Fall is in the air...

Paschale · September 24, 2006, 11:10:37 PM

It turned out to be a beautiful fall day today. Started out gloomy and wet, but cleared up into a brilliantly clear afternoon and evening, with just the right nip in the air that tells you it's no longer summer, but warm enough that a sweatshirt is all you need to be comfortable. It was too nice to be inside, so I called up a female friend of mine, picked her up, and headed to Lake Michigan to watch the sunset. The wind was whipping away, and there were whitecaps galore. The evening sun lit up the grass covered dunes in the perfect light that can only be seen near sunset. The froth from the waves was backlit, and looked spectacular. The sunset was beautiful, and we had a great time.

I dropped her off, headed for home, and when I walked up to the house, I noticed it was quite a bit colder--the perfect night for the first fire of fall. I got the fire going, and went to the fridge and pulled out a chilled bottle of last year's hard cider to enjoy as I sat by the fire, reading the Forum. Tomorrow, I'm going to be picking up five gallons of this year's cider, to start another batch.

Sunset on Lake Michigan, with a beautiful girl, followed by a fire at home, and homemade hard cider...what could be better?

Fall is here, and I'm a happy camper.

Furby · September 24, 2006, 11:12:07 PM

This the girl we have heard so much about ???

beenthere · September 24, 2006, 11:24:51 PM

Paschale
That sounded pretty much fun, but I can think of a few additions to that scene..........but you'll get that figured out someday.......

The vision of "dropped her off" makes me wonder how hard she hit ???

Paschale · September 24, 2006, 11:52:41 PM

Quote from: beenthere on September 24, 2006, 11:24:51 PM
Paschale
That sounded pretty much fun, but I can think of a few additions to that scene..........but you'll get the figured out someday.......

The vision of "dropped her off" makes me wonder how hard she hit ???

:D :D :D :D

This IS a family forum, beenthere. ;) After I posted that note, I thought of my comment: "what could be better?"

Some ideas crossed my mind. ;)

Roxie · September 25, 2006, 06:16:28 AM

The poets would have ya believe that it's springtime when a young man's fancy turns to ..... but, I agree about the fall being the best time of the year. Brilliant colors, cool clear skies, harvest, and a sweetheart to put their arm around you for warmth. I noticed the very first of the leaves start to change on Friday and I stood and remembered back to piling leaves up and jumping in them, and the way they rustle at your feet.

mike_van · September 25, 2006, 06:20:57 AM

Ditto what Roxie said - I miss the smell of burning leaves - The epa doesn't, though -

RSteiner · September 25, 2006, 07:02:24 AM

Thanks for sharing the description of a wonderful time of the year. There is a definate beauty of this time of the year. I think the thought of the season of rest that is coming in the following months before the blooms of spring appear some how looms in the back ground. We all know winter is coming when fall arrives which makes fall I think makes fall more special.

In a couple of weeks we are expecting 4 or 5 ladies from the Grand Rapids area, a little town called Hudsonville. These ladies are cousins of my wife 4 of which have never been to New England before.

By the sounds of it the fall in Michigan is a beautiful sight also. I am afraid that our fall colors are not going to be as nice as years past. We had a very wet spring which caused a fungus to attack the maple leaves. Most turned yellow then brown wilt and are now on the ground.

Randy

Furby · September 25, 2006, 11:16:53 AM

Hudsonville really isn't a little town. ;)

Mike, if ya love the smell of burning leaves........ feel free to drop by any time this fall!
Have lots of leaves needing to be burned!

UNCLEBUCK · September 25, 2006, 07:36:41 PM

Oh it sounds like someone is in LALALALALALALA luuuuuuuvvvvvv 8)

RSteiner · September 26, 2006, 07:19:14 AM

The last time I remember being in Hudsonville was in the early 1970's. :

My wife and her folks grew up there, she moved away in the early 1960's. My wife has been back to visit relatives and she did mention it was hard to find some of the places she remembers as a kid. I guess every place changes over time.

When I was there Grand Rapids was much bigger than Hudsonville and if I remember correctly there was the township of I thnik Jennison which was larger than Hudsonville at the time.

Sorry, I didn't realize Hudsonville was all growed up now.

Randy

ducknutt · September 26, 2006, 11:33:16 AM

my wife is from Michigan....southern belle now! lol
it's getting cool here at night, but cold enuff for a fire yet....

she talks about being young and picking apples/pumpkins and such up north...not many apple orchards in mississippi....but I have a few 'punkins' growing

Fall is my favorite time of the year....getting closer to duck/deer season....

My 7 year old son and I are gonna try a little squirrel hunting first of Oct...he's getting about ready...

sounds like a nice evening Paschale.............what's hard cider?

Paschale · September 26, 2006, 12:52:40 PM

Quote from: ducknutt on September 26, 2006, 11:33:16 AM
sounds like a nice evening Paschale.............what's hard cider?

That, my friend, is a wonderful concoction! 8) Bascially, it's fermented cider. It becomes crystal clear, with a bit of yellowish/amber hue to it, sort of like a white wine. I made a few batches last year, for the first time, and this was one that simply used the natural yeast in the cider to do the fermenting. For the longest time, it was more popular than beer in America. I just learned that John Adams started every day with a glass of hard cider, so hard cider lovers are in good company! I think it's one of the coolest things going. And it's darn tasty too.

I stopped yesterday at a cider mill to stock up for another batch that I'm going to start today. Yesterday was another perfect fall day, and after work, I headed out along some country roads to get the first cider of the year. It was one of those days that only happens in the fall here in Michigan: no humidity, crystal clear air, with a sky of deepest blue, and a few big ole puffy clouds drifting by for good measure. The temperature was perfect--the sunroof was open, the windows were down. It's one of life's simple pleasure to be zipping through a tunnel of trees that are just starting to turn. I drove under a walnut tree that was dropping walnuts as if it was snowing, wondering if one would plop into the car, but I got lucky. I pulled up to the cider mill, and saw some kiddos getting ready for a hay ride. I grabbed my cider, and just had to have a cinnamon sugar donut, along with a fresh glass. I decided life was good.

Onthesauk · September 26, 2006, 12:59:04 PM

I always love Spring, especially after a long, cold, wet Winter. But Fall is still my favorite. We had our first good rain last week, cooled it off enough for a fire in the evenings and washed the air clean. We're still having the cool crisp mornings but some unusual warm days so not really Fall yet. Most of our color in the woods is water stress from a long, hot, dry Summer. We're still a few weeks away from our first frost up here.

Furby · September 26, 2006, 08:47:35 PM

Sorry Randy, wasn't trying to imply anything.
I'd say with out looking anything up, Jenison and Hudsonville are about the same.
GR is still bigger though, with Grandville being in between.

DanGit Dan! I'm gonna have to go get some cider now! 8)