Oh sweet autumn! How happy I am that you’ve arrived. A season of cool air and warm colours. Crisp days and soft sweaters. Spooky happenings and sweet treats. Each season is beautiful, but fall is my favourite. Fall has always reminded me of new beginnings and a time for change.
Even though spring typically takes claim of new beginnings, as it gives way to new life and new growth. And winter seems to inspire change in people when all the New Years resolutions come rolling out. To me, autumn has always been a season that symbolizes both of those things. Maybe it’s the natural turn over, and the discarding of the old that symbolizes ridding our own life of the old too, in order to make way for change. In order to start something new.
Despite the glorious, summer-like weather we’ve been having lately, I’m sure autumn will resume to its normal ways soon enough. In preparation of that, I’ve been busy crafting a fall activity list of things I hope to do in the next few months (or at least until the snow hits đ).
APPLE PICKING
I went apple picking for the first time three years ago and haven’t done it again since. So really I’ve only gone apple picking one time but I truly enjoyed it so much, that I thought it was time to round up the troops and do it again! It’s one of the most clichĂ©d things that the fall season has to offer, but clichĂ©s are clichĂ© for a reason. Because people like them! So I’m ready to pull on my bean boots, grab the old iron wheelbarrow and navigate my way through shiny apple, sweet smelling orchards gathering the main ingredient for my favourite Thanksgiving treat.
BAKE A THANKSGIVING DESSERT
Almost every year at thanksgiving I bake caramel apple cheesecake bars. And because I’ll be going apple picking this season, it only makes sense to put my loot to good use in one of my favourite things to bake! However, in addition to this, I want to try and bake something I haven’t made before, because I genuinely love trying new recipes for baked goods and I adore eating them even more. And assuming that my family wants an overload of Emily’s baked goods at our Thanksgiving dinner, I think I’ll bring two.
HAVE A COZY BONFIRE
When I was sixteen, I spent a full summers day digging out a bonfire pit in my moms backyard, putting an old iron tire rim on the inside of it and chopping fire wood. And I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve used it. Two of those times were this summer. So why not extend the bonfire glory into the fall, and cozy up by the evening fire with some sweet treats (baked by me, obvi), a warm blanket and some boozy cider?
TAKE A HIKE
An obvious one, yet again. But for good reason. Hiking during any season is such an authentic escape into nature that helps me to feel at ease and embrace the beauty of my surroundings, whether it be alone or with someone. But hiking during the fall is exceptionally lovely because of all the natural beauty that only lasts for a brief period of time. Autumn has the ability to transform a place you may have seen dozens of times before, into a picture perfect postcard of serenity. As if you’re seeing if with new eyes all together. This year, I hope to hike a trail I haven’t hiked before.
READ A SPOOKY BOOK
Lately I’ve been hooked on psychological thrillers that keep my mind guessing and my thoughts racing. Though I’ve been reading this type of novel all year round, reading books such as Dark Places, The Couple Next Door and The Woman in Cabin 10. But reading this type of book during the spookiest time of year, is even better. So I’ve chosen a new one to read throughout the upcoming weeks that lead into Halloween, and I’ll let you know what I think of it once I’m done.
SPEND AN EVENING AT A NEW CAFE
As I mentioned in my About Emily section, my boyfriend and I love to cafĂ© hop and try new places to sip a lattĂ©, enjoy the atmosphere and linger in each other’s thoughts and conversation. But we tend to only frequent cafĂ©s during the day time. Mostly because by 7 or 8pm we’re so tired we don’t want to leave the house lol (I guess being four years short of 30 will do this to you? Can’t wait to find out, haha…. ha). But there’s something about enjoying a warm drink at a new place, late into the night after the hours of 7pm, that is very comforting and peaceful to me. Often times coffee houses offer live music in the evenings. This just adds to the atmosphere of an already calm and crisp fall evening. All the more reason to venture out to enjoy a warm chai lattĂ© and fully embrace the autumnal ambience.
HAND OUT CANDY TO TRICK OR TREATERS
This something I have not done in years. Possibly 10! As soon as I became too old to go trick or treating, I was suddenly old enough to attend Halloween parties. And I remember the 31st falling on a weekend a lot for some reason! But watching little kids waddle up to the front door, dressed in the one costume they’d been dreaming of for months with a giant, oversized pillow case in hand, is one of the purest moments of childhood. Their little faces just shine with whimsy, delight and trust. And if I can’t relive it just yet, I may as well witness it from all the neighbourhood kids.
HAVE A SCARY MOVIE NIGHT
Although this is definitely on everyone else’s fall list, probably every year no less, I’ve never really done this. I’m more of a “one Christmas movie a night for the 20 nights leading up to Christmas” kind of girl. But scary movies? Not so much, for some reason! Even though I do enjoy them, and I obviously like a good thrill given my taste in books. But I never really know what to watch that isn’t too gory and still has a decently intriguing plot line. So if you have any recommendations, let me know! I can’t wait to get SCARED!
PLAY DRESS UP
As summer comes to an end, I always have a hard time saying goodbye to my collection of maxi skirts, short skirts, little dresses and crop tops. Basically I love to dress up. But once fall is here and I’ve begun to re-wear some of my favourite fall pieces and bring new additions to the mix, I’m easily swayed back to the adoration of fall fashion, and am reminded that with a few warmer pieces, I can play dress up in the fall, too. Skirts with tights and boots! Long coats and big scarves! Knit sweaters and heel booties! Just imagining all this stuff has got me putting Gossip Girl into the DVD player and drooling over every single outfit. Because those girls were the ultimate fall fashion inspo. It may seem silly that this part of my list is basically saying “wear clothes”, because shouldn’t I always? But because fall is such a short season, the trick is wearing all those clothes before the snow hits. Because once it does, it’s goodbye leather jacket and hello to the same black parka I’ll wear day after day. Warmth, yo.
HAVE A PICNIC
In recent years, I’ve been really into picnics in the park in the summertime. But why not extend this to the fall as well? Actually, it makes even more sense to have a picnic in the fall being that there are no bugs to annoy you, sitting on a blanket will feel soft and cozy instead of hot and sweaty, and really I’m all about sweet treats and warm drinks and summer is not exactly ideal for those things. I’m excited to bring my comfy fall blanket, a thermos full of hot chocolate and a basket full of autumnal goodies to snack on. Sharing it with someone special might not be a bad idea either.
Happy fall đ
Emily et al 
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