If summer is my swell, loving boyfriend, then fall is the BFF I’ve had since 2nd grade that could blackmail me with all the dirt he’s got. I love me some fall and even though the official kick-off date is in T-minus 22 days, it most likely isn’t going to feel like fall here in the great land of North Cackilacki until October…but I’ll take it.
Now. First things first. I’m going to play a little game of word association. Watch me go. The word is ‘fall’ (bet you saw that coming around the corner with tap shoes on):
Football, boot socks, Blue Ridge Parkway, cuddling in truck beds, sweaters, blankets, beach bonfires, pumpkins, lattes, Thanksgiving, scarves, chilly nights, hiking, the change of light, falling leaves, State Fair, camping, Halloween, longer nights, hoodies, family, chili, marshmallows, bear hugs, fishing, college homecomings, late night lake or ocean swims, Black Friday
I could have associated words until the cows came home but alas, I had to punctuate the thought before it took a life of its own. For me, fall changes my senses. I taste, smell, feel, see and hear things in a completely different way. Everything starts to get a bit sexier. From the slight chill in the air to the way the sunlight hits things in this incredibly distinct way. It all turns me into another version of myself. I’m at another level of happy.
O to the K. Enough about my feelings on fall. Let’s touch on what fall has to offer everyone, especially North Carolinians.
Fall is from September 22, 2012 to December 20, 2012. As we all know, summer leaves little room for boredom. Guess what? Neither does fall. Fall brings more than a few this’s and that’s to scribble into your date book. Here are some highlights in no particular order.
- North Carolina’s State Fair – October 11-21st in Raleigh (which P.S. has 7 Camden communities in the area). This is a place where you can get your funnel cake and Ferris wheel on.
- The Changing of the Leaves happens all month long in October. The best leaf-spotting spots are in Asheville and along the Blue Ridge Parkway (swoon).
- Halloween – October 31st. Trick or treat.
- Thanksgiving – November 22nd. Go ahead and stake your claim on the wishbone.
- The Raleigh Christmas Parade – November 17th. (History lesson on Jen. I was Shirley Temple on the Good Ship Lollipop back in the 1983 parade. How adorable is that?!)
- Black Friday – November 23rd. I avoid this day like the plague. I seriously do. I can’t emotionally take it. But there are those that live for this day and more power to them.
- College homecoming games (GO APP STATE!!!)
- MLB World Series – October 24th – November 1st (GO BO SOX!!! Yes, I’m aware they’re 4th in the East. No, I’m not giving up hope.)
- The International Festival of Raleigh – September 28th – 30th
There are so many more things you can do in the fall that aren’t even about scheduled events. If there was ever a time to be spontaneous and live life to just live it, it’s now. Go camping. Go to the beach to watch a sunrise (or sunset for you West coasters). Build a fire pit in your back yard or find a random, albeit legal, place to build one and have some beers and some amazing conversation. Go hiking. Go star gazing in the country. Go do something awesome and document it on Instagram. Just go do things period…and go fall in love with fall (whoa. would you like some wine with that cheese?).