Fall adventures

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Leaving my house early on Tuesday morning for my trip to California I got my first taste of fall in the Carolinas. It was a surprisingly brisk and cool morning that nearly had me rethinking my choice of shorts and a polo.

From my childhood days growing up in New Jersey to my decade long stay in the Boston area fall has always been my favorite time of year. While what passes for fall in Charlotte doesn’t really compare to the northeast, it is a nice break from the oppressive heat.

I’m looking forward to fall more than I have in a long time and, no, not just because fall coincides with football season. While I am very happy that football is back (even though my team doesn’t appear to be as strong as I had hoped), this is the first time my son will really get a chance to experience my favorite season.

Last year we took him to get his first pumpkin and as much fun as that was he was still only six months old. For the most part he sat in his high chair uninterested while we were elbow deep in pumpkin seeds. Now that he is a walking, jibber jabbering maelstrom of curiosity I’m really looking forward to this year’s search for the perfect pumpkin.

While we are out and about doing that we will also try to squeeze in some other fun fall activities like the local amazing maize maze. He’s obviously is still a little young to be of any real help. Despite my best efforts he is not that great with a compass and would more likely be inclined to pick up the things that we leave behind to mark our trail. Regardless, I think he will have a blast running around the towering corn stalks like he does when I forget to lock the child gate at home.

As the weather continues to turn more mild I’m also planning on more excursions out to the local playground in our neighborhood. During the sweltering heat of the summer, where I would be soaking wet just from standing still, the only time he visited the playground was when mommy took him.

My biggest hope is that we are in store for another mild winter so we can extend our fall fun into next year. Then again, even when it does snow in Charlotte it rarely sticks around, melting by the time the early afternoon sun makes its appearance.

What adventures do you have planned with your family for this fall?

Tagged as: American football, Boston, Charlotte, Charlotte North Carolina, fall, New Jersey, seasons

steelydad

I love fall for the same reasons you mention. Having lived my entire life in San Diego, it was nice to finally experience a REAL fall for the first time last year.

SurprisedMom

I wish you people would stop bragging about your wonderful climate in the fall and the winter! Just kidding! I love fall here in Chicago. While I don't have any specific activities planned (I can hear my youngest, "Mom, you've got to be kidding!), I do want to go pumpkin picking and can't wait to go up to Michigan. It's a shame winter has to follow fall in the north, but oh, well, you can't have everything.

PJ Mullen

HA! I would probably love fall there, but winter is when I would want back in Charlotte. My blood has definitely thinned these past eight years. Just took my little man pumpkin picking yesterday, such fun.

ciaraj

i'm not a big fan of fall....i prefer spring and early summer providing it's not too hot. i also don't like fall/winter for the opposite reason lol no winning w me i guess ;0) stepson is playing football/girls are cheering at their school so we are occupied w football games and the girls will be in the 1st competition ever in about 3 wks. hopefully they do well so we can go to the next phase in vegas, baby! haha

PJ Mullen

If I could make winter a longer fall and spring a long summer I would, or I'd just move to Newport Beach :) Then again, I'd be broke inside of a month, so that wouldn't work out too well either. Good luck to your girls, Vegas is fun. Just remember, what happens in Vegas stays on Facebook.

RecycledDad

Pumpkin pie every day for the next two months.

PJ Mullen

Nice, pumpkin pie sounds like a great way to celebrate fall. I think I need to get my wife to make her pumpkin apple butter pie now.

Jason @ The Devoted Dad

As you already know, I am right there with yah. There is something homey, something anti-fast paced, something anti-city slicking about finding a pumpkin, walking in a corn/maize maze, and watching the leaves fall on the ground only to rake them up and fall in them. I haven't done that last one since I was a kids, living in the house that I grew up in before my parents divorce. Great memories happen in the fall. -Jason

PJ Mullen

Absolutely, hoping we can get out pumpkin run tomorrow, but it all depends on little man's schedule - what doesn't :)

Dfiles

I'm with you. I love fall. I spent four years in the Berkshires which was great for scenic beauty, and bad because of all the asshole leaf peepers who drive through the area going 4 MPH and pulling over willy nilly on the Mohawk Trail.

By the way, our kids have matching Bruschi jerseys. Good stuff.

PJ Mullen

Nice! Loving the Bruschi jerseys, my best friend got one for his son too, he's about three months younger than our boys. Only ever made the trip to the Berkshires once, those leaf gawkers drove me nuts.

otter321

I don't have any adventures planned, but the fall weather this past week has been fabulous. Hopefully we can at least get out and see some fall folliage and take a few trips to the park. In Arkansas the fall and spring are both short, but the weather during those short times is as good as it gets.

PJ Mullen

Fortunately for us the winters are generally mild, either that or I'm still used to New England weather and it doesn't bother me. I hope you get to take advantage of it as much as you can.

BellaDaddy

Chalk drawing on the "cold" sidewalk...where we live, it is hot, almost 6 months out of the year...and FINALLY we can do outdoor stuff...walks, bike rides, parks...all of it...YEAH US!

PJ Mullen

Oh yeah, sidewalk chalk is fun, can't wait for that stuff. Same here in Charlotte, looking forward to the temperature break so I can get outside and do something that doesn't require clicking a mouse :)