Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, especially here in gorgeous North Carolina. It’s the perfect season for outdoor fun. Comfortable temps, fresh air, colorful scenery, football, festivals and events…there’s never a shortage of things to do and see. It’s also a time for yummy comfort food!
I’m pretty excited it’s finally here, so in celebration of everything autumn I thought I’d share with you a few of my favorite fall things.
Decorating
I usually don’t do much fall decorating, but whatever I do I keep it simple. This year, I was in a bit of a crafty mood and made a couple of new, but very easy things. First, since I can’t seem to keep mums or any other plant alive in the corner by my front door, I decided to make a silk arrangement instead (why didn’t I think of that years ago?!). I bought flowers and leaves at WalMart, along with a set of small wire cutters and a foam block. I cut the flowers and leaves, and put the arrangement in one of my existing planter pots. This took all of 10 minutes to assemble, and now I have a very pretty arrangement I can use year after year.
Secondly, I decorated our mailbox and post at the end of the driveway. Recently I was sent adorable LED mini-lights from Innoo Tech to review. They’re solar, and I knew it would be perfect for this area — no need to run extension cords across the yard!
I wrapped the mailbox and post with one string of lights, then over that I strung a beautiful 6′ fall garland I found at Michaels. The solar works great. If it’s been a sunny day the lights stay on all night long. There is a sensor, so it comes on and turns off by itself. No remembering necessary!
These beautiful blossom lights come in clear and multi-color (perfect for Christmas!) and can be used indoors or outdoors. I also used them on my deck rail in the back of the house.
Recipes
How to make sweet potato biscuits (with video) – THIS is my all-time favorite fall recipe, and the most requested by my family for every special occasion. When these biscuits are out of the oven, piping hot, smelling sooo good, melting in your mouth….trust me, you NEED these in your life!
I’ve included the traditional recipe, as well as a gluten-free four option.
Homemade trail mix slashes hunger – Take some along to stay fueled on your outdoor adventures.
Four autumn ‘superfoods’ that boost physical and mental health, plus how to roast pumpkin seeds
Warm up a cool day with hearty Chicken Pot Pie
Enjoying the great outdoors
A Halloween hike at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area
A beautiful autumn hike at Pilot Mountain State Park
Fall fun and fitness at the corn maze and ghost tour
First hike of fall at Hanging Rock State Park
Hiking to the top of Hanging Rock
More
Why the time change makes us tired, and what to do about it
Fall is race season! Tips for running your marathon injury-free
The next thing I want to do is have an old-fashioned bonfire for roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. Nothing says “fall” to me like the smell of a fire outdoors!
What are your favorite fall activities and foods? Please share in the comments!
©Michelle Rogers, Inc.
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Nothing comes close to Carolina barbecue in October! We love to hit the festivals too, and play disc golf. Also, there are soccer tournaments (like this weekend) to keep us busy when the weather relents a bit of that heat (but keeps the sunshine!)