Fall Really is My Favorite Time of Year...

I decided to take the advice of The SITS Girls and try to do some of their blogging challenges, so today I'm writing about my favorite memories of fall and why fall is my favorite time of year. 



This picture is actually a puzzle that my husband put together
and glued. It hangs above our fireplace. I love it because it
reminds me of the annual pheasant hunt with my family.

 Some of my fondest memories of fall from when I was young would have to be the annual opening of the pheasant hunt.  In Utah, bird and other wild-game hunting are very popular and my family is full of avid hunters.  Yes, I grew up eating pheasant, duck, goose, rabbit, deer, elk, etc., but that is for another post.  When I was young, the opening Saturday of the pheasant hunt was as big a deal as Christmas in my family.  We would all wake up at the crack of dawn and head out to my Grandma & Grandpa Berchtold's farm.  We usually had quite a few family friends there as well.  My mom would always make her giant cinnamon rolls and my Grandma would make a huge pot of chili.  My aunts would all bring whatever other dish was needed.  Many of us would eat breakfast there (usually included a cinnamon roll) and then the men and some of the women would head out at first light to go hunting on my family's land.  They would be back at lunch, loaded up with pheasants.  Those who didn't hunt would stay and get ready for lunch, play games, help my grandma quilt, etc.  I really need to try to find some old pics of those days.  It wasn't just about the hunt, but also being together as a family and with our good friends.  There was always just something about those fall days on the farm... the crisp air, the vibrant colors of the leaves, the vast corn fields... there was just this special feeling.

Fall is my favorite time of year for many other reasons too.  The crisp, fresh feeling in the air.  The pumpkins sitting on doorsteps, not to mention the pumpkin desserts and flavored coffee! The spicy smells of fall fragrances.  I get to wear my favorite sweatshirts, sweaters, and boots.  Having a fire in the fireplace and cuddling in a cozy blanket.  Knowing the Holidays are on the horizon.  For me, the Holiday season begins as soon as I decorate for Halloween and I decorate for Halloween at the beginning of October (what can I say, I'm a kid at heart).  Then there are the colors! My favorite colors are the yellows, oranges, and reds of the leaves in fall.  And there is nothing quite like the mountains in Utah in the fall when all those colors are on display.  I haven't got out to take pics yet this year, so you really should head on over to my friend, Mj's blog; she just took some fabulous pics of our mountains.  I could go for a drive every weekend and look at our mountains in the fall... It's something that many of us native Utahns take for granted, but it really is beautiful and awe inspiring...

How about you, what is your favorite memory or thing about fall?