Bucket List for Fall

Do you love fall?  Me, too!!

Fall is my favorite time of year, as it is for many people.  Even after the best summer ever, there is something thrilling about the turn of seasons, the shortening days, and the crispness in the air that stirs up our blood and revs our engines up to tackle the busiest time of year ahead.

Every year I try to get in as much as possible, to take advantage of all that fall has to offer.  The house has been decorated, the pumpkins have been bought, the scarecrow is on duty outside, and the leaves are turning glorious colors and falling at an alarming rate.  We had our first Pumpkin Pie of the season last night, and it was absolutely spectacular!  (Get the recipe in our Book of Pies cookbook!)

You don't want to let another fall go by without taking advantage of every minute of it, so make your own bucket list for fall today and see how many of them you can get in this year.   I've started mine below and plan on adding to it and tweaking it every year.

If you can manage to do all of these things in one season, you really know how to live!  If you manage to do all of these things every fall, you are a rock star!  Happy Fall!

Get out your fall wear: fall coat, riding boots, long cardigan sweaters, etc. Go pick apples Bake some apples for dessert Go to the farmers market and buy some sweet corn, candied nuts and popcorn, and some local raw honey for all the baking ahead Go to a pumpkin patch to pick your pumpkins Buy some interesting gourds for decorating Play in a corn maze Take a hayride Carve, paint and decorate your pumpkins Bake some pies Rake leaves Make leaf art with the kids Have a fall scavenger hunt looking for maple leaves, oak leaves, acorns, pine cones, etc. Take a nature walk with your camera to capture some of the gorgeous fall scenery Hold a photo shoot with your significant other in a giant leaf pile Shop at a crafts show Go to a football game and bring a large blanket for snuggling Make caramel apples Get a pumpkin spice latte or some chai spice tea Roast marshmallows or make s'mores outdoors at a bonfire or fire pit while telling scary ghost stories Enjoy all of the local fall festivals around town Plan and make an epic Halloween costume for yourself, your kids, and your dog that you will be proud to wear for years to come; make sure to capture the looks on camera Throw the best Halloween party ever with amazing ideas you find in magazines or on Pinterest Go trick-or-treating with your favorite kids Visit the neighborhood haunted house Go ghost hunting or on a neighborhood ghost tour Ditch the wifi and head to the country, the mountains, or Vermont for a serene weekend of hikes through the dazzling fall leaves Make a hearty chili or stew Make a big pot of soup and some homemade crusty bread for dinner Have a scary movie night with popcorn and spooky foods Watch a scary movie every night in October, or have a scary movie marathon weekend Make some mulled hot apple cider or wasail Try a new hot chocolate recipe Treat the guys to some pumpkin ale or beer Eat Frankenberry, Boo Berry or Count Chocula for breakfast Make pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin-orange cake or pumpkin pie Dial it up a notch by using only fresh roasted pumpkin in all of your recipes Roast pumpkin seeds Visit an old cemetary Participate in a zombie crawl Perform a Samhain ritual Read a classic gothic novel, horror story or mystery book Make a Halloween playlist Learn the dance moves to Thriller Concoct some secret potions Celebrate Dia de los Muertos Bake some pumpkin-peanut butter dog biscuits for your favorite pups