Why I Love Fall

I've been super-pumped about September 22nd for almost a month now. Now the day marking the beginning of Fall is finally here. I love Fall. It's my favorite season of the year. Think about it: summer is too hot (especially in Georgia), winter is too cold, and spring has too much pollen and too many bees. Fall, on the other hand, is perfect. Here's why:

1. Fall colors are beautiful. All those fantastically rich shades of orange and brown make me happy, and I can see them just by stepping outside and looking up at a tree. I think florists should make bouquets that only contain fall leaves and berries. I would totally buy one a week just for myself.

The beautiful colors of Fall are also a prominent feature in clothing for the season. I love wearing autumnal shades, and they look really good on me, unlike summer colors. Hot pink is not my friend. No "hot" color is, really. Although I could probably rock out a hot brown or a hot black. If anyone reading this knows how to make those colors happen, let me know.

2. It's soup season! Yes, I know people make soup throughout the year. But I never want it until Fall. It's just too hot in spring and summer. Fall soups gear me up for winter. We're not talking about soups from a can, either. We're talking hard-core, thick, savory soups simmering all day in a slow cooker. I'll be pulling out my Crock Pot this year, and I'm very anxious to make Irish Stew (lamb meat instead of beef or chicken) and Pumpkin Soup.

3. Halloween! How can you not love a holiday where kids can bum candy off total strangers and adults have a reason to buy multi-pound bags of the stuff? Plus, costumes aren't just for kids anymore.

4. Thanksgiving! This is my favorite "food" holiday because it creates the perfect 4-day weekend. It's also the holiday that kicks off my annual "Eat My Weight In Mashed Potatoes" fest. I love me some mashed potatoes!

5. Pumpkins! As a child I loved digging the seeds and gunk out of these bad boys, then watching my mom carve a face. Last year I decided that I'm old enough to handle sharp knives while expressing my creativity, so a few of us bought pumpkins from a patch and had a go at the pumpkin carving thing. I loved it! We burnt the pumpkin seeds, but this year I have a recipe for cinnamon seeds that I plan to try out.

6. Warm clothes! It doesn't get cool as early in Georgia, but we can still usually get away with long sleeved shirts and thin sweaters by mid-October. I love bundling up in my clothes like a caterpillar in a cocoon. My goal in life is to reintroduce the long john shirt/flannel shirt combo to today's youth. I also love boots.

So that's why I love Fall. Hopefully I'll be able to get out and do stuff this year while the leaves are still gorgeous and the weather is in that limbo of pleasantly warm and pleasantly cool.

Happy Fall, everyone!