Monday, September 12, 2011

Finally, FALL!

No, my area doesn't look like this, yet!
Early fall has started to sweep into my life.  This is part of why I wanted to move to Maine, I wanted to try out their famous fall weather.  What surprises me is how many of the locals are not only indifferent to the scenery but hate the fall season.  Those Mainers are officially dubbed as being crazy in my book!  But I'm a bit crazy as well and today you are welcome to come in and find out a bit about that side of me!  I am a woman filled with rituals and with fall being my favorite season it is overflowing with 'firsts' and fun little things that get me into the spirit.

The first official sign of Fall is when one tree, any tree decides to give it up overnight and change colors.  The darkening of a few leaves just won't do it for me.  I want something bold and dramatic.  Something that screams Fall every time that I walk by.  This started in college and is now one of my favorite traditions.  This year it was a little spindly tree, not that remarkable except for how early and quickly it turned from deep green to an almost blood red.  This happened over three weeks ago and the other trees in the area are just starting to catch up!

I love Woodwicks!
The second step is my candles.  I put away all of the Mango Breeze, Melon Madness, and bright summer scents.  Then comes out the wonderful smokey and dark fall candles.  Cider is always a favorite but other scents include Bonfire, Gingerbread, and almost anything with Cinnamon or Nutmeg.

Next I like to set out my handmade gloves, hats, scarves and coats.  I've always known that I'm not a 'shoes' kind of girl.  I usually buy one or two pairs a year and only if my sneakers and hiking shoes from last year have given out.  What I am instead, is a coat girl!  I own at least 5 coats, multiple sweatshirts, and more jackets than pairs of pants!  Now is the time to dust them off and pray for those crisp autumn days.

Then there are the cocoas, ciders, wassil, and hot tea drinks!
That apple tasted even better than it looks!
Maine has added a few more exciting things to do.  Apple picking, corn mazes, and leaf peeping (sounds dirty huh?).

Now you can understand why I love seeing that first tree change colors!

What about you guys?  Do you dread this season as the death of the trees and the first sign of winter or do you pack on the mittens and go hiking for that first fall tree?

7 comments:

  1. Hi Lindsay! I love Fall! It's my favorite season. We go apple-picking, pumpkin-picking, and my favorite fall drink is hot apple cider I doctor up with cloves, cinnamon stix and a shot of apple brandy. Yum!

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  2. Hi Penny! I will have to try it with that shot of apple brandy, sounds warm and wonderful!

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  3. Fall has always been my favorite season. It's neither hot nor cold and it's a dryer season than spring. That's hard to beat. Plus, I'm eating lots of good fruits and vegetables from our garden. We had an exceptional year for growing strawberries.

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  4. Steve-Sometime you'll have to come out to Maine for one of our harvests too. It really is the best time to visit the area.

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  5. We have a huge fresh water lake in North Dakota called Devils Lake. Because we are in a wet cycle, the lake has been flooding more and more land every year. But 10 years ago, a trip around the lake in the fall was about as beautiful trip as you would ever want to see because of all the trees turning color. In many ways, I think that's what Maine would like also.

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  6. I'm surprised Steve hasn't said you should come to ND to admire the drive between Mandan and Bismarck. It usually offers up a gorgeous display of Fall colors. Last year we really missed out. The leaves fell off the trees before they had a chance to turn. Hopefully this year will be better.

    Fall is easily my favorite season. The temp is usually right in my comfort zone and my allergies finally give me a rest. We enjoy candles as well, aren't those WoodWicks awesome? They smell good and snap, crackle and pop like a campfire.

    I enjoy coffee, tea, and hot cider also, but generally drink them year round. We usually start breaking out the soup recipes. Soup and Chili always seem to taste best in the Fall. Along with some fresh bread we get from Bread Poets baking company. I recomend the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden. They conveniently make the recipe available on their web site.

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  7. Randy-Another Woodwick fanatic!?! Woohoo!

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