When Life Hands You Apples… Or Whatever That Saying Is…

‍ The last few weeks have been a bit chaotic to say the least. Between the temperatures being 90 degrees and higher, humidity that feels stifling, and catching a late summer cold, I definitely haven’t been feeling the “fall vibes” that everyone is so quick to post about come September 1st. I even asked my followers on Instagram if they considered this month to be late summer or early fall. The first one seemed to be the winner. (They must live in hot & humid NC haha!)

With the weather being so miserable and this cold jumping on me so quickly, I took some much needed time to slow down. Well, I say took time, but what I really mean is I was forced to slow down. Something about catching a cold really makes you appreciate when you’re healthy. Thankfully, working for myself means I have the flexibility to rest up. (If anyone has suggestions for how to get rid of sinus congestion asap I would really appreciate it!)

The sunsets are getting more rich in color as the seasons change.

It’s mid September and the mornings are finally getting a little more chilly with each passing day. Slowly but surely, the promise of crisper weather is just around the corner. We’ve had a very, very small taste of it, but I’m hopeful it won’t be too much longer. A few leaves are slowly changing and I can sense the shifting of seasons. I had so many high hopes for the beginning of September. I’ve always considered it to be a transitional month between seasons and the perfect time to get organized. A time to reflect on the summer and get excited for the change of pace in autumn.

But if you’ve been watching any of my vlogs on YouTube then you’ll know I’ve been struggling slightly last few months and this cold really put a damper on starting the month off strong. I made the best of it, though. After spending the whole “Bet On Myself Summer” playing show after show on the weekends and keeping up with my Sunday vlog uploads, I had several days of un interrupted, much needed, rest.

Rest looks a lot like curling up with a good book and reading all day or picking apples from our apple trees and baking cinnamon apple muffins from scratch! (Talk about medicinal…) Rest is oven warmed brie with honey, rosemary, apples, and nuts drizzled on the top. Rest is an autumn scented candle burning and a warm cup of tea. It’s everything cozy and calm. Just for a moment, despite the fact that the weather outside says otherwise, I can close my eyes and pretend that I’m in the Scottish highlands where people are already wearing sweaters and jackets. Sometimes you gotta make your own joy and that looks a lot like creating your own autumnal fantasy.

Our beautiful baked brie.

Beau enjoying a yummy apple.

One thing that was delayed due to feeling unwell was my trip back to Tennessee to get some work done and check on my apartment before my fall shows start up. I was disappointed that I missed one of my very few windows to head back to Nashville in between gigs. My plan was to film my final episode of the “Bet On Myself Summer Series” in Nashville since that’s where I took the leap to go full time with music back in April. I talk a lot about the art of pivoting and lately that seems to be all I’ve been doing. Not that I can complain, it keeps life interesting!

We plan things. It doesn’t turn out how we hoped. We drop back and regroup. We get after it once more. Sometimes it turns out better than expected.

I’m wrapping up my final summer shows at the coast this weekend & next (Cape Side Brewing 9/20 and Last Call 4 Summer Fest 9/26 - Ticketed) and then gearing up for a busy fall. You can look at my schedule here and catch one of my shows before I take some time off for the rest of the year. November is my marathon month so I can’t wait to end 2026 with a bang!

That being said, I’m really looking forward to cocooning this winter. I haven’t had a ton of time to write songs due to traveling a lot this summer and I also want to finish a novel I started writing this time last year. Autumn and winter are two of my favorite seasons because they are full of intentional rest. There’s no pressure to be out doing! Even nature collectively slows down this time of year.

A cute deer in my grandparents yard.

I’ll still be uploading my weekly videos on YouTube and trying to keep my blog updated. My hope is to get back into writing more once things slow down a bit; share thoughts, creative projects, and pieces of life along the way that might not always make it into a video.

Thank you to every single person that’s been watching my channel and supporting me on this journey of going full time with my music this summer. I feel so grateful that fall is shaping up to be just as productive. I’ve noticed views have been going up on my YouTube videos and it’s been so encouraging to know people care about what I’m sharing.

Life doesn’t always go to plan, but this summer has taught me that sometimes it’s even better than you could imagine!

xx Carson

If you’d like to watch a little taste of fall here in NC - check out my latest vlog!