Back to Fall 2026 or Grow Something
Submitted by Jennifer Morrow on 11/9/2026
I was reflecting recently and thinking about how much pain and loss my family and friends experienced in 2025. Sadly, I feel like I was in survival mode this time last year and throughout the holidays. So, my word for this season is PREPARE.
I have heard the phrase “be ready to be ready to be ready,” and I am realizing that sometimes the most unexpected things grow when we're simply making room.
I've been clearing out inventory from Roots on the Rise to make space for whatever this season brings, and I was happy to donate most of it to the Garden Club of St. Augustine's recent Holiday Craft & Garden Market. It turned out to be a great fundraiser for the club, and I look forward to sharing more about the wonderful ways that they give back to the community throughout the year!
I have also been working on my two elevated garden beds, cleaning them out and getting them ready for fall planting. Actually, I've done this twice because the weeds are clearly quicker than me! Last weekend I discovered that a lone zinnia from my spring planting had risen amid the mess and was now blooming. The temps are dropping this week, so I will let her bask in the sun another day or two before cutting a portion to enjoy indoors.
The planner page I have been working to bring to market for a while is once again my handy friend and is helping me gain momentum. When I am more intentional about how I prepare for my days, everything seems to flow more naturally in both my personal and professional life. It’s so cool because the connections I am making this fall are already proving to be part of the next chapter in Roots on the Rise.
All of this has been a little reminder that good things can still be growing, even when we can't see them yet. Like my zinnia, I feel there are many buds about to bloom in my life. I am preparing the conditions now to have a restorative, not rushed, end to 2026. I want to be thriving, not surviving!
A few photos from the experience (click to enlarge).
I don't know exactly what’s next for Roots on the Rise, but I'm learning that I don't have to know everything that's coming to prepare for it. Sometimes preparation looks like clearing a garden bed. Sometimes it looks like giving something away. And sometimes it means recognizing that something wonderful is already growing. What are you making room for this season?