I love fall — which feels like a more fleeting season than, say, winter (which just feels eternal). My kids went back to school on September 5th, and the leaves will be almost completely down and gone by November 15th.
In many years I’ve created Fall Fun Lists (like my Summer Fun Lists or Holiday Fun Lists) to make sure to appreciate the season. But we’re at the end of September now, and I’ve already done a few things that would likely make a list…without my making a list.
For instance, we went apple picking in early September (when Honeycrisps were at their peak!). Then I took a few kids to a Fall Flower Festival at Holland Ridge Farms and picked some sunflowers and gladiolas. I experienced crisp fall air up in Portland, Maine and Boston (including another beer garden trip…though that was on the Summer Fun List).
So now my list should probably focus on more leaf-peeping and Halloween related stuff! To that end, I’m looking to…
Take the little kids to Dutch Wonderland. This was actually requested — to go in costume and ride some rides. So I’m on it! We might hit the Boo at the Zoo some weekend too.
Go to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. I bought tickets for this weekend so we will most likely go. This was specifically requested by the 14-year-old, who is now old enough for the adult archery activity. I think it is officially Octoberfest this weekend but given that I’ll have five kids with me I’m not sure I’ll hit the beer tents. I might get a turkey leg though… (sadly, I don’t own any saucy wench costumes, clearly an oversight on my part…).
Go on at least one leaf-peeping day trip. We may wind up in Connecticut or Massachusetts in late October, though this is all nebulous at this point. But regardless if the family weekend trip happens I could go to the Poconos or Cape May or somewhere during the work week. I’m trying to block off some late October days to make this possible!
Lie in my bed with the windows open. In summer we’re often running the AC. In winter it’s the heat. I want to take advantage of our roll screen windows and enjoy the not-too-hot, not-too-cold natural air.
Decorate with mums. And pumpkins. Fall flowers are the best, especially with the colorful leaves as backdrop. We already have a mum display up on the porch right now, so we shall see if this gets more elaborate!
Go to the Best Laid Plans Academy gathering in Fort Lauderdale. This happens in early November. If anyone is still thinking of going to SHU’s live shindig I think the hotel registration closes by early next week. I’m really looking forward to planning 2024 in a focused (and pretty!) setting.
Reread Macbeth and Hamlet. I’m using this last quarter (after finishing my Jane Austen project early) to re-read some of my favorite Shakespeare plays, and as the supernatural features prominently in his writing, I’ll have several spooky options for fall.
Write my book proposal. I’ve been playing around with an idea but I need to actually write something up to decide if it’s viable and exciting enough for me to commit two years of my life to producing. I guess on some level this is not fall “fun” (more like a fall work project) but I know I am happiest when working on a book. So, best to get going on it.
What’s on your fall fun list?
Photo: Fall flowers! The asters are out and looking lovely.
Fall is my favourite season but it always makes me sad it doesn’t last longer. Some years it feels like the “proper fall experience” – crisp mornings, warm afternoons, and beautiful foliage – only last a few weeks. Winter DOES feel eternal, but of course it isn’t and for now at least I am just basking in the glory of fall. Leaves are starting to turn, the afternoon sun was hot enough I needed to take off my light jacket this afternoon, but on my morning walk I donned finger gloves.
As much as I love fall, I’m a bit of a curmudgeon when it comes to many beloved fall activities. Halloween does NOT float my proverbial boat, I don’t really decorate, and I’m not a big fan of U-picking fruit this time of year. But I live in Canada and in a little over a week we celebrate Thanksgiving and I’m always so grateful we celebrate when the leaves are at their peak. I’m very excited for turkey, stuffing, and all the joy that holiday brings.
@Elisabeth – I always love that Canadian Thanksgiving is a few weeks before American Thanksgiving — which makes sense to be a harvest festival. It just gets cold sooner! We’ve got hot weather next week then should be in the cold for good…
Like you, I’ve tackled a couple of items on my list already:
1. Visit Greece, with a 9 hour layover in Copenhagen on the way there and an overnight layover in Oslo on the way back. DONE-We really enjoyed our 2 week stay in Greece. Having breakfast while in Athens and being able to stare at the Parthenon at the same time was magical, and we loved the food, people and island scenery that we got to experience. I was apprehensive about the long layovers, but they both turned out to be great. We hopped onto the train (a mere 15 minute ride from the airport) and took a 1 hour boat ride around the canals in Copenhagen which allowed us to see a lot in a short window. We loved our time in Oslo-there was a beautiful tree made of colorful changing LED lights that we could see from our hotel, the waterfront was gorgeous, and we had a great sushi meal there. Alas, we could not get over to the park to see the screaming baby, so we will have to go back.
2. Apple picking. DONE. We went yesterday and now have a giant apple pile in a bowl on our kitchen counter.
3. Read Demon Copperhead by Barabara Kingsolver, which won the Pulitzer Prize for literature. DONE as of tonight-all 550 pages of it.
4. Go to one of our local fall festivals. We are going to miss our local Kirby’s Mill apple festival this year and its epic apple cider donuts, but we will be attending the Egyptian Festival that a local church holds over year, which offers wonderful takeout Egyptian food.
5. Spend time at our timeshare on Marco Island on the southwest coast of Florida. It is kind of a unique place-right on the Gulf, so you can hear the waves hitting the shore if you leave the windows open. While a lot of timeshares get a bad rap, most of the owners at ours (including us) have a rather fanatical devotion to the place.
6 Be home for Halloween. We’ve been traveling during Halloween week for the past few years, but we now have a grandson. I look forward to seeing his toddler excitement this year.
7. Celebrate our son’s Covid-delayed wedding celebration at one of the Marc Vetri restaurants in Philadelphia. .
8. Attempt to do more house decluttering. Easier said than done.
9. Plan a family dinner for a milestone birthday that my husband will have in November.
10. Scope out a few fun holiday things to do before the season kicks into high gear.
@Beth C – what an amazing list! I hope you have an amazing time at the wedding in Philadelphia. And I love the idea of thinking of a fall fun thing as scoping out holiday stuff too. Planning ahead!