Hey y’all! So how busy have you guys been lately? ‘Cause my life has been so hectic I hardly know what day it is.
I’m writing for Laurel this morning in the dark, at 6:15 AM. The air here in Virginia is so chilly for an August morning (66 degrees) that I feel the urge to start wearing a jacket to work. I can sense fall coming, and I’m so excited.
I did a post on my blog recently. A sort of lookbook for fall staples I think every girl needs in her closet to prepare for the cooler weather. And since writing that – and especially with our Hampton Roads temperatures dropping daily – I’ve been thinking about everything else I can’t wait for with the upcoming months. And this will probably help you get to know me a bit better. Fall is my favorite season because I get to do all the things I love with all my heart.
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Probably my biggest thing is coffee. If you follow my blog, Coffee Rings & Southern Things, you know I love my coffee (obviously). In the summer, it’s just too dang hot to enjoy it outside. I love sitting on the porch in the wee hours of morning, watching the sky turn pink, with a delectable cup of brew warming my hands. Obviously I’m a morning person, as I’m sitting here so early typing this. But there’s nothing that goes more perfectly with morning time than a cup of delicious coffee. Or eight.
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I can’t wait to go to Colonial Williamsburg and stroll around, just to take it all in. The leaves changing and the feel of cooler air. The smell of fires burning throughout the town. The people, dressed in costume to give that Colonial vibe. The men, tipping their hats at me when I walk by, as if I’m some sort of lady or something. It’s all so beautiful to me. I mean, you’d have to visit Virginia in the fall to know what I’m talking about. But it’s definitely one thing I’m going to miss when I move with DJ to Mississippi.
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One thing I always look forward to is the Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes. There’s just something so perfect about them. It’s not fall until I’ve had one, so move aside, y’all. I gotta get me one, pronto! But it’s not even just coffee. I’m also kind of a beer snob, so every year, my go-to is Sam Adams Octoberfest. It’s just that pumpkin and spice thing that means it’s fall. I love it.
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For our anniversary, DJ and I had talked about going to Gatlinburg, TN. It’s the halfway point between his hometown in Mississippi and us up here in Virginia, and it’s about an 8-hour drive. Not too bad, considering we can stay in the beautiful mountains and relax. But we never made it. Money has been tight lately and we just couldn’t go. We ended up camping down the street from us in Newport News instead. But Gatlinburg looks so gorgeous for fall. Hopefully we’ll get down there before we move to Mississippi next year. Or maybe we’ll hang out there for a bit on our way down.
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I love cooking. And I love eating healthy. I was originally going to do a health-related post for y’all today but I got sidetracked, obviously. I blame it on the ADD. But this butternut squash soup looks delicious. If you search Pinterest for “Fall Cooking,” you get a lot of cool results for special recipes that work great for the upcoming season. Soups are probably my favorite go-to in the fall.
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Still on the subject of cooking, I found this idea on Pinterest when I searched for recipes and I think it’s a great idea. In an ice cube tray, freeze red wine for cooking when needed. I love cooking with wines because they add such great flavor to a dish. And this is great too, because I won’t have to keep a whole bottle of wine in my fridge for those moments. Rather, I can keep a bottle of white for me to drink while I’m cooking. Ha!
So do you love fall like I do? What excites you the most about it?
Until next time, be sure to follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and on my blog, of course,Coffee Rings & Southern Things!
