Fall to-do list

This little house on the beach where my mom lives was bulldozed this week
to make room for a new big home. It was always such a cute home, I'm sad to see it go!

Fall is here--I felt it in Boston yesterday and today. My coats are officially out. But I'm having a hard time with it--I was in the ocean (in Maine!) on Saturday! I'm still trying to squeeze in some sand and sunshine, but it's time to begin to embrace the beauty and tranquility of fall.


Here's a checklist of things to do to get you excited by the upcoming season.

1. Pick some apples (then make apple sauce, apple crisp, apple everything!). Definitely eat a cider doughnut while you're at an orchard, too.
2. Root for the home team, whether that's college or high school football, field hockey, soccer, or Harvard at Head of the Charles River, cheer for something this fall. (And maybe tailgate, and definitely bring a cozy blanket to keep you warm on the sidelines)
3. Get a new warm sweater and wear it when the nip in the air stars to get more pronounced.
4. Read something. Preferably in front of a fireplace with a mug of tea.
5. Mull apple cider.
6. Watch some Oscar contenders (With some popcorn, or Jr. Mints, or... maybe a single-serving of contraband wine)
7. Do a little leaf-peeping. Enjoy the colors of the leaves--Mother Nature puts on quite the show for us!
8. Hand out some candy or put together a great Halloween costume. (My friends and I were brainstorming warm costumes--for the chilly season in Boston--on the beach--Trump? Hillary? Where's Waldo? Elvis and Priscilla? A dragon?)
9. Go for a hike and enjoy the dry air
10. Test out a new chili recipe and make a stand-by chili recipe