Does it seem to anyone else that October has gone by in the blink of an eye?  Can’t believe November is one a few days away, and with that comes NaNoWriMo (I’m still debating my participation, but it’s one of those things I’d really like to accomplish) and the holidays and preparations for 2013! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?

Let’s go wine tasting in Cañon City instead!

Although I’ve had Holy Cross on my list of Colorado things to do for quite some time, the reason we actually ended up there was a happy accident.  We had set off on our usual voyage to Happy Apple Farm, but when we arrived and discovered that they were completely out of apple cider and we’d have to return another day, we looked for an excuse to make the long drive worthwhile.

Lo and behold,  the winery.

Bonus! Most of the tastings are free, except for their two reserve bottles, which cost a dollar a piece.  My favorite was by far the seasonal Apple Blossom wine, which was light and crisp and sweet.  High recommend if you’re passing through to stop for that alone, since it’s so unique.  Almost made up for missing out on the apple cider (almost).

Beautiful!  I’ve never thought Cañon City to be one of those must-see spots, when after all there are SO many beauties in Colorado.  However, it’s making little discoveries like this one that wandering off the beaten path is perfect for.

Cheers to autumn, to adventures, and to local wine!

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This is the third year we’ve made the trek down to Happy Apple Farm for some pumpkin picking and cider drinking.  They also do berries and apples (surprise!) during other parts of the year, but we always make our voyage in early October when the pumpkins come out.

I think one of my favorite parts being married is building our own traditions – things like pancake breakfasts on Saturday morning, and running the Jack Quinn’s 5K, and pumpkin picking at Happy Apple Farm.  There’s something comforting about traditions, isn’t there?  Makes you feel like you’re a part of something that has meaning and value.

This whole pumpkin thing is really just an excuse to spend a long drive with some good friends, get out in the crisp October air, and fill our tummies with the tastes of fall.

Not to mention getting to see other people’s cute kids getting WAY excited over simple things like, oh, a patch of pumpkins.  It’s a nice reminder to see things with young eyes.

Aside from the all-important pumpkin, our haul this year included 10 half gallons of apple cider (this stuff is GOLD – and not all for us, thought it’s currently taking up most of our fridge), some local honey and a few pounds of golden delicious apples, husband’s favorite!  I know there’s an apple crisp in my future.

What are some of your favorite traditions, fall or otherwise?  This is definitely one of mine.

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We have had the most stunning fall days lately, and consequently Cory and I have been stuffing them full of as many adventures as possible – because after all, it is Colorado and the snow can’t be

too far away.

1. Amazing day up in Denver listened to the symphony perform Scheherazade, I was an incredibly happy camper.

2. Spent a little while reading outside downtown this week, and the happiest cloud kept me company for a while.

3. Played hookie for a mental health day – took a long walk and most importantly, spent some quality time with my music.  Happiness.

4. A visit to the pumpkin farm transformed into a visit to a winery (no complaints here).

5. Our mission to acquire apple cider was successful – to say the least.  Not all of these will be staying with us, but our fridge is stuffed at the moment.

6. RED LEAVES! If you live in Colorado, you know this is an amazing thing.

7. Wish I had this guy’s life.  He’s got it so rough.

8. Trying to appreciate the little things, like the way the morning light floats through the window while my tea is steeping.  Beauty.

Hope you are all having days stuffed with fall adventures and little moments of pretty!

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This is another one of my favorite autumn drives in Colorado – Hwy 67 from Divide to Cripple Creek.  It’s lined with aspen groves and scenic vistas and one of those perfectly winding mountain roads.

Fall in Colorado is sunny days and cool evenings, bright yellow aspens peppered through the evergreens.  It’s perfect hiking weather and perfect cuddling weather.  And it’s my favorite.

There have been more than a few occasions over the past four years that I’ve lamented living in Colorado (I know, the shame! there’s a part of me that’s still a city girl) but lately I have been falling madly in love again – if only because it is the perfect backdrop for some grand adventures.  Or really, the adventures don’t have to be all that grand when they’re set against this kind of backdrop.

A simple afternoon drive, a picnic of peanut butter sandwiches, a walk through a leaf pile.

You’re never going to have that moment back.  So soak it up!

True love, that about sums it up.  A mad love affair with Colorado, with this crisp and colorful season, and with the fact that we’re alive.  It’s an incredible (and sappy – no apologies here) thing.

I still have a few more things on my fall list to accomplish (I’ll be sharing later this week) but so far the season has gone by so pleasantly.  Although it never seems to last long enough, let’s try not to get ahead of ourselves.

Now, Fall, if we could only talk about the fact that your friend Winter is always tagging along on your heels way too closely …

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  • DavidOctober 16, 2012 - 12:51 pm

    The drive to Cripple Creek is considered to be one of the best in Colorado. The “back” way into Cripple Creek via Florrisant isn’t bad either. Another nice fall colors drive is US 160 over La Veta Pass.ReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzOctober 16, 2012 - 12:53 pm

      David – thanks for the suggestions! I’m always looking for new spots to check out.ReplyCancel

  • mrsmooney27October 16, 2012 - 2:42 pm

    Funny you say “if only because it is the perfect backdrop for some grand adventures. Or really, the adventures don’t have to be all that grand when they’re set against this kind of backdrop.” My husband and I were just talking about our move up there and our vacation that’s coming up and I was telling him that I try to imagine what it’s going to be like with us out there and I never can. Then I told him that Colorado seems like the place that’s in all these amazing pictures that you never really get to see! haha but we ARE!! Thank you so much for sharing your photos! They get me even more amped up to visit and it makes me want to drop everything and just leave LA!ReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzOctober 16, 2012 - 5:04 pm

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! Hope you vacation and move go smoothly 🙂 Colorado is a great place to be, that’s for sure.ReplyCancel

      • mrsmooney27October 17, 2012 - 10:17 am

        Thank you so much! So far that’s all we’re hearing about Colorado! I’m inclined to believe you haha Thank you so much!

Last weekend my friend Heather and I celebrated fall with a free tour at the Celestial Seasonings tea factory in Boulder, Colorado.  No photos allowed inside (yup, I’m definitely a spy for Lipton…) but really for me there wasn’t much to SEE as there was to SMELL.

It smelled GLORIOUS up in there.

We walked through a room filled with lemongrass and hibiscus, another with mints of all sorts (a seriously sinus-cleansing experience,) and a third where the huge bins of tea leaves were stored.

Now, I am definitely a tea person (yes, over coffee).  Like an I-better-have-my-morning-tea-or-else person.  But even I was overwhelmed, or should I say my kidneys were overwhelmed, by the prospect of free sampling 80-some varieties in one afternoon.  I made it through perhaps eight.

After sampling our hearts out in the tour center, we wandered over to the tea shop to browse and grab a few of our favorites to take home.  What I picked up this trip :

-Sleepytime, of course, but mostly because the box came with a free vintage travel-size tea tin. Yes.

-Sleepytime Peach, a new tea I tried for the first time here (iced, in fact, which I would have never thought of!)

-and Gingerbread Spice, a Christmas blend that I also sampled for the first time and thought would be lovely blended with some Turkish Apple tea I have at home.  Mmmmm.

I was really disappointed with the Harvest Pumpkin (WHO adds Stevia to a tea bag? …ruined the whole thing for me) but oh well, you can’t win ’em all.  Also picked up a tea tin (above) with the Bengal Spice design and a few other tea-related odds and ends.  Overall, quite a happy afternoon.

Because really, can you have too much tea?

… The right answer is no, by the way.

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