Fall has officially arrived! Though the unofficial end of summer was nearly a month ago now, it’s not actually until today that fall has finally officially moved in.
I’ve gotten in the habit of welcoming the seasonal changes by counting down ten of my favorite things about it, so.. why stop now?
10 – The foliage.
Start it off with an obvious one – the beautiful, golden, changing hues that make up the environment all around you as all the trees slowly burst into a glorious, months-long burn. The mid-Atlantic, and especially up north, are truly beautiful this time of year.9 – Halloween.
Really no explanation needed here. Halloween has always been, and probably always will be, one of my favorite holidays ever. So much fun.8 – Camping and the lack of bugs.
These two piggyback on each other. One, it’s beautiful weather to go out camping in – not so hot that you’ll work up a sweat setting up camp, but cold enough that you won’t be harassed by mosquitoes the entire trip either. Pair this with the beautiful foliage of this time of year and you’ve got an easy, wonderful, weekend getaway at the drop of a hat.7 – Fall colors.
I don’t really know if there is any other season that I so strongly associate with a certain color palette, but the fall certainly has its own. And I love it.6 – Fresh pressed apple cider.
Apple cider is such a great, unique flavor, and so distinctly autumnal. I have a local connection with a farm here and some of the stuff I get is just incredible. I also love how easy it is to use to make the whole house feel like autumn – put 1 cup apple cider in a stock pot with a cinnamon stock and some all-spice, and just leave it on a low low simmer all day long. It’s wonderful.5 – Pumking beer.
Seasonal beers as a whole, really. I actually don’t like that many pumpkin beers, but this one from Southern Tier is something I wait for all year. So creamy, so delicious, so “fall.”4 – Pumpkins in general.
Aren’t they awesome? Pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin smashing, jack-o-lanterns, everything.3 – Hoodies and sweaters.
“Light-jacket weather” is so nice. A little bit of chill, but only just a touch. Only just enough to get you to break out a few more articles of clothing.2 – Thanksgiving.
The harvest festival. What better way to celebrate than a giant meal with all your loved ones around? I love Thanksgiving.
And now, the number one best thing about the fall is…
1 – The crisp air.
And the way it smells so fresh and invigorating. After a long, humid, brutally hot Washington DC summer, the chill breath of the fall is like walking into a cool air-conditioned house after a long day of sweating in the sun. It is always such a welcome change by the time it rolls around.
What are your favorite things about the fall?
