What is it about Autumn that we all love? The smell of a campfire or pumpkin spice? Or maybe it is the abundance of colors mother nature has revealed to us. For me, there are a number of reasons why Autumn is my favorite season.
The food in Fall is the absolute best. Everyone is making their best homemade soup. Whether it be potato soup, vegetable soup, or the most amazing chili. I am blessed enough to have a wife that can bake just about anything. And Autumn only means pumpkin everything. Pumpkin muffins, rolls, cookies, cakes, and bread fill the house with the most magnificent aroma. The smell is almost as good as eating it.
As a southern Ohio man, hunting is an important Fall sport. Every since I was a kid my father would take me out in the woods and go squirrel hunting. If you have never had squirrel on a plate, you are missing out. It tastes just like chicken and also makes the best gravy. As I got older my cousin Zach and I would travel the lanes in the woods and go hunting almost daily. The amazing colors you see while squirrel hunting are unmatched. Looking at a hillside from the car is beautiful, but being in the midst of it is unexplainable. Now that I have a family myself, I take pride of showing them the beauties of nature in this time of year.
Campfires and smores are another staple of the welcoming season. What a great way to kick back and unwind. I have always described it as pushing the reset button. For me, it is a stress reliever that I can't get anywhere else. Plus, who doesn't love a smore? Sweet chocolate and sticky marshmallows sandwiched between two crispy graham crakers is a perfect combination for the children and adults. While you're sitting around the fire, might as well roast some hotdogs. Fire roasted hotdogs have a different taste that you can't have anywhere else.
Visiting farms and fall festivals are also on the list of Autumn enjoyment. Picking out the perfect pumpkin from the patch will forever be one of my favorite family activity for fall. Is the pumpkin the right size and shape? Or is the color perfect? Does this pumpkin have what it takes to win the jack-o-lantern contest? Getting lost in a corn maze can put your family to the test, even if I hide behind some corn stalk and jump out to scare my mother! Hey, the kids have to learn somehow.
For me, Autumn is the starting line to creating endless memories with the people I love the most. Also, it allows me to reminisce on the past adventures in fall time. It can be the warm feeling in the house with the smell of chili boiling, or smiling because you remember all the times you went squirrel hunting with your cousin and father. Whatever the reason, embrace this season for it gives us so much.