October!

 

The month has arrived and fall is getting ready to be in full swing.  Okay, maybe it already was.  After all, I have already donned my Halloween costume and gone trick or treating at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.  (Which actually starts in August...and yes, I do have a problem with that!)  We've had cold weather and warm (hot) weather in September...I expect with October we will have less warm and more cold (at least here in the Northeast) as the days grow short and darkness comes early.  Makes waiting for the bus in the morning more of a challenge.  (It was not yet light when the bus pulled up this morning and my morning walk was in darkness which means pretty soon I will have to forgo it in the early morning hours and hope that I can get some steps in during the day.) If I need to get across Route 23 in the afternoon even more so.  (While I am not thrilled that a Starbucks will eventually go up on southwest corner, I am thrilled that a traffic light will finally be going in.  It can't come soon enough for me.)



To me, October means color.  There is nothing I like more than seeing the leaves change.  The yellows, oranges and reds thrill me even more than the colors that bloom in the spring.  I have always been lucky enough to live in an area where I get to experience this and now that we are in the Pocono area, I am hoping to see even more.  

My husband and I already attended one fall festival. 



Unfortunately it was misty/rainy (which was supposed to clear up but never did).  It may have dampened the ground, but not our spirits.  There were many local wineries and breweries attending and I got to taste quite a bit.  I made sure to spread my cash around and bought bottles from three different vendors.  Since hubby doesn't drink, he partook in some of the food trucks, getting a "cup" (Solo cup sized) of coleslaw, bbq pork and beans.  While I would have preferred a beautiful sunny day, the clouds/fog on the mountains offered its own beauty.  There is another fall festival in town this upcoming weekend so maybe the weather will be more accommodating.  And that is followed by an indoor/outdoor rummage sale the following weekend.  All of these things are definitely getting me in the spirit.

Speaking of spirit, I've got my mums (I LOVE mums) and pumpkin out on my front steps. 


(Maybe I need more than one pumpkin?)  In walking around the neighborhood, I see some of my neighbors REALLY get into the spirit of the spooks. 



I won't even attempt to up my game on this.  But maybe I need to stock up on Halloween candy?  We never got a lot of people in NJ and I thought that being on a private drive in the Poconos might mean no trick or treaters.  I could be wrong.  (I'll be sure to have candy on hand that I like, in case I am right!)

We are in the heart of pumpkin spice season.  While I avoided it in Florida (although it was available, I just can't get into it when the temperatures are in the 90s no matter what the calendar says.), I've been diving in here.  And don't hate me, but I do love candy corn (in limited amounts)  It's also a great time for seasonal wines. While I love the summer peach, it's time to pull out the harvest blends.  I had an apple based sangria over the weekend (not at the fall festival; my husband and I actually went out to a local pub on Friday night) and while at first it seemed a little too cider-like for me, it grew on me and I just may have to go back and try it again!

 Take in the colors and the tastes of autumn.  All too soon the cool will turn to cold.  The colors will fade.  The sun will be fading before I leave the office in the afternoon.  It will happen before in the blink of an eye.  I will rejoice in the season while I can.  I hope you will too.


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