20 autumn treasures

Autumn is by far my most favorite season! Check out this post at The Inspired Room for more "20 Autumn Treasures" lists!

1. Baking- autumn is my favorite time of year to bake. Scones, various pumpkin dishes, hearty breads, autumn has it all!

2. Soups, stews and chilis- once again, autumn is the perfect time for these! Luscious roasted garlic and potato soup, spicy, meaty chili with big chunks of sweet, buttery cornbread, hearty stews made with the last of the harvest bounty...mmmmm!

3. Crisp, fresh weather! Such a nice change from the suffocating heat and humidity of summer (did I mention I abhor summer? Definitely my least favorite season!)

4. Watching the leaves turn. I just love watching the as the trees explode with orange, red, and yellow! It's breathtakingly beautiful.

5. Nature walks- the gorgeous weather the beauty of turning leaves make autumn my favorite time for hikes and nature walks!

6. Sweaters! I love getting out my comfy sweaters!

7. Apple cider, apple butter, and other yummy apple treats- even better when we're able to go to a lovely orchard, such as Country Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana.

8. Halloween! We love to make cookies and scary treats, and getting dressed up for trick or treat is always a blast!

9. Thanksgiving- it's a wonderful time to pause and reconnect with family, and thank God for all He has given us.

10. Baking bread...okay so I know this technically with number one, but as a dedicated bread nut, I have to repeat this and give homemade bread it's own place of honor on the list! There's nothing like a house filled with the smell of baking bread and a kitchen filled with the warmth of the oven on a brisk fall day.

11. Leaf piles! We only rake them up to let the kids have the joy of jumping in the and scattering them back all over the yard.

12. The year's last bonfire- we have a fire pit in our back yard, it's so nice to end autumn with warm apple cider and toasted marshmallows around our fire.

13. The Feast of the Hunter's Moon- although we might not be able to attend this year, it's normally the highlight of our year! We love to dress up and reenact at the Feast.

14. My birthday! How lucky I am that my birthday falls during my favorite season :)

15. Drinks at the pub- I love to get away with my husband at a local pub (well local to us is a 45 minute drive!) One of our favorites is The Lafayette Brewing Company. Their oatmeal stout is just perfect for a chilly autumn day! (And their traditional pub food isn't bad, either!) O'bryan's Nine Irish Brothers is a newer one, but hard to get into! Definitely worth it once you're in, though. I haven't yet tried their food, but I hope to soon (I told my husband that a trip to that pub for a Guinness and some food was what I desired for my first outing away from the baby).

16. Evening rounds of board games with the family as the weather gets colder.

17. Warm drinks; spiced teas, ciders...so delicious!

18. Solitary evening bike rides- I can't stand to ride my bike in the summer (too hot) but I love to go out alone along the country roads where we live.

19. Watching the farmers in the fields- so quintessentially American! I love to see the tractors out tilling the fields under.

20. Knitting and crocheting; autumn just feels like the perfect time for these crafts!