Mini Orchard Energy

Letting the pros help, opening the kitchen for fall baking, and welcoming the cozy chaos ahead.

Friends, can you believe we’re reporting live from October? If we’re doing the math (and I truly hate to be the one to do this), Christmas is a very casual twelve weeks away. Let’s not take that on too seriously. There’s still time to breathe, sip something cinnamon-y, and find our footing before the full holiday sprint begins.

In the spirit of finishing the year strong, I’ve had a small but important realization: I’m calling in reinforcements. The spring has sprung, the to-do list never goes down, and it’s time to bring in some help. Last week I found myself walking the garden with a local landscaper. After a year of giving garden planning the ol’ college try, I’ve realized what I actually need is… a professional. She took one look at the little pasture out front and said, “Mini orchard here?” and I thought — yes, absolutely yes. This is the kind of visionwork I’ve been missing.

Meanwhile, over at the Bakehouse, a painter is set to bring the garage-side room to life. He mentioned retexturing the walls and… yep, that’s about right. It feels like a season of allowing the experts to do their thing so I can focus on mine (preferably something involving butter and sugar in the new oven).

So here’s to entering this holiday stretch with fresh energy and the right kind of help. I hope you’re giving yourself the same grace. Let’s get into our notes for the week!

Let It Be Sunday, 536!

Amy’s greeting us from a rainy morning (finally!), soaking in the cozy calm as she shifts into “soup season” and starts intentionally planning for the months ahead. She’s taking inspiration from Wintering by Katherine May, a “plan for winter” TikTok, and her own commitment to Vitamin D, candles, cozy outfits, and meaningful plans. It’s all part of her mission to winter well this year, and I can very much relate.

In this week’s Let It Be Sunday, Amy shares:
• A thoughtful essay on why awe is essential and how it nurtures generosity and empathy.
• A vegetarian pumpkin pot pie she’s making to celebrate the season.
• The Apple Cinnamon Sheet Cake she’s been waiting for (yes, finally on Joy the Baker).
• And a spicy read entitled My Friends Are Bad Hosts which is a perfect segue to Amy’s note on Chelsea Fagan’s upcoming book Having People Over.
(Psst… we’ve got a Baked In interview with Chelsea coming soon, so stay tuned!)

✨ Head to the full post to gather Amy’s cozy inspiration and share how you’re preparing for the darker days ahead: Building A Winter Life We’ll Love.

New on the Blog This Week!

The kitchen is officially open for fall baking! After a long, hot summer of testing recipes behind the scenes, we’re finally diving into cinnamon season. It feels so good to have the oven humming again.

First up: Apple Cinnamon Texas Sheet Cake. This one’s been sitting patiently in the queue, but my mom gave me the nudge I needed to finally hit publish. It’s a fall twist on the classic chocolate sheet cake - light, spiced, and studded with tiny bits of apple that turn soft and goopy like the best part of an apple fritter. It’s a true crowd-pleaser and absolutely deserves a spot on your weekend baking list.

Also new: The Bakehouse Texas Super Soft Cinnamon Rolls, the bakery-style beauties I’ll be selling at The Bakehouse Texas this winter. They’re tender, buttery, and swirled with enough cinnamon sugar to perfume your entire house. Consider this your sneak peek and your sign to bake a pan for a cozy weekend breakfast.

✨ PS: The Bakehouse oven has officially been delivered! There are still a few final steps before we can fire her up, but if I had to guess, the first bake in that oven is going to be bagels. Stay tuned for the very first test run!

Have a wonderful week, friends!

More from me soon!

xo Joy