Autumn in New England

Autumn has to be my favorite season. One of the great things about living in New England is that it has four distinct seasons. Last year, at this point, it was still wicked hot. I remember taking the girls apple picking and it was still in the mid 90's. They were wearing shorts and short sleeves and were sweating. It was very un-fall like. And the weather went right from super hot, to downright freezing last year. There was not "fall".

This year, already, the temperature has been seasonable. It's chilly in the morning - which means the girls need to wear a sweater or light jacket. By mid-day, the temperatures, while only reaching the mid to high 70's, have been very warm. In the morning, I love feeling the chill on my arms as I head out for my morning walk. I know, that by the time I finish, the temperature will have changed considerable. I love seeing the low lying fog, the Monarch's lazily flying around. To smell the cool crisp air with a hint of wood smoke. As the season progresses, the wood smoke will increase.

This week, the girls are going apple picking with school. I've already put mums and scarecrows in the front of the house. Already, we've seen the leaves start to change. In lower New England, the peek leaf peeping times are usually early October.

The girls have been excited. They've been saying "it's fall, it's time to go to the fairs! It's time to go to the farms!" And they are right. New England has scores of agricultural fairs throughout the season. And while we missed the two big one's nearby, we may still try to fit in a trip to the Big E. And farms - I believe they mean for apple picking. And hay rides. We tend to try and go apple picking a few times in he fall if we can. And while were at it, we pick up mums, pumpkins, gourds, fresh apple cider and candy apples. Thankfully, we have a few apple orchards nearby!

Another fall favorite is the ever popular corn maze. We have a few small one's nearby, but none can compare to the one at Lyman Orchards. If your in the area, I highly recommend checking it out.

If you've visited my blog regularly you'll know that my family loves hiking. Autumn is a great time to go. Although we didn't hit the woods as much as I wanted to this summer, I hope we can get in a few hikes before winter. Towards the end of October, I'll usually drag my girls out into the woods to capture a holiday picture. Last year, I got some great shots of my girls out in the woods.

Another great fall activity we enjoy is just grabbing our camera, hoping in the car and driving to points unknown. We usually wake up at the crack of dawn, give the kids a yogurt drink and some "trail mix" (a bag of mixed cereal, sometimes with mini marshmallows, peanuts and/or M&M's). We then pick a back road and head off for the day. We stop at cemeteries, roadside streams, trails and other points that interest us. We take pictures and enjoy the crisp weather. At some point, we'll stop for coffee and hot chocolate. Then we'll find a small stand for lunch and keep driving until we feel it's time to head back.

Fall is full of memories. Husband and I got married in the fall - we had an outside reception, overlooking the hills in CT. It was perfect. Although it's a time where plants start to die back, it still gives me a kind of mental awakening. Time slows down. We settle back into routines. School in the morning. Soccer three evenings a week. Soccer Saturdays - with games starting at 9:00am. Homework. Crock pot stews on those days where it just feels right. Despite which seems like a hectic schedule, I feel more relaxed. More rejuvenated. I know there is plenty to do to prepare for winter, yet, I find work comes easier.

Even though you're probably still adjusting to heading back to school, I highly recommend you spend some time outside. Visit a farm stand, state fair or apple orchard. Bake breads, cook stews and enjoy the waning days of sunlight. Before we know it, the sun will be setting by the time the kids step off the school bus. We'll be confined inside for many hours of the day.

Cross-posted at New England Mamas