Hi friends! I hope some cooler fall temperatures have reached you and you’re enjoying this season so far! I know here in Tennessee we’re grateful to have gotten past the 90 degree weather that we couldn’t seem to shake in the first half of October.
Today I wanted to share all of my favorite fall festivities (say that five times fast) in the form of a bucket list! My favorite time of year is finally upon us, and I couldn’t be more excited for all the fun to come.
1. Try a new apple recipe
The first item on my “bucket list” is to find something new to try with the beautiful apples that are plentiful during this time of year. I love to cook and bake, so trying new recipes is something I look forward to every fall. If you aren’t like me, and cooking intimidates you, that’s perfectly okay! There are lots of simple things you can make with apples too!
I chose this Rustic French Apple Tart to make with all the apples from our local orchard– Scott’s— and I was definitely not disappointed! I ended up with wayyyyy too many apples to fit in my crust, so I recommend either cutting down on the amount of apples you use or doubling the rest of the ingredients to make two tarts. The dessert tasted amazing, and it was beautiful to look at too! I’ll definitely be saving this one for future use.
2. Shop for the perfect pumpkin
Whether you’re looking for on to carve, paint, or sit on your porch, I think picking a pumpkin is one of the most important parts of the season. My mom and I stopped by a local produce stand, Connie’s Country Produce, to pick out all the gourds we would need. 
On a side note, isn’t this cozy cardigan so perfect for fall? I can always thank Leaf in Creek for having the cutest autumn finds.
Connie’s had such a wide variety; it was so hard to choose! We ended up taking several of these little guys home. Aren’t they cute?
3. Go on a cute fall date
Whether it’s with yourself, your friends, or your significant other, it’s important to spend quality time with the ones you love. And what better way to do it then going out to enjoy a pumpkin patch or scarecrow trail?
My sweet Jack and I went to the Huntsville Botanical Garden’s Scarecrow Trail. My family has been going to the trail for as long as I can remember, and it was very important for us to go again this year after my grandmother’s passing, because it was one of her favorite things to visit.
I was lucky enough to be able to bring Jack to enjoy it with me and we had so much fun seeing all the creative scarecrows sponsored by local businesses and organizations.
You’ll have to excuse the summer clothes; fall temps didn’t reach us til late October 🙂
4. Visit your grocery store and explore all the fall treats
If you know me personally, you know that I am a sucker for a good grocery store. My idea of fun is a morning spent in a Whole Foods. So you can imagine one of my favorite fall activities is to do just that: shop for festive autumn groceries.
My mom and I enjoyed some coffee from their coffee bar and scored these adorable frosted cookies.
4. Enjoy a cup of the most iconic fall beverage
Apple cider is, without a doubt, at the top of my fall favorites list. There’s just something irresistible about cozying up with a warm mug and a blanket. This year, I also made my own mulling spice blend with whole cloves, dried orange zest, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. I was so proud of how it turned out, and I think it’d be a perfect gift idea too!
You can’t tell from the picture, but this mason jar is super tiny and the cutest thing ever.
5. Bake something new with pumpkin
The fall season begins my very favorite time of the year, baking-wise. I love all of the traditional treats and I love to try new recipes I find too. This year I knew I wanted to make something that I had never made before, and I just happened to stumble upon this Pumpkin chocolate marbled Bundt Cake. (Thanks Pinterest!)
It turned out absolutely beautiful and it was so good my family ate it all in one day! I can’t wait to try some more pumpkin recipes this season. I have my eye on a cheesy pumpkin Alfredo 🙂
I love taking the time to enjoy each season and all of the changes they bring. Fall is one of my favorite times of year, second only to Christmas. So I hope you’re all ready for lots of new posts to come this holiday season!
I like to take the time in Autumn remember to be thankful, appreciate the world around me, and find joy in all the little things in life. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and anything else you can think of to celebrate 🙂 Thank you so much for reading!
Stay sweet, Sophia ❤
Small Town Sophia 