Lusting for fall

It's almost fall and I can start to feel the change in the air. The days are cooler, the nights are calmer and I'm just itching for it get here already.

At my house, the coming of fall means trips to the apple orchard and the pumpkin patch. Right now our kitchen is still filled with summer fruits and vegetables; we have more peaches and blackberries than we know what to do with and our tomato plants show no signs of slowing down. Summer squash and zucchini has been a staple.

Despite that, I'm ready for fall apples. I always pick a bushel or two to bring home and suddenly our house is overflowing with hot apple pies, fried apple fritters, apple crumbles and apple bread. Maybe it's my penchant for baking that causes my fall apple mania, but I'll just blame it on the romance of the season.

Our local orchard makes the best pressed apple cider and we always buy a couple gallons in milk jugs in hopes that we can make some of it last until Thanksgiving. The back roads leading to the orchard are always beautiful, with sprawling horse farms and giant oak trees.

Only 18 more days until the official first day of fall.

In the spirit of fall, check out these intricately carved pumpkins I found while messing around today

Makes me wish I could wield a knife without accidentally slicing myself open.