Fall, especially peak fall when the leaves are bright, the sunshine brings warm days, and the nights are cool but mild, is a fleeting season. Here in Minnesota, winter (and increasingly the summer) tends to drag on. Spring and fall, the truly magical turning points in the year, are over in a matter of weeks. While fall is around, I will be making the most of it.
In comes a seasonal bucket list. Yes, writing a seasonal bucket list may be a little “cheesy” but I promise that writing down 3-5 things that would truly bring you joy this fall and doing them will have a noticeable impact. It is only too easy to get caught up with a busy schedule and let an entire season pass you by without pausing to admire the leaves once. You don’t need one hundred items on your bucket list, just choose a handful that you will be able to do and that are particular to what you love about autumn. Here are a few items on my own bucket list for you to consider.
Go for a walk during peak colors.
This is a non-negotiable for me each fall. There’s a particular walking path right along the Mississippi that turns completely golden in October. No matter what is on my calendar, the week that we see peak fall colors I’ll be carving out an hour for a slow stroll.
On that note, while in general I hate driving, I try to appreciate any driving time I have during the fall season as a chance to admire fall colors. Just yesterday, I saw some stunning crimson sumac on my route to work. Savoring the season one mile at a time!
Drink something hot, spiced and cozy.
Whether you hate or love a pumpkin spiced latte, fall is the time for warming drinks. I’m hoping to try an at-home batch of pumpkin spice syrup this fall (with real pumpkin in it!), but even if I don’t get around to it I will be setting aside half an hour at some point to linger over something special. A cardamom latte, hot apple cider, or mulled wine are all strong contenders.
Enjoy a lazy afternoon in the sunshine, ideally reading a book.
Any warm days in October are made to be treasured. I’m doing my best to keep my weekends as empty as I can. Come a warm, sunshine-filled day, I will be curled up in our back garden reading a book and soaking up every last drop of sunshine in preparation for the darker months ahead.
Make an autumnal craft project.
I have had dreams of making a wreath of rainbow colored leaves for the past I-don’t-know-how-many years (a la Faux Martha). This year, I am going to actually do it! I collected a few leaves and pressed them in a book a couple of weeks back and will be on the look out for more as the fall colors deepen.
Pick apples.
We’re lucky to have a pair of apple trees at my parents house that we harvest each year and press into apple cider. Thanks to this tradition, I have never visited one of the many u-pick apple orchards around the Twin Cities. This year, I wanted to have the whole experience u-pick experience! I made it out to an orchard last weekend - sat on hay bales for a tractor ride through the farm, walked lines of apple trees to pick a half bushel of Honeycrisp apples, and played in a corn pit with my nephews (basically a huge quantity of dry corn kernels that you can play in similar to a ball pit or a sand box). It was nearly 90 degrees (that too-long summer I’ve been complaining about) so it wasn’t quite the crisp fall experience I was envisioning. Perhaps I’ll make it out to another orchard once our cooler temperatures have actually arrived!
Bake up something special.
Just like a summer full of iced beverages makes a cozy fall drink even more special, the oven being turned off all summer long makes the return to baking in fall extra festive. There are so many good, autumn-specific treats to bake up. Pumpkin cookies. A pear galette. A gently spiced apple crumble. I’ll be making as many as I can manage this season.
Watch a favorite fall movie.
I love rewatching particular films to mark the start of a new season. The Parent Trap in the summer and A Very Murray Christmas in December. When it comes to fall, I have so many favorite seasonal movies. I have already officially marked the end of the summer with my annual rewatch of Dan in Real Life. I have also watched Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson’s two coziest, fall-iest movies. Still on the docket, Knives Out, a perfect autumnal murder mystery and one of my favorite movies ever. Now that it is October, I will also try to fit in a couple of favorite spooky movies before Halloween.
Enjoy a backyard bonfire.
I think bonfires are a great way to be outside at any time of year, but they feel particularly lovely in autumn. As the nights fall earlier and earlier, a backyard bonfire is a wonderful way to spend a little more outdoor time and make the most of chilly (but not downright cold) evenings before they leave us entirely.
Host friends for a cozy meal.
It’s always valuable to include a social activity (or two!) on any seasonal bucket list. Come fall, hosting a cozy meal is the perfect balance of autumnal hygge and socializing. When I say cozy meal I really only means one thing - stew. I have made this chickpea stew more times than I can count and there are a few incredible stew recipes in my favorite cookbook, Huckle & Goose. I am planning on making one with tomatillos from our farm share tonight in celebration of our first day below 70 degrees! Now just to schedule an actual date to host friends.
Your turn. Time to write your own list down! You can add it to the notes app of your phone or put actual pen to paper. It doesn’t matter how you write it and it doesn’t have to be beautiful, but just make a bucket list that you will actually do this fall!
I’d love to hear what is on your list this season - do share!
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I thought there was way more than two apple trees