What I Like About You

...An Ode to Fall
 

            I’m linking up with Mama Kat’s writing workshop this week. She asks the timeless question, “What do you like best about fall?” So here are ten of my favorite things about my favorite season.

            1.) Apples Apple picking, apple crisp, apple pie, caramel apples, apple cake, apple cider, apple crisp. Did I mention apple crisp? It’s my favorite dessert on earth. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have heaven in a bowl.

            2.) New Beginnings Fall is the ultimate time of renewal. Forget about making resolutions in January. January is cold and dark. It's a time for bulky sweaters and hot chocolate. From the time we let go of our parents’ hand and walk into school for the first time, our new beginnings happen in September. Even though it’s been years since I sat in a classroom, I still feel like fall is the time to make new things happen.

            3.) Pretty Colors I would be remiss as a New Englander if I didn’t mention the fall foliage. I can’t imagine living any place where the leaves don’t make their dramatic costume change before taking their final exit every fall. What’s fall without pictures of kids jumping into a giant pile of leaves?

            4.) Halloween The truth is, I have a love-hate relationship with this holiday. As a person with a deep theatrical bent, I feel the desire to go above and beyond with costuming and decorating. But as a working mom, I just don’t have the time or the desire to turn into a giant stress ball over a holiday that neither celebrates my religion nor my country. And, for which I do not get the day off. On the other hand, the kids look so cute and I love those little “fun-sized” Snickers bars...

            5.) Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. You can check out the recipe here where they're called Pilgrim Pies. Even though I can buy Pumpkin year-round, I only make these treasures in the fall. Maybe they're more special because you can't get them any time of the year, like those pumpkin spice lattes everyone is so crazy about. Not me though. I like pumpkin in may baked goods—muffins, breads, pies. Keep it out of my coffee and out of my beer. And that goes double for blueberry.

            6.) Apple Crisp What do you mean I already said that? Well, it bears repeating.

            7.) Soccer No, I’m not a raging sports fan and my kids aren’t hard-core athletes. I may whine about dragging my butt out of bed early on the weekends, but I adore Saturday morning soccer in my hometown.

            8.) Sleeping The air is cool enough to stop using the air conditioner and warm enough you don’t need to turn on the heat. The only hard part is getting out of the cozy warm nest and facing the cool air. I’m writing this right now at 6:00 am and it’s still pitch black outside and the perfect temperature for sleeping.

            9.) Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur Now if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may be aware of the fact that I am Catholic. So why are these Jewish holy days my favorite things about fall? The first is purely superficial. Schools are closed in this city for both holidays. So my kids and I have the day off with no obligations at all. Last week we had a long visit to my parents and picked apples in New Hampshire. On a more meaningful level, I have long thought of September as the real start of the new year (see number two). As far as Yom Kippur goes, I love the idea of practicing a day of atonement. I think society as a whole would be much better off if we all spent more time reflecting on our own shortcomings and less time judging those of others. Besides, Jesus was Jewish!

            10.) Apple Crisp Well, I was going to say watching football. But we all now how that’s going so far this year.

Nothing says autumn like New Hampshire. For your amusement I present "Granite State of Mind".