My Five Favorite Fall Posts

Inside: My favorite season has arrived, slow and steady, just the way I like, which has me revisiting my five favorite fall posts. Take a look.

Autumn leaves. — Lovely leaves! *Picture by Emily Moore*.

Living in the Midwest, I love the change of seasons–even more so when that season is fall! There is just something about this time of year that makes me feel fully alive. So to celebrate my favorite season, what better way than to share my five favorite fall posts!

Without further ado, here is a small sampling, along with a link to read the rest of the post.

Top ten must-do activities for fall. — My son-in-law Jared tossing leaves for grandpuppy Odin to catch. *Picture by Emily Moore.*

My Top Ten Must-do Fall Activities

August, we hardly knew ye. . .

Is it just me or did summer speed by? The month of August is such a transitional time. Going from the lazy days of summer to the structured days of back to school. The strange thing is, even if your children have left the nest as mine has (six years ago this month), the rhythm of yellow buses and school bells never really leaves us. September feels like a second January in a way. Whatever wasn’t tackled or attempted from the goal list can still be accomplished in these last months of the year.

And September brings an excitement in the air–at least for us autumn enthusiasts! I’m already checking the coffee aisle for pumpkin spice flavored coffee and scanning clothing catalogues for sweaters and boots. A list is also forming in my head of what I want to do before the weather gets too cold and, well, miserable. From my fall bucket list I’ve boiled it down to my top ten must-do fall activities. Here are my favorite picks for the quickly approaching season. CONTINUE READING

Make Our Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds

I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making something pumpkin spice for a while now, thus our Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seeds. Lots to love about these. For one, they are so simple to make and require so few ingredients. For another, they’re perfect to make with the kids or to whip up for a quick snack or last-minute “hey I need to bring something to the party” dish. CONTINUE READING

How to Turn an Old Shirt into a Pumpkin

I know what you’re thinking–awww! Am I right? While I wish I could take credit for this idea, Emily sent the link to me from a website called It’s Always Autumn. With that inspiration, I took some old flannel shirt material, toilet paper rolls (yes, toilet paper), ribbon, and sticks from the yard and made a couple myself. (The ones pictured above.) But the small one? I had to improvise and so I can tell you how I made it. But, first, let me direct you to the link where you can find the instructions for these cute pumpkins.

Incidentally, you might be wondering why I don’t go ahead and include the project instructions here, but it’s not mine to give. So please support It’s Always Autumn by clicking over. Besides, it’s a cool website, and you’ll be glad you did! CONTINUE READING

Make Our Healthy Butternut Squash, Apple, Cranberry Bake

Beautiful, isn’t it? If you can call a casserole a thing of beauty. It tastes absolutely wonderful! And the smells? A treat when you come in from the cold!

I had meant to post this recipe right before Thanksgiving, but it didn’t happen that way. The ingredients, colors, aromas all fit nicely under that fall-harvest category. But the truth is that I make this several times over the course of fall and winter, usually paired with my mother-in-law’s simple recipe for pork loin roast. (One of these days I’ll have to include it.)

This butternut squash, apple, cranberry bake would also make for an easy side to bring along for the family gatherings, too. Easy, I say, though I do know working with butternut squash can be challenging. But there are ways around cutting into the hard uncooked flesh of the butternut. Some cooks briefly microwave the squash in increments of several minutes until the rind is soft enough to cut. (Make sure to pierce the rind before you try that!) I usually pre-bake mine just enough to be able to slice through it. That would cut down on the overall baking time of this recipe, as the instructions reflect using uncooked squash. Easiest of all is if you are fortunate enough to find cubed butternut squash in the refrigerated areas of your produce section. CONTINUE READING

Mum’s the Word, Hundred-Mile Man, and Other News Fresh From the Farm

I bought these mums the other day. Mom and I were entering Walmart when I saw these lovelies and couldn’t resist.

There was a time in my life when I wouldn’t have spent the money on flowers. My life was all about making frugal decisions, pinching every penny. Buying mums that start dying a little after a week was not a good investment.

But with age has come wisdom. I’m reminded of something Mom had said in her interview a couple of months ago–“concentrate on small areas where you want beauty.” It was in reference to a question I’d asked regarding tips for gardeners on a budget, but I think the meaning can extend beyond gardening to the little things in life that bring us joy. These mums brought a little beauty to my world. Happiness for a few greenbacks.

I guess my idea of a good investment has changed. CONTINUE READING

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I hope you enjoy my selection of favorite fall posts. Wishing all of my readers a wonderful season living the “pumpkin spice life.”

Happy reading!

Resources and Related Posts:

Slipping into Fall, Internet-less, and Other News Fresh From the Farm

Make Our Simple Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Butternut Beer Brats Soup Revisited

Starting the Long and Sentimental Project

Past Posts from September:

Simple Suppers: Easy Pizza (2017)

Golden Beans, Whacked-out Weather, and Other News Fresh From the Farm (2017)