September 22nd has come and gone which means one thing, fall is upon us. If you live in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island or Maine, you are well aware of the wonders of fall, as fall in New England is an experience like no other. For all non-New Englanders, here are 9 reasons why New England does fall best:
1. Weather
New England has the pleasure of having four distinct seasons, long, cold winters, rainy springs, hot summers and crisp, cool fall. Fall is without a doubt a favorite season for all New Englanders. The weather is perfect, not too hot, not too cold. This type of weather is perfect for layering our favorite fall fashion choices like sweaters, hoodies, vests, flannels, scarves, jeans,leggings, boots (UGG's anyone?) and moccasins. Some days will bring back memories, while others will remind us that winter is coming.
2. Foliage
There is no sight more beautiful than New England in the fall. Trees once green transform, and give the world around us the appearance that everything is on fire, glowing red, orange and yellow. Everywhere you go, from a scenic view in a state park or a quaint small town, the view is breathtaking. People walk around and take photos of this wonderful occurrence, and take advantage of the natural wonders in New England, whether its hiking up a mountain to overlook the world, around a state park, or near a body of water.
3) Seasonal Activities:
Fall means an abundance of fun seasonal activities. Pumpkin picking. Apple picking. Hayrides. Corn mazes. Farmer's markets. Hiking. Raking leaves and jumping in leaf piles. Carving or decorating pumpkins. Two-hand touch football. Go leaf-peeping. There are endless things that you will enjoy doing.
4) Fair Season:
Fall means fair season is upon us. Small towns mean traditions which means many small town, local fairs. Local displays of handmade crafts, delicious (high in calorie) food, agriculture, musical acts, contests, livestock exhibits and carnival rides are all integral parts of most local fairs. New England boasts the Big E in West Springfield, MA, the sixth largest agricultural fair in the country and the largest in New England. Fair season is the best season.
5) Post-season Baseball:
New Englanders have the privilege of having the Red Sox, who almost every year seem to be in contention for the postseason. When September rolls around, the Sox are winding down their regular season and looking to hold onto their division lead, clinch the American League East and clinch a postseason berth. Luckily for us our season rarely ends before October which means the faithful fans will continue to fill Fenway Park until the final out of the season.
6) Football:
Baseball is considered "America's pastime", but only in title. Fall means the beginning of football season, where Friday nights are spent under the lights at high school games, Saturdays are spent watching college football, and Sundays are spent taking in that weeks NFL action. As New Englanders we are proud to witness greatness on the field every single Sunday with GOAT QB Tom Brady under center, Gronk celebrating touchdowns with ground-breaking spikes and Bill Belichick, the coach everybody loves to hate calling the shots on the sideline. Winning seasons and postseason contention are give ins, and late postseason runs are expected. Tom Brady is already a future Hall of Famer, but a 5th ring on his resume wouldn't hurt, would it?
7) Pumpkin Spice:
Fall means the return of pumpkin spice/pumpkin flavored products. Coffee. Liquor. Donuts and muffins. Cake. Yogurt. Granola bars. Truffles. Peeps. Cheesecake. Salsa. Marshmallows. Bagels. Pancake mix. Cookies. And even cereal, yes there are Pumpkin Spice Mini Wheats and Cheerios. Each fall it is interesting to see what new pumpkin spice products they will have this year.
8) Food:
Besides all the pumpkin spice product that you either love or hate, fall is the time for some classic seasonal favorites. Delicious but fattening food creations that they have at fairs. Apple Cider donuts. Fresh Vermont Maple Syrup. Pumpkin muffins. Caramel Apples. And of course pie--apple, pumpkin, pecan, pick your poison. Sure you can have many of these delicious creations all year round, but something about them in combination with the scenery and weather just feels right. And boy is it all delicious!!
If this got you thinking, then come up and check it out for yourself!
