We are enjoying a new season of "Fall" in California. It is not a season of Fall like we love in Illinois. I am going to take you through some of the things I love about fall in the Midwest and how they are the same and different in our area of California.
Joan's Farm & Pumpkin Patch in Livermore- Outside of the Corn Maze
Same: There is corn in Illinois and in California.
Different: Corn in Illinois is harvested for feed and what not; there are fields and fields of it along I-74 (I heart that :) ). Corn grown around Livermore is used for "entertainment" purposes in the form of a corn maze. In fact an irrigation system is required for the corn to grow tall enough since it rarely rains in the summer in Livermore.
Greg measuring his height at the pumpkin patch.
Same: Greg's height at the pumpkin patch.
Different: Wearing shorts and a T-shirt in California and wearing jeans and a sweatshirt in Illinois. As I write this it is 80 degrees and sunny outside today. This does not feel like "Fall" weather to me! I brought out our "Winter" clothes from storage in hopes that it will cool down soon!
I am sporting my block I hat at the pumpkin patch as I use my had as a reference point for what size pumpkin we want to pick. I love having a husband that is an engineer, he comes up with great ideas!
Same: We support the ILLINI no matter what time zone we are in!
Different: We don't have the option of watching all of their losses since we are in a different time zone. It saves a little heart ache....
Greg and our friend Adam with the pumpkins we bought at the pumpkin patch
Different: The leaves on the trees in the Midwst are a gorgeous array of red, yellow, and orange. They stay on the trees and fall throughout the season, making for lots of raking. The leaves on the trees in Northern California can rarely be seen in beautiful Fall colors. By looking at the trees in this picture you can see that they are still very green in Mid-October. Often times they will turn yellow and fall immediately from the tree, with other green leaves still on the tree. This beautiful part of the season is something I miss dearly!
Greg and our friend April assisting with the pumpkin carving contest at Youth Group.
Same: Pumpkin carving in October.
Different: I have great memories carving pumpkins with my Dad and sister on the floor in the kitchen a few weeks before Halloween. We would then light the Jack-O-Latterns every night until Halloween. We carved pumpkins with the Youth Group on Thursday night and hope that they don't rot on our front porch before Monday night! Again, why is it consistently 80 degrees or more outside?!?
In progress to becoming the winning pumpkin in the carving contest.
Jack-O-Lantern Pizza from Papa Murphy's
Same: Jack-O-Lantern pizza, we love this! We enjoyed a great time catching up with friends and having this pizza just like in college for only $7!
The fall tray on our dinning room table, along with a bowl of Candy Corn for Greg :)
Same: Fall decorations.
Different: No pumpkin potpourri to be found. I love going to the Covered Bridge festival in the Fall with Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, and Jess. I always wanted the little bags of cinnamon smelling pumpkins for myself. I have looked and looked with no avail. Thanks Grandma S. and Dad for sending some to me and making Fall in Livermore a little more like Fall in Illinois!
Wine tasting at Cedar Mountain Winery in Livermore.
Same: An abundance of Halloween candy. (Greg really likes this!)
Difference: In Illinois we usually just eat the Halloween candy and love it. In Livermore Halloween candy is taken one step further and paired with a wine flight, so of course we had to try this! Surprisingly some of the candy tasted great with the wine.
Greg tasting the Scarlet Syrah wine through a Twizzler "straw," it really enhances the strawberry undertones...
So here is to new and old understandings of the season of Fall!
-Love you all, Leslie
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