Great Dates: Dating Fall

What is more romantic than a fall day? I can't help imagining myself walking among the leaves with my honey, or my children for that matter, and enjoying the colors of fall.

Fall offers so many opportunities for great dates. Here are some suggestions:

• Fall Festivals. A great date for singles, married, families and girlfriends. Even if you live in an urban area like I do (DC Metro), you can still find a decent fall festival nearby. Most churches and schools host fall festivals every year. It's all a matter of how elaborate you want the date to be. If you want to add a sense of getaway to the date, Google for fall festivals within an hour driving distance. This would be a great road trip for you and the girls. 
• Farms, Apple Picking, Hayrides and Corn Mazes. Another great way to get a date in and enjoy the beauty of fall. Find your nearest local farm and have some fun. This is another opportunity for a road trip. Best of all, you can score some great fall produce. 
• Hiking, Biking and Strolling. Here a great idea for a more athletic date. Pack a backpack with some light snacks and both you and your date bring along digital cameras. Find your nearest, prettiest walking trail and spend the afternoon together. I suggest afternoon since most good walking trails are frequented by the workout crowd earlier. Not only will you get some great fall shots, you have a built in momentum of the day. 

What's your best idea for incorporating fall into your dates?

My Life in Stitches: Everything's Better with Fall

Tomorrow is the first day of fall, my favorite season. I’m especially looking forward to the season change with all the weird and hot summer weather we’ve had. The cooler days almost seem strange compared to the multiple tornado watches and 100+ degree days. That all seems to be over now that fall is here (let’s pray that we don’t have the extreme winter the forecasters are predicting). 

I don’t know what it is about fall that makes everything so wonderful. I guess there is a certain romance about it that infuses everything and makes it better. In honor of fall, I’ve come up with my list of everything that’s better with fall.

Emerald Isle Cardigan

1. Knitting. Okay, this is a knitting post, so of course knitting is better with fall. All my projects just got better, even the ones I’ve been working on for weeks. Not only are my WIPs better, but all the projects in my cue just got better. I’ve wanted to make an Emerald Isle Cardigan for a long time, but just couldn’t get the motivation to do it. It seemed too hot to work on. Now that it’s cooler, I’m so ready. I’m also ready to add a few scarves, hats and fingerless gloves to my queue.
2. Anything with pumpkin. I recently discovered that Panera is offering a Pumpkin Pie Bagel with New York Style Cheesecake cream cheese this fall. Heavenly. It’s also time for all the pumpkin-flavored drinks. I’ve got my eye out for the Twinings Pumpkin Chai Tea that’s I can find only during this time of year. As a matter of fact, all food is better in the fall.
3. Nature. Fall is the time that nature really shows off. Yes, the flowers of spring are pretty, but there is nothing like a tree ablaze with oranges and yellows. And of course I’m partial to the fact that my butterfly plants bloom in fall. Yeah, I have to deal with the bees, but when you take the good with the bad, you appreciate the good more.
4. Snuggling. My husband and I both knit, so there are some nights that we snuggle together on the couch and knit and talk. That’s not fun in 100 degree temps, but with a slight chill in the air, it’s amazing. We are both big tea drinkers, too, so our snuggling often includes a cup of something warm.
5. The Pepco Bill. This is the time of year that you can turn the AC off, and if you don’t have horrible allergies like me, open your windows and let nature lower your electric bills. Even if you don’t open the windows, the nights are cool enough to lower the temps inside. And then you can snuggle, drink tea, and eat something with pumpkin and knit.

What else is better with fall?