One of the best bonuses of living in New England in the fall is the foliage. Even during years when the foliage is supposedly subpar, it's still amazing.
Last year we had a rough fall. Change and worries and illness and bad luck had us down, and we had a hard time rallying. We managed to get through Halloween, because kids, but then we basically just let the rest of the season slide. Looking back, I'm kind of sad. We don't have great pictures. We don't have great memories. We have a season that's basically a blur, and thinking back makes me feel that same unease that we lived in.
This year, we're back to our old selves. Stability. Confidence. Health. All those things we'll no longer assume will always be there, so we'll enjoy every moment we have.
We've picked apples.
We've picked pumpkins.
We've taken amazing foliage pictures.
We've scheduled professional pictures.
We've hiked.
We've jumped in piles of leaves.
We've even taken a road trip to the northwest corner of Connecticut, where the foliage is spectacular and the views have even two young kids ignoring the iPads to stare at the trees in awe.
Not everything has worked out perfectly. Both days we tried to do hayrides we were foiled by weather and we ended up inside. We wanted to get the extended family together, but weren't able to make that happen.
But we didn't need perfection, and we didn't let that disappoint or frustrate us. We made the most of our New England fall, and it isn't even over yet. The days are still beautiful, the temperatures comfortable, and the views picture perfect.
Every season has its charm, but fall in New England is quite possibly my favorite.