Next to May, October is my favorite month. It's hard to compete with May because it's a celebratory month with my birthday, wedding anniversary, and Mother's Day, but October comes quite close.

The colors here in Central Oregon this time of year are spectacular and the sky is its brightest blue. The air is crisp enough for a sweater in the mornings but the afternoons are generally warm. It's difficult to describe the feeling I have when I'm surrounded by all the fall color but it feeds my soul and fills me with a sense of wonder and gratitude. I find it notable that the leaves on the trees are most spectacular just before their death.

October is great month for cooks as well. I love making nourishing soups, chili, roasts, harvest style salads with apples, blue cheese, and hazelnuts or pecans (I could live on that combo), and pumpkin bread. Yesterday, I spent the afternoon and evening in the kitchen making sourdough bread, roasting hazelnuts, pureeing apple sauce to freeze, and baking an apple crisp. For dinner, I whipped up a great pasta dish; chicken, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and arugula tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, blue cheese, and angel hair pasta, finished with roasted hazelnuts. I had a lot of dishes to wash but it was worth it.

Another thing that puts October in my good graces is that it has bought in some of my favorite people in this life. Two of my favorite cousins (twins - it's their birthday today), several very dear friends (including my bestie since 6th grade), and an honorary nephew. I generally get along very well with October people.

These pictures take me back to fun days at the pumpkin patch with my little girls who are not so little anymore. Maybe they'll indulge me with a trip this year anyway. You're never too old for petting zoos, hayrides, and apple cider. 🍏🍁