memory, filling the corners of our walls with forest magic.

What little wonders have found you this August? What small, ordinary things have settled into your days and made them shimmer quietly?

PS: I’m keeping all my posts free for now, but if you’d like to support these letters, a free subscription helps me keep going.

Little suggestions:

• Read my latest Sketchbook Letters, all about painting my lovely meadow.

• “Autumn always feels like this to me: not an ending, but a quiet turning, a gentle surrender to change. Boots, sweater, wooden bag, brushes, meadow and me. Nothing better after rain.” Read more of my Home & Hedge Letter about countryside days here.

• If you find peace and stillness in garden, read my Garden Notes. I love to work in my mom’s garden when I am at the countryside and I love to write about hat work too.