Fall.  My favorite season!  (Just barely edging out summer, but there it is.)  Season of crisp breezes, cups of hot cider, good running weather, pots of chili, bright blue skies, red and gold leaves, puffy vests and circle scarves, cozy nights with a book and brisk mornings with a cup of coffee on the front porch.  I love it!  I try to make the most of every season as it comes my way – reflections on that next week – but golden fall holds a special place in my heart.  And while I look forward to lots of time spent cuddling up under blankets with my loves, I have plenty of activity on the agenda, too:

• Research apple orchards and pumpkin patches, and take the kids to both.
• Figure out fun Hallowe’en costumes for Peanut and Nugget, and get them dressed up and out trick or treating!
• At long last, take on the billy goat trail at Great Falls.
• Do some fall cooking and baking – always on the list!
• Run a fall race.
• Read more Trollope!
• Hike in Shenandoah National Park – finally!
• Get a head start on my 2016 family yearbook.
• Have a quiet Thanksgiving at home in Northern Virginia.
• Get the master bedroom cleaned out and unpacked, and organize the toys in the kids’ rooms.
• Enjoy a few cozy mysteries.
• Keep up the habit of shopping at the King Street Farmers’ Market.

There we go – a round dozen.  I usually do ten items, but I can’t seem to help adding more in the fall – short season that it is.  Even though this is a long list, I think it’s very doable, and several of the items are already in the works.  I can’t get enough of fall, so here’s hoping for a nice long autumn season in which to get this all done!