My Fall

This fall, I have experienced the most exquisite season of my life. Growing up without a "real fall" in Southern California, I have discovered that my favorite season is autumn: the crisp weather, the vibrant colors, the sweaters, the pumpkin bread, the crunchy leaves, the rain fall--I love it all! I can't believe I lived without it for seventeen years of my life!

My fall has captured me loving the view out of my kitchen window multiple times a day. I had no idea our trees would turn such vibrant reds. (One of the fun things about moving is seeing what your yard does the first year--you have no idea until the season changes!)

My fall has included apples--many, many apples. I wasn't sure if I would like our apples from our trees because when I have had "fresh" apples in the past, they've been teeny and ultra dry. Our apple trees proved me wrong. They are the most delicious I've ever tasted, and they are even the delicious variety (one golden tree and one red), which I usually don't like. We had hundreds on our tree--and I mean hundreds!

 Only a few of what we picked. 

My fall was filled with morning walks with a good friend. We changed up our route a bit and found some spectacular scenery: 

We often comment how lucky we are to see such pretty sights daily!

My fall was filled with the most breathtaking sunsets from my window. 

I hope I never take for granted these sunsets and that I will  remain in awe of them nightly.

My fall consisted of a few walks where we were able to sneak away and enjoy our surroundings. I love when Ben takes homework breaks!

 My fall included a kid-friendly corn maze at our local trout farm for Dentist Appreciation Night. Our dentist invited all of his patients for a free corn maze, donuts, and hot chocolate. I already liked our dentist, but I think it was the coolest way to bond with our dentist while having a fun night!

My fall consisted of a one night getaway with Ben to Zermatt Resort, a Swiss themed resort in Midway, to celebrate our third year anniversary since the actual day of our anniversary Ben was gone from 7AM-10:00PM--typical. I can't believe my family had a cabin in Heber for five years, and I never had explored the Midway area. I love all of the Swiss themes, gorgeous paintings on buildings everywhere, and quaint feel. 

Usually, I'm not a huge hot chocolate person because A) It's too hot and B) It's too bland C) It's too hot. BUT! At the resort there was a Barvarian Hot Chocolate Bar with ten different types of specialty hot chocolates to choose from. I think their Caramel Lovers Hot Chocolate has since changed my life. There was nothing like walking around in the crisp cool air exploring our Swiss themed stay.

Craters dot this area of Midway, and one is now a deep, deep crater with a natural spring that you can scuba dive in or just go and take a peak in (like we did). 

It was the most perfect fall weather while we were there. 

 We went on a fall drive and saw many beautiful sights!

We also took short trail by the Provo River--so pretty! We wished we could have stayed longer Saturday, but Ben had lots of HW to get back to so we left in the early afternoon back home. 

 My fall also consisted, as of today, seeing a "Missing Cow" sign on our street corner and realizing "I'm not in Kansas anymore~"

My fall I've been thinking about how right Keats was when he wrote this poem:

Ode to Autumn

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;

To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,

Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook

Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;

And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep

Steady thy laden head across a brook;

Or by a cider-press, with patient look,

Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, - 

While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day

And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn

Among the river sallows, borne aloft

Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;

And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;

Hedge-crickets sing, and now with treble soft

The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;

And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.