10 Fun Things To Do This Fall

Here’s my top 10 list of fun things to do this fall…

Fall can be an exciting time of year and there are so many amazing things to do during this season. The weather is cooling off, not to my liking, but none the less, that brings change. The leaves on the trees are falling and showing off their beautiful autumn colors. And best of all, the kids are back in school!

Go Apple Picking

Picking your own apples is so much fun! Many of the apple farms we’ve visited have a wide variety of apples to choose from and you can’t beat the prices. The trees are of a dwarf variety, meaning they are small enough to easily reach the apples, yet have healthy and full-sized fruit. The trees are the perfect size for young children to help you pick and marvel in the fact that they are picking their own apples.

Apple Picking (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Visit a Pumpkin Farm

Pumpkin farms are so much fun! Many of them have activities for children and adults, such as petting zoos, wagon and hay rides, mazes, music, baked goods and so much more. You can pick a pumpkin from the field or choose one that’s already picked. We visited a pumpkin farm a few years ago and they shot pumpkins out of a canon! How cool is that?!

A wagon full of pumpkins (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Take a Sunday Drive and View the Beautiful Fall Foliage

Nothing beats a “Sunday Drive” in the country to take in the sights and smells of fall. Trees are showcasing their beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow. And yes, fall does have a smell, oddly enough. It’s the smell of fallen leaves that are beginning to break down into organic leaf matter. While you would think this is a bad smell, it’s actually quite a pleasing odor and a sure sign of fall.

Beautiful fall foliage overlooking a lake (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Make Apple Crisp, Apple Pie and Applesauce with the Apples you Picked

Making fresh apple crisp, applesauce and apple pie are some of my favorite things to make every fall. If you click on the above link, you can access my delicious apple crisp recipe from last years blog post. Enjoy!

Fresh-Baked Apple Crisp- Yum! (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Have a Family Jack-o-Lantern Carving Contest and Display Them on Your Front Porch

We buy plenty of pumpkins every fall with plans to carve some of them into festive Jack-O-Lanterns. One night is set aside for all of us to show off our pumpkin carving skills and see who can carve the best Jack-O-Lantern. We place them back outside and insert candles inside on Halloween.

Rake up a Big Pile of Fallen Leaves for the Kids to Jump and Play In

Ever since I was a child, I loved jumping into a big pile of freshly raked leaves. This was a tradition I carried on with my son when he was little. He delighted in throwing the leaves up into the air and watching them fall back down. The sound of crunching leaves as we jump into them is music to our ears.

Autumn leaves ready for jumping in. (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Start Fall Cookie Baking

Fall is a great time to bake cookies! Decorated sugar cookies are one of my favorites. Between Back-to-School, Halloween, Day of the Dead and Thanksgiving, we always have fresh baked cookies in the house.

Fall & Halloween Baking (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Plant Flower Bulbs for Next Spring

While the weather is still mild, get a jump on next springs flowers by planting bulbs in your garden now. Daffodils, Tulips, Crocuses, Hyacinths and Irises are just a few of my favorites, but there so many more to choose from. This only applies to those of us who have to suffer through cold winters and gives us something to look forward to in the spring. The best thing you can see in March is flowers popping through the snow. Those of you in warmer climates get to enjoy beautiful flowers all year long.

Spring crocuses (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Get a Head Start on Your Holiday Shopping

If you’re like me, holiday shopping can be tough. Time, money and finding that perfect gift can make the holidays stressful. Why not give the gift that never stops giving? Introduce someone to the wonderful world of bird watching. There are a number of birding books on the market for beginners to peak their interest. Buy them a birdhouse or an Oriole feeder to hang outside come springtime. Help them organize their mudroom or hallway with a totally unique and one-of-a-kind bird-themed coat rack. All of these gifts can be found right here in the Backyard Birdlady Home & Garden Store.

Getting in the Christmas Season! (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

This is just a short list of the many fun and exciting things you can do with friends, family, children or even by yourself this fall. What else can you think of or do you already do to celebrate fall? Help us add to the list in the comments.

Pileated Woodpecker high in a bare tree (Photo- Backyard Birdlady/ Karen Hance)

Fall is also a great time to go birdwatching. With fewer leaves on the trees, it’s much easier to see them high up on a branch. You might even see birds that you wouldn’t normally see. With fall, so comes winter and less and less natural food for the birds. Remember to keep those feeders filled. Maybe consider putting a little food out for the small animals that will have a tough time finding food as well. Possums and skunks don’t hibernate but will seek out a warm place to wait out bouts of severe weather. When they emerge throughout the winter occasionally, they will be starving. Help them out by placing some peanuts or grapes outside for them. Happy Birding ~ Karen