Apple Picking

I miss living on the West Coast with all my heart, but one of the things I truly love about New England is its seasonal changes.  They are dramatic and magical, and you can feel them in your bones. The summers and winters are brutal here, but the spring and fall are spectacular. I remember the excitement that could be felt walking through the park as spring set in last year and sunshine started to poke through, allowing us to envision hanging up our winter parkas for good. The Boston Common was exploding with flower blossoms (and allergens of course - no good), baby ducks were hatching on a weekly basis, artists were out painting, violinists playing... it was wonderful.  But I have to say that the transition into fall is by far my favorite.  Crisp, sunny days and brightly colored leaves, spiced apple cider donuts, scarves (decorative, not functional!), boots, stews and red wine... I just love that everything about autumn is cozy.  All I want to do is bake and cook and cuddle up.

We were so excited to share the start of the fall with Riley this  year.  Although it is tough having such a curious explorer who can't walk (envision her crawling through the mud and dirt everywhere she goes), we knew she'd enjoy a little fall outing.  So we went apple picking!  We visited a farm about 40 minutes north of Boston that had a pumpkin patch, bakery, petting zoo and apple orchard.  I personally loved being outside with my family - Riley, on the other hand, loved the food.  I mean, what baby wouldn't enjoy a cinnamon sugar apple spiced donut? And as we walked through the orchard, our bored little lady entertained herself by chewing chunks of apples, sucking out the juice and spitting them out.  

What a wonderful day. Cheers to a cozy season!