Slow Living in Late October & My Christmas Plans in the English Countyside

Slow Living Diary - Cosy Days, Christmas Plans & English Countryside Charm

Late October... Leaves are falling and candles are glowing. Pumpkins grin at us as we near Halloween and I can’t believe that the next time I write to you, it will already be November. I’m making the most of these last days of October - cooking with fresh and canned pumpkin, lighting Autumnal candles every evening and adding pumpkin spice to every cake, batch of muffins and loaf I’m baking.

If you’re new here, hi! I’m Adriana and every time I write my Slow Living Diary entry, I share where I’m writing from. Today, it’s the sofa in the living room. I like to think we could sit together and chat :) As I’m writing this, it’s late afternoon, but it’s already so dark that I had to put the lights on. My "Cosy Reads" candle is burning and there’s a teapot of peppermint tea beside me - I feel like I’m doing the adulting right, haha!

If you saw last Sunday’s video on YouTube, you already know that I’ve made some changes to the living room. It’s just the curtains that were previously in the bedroom and a new chandelier, but I feel like they’ve made quite an impact. Of course, installing a real fireplace and adding mouldings and a bit of colour to the walls will be what truly makes this room - but for now, I think it’s as good as it can get.

I must admit, the living room was the space I struggled with the most. We actually hadn’t done anything for weeks after the move - it was just empty walls, a sofa and a coffee table. I wasn’t sure if I’d manage to make it feel cosy without a fireplace, but then I reminded myself of my own preaching: we need to make the most of now, not wait for when life will supposedly be perfect (spoiler alert: it never will be!).

I’ve ordered a chair and a rug, hung vintage family photographs and it really did begin to feel lovely. Now, with the patterned curtains and the five-light chandelier, it’s starting to exude that cosy charm of country living I’ve been wanting to achieve.

I’ve just started a new candle - it’s high time for "All Hallows’ Eve"!

Late October in Somerset is gorgeous. We’re so lucky here because we truly get four seasons. The Summers aren’t too hot and the Winters aren’t too cold. As someone who grew up in the mountain area of Poland, with snow often up to my knees on the way to school, I can’t tell you how much I love these mild Somerset Winters. But let’s go back to Autumn - just look at the photos - the colours, the atmosphere! And it’s only going to get more beautiful in that nostalgic way over the coming weeks.

Do you know that feeling when you learn something interesting and you’re tripping to tell anyone who’s willing to listen? Well, I’ve got you! :D I’ve recently learned that 2025 is a mast year.

A mast year is a year when certain trees - like oaks, beeches and chestnuts - produce an unusually large amount of seeds, nuts or fruit. It happens every few years (sometimes every 5-10 years). Scientists believe it’s nature’s way of ensuring survival by overwhelming animals with food one year, some seeds are left uneaten and have a chance to sprout in Spring.

A few years ago, Andrei and I watched a TV programme about trees, where we learned that they “communicate” through an underground fungal system called mycorrhizae. These tiny threads connect the roots of trees and plants, forming what scientists often call the “wood wide web”

Through this network, trees can share nutrients - for example, mother trees - the large and mature ones - often nourish the smaller seedlings growing nearby. They can also send warning signals about pests or diseases, prompting neighbouring trees to strengthen their defences.

Isn’t that amazing? Now you know and I feel like a better person for telling you :)

Next on my list to share today is a quintessentially British film that’s just perfect for October - it involves a murder and plenty of beautiful, gorgeously gloomy, landscapes. The film is Gosford Park (2001) and it has the most amazing cast! The wonderful Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith star alongside Michael Gambon (Dumbledore), Tom Hollander (Mr. Collins from Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 version), and many, many more. The impressive collection of china caught my eye too!

I love this kind of film because we get a peek not just into the lives of the landed gentry, but also into how two very different social groups - the family and the servants - lived side by side. I probably relate because, with my heritage, I’d most likely be down in the laundry or kitchen, haha!

(Please tell me you also read Maggie Smith’s line in her posh voice 😉)

Last week we visited Whitcombe Church. It was only our second visit to this place, but I knew from the very first time that it’s one of those places which I’ll want to return to time and time again.

The small medieval village of Whitcombe is believed to have disappeared after the Black Death in the 14th century. The church itself survived, but no memory of its dedication remains - which is why the church has no name.

The church dates back to the 12th century, though the site was used for worship even earlier, going back to Saxon times. It hasn’t held regular services since 1971, but thankfully it’s cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. The wall paintings are considered “of outstanding interest.” To the west of the blocked Norman doorway is a painted arcade of trefoiled niches (which apparently symbolise the Holy Trinity) dating from around 1300, while the large painting of St Christopher on the other side of the doorway was probably created about a hundred years later. 

You can learn more about this church on the Churches Conservation Trust website - particularly from this guidebook.

Rosa and I did a bit of Halloween baking - this one’s so easy! All you need is two sheets of puff pastry and some chocolate spread. Cut the shapes out with a cookie cutter, then cut out the face shape with a small knife (it’s tricky, but once the puff pastry rises in the oven, it really doesn’t matter if the shapes weren’t very precise - ours definitely weren’t!). Spread some chocolate between the two layers and “seal” them with a fork - that’s it!

So apparently, Rosa is ready for Ascot...:)

And I… I feel ready for November. On the 6th, I’ll be celebrating my birthday and Andrei has already booked a cosy lunch in traditional Cotswolds pub, eeek! Then it’s Andrei’s birthday on the 17th and by then, the festive season will be in full swing for me.

I know for sure that I’ll put up my Christmas tree earlier than usual. Not because of the new house excitement, but because of the lessons of recent years. Traditionally, we used to put the tree up on the 1st of December, but since our business has grown, from Black Friday onwards - and even the weeks leading up to it - have become so busy and hectic (in a good way!) that, in the last two years, I ended up putting the tree up far too late - just days before Christmas - and felt like I’d missed out. So this year, I’m not waiting - the tree will be going up sometime in November.

That’s it for today - I hope I didn’t bore you with my ramblings! I’d love to know your Christmas tree plans - when is yours going up?

Adriana x