Fall Favorites

I like the spring.  It brings a promise of renewal, a glimmer of light at the end of a long, dark winter, but  despite the hope brought in by the spring, those unending vernal rains get me down.  I find the constant drizzle outright depressing.  Spring just isn't my favorite season.

I love the summer.  I love fun in the sun, splashing in the water, boating, traveling, picnicking...you name it, if it has to do with summer, I probably love it!  But I'm not wild about the super hot days and the oppressive humidity, especially those final scorching days at the end of the season.  I tend to wither a little come August.  Although summer is on the top of my "good times" list, it isn't quite my favorite season either.

Winter, well, I'll keep my thoughts about winter to a minimum.  I love the appearance of the very first snowfall, when it's still white, pristine, and sparkling in the sunlight.  But after the plows and cars come trudging through, and that pure snowy blanket turns gray, dirty and slushy, the novelty of snow wears thin.  I also hate to shovel.  I also don't like when my feet and hands freeze, the wind stinging my face, my back breaking.  I don't like wading through cold and wet slop, worrying about slipping and falling, to get to and from the car.   And I'm not wild about the holiday season either.  Put that all together and you can readily see that winter is definitely not my favorite season.

But fall?

Yes, fall is undeniably my favorite season.  I have loved the crisp, cool autumn days as long as I can remember.  I have a very vivid memory from some time in junior high.  In it, I am crossing the street at the corner of Hart and Hewitt, heading home from school.  The buses are zipping by me.  The sky is brilliant blue.  There is just a slight breeze, and piles of crunchy leaves at my feet.  I'm wearing one of my favorite sweaters, one that my dad brought back from his latest trip to Canada, and I can smell the fall.  I feel elated just to be outside on such a beautiful day.  I still get that feeling in the fall.  It's my favorite time of year, hands-down.  I just love it.

I think fall rests endearingly in the hearts of many people.  It's simply a beautiful time of year with moderate weather and stunning colors.  I don't know many people who dislike fall (unlike its ugly brother, winter!) Fall is quickly approaching, and I'm getting excited.  Our nights are cooler, and the days are less humid.  We've been surrounded by some brilliant blue skies, and I can see the leaves beginning to change.  I feel fall approaching, and it just makes me happy.  In honor of my best-loved time of year, I thought I'd share some of my joys with you, so here you are:

• Fall clothes - they're warm and cozy, but don't weigh you down like big bulky winter coats and boots.
• The gorgeous fall colors, of course!  I live in central Pennsylvania.  In the fall, I am literally surrounded my mountains of vibrant reds, yellows and golds.  Who isn't amazed by that?
• Leaf jumping.  I typically loathe yard work, and I can't say that raking leaves, stuffing them into bags and meticulously grooming the lawn for the upcoming winter is at the top of my "favorite things to do" list either.  But there's something innocently joyous in diving into a pile of crunchy fallen leaves.  I don't care who you are, I'm betting the thought of leaf jumping makes you smile too!  
• Honey crisp apples.  If you've never had one, go get one now (or as soon as they hit the shelves)!  They are the best apples ever, but you can only get them for about a 5 week period in the fall.  That time is coming up soon!  If you see them in the market before I do, please let me know ASAP! They are quite literally my apple equivalent of crack!
• Acorn squash.  These simple fruits ooze fall goodness!  Need an easy and delicious recipe for acorn squash? Here you go: cut one in half, place a generous dollop of butter in the center along with a generous dollop of cinnamon and brown sugar.  Place in a water bath and bake at 375 until the squash is tender.  Use your fork to mix the sugar and butter mixture with the squash.  Delicious!  
• I may as well continue with the food theme, while I'm on it - Pumpkin seeds.  I don't like store bought seeds.  I've tried them over and over with recurring high hopes followed by repeated crushing disappointment.  I have finally come to the conclusion that homemade is the only way to go with this fall food.  My sister-in-law gave me the best recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds I have ever had.  Now, I wouldn't exactly say it's the healthiest recipe ever, but it's super good:  Clean your seeds.  Melt one stick of butter in the microwave.  Throw in some dashes of Worcestershire sauce.  Spread the seeds evenly (Don't layer them.  If you have too many, use two sheets) on a cookie sheet and pour the butter mixture over the seeds.  Sprinkle with garlic salt and bake at 425 until the butter mixture is dried up and the seeds are crispy and brown, turning occasionally.  It's more of an art than a science.  Just play with it and you'll get it right.  I guarantee you'll love these seeds! 
• Sitting by the fire pit on a cool night, roasting marshmallows and sharing laughs with our friends and family. (We have a fire pit date set for Friday!  The boys and I can't wait!)
• The smell of burning leaves on a cool, dry day.  
• Chilly fall nights that are perfect for sleeping.
•  High school football.  OK, I have to admit that I don't actually give two hoots about the game itself.  But I live close to the high school stadium, and this time every year, when I see the lights, hear the crowd cheering and the band playing, it instantly takes me back to my high school days.  Nearly two decades have gone by since I was in school, but I still vividly remember the feel of sitting in the stands with my fellow band buddies, cheering our team to victory.  It's not that I ever really cared about football, per se. Actually, I never really had a clue what was going on (still don't).  I just cheered and booed with the rest of the crowd for the sake of team spirit!  You don't have to be a sports fanatic to catch that contagious surge of adrenaline and camaraderie at a live game.  The games now serve as a transporter for me, taking me back to some pure, fun and carefree teenage memories.  
• Fall running.  The fall is perfect for running.  I don't mind running in the winter.  Actually, running is probably one of the few things winter has to offer that I would consider good.  I don't mind the cold when I'm running,  and as long as there isn't any ice, I'll bundle up and head out in even frigid temperatures.  Although I favor summer over winter in general, I don't care for running in the summer. The heat and humidity are real energy zappers. Fall is the perfect middle ground. The humidity is low.  The temperature is cool enough that I don't exhaust easily, yet not so cold that I have to wear 25 layers to avoid frost bite.  It's a freeing time to run - minimal clothing, perfect conditions, beautiful scenery.  Fall is the perfect time to rekindle my running mojo, and I'm so happy to be back in the game as fall approaches this year.
• Our anniversary - October 14th.  This will mark our 6th year in utter wedded bliss!  We went to Vermont for our honeymoon 6 years ago.  The north east is truly the perfect place to go in the fall for autumn lovers!  Maybe I'll tell you some honeymoon stories sometime - we had a blast! Wish us a happy anniversary on the 14th...or better yet, take our children so we can have some time alone! 

What's your favorite season? Do you love the fall too?  Did I miss anything about this wonderful season?  Let me know your thoughts!