It’s officially October–so can we talk about how quickly September flew by? Not that I’ll miss it.
I am fully ready to embrace fall (even though that means the dreaded snow is around the corner, and there
are few things I hate more than the Syracuse winter weather). After all, it’s almost time for Halloween,
pumpkin spice has taken over everything we eat and drink, the lovely orange and red leaves wait in piles
for us to jump in, and it’s a good time to break out the super cute new trench coat.
The true mark of fall for me, though, is the start of apple picking season. Nothing beats heading to
an orchard — and there’s plenty to pick from in the Syracuse area — with a group of friends or maybe some
visiting family, to take in the fresh air while you bite into a juicy, sweet Granny Smith (are those the
sweet ones?). I love the feel of a fresh autumn breeze as I climb a ladder–the only time I’m willing to risk
being above ground on a rickety contraption is to stuff my face with the most perfectly colored apple. The
best is when the orchard owner has a big golden retriever hanging outside, walking around for pets…I just love dogs.
Everything apples marks fall for me. Apple cider, with its tart taste on your lips. Apple fritters,
pure fried perfection. Apple pie with just a touch of cinnamon and maybe a little vanilla ice cream…I get
carried away, but pretty much any apple good is delicious and a symbol that fall has officially arrived.
Fall and winter are basically prime feeding seasons, with apple goodies being just the beginning.
Among the candy at Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day feasts, all I really do in the
winter is plump up. With eating, comes working out. I’m not a big runner, since I’d rather not pass all the
incredibly attractive cross country team guys as I pant along the side of the road in a sweaty mess (well,
as they pass me, I should say). In the fall and winter, I limit most of my exercise regime indoors, and it
couldn’t be more fantastic. I focus on pilates with basic cardio to keep away the extra pounds. Just go to
YouTube, search for blogilates, and tada! A ton of workouts targeting specific areas are at your fingertips.
Besides eating, there’s lots of celebrating to be had! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays,
even though my costumes usually end up being pretty lame cop outs made from whatever I have lying
around…cough Harry Potter outfit, cough. It’s fun to go to Target and see the huge bags of fun-sized
candy bars, the “scary” masks that actually are only scary because they suffocate you when you put
them on, the princess outfits, and disgusting massive fake spiders. If we’re lucky, the snow starts after
Halloween, so it is the perfect fall holiday.
Ever since we’re babies, finding that great Halloween costume is a ritual..though when I was
2, I’m pretty positive I didn’t decide to be Baby Bop from Barney on my own, Mom. In any case, now
that we’re in college, the choices are endless since having a fake knife won’t keep us out of any costume
parades. Though it’s sad how many girls take a note from Mean Girls and head out in lingerie and some
angel wings or bunny ears, it’s always great to see the creativity of the night. Lady Gaga is at every party,
lots of men in togas, and plenty of girls in caution tape. This year, I’m thinking of leaning towards an
adorable Totoro costume, or a simple DIY Pocahontas (though I’ll probably butcher it).
But the best part of fall isn’t all the apples, or Halloween or pumpkin spice lattes. It’s taking a
moment to see the beauty of nature. In my opinion, nothing will ever beat bundling up just slightly and
going for a walk in the park or some wooded area, with leaves falling around you as your boots crunch on
the already fallen. That and coloring the impression of the leaves with crayon like a kindergartner. Happy fall!