The Friday Five Hop and 5 Favorite Things about Fall

 
TGIF Bloggers! I'm Kim and my blog, Mainely Fashion, is currently being revamped. I am a state representative for the beautiful state of Maine, and it's not secret that autumn is absolutely gorgeous here. Today, I am sharing my top 5 favorite things about fall in the Northeast!

1) The beautiful foliage. How could I discuss autumn in New England without mentioning the variety of colors that accentuate the landscape this time of year? Leaf peepers from all over flock here to view the orange, yellow, and red shades of the leaves. I feel so lucky to be able to view the colorful leaves every day while walking through my college campus.

2) The food. We all know that practically everyone and their mother is in love with pumpkin spice this time of year, myself included. From Starbucks to cookies, I can't get enough of it! However, I also am enjoying the other flavors of fall. Apple is another favorite; my mom and I made apple cider muffins this weekend and I can't stop eating them!

3) The fashion. As you can tell from the picture above, I love my boots. Autumn is the time that I get to break them out from the back of my closet and give my feet a break from the flip flops I've been wearing all summer. My wardrobe itself, full of sweaters, leggings, and jackets is another aspect of autumn that I look forward to.

4) The weather. Maybe it's because I've lived in New England my entire life and have grown to love it, but there's something about brisk autumn days that refreshes me, After a certain point, I get sick of the humidity of summer, and the chill in the air that fall brings is my favorite. The weather is perfect; not cold enough for snow, but just chilly enough that I don't have to worry about sweating. I couldn't ask for anything better!

5) The holidays. These next few months are my absolute favorite part of the year. I am looking forward to my first Halloween as a college student; I even decorated my dorm with a light up pumpkin and witch hat. In addition, I love Thanksgiving because I am able to reunite with my family and eat some amazing food.

Thank you for allowing me to share my 5 favorite things about fall! Let me know what yours are in the comments below!

And now it's your turn!  Link up your Friday Five post below and be sure to visit some others in the link up and leave them a comment to say hi!

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Apple Picking in NYS

Fall is here, and one of our favorite ways to celebrate in WNY is to go Apple Picking! A few weeks ago, my crew and I went to our favorite apple picking spot on a Sunday morning.


We like to go to Peter Baker Farm in Ransomville, NY. It's kind of a drive for us, but so worth it. The staff is incredibly friendly, they have two big inflatable bouncy things for the kids to play on, and they sell all sorts of homemade goodies that we cannot resist. Like chocolate covered caramel apples (uhh, yep!), fresh salsas and jams, farm-grown produce, and local honey and maple syrup. So we go for more than just the apples - it's also a day of play and stocking up on yummy, fresh, local yums.


It was an absolutely beautiful day to be outside with the family. We picked a 1/2 bushel of Macintosh, Cortland, and Ginger Gold apples - they are so delicious!

The kids had a lot of fun with it this year - it doesn't show on their faces, or anything ;)


The day we brought the apples home, we made an awesome Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream (I like to use Betty Crocker's recipe - so simple, so good!) And we've been enjoying them sliced on their own or with caramel dip every day - yum, yum! Next on the list? The only pie I've ever been really good at making: The Pioneer Woman's rustic apple pie. It's SO delish - we've made it a few times before and it's a huge hit around here.

I love this little kick-off to fall each year. It's my fav, and kind of eases the blow of sending my kiddos off to school (wahhh, why can't they be babies for all time?!) We pick our own strawberries and blueberries every Summer, too, and I love getting the kids involved in that. It's not just something fun to do, or even just a tradition, but the kids get to see how food they buy at the store is grown, and even how it gets harvested. The experience opens up ways for them to ask questions about how it gets from tree or bush to the little containers in the produce department.

Here in the Northeast, we've got a apples everywhere this time of year! Though some varieties are already finished, it's not too late to go - there's still good picking to be had! I'm not sure about other states, but if you live in NY, you can find lots of U-pick options here: PickYourOwn.org


I found this chart (above) from a local orchard that lists the timing of their apple varieties, and while this may not be exactly the same everywhere else, it should give you a good idea of when you can find your favs. Looks like it's a good time for the last four on the list, and they're great for baking!

We had a great time picking apples this year, and also came home with a giant sunny yellow mum, a jar of raspberry salsa, a mini loaf of homemade pumpkin bread, local honey and syrup, and a couple chocolate covered caramel apples (because, they're kind of the culinary highlight of my year!)

If you don't normally go apple picking, I highly recommend it. Think of all the yummy Pinterest recipes you'll get to try! ;)

Happy Fall from my little family Rych family! ;)
(My husband decided to take a nap for this photo, haha!)



Find Jenn on her blog, Dainty Revelations (http://daintyrevelations.blogspot.com) where she blogs about life with three boys, crafts, goal setting, home decor, and much more!

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The Friday Five Hop and Five Autumn Activities to do in the Northeast

Welcome to the Friday Five!  We invite you to link up your Friday Five post with us each week- any post of five things is welcome!  This week's Friday Five comes from state rep, Valerie, who writes In-Between Life.

The first day of fall is only a few days away and there’s a TON of things to do here in the Northeast! This area is notorious not only for our beautiful autumn scenery, but also all the fun fall activities to do. These are just five of a multitude of activities you can partake in whether solo, with your family or your friends. However, these five are very important fall activities that you should absolutely find time to do because it wouldn’t really be autumn in the Northeast without doing these! :)

1. Apple & Pumpkin Picking

Of course, there are so many different vegetables and fruits to be picked throughout the Northeast (all depending on what area you’re in) but these two have always been the most popular. There’s just something about apples and pumpkins that scream fall to me. This is such a fun and cute activity to do with your family on the weekend and the photo ops with the kiddos are endless. Grab some hot apple cider and cider donuts after you’ve made your picks and you’re good to go! The great thing about this fall activity is that it can lead to even more fall activities… such as baking an apple pie or pumpkin pie or the all-time favorite: pumpkin carving! (Maybe not a favorite for some of you because if you’ve done this before you know how messy and difficult it can be, ha!)

2. Haunted House or Hay Ride

Ahhh yes. With fall brings Halloween and the entire month of October tends to revolve around this awesome and fun holiday. This may not be a “kid-friendly” activity unless you have older kids, but it’s definitely something you can go out and do one weekend with your friends. Have a contest to see who can scream the loudest ;) There are so many places in which you can find the perfect “haunted house” and some are scarier than others. 

Also, you can either go on one of these fun and “fake” haunted houses that are always guaranteed fun and laughs, but if you’re into history or want something more authentic you can also visit actual “haunted” places. There are some pretty famous haunted places throughout the Northeast, such as Sleepy Hollow in New York and Salem in Massachusetts. If you’re from New Jersey, like I am, you may be familiar with Weird NJ that has a great list of all the weird and supposedly haunted places throughout the state. They've actually expanded their site so now they have "weird" and spooky stories for all the states! Check it out here. As the weather starts getting chillier, you may find the urge to give yourself a few haunted chills ;)

3. Hiking or Camping

This is the perfect time to go on a hiking or camping trip. Ideally, a day of hiking would probably be best since the temperatures drop significantly at night and you might not want to freeze your butt off in a tent! There are so many beautiful hiking trails scattered throughout the Northeast. No matter what state you reside in, you’re bound to find a great one. It’s also the perfect time to go hiking because the scenery can be amazing. The changing colors of the leaves combined with that crunch you feel as you hike through paths covered in crisp fall leaves is really one of the greatest parts about fall in the Northeast. Take advantage of a sunny Saturday or Sunday and go out hiking. This is one of those activities that can even be enjoyed solo (and maybe even the best when done alone) because it provides a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Surrounding yourself with nature can always bring clarity and peace to the mind.

4. Fall Festivals 

Festivals aren’t just for the summer, you know! There are plenty of festivals thrown throughout the few months of autumn. Since a lot of fruits and vegetables are in harvest during this time, there’s usually food-related festivals you can find in your area. If you’re a fan of craft beers, there are tons of Octoberfest related festivals, too. A lot of the farms that do apple and pumpkin picking throw festivals of their own, or sometimes towns throw their own “fall festivals” with tons of activities for the whole family. This is also a time when a lot of craft fairs take place.

5. Bonfires

Seriously, is there anything that smells more like fall then the smell of a bonfire? I love when it starts getting chillier out and you can smell coal burning (or whatever that smell is?) Obviously, you should check your state laws before creating your own bonfire because some places prohibit them. The best part about bonfires is you can create one in your own backyard. Invite some family and friends over and relax by the fire with some hot cocoa or hot apple cider. Perfect time to tell ghost stories, too! 

What’s your favorite fall activity?

Do you have a fall tradition you do every year with your family/friends?

And now it's your turn!  Link up your Friday Five post below!

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Apple Pie Apples by Meg!

Hello Northeasterners!  I'm Meg and I blog over at Borrowed Heaven.

 As one of the Connecticut state reps for NE Bloggers, I obviously love blogging, but when I'm not behind a computer, I'm living with my fiancee and our cat, loving all things chocolate, and spending my time taking photos, running, diy-ing our house, and planning our wedding.  I've recently acquired a new appreciation for fall, so I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite original recipes: 

 

Apple Pie Apples.  

This recipe makes two apples.
Ingredients: - 2 Granny Smith apples - 1 Macoun apple - 2 Tablespoons sugar - 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar - 3 teaspoons cinnamon - Dash of nutmeg - 1 teaspoon melted butter - Store bought pie crust

Directions: 1. Use a paring knife to cut the top off the Granny Smith apples.  [I use my pumpkin carving technique of cutting towards the center and pulling the top off.    

2. Use a spoon to carve out all the seeds and interior of the apple, making sure not to puncture the sides.  Save any large, usable pieces of the Granny Smith in a bowl, off to the side, for the filling. [Again, think about scooping out a pumpkin.]  

  3. Use the paring knife to perfect the circle top of the Granny Smiths and set cored-out apples aside. 4. Peel and slice the Macoun apple into small bite-size pieces. 5. Combine the usable Granny Smith and Macoun together in a bowl. 6. Add the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the apples and mix.  Set the mixture aside.  

  7. On a cutting board, roll out the pie crust and cut it into thin strips.   8. Lay the strips out in a  3x3 or 4x4 lattice pattern [depending on the width].  

  9. Pour the apple/sugar/cinnamon mixture into the cored-out Granny Smiths and place the pie crust on top.   10. Brush the melted butter all over the top of each apple. 11. Place the apples in a glass baking dish with an inch of water at the bottom.  Bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.  

Thanks for reading!  If you enjoyed this and love to bake, you might like Kitchen Mix Up, a link up with fellow Northeast Blogger Amanda at MandaLoves.  Check out more of my favorite recipes here or just stop by and say hello! 

Thanks Meg!  This looks amazing and a perfect recipe for Halloween Day!!

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Guest Post: Looking forward to Fall!

Hi there, North East bloggers! My name is Amy and I blog over at Love & Hot Chocolate.  I'm a graphic artist by day, a lifestyle blogger by night. I just recently got married to my husband B and we live in a beautiful duplex with our two cats.

I'm not your average girl - I choose fall and winter over spring and summer, boots over flip flops, and jumping through leaves and snow instead of sand and waves.

photo taken by me :)

This fall season has probably been about the best so far. Hayrides to the pumpkin patch, apple picking, delicious apple sider, our local arts festival, and drooling over the beautiful foliage all over my state. 

I'm looking forward to infinity scarfs, sweet nail art, burlap wreath DIY, and cheesy crockpot potatoes. 

What are you looking forward to? 

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Today's post comes from Northeast blogger Amy!  Amy blogs over at Love and Hot Chocolate and is one of our State Reps for Rhode Island.

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