The Five Senses of Fall

Over the last few weeks, blog posts about fall have completely taken over my feed.  I can't blame the bloggers, though, because I'm equally obsessed with the season. Autumn just strikes me as being cozy and comfortable – maybe it's all of the warm knit fabrics and hot spiced beverages.

Today I thought I'd share my own list of things I love about fall, but I'm branching out from the crowd and categorizing my list by the five senses. Here are my fall favorites:

SIGHT: 
FALL FOLIAGE. I go to school in Upstate New York, where the fall foliage bursts with bright red, orange, and yellow hues.

TOUCH: 
COZY CLOTHES. I love pulling out my oversized sweaters and light military-style jackets. Something about bundling up in warm clothes on a chilly day never fails to comfort me. And let's not forget the riding boots!

TASTE: 
PUMPKIN. During the fall, I crave pumpkin-flavored everything – the flavor just works so well in bread, cookies, and pastries. Plus, ordering Pumpkin Spice Latte just feels right on crisp mornings.

APPLES. I can't experience fall in Upstate New York and not talk about the state's famous apples. Dozens of varieties stock row after row of shelves at the grocery store during this time of year. My personal favorites are Jonamac, Pink Lady, and Zestar.

SMELL: 
SPICES. When the air feel a bit nippy, no aroma pleases me more than cinnamon, nutmeg, and other seasonal spices. Also, the scent of coffee seems even more inviting than usual during the fall.

SOUND: 
WIND. Hearing the wind rustling through the brittle leaves on the trees constantly reminds me to look up and enjoy the foliage colors.

AND MORE...
Fall also brings back some great childhood memories. When I was young, my family visited apple orchards every year to ride the tractors, climb the hay barrels, and get lost in corn mazes. We'd pick a whole bag of apples from the trees to take home, and of course we'd eat one or two along the way.

I remember stuffing my face with warm apple cider and freshly baked donuts. Carving pumpkins and having "pumpkin goop fights." Jumping into leaves that my dad raked into a pile. Getting overly excited when my mom baked a fresh batch of pumpkin seeds. Dressing up in a costume to trick-or-treating around my neighborhood. The memories never fail to make me smile.

Do you love fall? What are your favorite things about the season?

Picture on top: Climbing trees in Copenhagen, Denmark