A red-shouldered hawk landed on the branch outside my studio window, a good-willed harbinger parking itself in my day, bidding me articulate meaning across its royal feathers and discerning eye.

Nothing leaves us until it has taught us what we need to learn —

but is the branch a convenient shelf, the hawk a blinking cursor for my cirrus claims?

Am I only pinning a provisional corsage of my desires onto its opportune lapel?

Or is nature a fickle artist, changing her mind, rearranging the skirt of her trees and the halo of her sky

to meet what the day is asking of us?

Other November Themes.

A Thursday morning suggestion: put on a winter piano playlist and spend some time with the excerpts (visual and textual!) below —

what is November telling you?

(Above: Excerpt from Linda Pastan’s “Death of the Self”)

Shopping Break.

+$50 off my beloved Mother Half Pipe jeans in a great everyday wash! (Use code NOVSAVE). I have in a darker wash that’s also excellent. Some of my most-worn jeans! Take your true size. Work perfectly on petites – no hemming!

+The above deal is part of a tiered savings promotion — spend $500, get $125 off, etc — and a few other items I love that I’d consider adding to cart to get the bigger price break: these Frame cords I’ve been wearing (go up a size), this chestnut fleece (I own in pink – it’s so cozy!), my favorite belt, this vintage-inspired cardigan (imagine layered over this dress or this skirt), and this chic winter blouse.

+Adorable affordable holiday jammies on super sale! Love the ski motif — ordered for my kids’ first ski trip of the season! Also included in the promo: this adorable teddy bunting for babies. I have the best memories of my son in one of these sets, smooshed to my chest in a carrier as a wee man! Dress them like teddy bears while you can…

+With the onset of cold weather, I have been applying this gorgeous hand cream I’ve written about dozens of times to my hands and feet every single night (I keep it on my bedside table and just noticed you can use the lid as a ring or jewelry dish — perfect little indent for holding those precious pieces instead of just flinging them on the tabletop as I usually do – ha) and using this bond repair on my nails between manicures! (A discovery from my sister, who has the BEST nails.) I also have had a pedicure for probably five consecutive years without a break (yikes) and decided this winter I’m going to let my nails go bare while no one’s seeing them anyway. I have been applying this treatment daily to my toenails and they already look so much healthier!

+Two great November coats I wore this week: this Sezane and this Faherty.

+Tuckernuck invited me to select something from their holiday collection and I chose this black velvet lovely. I feel like it’s the perfect canvas for layering on some glitzy jewels and fun heels. The shape reminds me of Rhode (remember that brand?? RIP!).

+The other holiday dress I’m seriously eyeing is this Doen. Whimsical and sweet but also perfectly holiday. Also loving this tartan (always) and this gorgeous knit.

+I am adding all my favorite holiday dressing finds here. I am also continuously updating my gift guides — new kids’ gifts ideas here. If you have a flag football loving boy, one of my friends just launched a line of flag football gear; my son was ecstatic about his new grippy gloves.

+If you’ve been waiting to purchase the Hatch Restore, now is the time! $30 off (early black Friday deal!). I’ve written so much about this alarm-night-light-sound-machine hybrid but I am absolutely obsessed. It’s changed my sleep hygiene! I now keep my phone in my studio and read before and after sleep. Something really changed in me when I stopped having access to my phone at all hours of the night!

+Also on sale: this fabulous tweedy blazer. I think I am going to buy it!

+A fleet of incredible everyday sweaters.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.