Falling for the Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday again -- and time for the Wednesday Hodgepodge at From This Side of the Pond, where Joyce writes the questions and bloggers provide the answers!  This week's topic is irresistible to me, so here we go ...  And, by the way, all of these fall photos are from previous years.

1 . Fall officially rolls into the Northern Hemisphere on Monday (9/22)...what's your favorite thing about fall? 

Oh, that is a super hard question.  The cool crisp air, the colorful leaves, the brilliant blue skies, the way it energizes me.  All things apple and pumpkin.  I really can't choose a favorite thing about fall.

Deering, NH

Barnet, VT

2. What's one thing on your real or proverbial autumn bucket list? 

One thing we have been wanting to do for a few years is to take this dinner cruise on a beautiful lake,  We have that scheduled for mid-October!

New Hampshire

Boscawen, NH

3. Apples, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and cranberries are some of the top fall foods. Which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared? Any on the list you don't eat? Which one have you had most recently? 

I love them all and there are no foods on that list that I don't eat. My most recent thing from this list was a Macoun apple.  My favorite of these fall foods?  That would be hard to say.  See some of my favorite apple ideas here: apples.  Some of my favorite pumpkin ideas are here: pumpkins.  Squash ideas are here: squash.  And cranberries here: cranberries.

Deering, NH

Deering, NH

4. 'Fall is proof that change is beautiful' is a popular sentiment. Would you agree or no? Elaborate. 

Not sure about that one.  In this case the change is going from life to death and decay.  And honestly I don't think change is always beautiful.  Sometimes it's not even necessary or beneficial.  Other times it is all of those things.  Change simply for the sake of change is seldom the best idea.

Pittsburg, NH

Deering, NH

5. Is there a spot near you where people go to see the leaves change color? Will you try to leaf peep somewhere this fall? Lonely Planet lists the following ten places as the best for leaf peeping...of those listed which would you most like to visit? 

Stowe, Vermont~Shenandoah National Park, Virginia~Columbia River Gorge, Oregon~Zion National Park, Utah~Tennessee/North Carolina border~West Virgina~Northwestern Wyoming~Wisconsin Northwoods~Northern Nevada~Ozark Highlands Scenic Byway, Arkansas

 Our entire state is a tourist destination to see the leaves change color, so just driving anywhere (like to the grocery store) is a leaf-peeping opportunity. I will say that the color is not as nice this year.  We've been in a prolonged drought and many of the leaves are falling without having turned color.  (All of the photos in this post are from previous years.)

Stowe, Vermont is a place I have visited in spring, but fall would be lovely there!

Hillsborough, NH

Francestown, NH

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Last week was A Week.  Mostly a delightful week, but A Week nonetheless.  We met with friends for dessert on Monday evening, other friends for breakfast and a day in Franconia Notch State Park on Tuesday, other friends for tea on Wednesday afternoon, yet more friends for breakfast in the White Mountains on Thursday.  Friday and Saturday I was at a ladies' retreat.  I'm still recovering!

Pittsburg, NH

And that's the Hodgepodge for this week!