Creative Seasons
Finding Inspiration in the Rhythm of Fall
The first chill in the air always wakes up my creativity. While the days are still warm here in Bowling Green, Ohio, the night air is cool. The trees begin to rustle in that familiar tune, a song of change, reflection, and renewal. It’s the season when I pull my favorite blanket a little closer, reach for my ukulele, and let slow, thoughtful strums fill the room.
Fall feels like a reset button. The rush of summer settles, and suddenly, there’s more room for thinking, noticing, and creating. I find myself sketching ideas again and gathering creative energy the same way trees gather color before they let go.
The Rhythms of the Season
Over the years, I’ve realized my creativity has its own seasons.
Spring is for new beginnings. I love having new ideas. It’s the first spark of a story or song that carries me through the season. I used to get sad in springtime following the years after my college graduation, but in the last few years, I’ve embraced the change of the season.
Summer is full of energy, full of projects and playful experiments. This year, I sketched and made some new watercolor paintings.
Autumn invites reflection and finishing touches. It’s when I return to projects with gentler eyes, ready to polish, refine, and appreciate what has grown.
Winter is for stillness and rest. It’s when new ideas quietly begin to form again. I have no shortage of ideas!
Right now, I’m firmly in the autumn season of creativity: tying ribbons around ideas, humming songs that feel like comfort, and celebrating what’s nearly ready to share.
Cozy Afternoons and Community Strumming
This fall, I’ve been especially grateful for the ways music continues to weave connection into my life.
My local ukulele group, the Bowling Green Regional Ukulele Social Club, continues to meet regularly. We have a Ukulele Jam each month at Novel Blends, a cozy local coffee shop, and we also play at a local senior living community. Seeing faces light up when we play a familiar tune is something I’ll never get tired of. Those small, shared moments remind me that music has a way of reaching people in ways words can’t.
Last time we played at the senior living community, I brought little egg shakers and passed them around. People embraced them and felt like they were a part of the evening and the performance. It was very special to see them enjoying that so much.
At the same time, my church ukulele group has been meeting weekly, preparing special songs for our church’s 150th anniversary celebration. Every group meeting is a mix of laughter, encouragement, and the occasional wrong chord that turns into a giggle. It’s community in its purest form, ordinary people making joyful noise together.
And somewhere in between all of that strumming, I’ve been putting finishing touches on my newest project, Ukulele ABC: An Alphabet Adventure, a picture book that celebrates the joy of the ukulele, one letter and one strum at a time. (I’ll share more about this soon!)
The Soundtrack to My Autumn Creativity
Every creative season has its soundtrack. Here are a few songs that have been keeping me company this month, music that sounds like changing leaves, golden light, and quiet joy.
Below are links to ukulele tutorials and play alongs.
“Harvest Moon” by Neil Young
“Autumn” Leaves by Eva Cassidy
“Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart
“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac
“House at Pooh Corner” by Kenny Loggins
“Rainbow” by Kasey Musgraves
Embracing the Season You’re In
Autumn is a time for gathering what we’ve grown and letting the rest drift away. Some ideas are ready to share, while others are meant to rest for a while. Both are part of the rhythm.
This month, I’m leaning into that rhythm, finishing creative projects and dreaming new ones.
Wherever you are, I hope you find time to notice your own creative season, the pace that feels right for you. Maybe it’s strumming a few quiet chords, doodling on a napkin, or taking a slow walk beneath the trees. However it comes, let it remind you: creativity, like autumn, is meant to be savored.
Enjoy This Time
Next time, I’ll be sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my new picture book, Ukulele ABC: An Alphabet Adventure, a joyful little project that I hope will make a lot of people smile. (I plan to release it by the beginning of November.)
I’d love to know…what songs are you strumming (or listening to) this fall? Are you finding inspiration in any creative projects? Share your favorite tune or ukulele moment in the comments, and let’s build a little autumn playlist together.