Autumn Bucket List

September 17, 2012
{snickerdoodles}

Four years in Dublin and I’ve figured out a pattern: I get homesick when the seasons change. When a season starts to shift, I can’t help but remember the way Maine feels with its strong seasons. Ireland obviously has seasons, they just aren’t so pronounced or celebrated as they are in New England. This weekend, I came up with a little autumn bucket list to combat the homesickness.

I started pumping in the fall taste in the kitchen this weekend with a big (in fact, accidentally huge) batch of snickerdoodles. I used a recipe from The Kitchn that’s pretty quick and easy, but next time I’ll halve it. We’re inundated with snickerdoodles at the moment. But they’re cinnamon-y with a hint of nutmeg. Just the way to ease into autumn.

Now here’s the rest of my list:

  • go pretend apple picking (this involves finding an apple tree with a willing owner!)
  • make apple crumble with lots of butter
  • get pumpkins to decorate and carve
  • decorate the house with lots of candles, branches and leaves
  • kick through lots of leaf piles
  • bake something (or lots of somethings!) pumpkin-y
  • go for a walk in the woods
  • have a Thanksgiving!

For the first time in a few years, Michael and I are going back to Maine for Christmas. We’re really excited, but I’m a little bummed to be missing Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday (I was born on it!) and it’s hard to recreate Thanksgiving over here – even with lots of American friends! – because everyone has to work on that Thursday! But it’s happening and I’m already planning.

What about you all? Is it getting all autumn-y where you are? What’s on your list?

11 Comments

  • Reply Dawn September 17, 2012 at 4:29 pm

    I missed Autumn last year as I was living in Dubai so this year, I plan to celebrate the arrival of Autumn.

    My list so far includes:

    Lots of tea, carving pumpkins, eating lots of Halloween sweets, planning an awesome Halloween costume and watching Downton Abbey.

    • Reply emily September 17, 2012 at 8:19 pm

      Dawn, I completely forgot about Halloween! Makes me miss candy corn! And I think this might be the autumn to get into Downton Abbey since I haven’t seen it yet!

  • Reply Elizabeth Jones September 17, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    I live in Virginia. We used to have a very nice autumn here. But, lately, it seems to stay warm all year long :(. My favorite memory of a New England autumn was walking through and jumping into big pile of crunchy leaves!

    • Reply emily September 17, 2012 at 8:18 pm

      Do you remember those leaves being a lot more fluffy when you were younger? I’m settling for the walking through as opposed to jumping anymore! 😉

  • Reply Imen September 17, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    HI Emily,
    Oh my, I think you’ve nailed it for me too! The pull of seasonal change always seems to bring a melancholy. Love your bucket list…must make snickerdoodles..I usually make snickerdoodle pancakes for G, but that’s not the same. I am going home for Thanksgiving for the first time this year, sounds like that is a switch for you. Thanksgiving has been fun here..more fun to share with other int’ls who really get into it and appreciate it…makes me appreciate it more too. Happy autumn to you…we’ll meet at some stage!
    Imen xx

    • Reply emily September 17, 2012 at 8:22 pm

      Oh Imen, I am very envious that you get to go home for Thanksgiving. It’s the best! I’m hoping trying to recreate Thanksgiving here will be good. There are certainly a lot of Americans here to share it with! Now if I can just convince my husband that he should take the night off from basketball practice! Yes, we must meet eventually!

  • Reply Joanne September 17, 2012 at 8:45 pm

    As an American in Dublin, I know the feeling. But, there IS a place to go apple-picking in Ireland – http://www.theapplefarm.com/. We go every year now and it’s adorable.

    • Reply emily September 24, 2012 at 1:12 pm

      That’s awesome, Joanne! It even has the same name as the one in my home town! Fantastic tip!!

  • Reply Nicole September 20, 2012 at 8:17 pm

    Ooooh, I totally know what you mean! I mean, I don’t miss the seasons from LA, cuz Berlin has much better ones, but there are those pivotal times of year that make me miss home… As for Thanksgiving – throwing a huge Thanksgiving party here each year with all my German friends has become my favorite tradition abroad! (I don’t think I’d enjoy it as much at home because of that…!) It’s so much fun and worth the work. I just throw the whole shebang on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and don’t feel like I’m missing anything and I’d totally recommend that to avoid the work day stress. Happy Fall!

  • Reply Katie September 23, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    Great autumn list! I would add drinking apple cider (cold or hot) to my fall must-do list. I was inspired by your baking report, and I’m making snickerdoodles now. For a most delicious pumpkin-related recipe, I highly recommend Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting from the Betty Crocker website. Seriously, those bring a smile to family and colleagues alike. So good.

    • Reply emily September 24, 2012 at 1:11 pm

      I”ll have to try out those pumpkin cookies! They sound amazing! Cider is a bit of a sore spot – you can’t get the same kind here! It just means when I come home for Christmas I drink gallons 😉

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