Welcome! It’s time for the October 2024 edition of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. Like L M Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers”! As the party goes live, you will find me lakeside on Lake Huron in Ontario with my husband. I am so happy to be in Canada for part of this beautiful month.
Where in the world are you reading this? I would love for you to share a little about you and where you are from in the comments.
The Hearth and Soul Link Party welcomes family-friendly blog posts about anything that feeds the soul. Things that feed the soul may include (but are not limited to) recipes, decorating, crafts, family, home, DIY, organization, travel, book reviews, the arts, and self improvement.
My 22nd Blog Anniversary!
October 24th marks the 22nd Anniversary of the launch of my first website, The 21st Century Housewife! Back 2002, my aim was to help support other housewives and stay at home moms with lifestyle inspiration and family recipes. One of the first personal posts I shared was The First Day of School (originally titled The Last First Day), on the day my son started his last year of primary school.
In 2014, I rebranded as AprilJHarris.com so that I could cover a broader range of lifestyle topics with a wider point of view. Since then I have been sharing delicious home cooking, home and decorating ideas, travel stories and tips and inspiration to you find your own unique style here on the website, on social media and on Pinterest.
I am so grateful to all of you for your continued support! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
PS – Just in case you are wondering, the Hearth and Soul Link Party has been running for 14 years of those 22 years!
The Latest
I’m sharing a collection of my favourite Easy Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes in honour of National Vegetarian Week (1st to 7th October).
After my most recent visit to Blarney and the Cork area of Ireland, I updated my article about Blarney Castle with new photographs and information.
There is so much more to Blarney Castle and gardens, home of the Blarney Stone, than you might imagine. I love visiting this magical place, and return whenever I can. I definitely recommend it if you find yourself in the Cork area!
If you are looking for fall decorating ideas, I have some suggestions that may inspire you!
I love decorating my home for fall; it is one of my favourite times of year. I like to think of it as the cosy season so I do everything I can to make my home feel warm and welcoming.
And finally, the latest new recipe on the website!
My Pistachio Cookies are delicately flavoured, nut-studded cookies with just a hint of rosewater. These slice and bake cookies are perfect for afternoon or snacks.
Bonus Content
Are you receiving my newsletter and extra content? One reader, Anna, wrote, “Last week, a really brilliant newsletter arrived in my inbox. Most newsletters are not newsy, but April’s is fab! Fabulously written and beautifully presented, it’s always a treat to see.”
Sign up and receive a free copy of my mini downloadable ebook – 5 Vintage Family Recipes – Desserts You Are Sure To Love. I’m working on more bonus content to share with subscribers shortly.
Curious but want to have a look before you sign up? Take a peek at my early September newsletter and my most recent newsletter as well.
Looking for More Hearth and Soul Link Party?
We meet here to be inspired and to share articles and posts from our blogs about anything that feeds the soul every month, but you can find even more in The Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook.
Unlike at the link party where we only accept articles and posts from your blogs, social media post shares are welcome in the community too. You can ask for advice or support for specific posts, questions about recipes or lifestyle, or you can simply connect with other Hearth and Soul participants in a safe and welcoming space. I also choose 2 extra featured posts from those shared in the community. I hope to see you there soon!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party Featured Posts – October 2024 Edition
Thank you all for sharing your inspiring content with the Hearth and Soul Link Party and with the Hearth and Soul Community!
Features from the Hearth and Soul Link Party
Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving in October or November or at all, gratitude is a very important part of our lives. Beth at Creatively Beth shared a free printable Thankful Tree and Leaves to colour in and help you record things you are grateful for.
So many people have told me this is a bumper year for zucchini (courgettes) and Miz Helen of Miz Helen’s Country Cottage has the perfect recipe to help you use them up deliciously! Don’t miss her Spicy Pumpkin Zucchini Bread recipe!
Whether your pearls are faux or the real thing, Pamela at Style Yourself Confident is sharing ways for you to Wear Your Pearls Casually this autumn.
Have you been considering keeping a journal or is it a regular part of your routine? Either way, you will likely enjoy these 70 Autumn Journal Prompts from Serenity You.
Crazy Little Love Birds has 8 Fall Date Ideas for Couples – some could also be fun activities if you are on your own!
From The Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook
Patty at Life Is Better Lakeside shared a beautiful Ode to Summer and Strawberries Tablescape.
This Braided Nutella Brioche from Nora at Trick and Treat looks absolutely gorgeous – and there are step by step directions as well.
The Hearth and Soul Link Party – October 2024 Edition
The Hearth and Soul Link Party is held monthly, opening on the first Sunday of every month and remaining open until the 25th of the month, or until 300 entries are reached.
Please share a maximum of 8 links per month here at the party. (You can share more in the Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook all month long.)
Please share the permalink to your blog post, not a link to the home page of your blog. Please do not link to anything except blog posts. You can share other types of content in the Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook.
By submitting a post to the link party here, you assert that you own the content and photographs. You also give me permission to share them here on the blog as well as on Pinterest, X (formerly Twitter), and both my own Facebook page , The Hearth and Soul Link Party page and The Hearth and Soul Community Facebook Group.
The October 2024 edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party is open until 25th October so please come back as often as you like.
The November 2024 edition of The Hearth and Soul Link Party will open on the first Sunday of the month, November 3rd, 2024.
I look forward to seeing what you will share with the party. I hope you have a wonderful October, full of sunshine, colour and cosiness!
Comments & Reviews
Paula says
Happy October April! I can’t wait to browse and see what you’ve been up to in your kitchen. Thank you so much for hosting. I’m sitting at #11,12,13&14.
April Harris says
Happy October to you, Paula! Thank you so much!
Shirley @ gfe says
Happy anniversary, April! It amazes me every time I am reminded of how long you have been blogging. Just incredible!
It’s wonderful that you all are vacationing in a perfect location for Fall. Enjoy!
I definitely love Fall because of its coziness factor. It’s nice to be baking again and needing to add another layer in the morning.
Shirley
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Shirley.
I love Fall for all those reasons as well. I really do prefer fall and winter clothes to summer clothes. There’s nothing like a cosy sweater!
Wishing you a wonderful October!
Steph@Crazylittlelovebirds says
Thank you very much for adding my “8 Fall Date Ideas for Couples” post to the list of featured posts. I appreciate it very much. I hope that you have a wonderful week. ♡
April Harris says
It’s a pleasure, Steph! I hope you are having a wonderful week as well.
Laura @ Our Grand Lives says
Happy Anniversary, April! As fairly newbie bloggers (we’ve been at it almost 2 years not), we are grateful to you and your leadership! We’ve learned so much from you and other long time bloggers and we are so happy to be part of this community! Thank you for providing this space for us to gather each month (and for the Facebook page, too). We’re sharing #30, #31, #32 and #33 today. Here’s to many more years of sharing yourself with us all!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Laura! I am glad you are enjoying your blogging journey too!
Nancy Andres says
Dear April, Happy 22nd Blog Anniversary! Love the things you have been sharing about and would love to viisit Blarney Castle and gardens. LOVE that dark lush green. My shares this time are #50 thru 55. Happy Fall and be well.
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Nancy! I hope your October is full of health, happiness and lovely things!
Jennifer Wise says
Oh, Ontario is a lovely place to be in October. Enjoy! Thank you for hosting this link party.
April Harris says
Thank you, Jennifer! It really is! Thank you for visiting and sharing.
Leslie says
Happy Anniversary April! Glad to say I’ve been following you for a lot of those years! #62 #63 #64
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Leslie. I really appreciate all your support over all those years! Wishing you a lovely October!
Tea With Jennifer says
Happy Anniversary April!
To answer your question;
I’m sitting here on the East Coast of Australia, it’s a beautiful Spring Day, we live just around the corner from a water wonderland of prestine beaches, bays & estuaries.
My favourite thing to do each day, apart from enjoying a cuppa, is to have a walk beside the water listening to the waves, the cry of the birds & enjoy the fresh sea breeze while watching Sail boats on the bay.
Blessings, Jennifer
April Harris says
Thank you, Jennifer! your location sounds idyllic. I love being by the water too. It is so restorative.
Blessings to you!
Melynda Brown says
April, thanks once again for this great link-up gathering. I love seeing all the different posts, from all the different bloggers.
April Harris says
Thank you so much for all your support of Hearth and Soul, Melynda! Happy October!
Treat and Trick says
Happy blog anniversary and still going strong! Thanks for the mention of my Braided Nutella Brioche on Hearth and Soul Community, really appreciate it. Really enjoy joining your party here as well on your FB page….
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Nora! It’s my pleasure. I really appreciate your support of both the party and the Hearth and Soul Community on Facebook. Thank you!
Catherine Sokolowski says
Happy Anniversary and thank you for hosting this party for the past 14 years!
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Catherine! I appreciate you sharing your posts as well.
Esme Slabbert says
Thanks, April, for hosting. Happy October
My entries this month #100+101.
Hope you will join/share M-Sat at Senior Salon Pit Stop.
April Harris says
Happy October, Esme! Thank you for visiting and sharing.
Beth says
THANK YOU April for including my Thankful Tree Printable with the other inspirational features from September. Have a lovely week! Creatively, Beth
April Harris says
It’s a pleasure, Beth! I hope your week is lovely too!
Julie says
Congrats April on so many years of blogging. It’s amazing and such an accomplishment. Thanks for hosting and enjoy your vacation and October.
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Julie! I appreciate all your support over the years!!
Miz Helen says
Hi April,
Thanks so much for featuring my Spicy Zucchini Bread, I really appreciate the honor. Congratulations on your anniversary, you were here in the blogging community several years before me. You were always and continue to be a role model in the community. I started in 2010 and I believe that The Hearth and Soul Link Party was one of the first link parties that I came to be a part of every week. Thanks so much for keeping it all going through the years!
Miz Helen
April Harris says
Hi Miz Helen,
Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment! I am grateful for all your support over the years, both of me as a fellow blogger and of Hearth and Soul! I am grateful to count you as a blogging friend. x
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti says
Hi April
I love Blarney Castle! I’ve visited it multiple times over the years and kissed the stone twice!
Keep enjoying fall!
Can you believe we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary? Time passes so quickly!
April Harris says
Hi Pat!
Congratulations to you and your husband on your 50th Wedding Anniversary! I was thinking today how quickly time passes. I enjoyed seeing the photos of your celebrations.
I also loved the story of how Blarney Castle was a part of the love story with your husband – it’s such a lovely story ❤️
I hope your fall is wonderful too. We are seeing some gorgeous leaves here in Ontario. I’m hoping there will be some colours when we get home next week too!
Jennifer Wise says
I hope you’re enjoying your October, April. Thanks for hosting this linkup. This week I’m sharing 138, 139, and 140. I’m off now to visit 3 other posts that have been shared since I was here last. Happy October!
April Harris says
Happy October to you, Jennifer! Thank you for visiting, sharing and supporting Hearth and Soul!
Patrick Weseman says
Happy Blog Anniversary. Very cool. That castle looks amazing. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Patrick! That is very kind of you!
I hope you have a wonderful week as well.
Nellie says
Hi April.
Congratulations on your 22 yr. blogaversary. Love reading your blog and enjoying your Heart and Soul linky party. I have been blogging 15 1/2 yrs. now. I live in the Central Florida area
in the United States of America. I am not sure just how long I have been keeping up with your blog, but I know it has been a lot of years…….I love that you call yourself a modern day housewife, because I am the same and proud of it. I have been married almost 54 yrs to the same wonderful man. We have 2 grown children and 1 lovely Granddaughter who I refer to as lil darling on our blog. We are retired, and we help homeschool our Granddaughter which is such a blessing. We do travel to South Carolina to visit our daughter and son-in-love a number of times during the year, and we are the owners of an online greeting card business, which is now free……hopefully to help folks to still be able to celebrate and encourage others without having to pay so much for cards during these expensive times in which we are living. Blessings to you and yours and again Happy Blogaversary, keep up the good work.
Nellie
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Nellie! You are very kind! I so appreciate your support of my blog and of Hearth and Soul, thank you.
You should be very proud of 54 years of marriage, and I am so glad that you have a wonderful family to surround you! Your blog is lovely, full of positivity and inspiration. I always enjoy my visits.
Blessings to you and yours!
April