The buzz of summer events officially died down in October. While I’m sad that I have to wait six months to attend another street market or listen to music in the park, there is a small part of me that is thankful of a bit of quiet. With weekends free to explore, Ian and I have been making day trips to visit new towns and visit family.

October began with sake in hand at Boerner Botanical Gardens’ China Lights event. We missed last year’s event since we were on vacation in China, but I made sure we were able to attend this year! As soon as we walked through the entrance I was in awe. The display of lights was breathtaking and Ian and I enjoyed sampling sake, eating Chinese dishes, and catching a few stage performances.

As the leaves began to change color, I asked Ian to take a drive to Holy Hill. I heard the views from the church are best in the fall which meant this was the perfect time to make a visit. When we arrived at Holy Hill, we were immediately surrounded by a crowd. Clearly, we weren’t the only ones excited to see the view!

Later in the month, Ian traveled for a work and I took the opportunity to visit my sister. We spent the evening taking her little puppy, Poppy, on a walk, grabbing dinner, and catching up on life.

In search of a low key afternoon, Ian and I drove to the lake to sit by the water. One of my favorite pastimes is watching waves crash along the shore. I could have sat there all day, but eventually the cold got to us and we had to leave this beautiful view behind.

Our month came to a close with a day trip to Port Washington. Neither of us had visited their quaint downtown which made the afternoon feel like a mini get-a-way. We hiked up the hill to visit their lighthouse, strolled along the waterfront, and popped into a café for a warm cup of tea before heading home.

Want to see more of our month? Watch one second from every day in October!