Fall is officially here, now that it is near the end of September. But when do you personally recognize that fall is here (or almost here)?Perhaps it is something you feel in the air--the hint of cold, and the longing for warm fires and warm colors. Perhaps it is the smell of woodsmoke or pumpkin candles. Perhaps it is the the return of Halloween decorations. (Oh wait--that happens in summer!)
I'm sure it's a combination of various senses for me. But there is one specific thing that really stands out in my mind. My first "taste" of fall is a sip of Clendenen's apple cider. Clendenen's Cider Works is in Fortuna, California, about 40 minutes or so from where I live. I'm so, so happy that they start selling the apple cider in August, so that I was able to have some before I left for school!
There is nothing quite like this apple cider. Truly, it is so sweet and flavorful that nothing really compares to it!
One of the hard things about being away from home during the fall is missing out on all the fun fall traditions I usually share with my family. I miss Fortuna's Apple Harvest Festival, specifically at Clendenen's, where they have hay rides through the orchard, apple tasting, a barbecue, music, and (of course!) apple cider.
But we also have some new traditions now. My parents and my sister will be coming up to visit me in October, and I'm sure we'll go to another Harvest Festival here in Oregon like the one we went to last year. So fun! I'll have to share more about that later!
If you would like to learn more about Clendenen's Cider works, click HERE. If you ever get to Humboldt County in Northern California in the fall, be sure and stop by there! Your mouth will thank you.
What is that first "taste" of fall for you? Is it a special event, a family tradition, or a nice cold glass of freshly made apple cider?
15 comments:
I'm on the east coast & there's no sign of fall here yet. Usually by now the trees have started to change & it becomes vibrant in about two weeks. The trees are a bit late - but then again it's still much hotter than usual here... As soon as the trees start to change I'll post some pics of the gorgeous mountains in the Appalachian Valley.
Fall, lol it's still in the 90's here. Although today is supposed to be the last day of that for a bit. Honestly, I don't feel it's fall until sometime in October.
I love candied apples. Kroger's had them in stock since the end of August. I've had two so far, and I'm certain I'll have more before Halloween.
Honestly, Oregon is so cold all the time fall isn't that exciting for me. But the leaves are always pretty.
Fall means going back to work for me and also pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. Yum!
I love taking the kids to Stokoe farms where they have lots of fun Fall (but not Halloween-ish) stuff. Zip lines, a petting zoo, hay bale rides, fresh cider & doughnuts, and pumpkin picking. And I love making applesauce.
Oh Amber, fall in New England is SO pretty!! You need to make it here sometime because I just know you'd absolutely love it, lol!
For me, a lot of it is the air. There is a very distinct smell, feel, and temperature of the air in the fall here. It's definitely already happened, but the past couple of nights have been really, really muggy unfortunately.
Another sure sign of fall is apple picking. I LOVE apple picking, you don't even know. There is nothing that beats a fresh apple that YOU picked so it's the exact one you want. Then clean it on your shirt so it's a radiant red color. Finally *crunch* ooooooo, I love it!! Unfortunately due to some unexpected frost, the orchard (and most of the others around also) we pick at lost it's whole crop this season. So, no apple picking this year : ( Too many different things with tradition starting this fall...
Lastly, as others have said, the trees/leaves. You better believe that we have foliage in New England! LOL! But with the changing of the leaves also comes (another sign of fall) the leaf peepers, or that's what they're known as to the locals *wink* We have people from everywhere, including places like Canada and Japan even, coming to our town every fall to see the foliage. It's always really funny for us : D
Anyway, now that I've talked your ear off and rambled longer than anyone else, I'll leave you alone!
: P
Talk to you soon!
Hannah
Thank you, all, for stopping by and sharing your thoughts on fall! :D
GINA: I'm sorry you haven't glimpsed fall yet. :( Is it really humid there, or is the heat enjoyable? Sometimes it can be nice to experience summer a little longer... :)
And oh! I would love to see pictures of the Appalachian Valley decked out in all its autumn splendor! I can't imagine how beautiful it must be when you see all those bright colors in person. :D Hope you get to see fall soon! (Without too much cold weather yet!)
MICHELLE: It's funny--I felt like I was behind the times waiting to change my blog design until fall officially arrived, since we were all talking about fall as soon as school started up again. ;) But if the temps where you live are still in the 90s...no wonder you don't feel like it's fall yet! October is when it definitely starts to be more noticeable. I hope it's a lovely fall for you. :)
Enjoy those candied apples!!!
ARIEL: Yes, Oregon is rather cold much of the time... *sigh* But it is beautiful, right? ;) Love those fall colors, too, and I'm excited to see more of them soon!
JOY: Fall does seem to paradoxically symbolize both relaxation and work/study, doesn't it? ;) I hope you enjoy your work, along with those lattes! I'm more of a hot chocolate person myself. ;)
JULIA: Ooooh, that sounds like fun! :D I love things like that--it sounds kind of like a harvest festival. :) I love those, and I'm sure we'll be talking more about them soon!
HANNAH: Please, please help me get to New England!!! Oh, I just know I would LOVE it, too!!! All those gorgeous colors... Someday, I will definitely have to try and come see them!
I love your descriptions of the air and the apple picking! :) I'm sorry that you don't have an apple crop this year and that it's so humid, though. Maybe you'll be able to add some new traditions this year! I don't know if anyone grows corn there, but have you ever gone to a corn maze? Those are always super fun!
And oh! so funny about the "leaf peepers"!!! I might just have to join their ranks one day, though, because those colors sound so lovely!
Thank you for your longer comment! ;) I enjoy hearing from you! Now, I'm off to go watch Kate & Leopold with some of my friends... *contented sigh*
Talk to ya'll later!
~Amber
I love the theme of this post, Amber, because fall is my favorite season.
Other than the official start of fall on the calendar, there's no sign here in Atlanta. School started after Labor Day when I was growing up, but now it starts on the first Monday in August. Our temperatures were close to 95 this week, although a "big change" is supposedly coming this weekend. So the only signs of fall in my house so far are my fall-scented Yankee candles!
My kids are grown and on their own now - one is even a missionary in Germany. But when they were growing up, we always took fall trips to north Georgia and enjoyed Golden Delicious apples, boiled peanuts, sorghum syrup, and apple cider. The leaves in the Smoky Mountains are always beautiful, and I've heard that the sky is a deeper shade of blue during the fall than at any other time.
PUMPKIN PIE!!!!! with whipped cream. Yum!!! Our Canadian Thanksgiving is earlier then yours -- it's two weeks away -- so the pumpkin pies are hitting the grocery stores as we speak. Now I'm hungry and I think I'll pick one up on the way home from a gruelling day at work at the college library! :-)
And like Hannah I love the changing leaves. It's supposed to be a good year for colour and I'm already spying brigh orange and yellow and red leaves.
I also love the cooler weather. Even if the days get warm the nights stay cool and sleeping comfort is great.
Oh -- and the mice try to move into my rickety old house and I try to move them back out. If I'm lucky this is only a Fall Ritual, if I'm not I get to play hide and seek with micies all through the winter. Ugh!
No sign of fall here. It is still in the 90's on Friday . I like the changing leaves.
Signs of Fall for me is the cooling temps, the turning of the tree leaves, and apple picking time! Love Fall, although Spring is my favorite.
desertrose5173 at gmail dot com
Good to see ya'll here!
CAROLE: I'm between summer and fall myself. I do so love fall! I'm happy you enjoyed the post. :)
Goodness, could ya'll send some heat my way? ;) Don't know if I really want temperatures in the 90s, but 70s might be nice! I'm sorry it's so hot in there. The smell of those candles must be a nice reminder of fall, though!
It sounds like you have some great memories of fall with your family! I can't imagine how gorgeous the Smoky Mountains must be!!! I would love to see them someday. :)
And how cool that your son is a missionary in Germany! May the Lord bless his efforts as he shares the Gospel. :D
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
KAV: Wow! Enjoy that pumpkin pie! ;) I love the colors of the leaves, and I love the comfort of burrowing into the covers or under a blanket in the colder weather. I hope you enjoy this season!
Oh, and I hope those mice don't give you too much trouble! ;)
EMMA: There are so many people enduring hot weather right now! Goodness gracious! I hope you get some relief soon.
Love those changing leaves, too! :) Thanks for stopping by!
CARMEN: Love all those signs of falls you mentioned! :) Isn't fall such a wonderful month? Spring is great, too! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
~Amber
The only thing I like about fall is hot cider...LOL I hate the cold weather and with the Fall chill in the air I end up getting sick...I can really feel a cold or something coming on even as I type this! Yuck! Summer where are you?!
Renee,
I don't recall every trying hot cider (or at least not much)...I'm more of an ice, cold glass of cider person! ;) I'm enjoying some wonderful hot chocolate right now, though!
I'm sorry you get sick so much. :( Fall is definitely notorious as the cold season. I hope it's still somewhat pleasant for you (and maybe you can avoid the cold this year!). ;)
Just think...soon it will be Thanksgiving, and then Christmas... :D
~Amber
Renee,
OK, so I tried a little bit of hot cider last night... It might have been a bit too syrupy sweet for my taste, being hot and all. But I do love cold apple cider! ;) Maybe hot apple cider is an acquired taste...
~Amber
Post a Comment