Fall Favorites

Happy Fall everyone!!  Seriously, fall is my favorite time of year.  I love everything about it:  the weather, the changing leaves and vibrant colors, the smells, the food, the fact that it makes you want to snuggle up next to someone with a cup of hot cocoa or apple cider.  Mmm.  Perfect.  Plus, it means Christmas is just around the corner, and I love Christmas!

I re-affirmed today some of the reasons why I absolutely love this season. October is my favorite, not because I love Halloween (in fact, I'm so beyond a huge scaredy-cat that I really don't much care for the holiday or anything scary for that matter), but because fall is in its prime.  I walked the dog two mile, reveling in his desire to jump into piles of leaves,  chase leaves blowing across the ground, and just exist in the same open space as the crisp, cool breeze.  Later, at the store, I found myself totally excited.  Yes, I get excited about grocery shopping in the fall.  I'm a dork.  I admit it.  And I'm totally okay with it.  I love it.  I can't help it.  And Whole Foods does a wonderful job of increasing my love for fall food.  Pumpkin pies were on sale, honeycrisp apples (my fav) were on sale, all of my favorite squashes and sweet potatoes are available, which I couldn't wait to get home and make and drizzle with butter and brown sugar.  Then there was pumpkin and walnut bread with apple butter for morning pick-me-ups, and I even bough cranberries to put in my wild rice dinner and a jug of apple cider and cinnamon sticks with which to make hot apple cider on days like today - just cool enough to make you want to wrap yourself up in a blanket in front of the tv and drink something warm and soothing.  


October is finally here, and life is officially revolving around everything fall.  Find your favorite treat and indulge.  I know I will!