Fall Giveaway in the Sweetest Season

Hello Girlfriends! I just want to say, your touching comments about our Dads (!), the Peter Rabbit Room, Domesticity City, and the newest recipes, plus all the connections we’ve been making with one another have made me so happy; I’ve been trying to think of a way to show you how much I’ve enjoyed reading them! This Fall Giveaway is the result!  xo

Plus, October arrives this weekend!  So let’s celebrate all us kindred spirit vagabonds and our wild gypsy blood with this . . .

. . . gorgeous quilt, which will soon be in the hands of some lucky winner!  All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment at the bottom of this post, and answer one simple little question:  What’s YOUR favorite thing about fall? Here are some hints and possibilities, to get your clock a tickin’ . . .

 If you win, you could do this with your new, old, vintage quilt, and that might be your most favorite thing about fall this year. Putting the sweet in Home Sweet Home.

Or maybe you love outsmarting the first freeze and getting the last of the tomatoes in from your garden to ripen on the window sill… because they look so darn cute up there!

Or is it the cozy quiet back-to-school kind of morning when you’re alone in the kitchen with the cinnamon toast?

Or is it the way your house smells with your little dinners of acorn squash and homemade chicken and mushroom soup? That could definitely be it! 

You could eat that soup in front of this wonderful old movie, which if you haven’t seen, you would love. Have dinner with Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine. Bring your twelve-year-old daughter.       

Or maybe the change of season is so wonderful because we get to have more fires, turn off all the lights and pretend it’s 1840.

Or could it be the sound the leaves make when we crunch through them and kick them into the air?  Don’t we just love it when they cartwheel down the road, tip to tip?  Or, when we get to make wishes on the ones we catch in mid-air?

Or is it this, the smell of cedar, juniper trees, bayberry, musky rotting leaves, thick dampness in the air, salt and ocean; being swept along the dirt road by the wind filled with flying leaves; looking at Joe, cute in his black beret, the woodland around us laced with spider webs sparkling with dew on foggy mornings . . . could this be it?  Yes, it could!

Or, it could be when we reach under the leaves to discover the freebies in the compost heap, volunteers we didn’t plant?  We even got a spaghetti squash this year!

♣      ♣

It’s a season of the little things in life that make it so special. Let the fun begin!  What do you love most about the sweetest season?  And btw, not to forget, Hellooooo down there in Aussie Land and everyone south of the equator!  Tell us all what it is about spring that makes you fall in love all over again???  Inquiring minds want to know! xoxo Have a wonderful Day! You have until midnight tomorrow night (Wednesday Sept. 28 est.) to comment and be entered!

 With Love from the Heart of the Home and Me!  ♥

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1,594 Responses to Fall Giveaway in the Sweetest Season

  1. Judy says:

    Fall is my favorite season and my favorite part is the dry, cold, windy days with the leaves rustling around you as you walk through them.

  2. Lori says:

    What a great idea Susan and what wonderful fall loving lists everyone is sharing! I love fall too. However, I must admit that I love whatever season we are getting ready to start. It must be the anticipation ~ my hope of what the next few months will hold. Then, I’m ready to move on to the next one …

  3. Dorinda Turner says:

    My favorite thing about fall is by far my anniversary (Oct 4th), but beyond that I love the little nip that comes in the air where you need a sweater to keep warm and I absolutely love having a fire. In fact we had the first fire of the year last week. 🙂

  4. Sarah says:

    I love seeing the constellation Orion make his appearance. That’s how I know fall is here. I love hearing honking geese. We just moved to Northern Virginia from Texas this year, and we live in an old house with three fireplaces, one of which is in the KITCHEN! I’ve always wanted that. That makes EVERYTHING better to have a fire going while cooking or eating. (Speaking of cooking, I made your Corn Pudding last night from your “Autumn” book. We had it with thick bacon and warm syrup, just as you suggested. De-LISH!)

    And my new favorite thing is the Apple Cider Donuts they make at an orchard/farmer’s market not far from our house. Oh. My. Goodness. They have to be tasted to be believed. People stand in line, breathlessly, just waiting for them to bring out another tray of warm donuts. I suspect there might be rioting if they ever run out… 🙂

  5. Teresa says:

    My favorite thing about Fall is kissing the cool roses on my granddaughters’ cheeks after they’ve been jumping in the crunchy leaves on a crisp Autumn afternoon! 🙂

  6. Dee G says:

    I agree with all the above reasons of why we love fall, I think this is what God does with his paint brush, as he gives us the harvest from the fields to store up food for the winters rest just before he gives us the joy of spring with all the ta-da of life returning. I love all the seasons for different reasons but all bring blessings, too many to label. Happy Fall!

  7. Kristen L. says:

    My favorite things about fall: the crisp weather, fires in the fireplace, colored leaves, apple picking, caramel apples, Halloween!

  8. Suzanne says:

    My favorite thing is getting out first thing in the morning and taking a deep breath of the cool morning air…as I have relocated to Las Vegas in the last 3 years…from Michigan I so miss the fresh cool air of a fall morning and the smells that go with it. I love you Susan Branch and everything you do for your readers…”Happy Change of SeasonS” to everyone.

  9. Gert says:

    Hi Susan,

    Oh you are so sweet to offer this wonderful giveaway! I absolutely love that quilt!
    Fall? Well first thing is the cooler temps, which means we can get out and walk with Rusty!
    I love the changing of the colors! The beautiful leaves as they drop to the ground…. Baking..pies, breads, squash (smile) stews, soups, should I go on? Warmth from the fireplace, while watch movies like Casablanca!

    Love all your pictures!

    Blessings,
    Gert

  10. Elisabeth Netherton says:

    My favorite thing about fall is the first cold front- it brings such a burst of energy after the long, hot, humid summers here in Texas!

  11. Joyce says:

    Fall has always been my favorite season, but alas, living in south Alabama I had to experience fall through others and use a lot of imagination. But this year, lucky me. After retiring last year and moving to North Carolina this year I will celebrate fall in the great Smokey Mountains. I wake every morning to the bright tints of yellow, gold and red. The wonderful smells of fall in the air….smoke from a neighbor fireplace, soup simmering on the stove, ginger molasses cookies and warm yummy hot chocolate. And of course a wonderful quilt to wrap around my hubby and myself as we sit on the porch and watch the dancing leaves.

  12. Kathleen Reynolds says:

    The crisp morning air!That wonderful nutty smell from rotting leaves..I love watching my garden get ready to sleep…… the leaves blanketing the garden making its own quilt from the colorful leaves…like mother nature tucking it in …kissing it good night for the long winter sleep …

  13. I just “come alive” when fall arrives. It is my favorite time of year with winter close behind. I love the crisp, cool days and the crunch of the colorful leaves as I walk with my sister. Decorating the house for fall and heading to the pumpkin patch with the kids is such a joyful experience. The crackle of the fireplace and glow of the fire just sets the stage for a peaceful, relaxing evening. Curled up on the couch with a wonderful book to read and the kitty curled up on my lap makes me a very happy momma! Welcome Fall! I missed you all those months!

  14. Ann Elick says:

    so many things about fall that I love, my birthday in September, decorating with pumpkins, pumpkin pie, apple crisp, the first fire in the fireplace, baking acorn squash with lots of candy topping, smelling leaves and fires burning, walking in the woods and hearing the crunching leaves, I could go on and on. And oh Yeah, getting out the extra QUILTS for the bed. More covers and and open window. Yum yum. love love love fall.

  15. Bonnie from Iowa says:

    I love the look and smell of fall. We go to the River (Mississippi) every year to see the beauty of the land, buy apples and cheese in WI and celebrate birthdays with a picnic. Have done this since childhood making the trip in one day or camping for the weekend with my family. Nothing more precious than watching the “little cousins” running through big piles of leaves. Memories will stay with them forever. Another reason fall is my favorite time is remembering the bonfires we used to have growing up……raking leaves all day so we could roast weinies and marshmallows that night! And finally, the number one reason is……….today is my birthday!!!!

  16. Coni says:

    What’s not to love about Fall? It’s my favorite time of year. I love the smell of woodsmoke, the wild colors of the leaves, plaid skirts with tights, cable knit sweaters, college football games, weenie roasts, toasted marshmallows, jack-o-lanterns, cloudy overcast days, cool sunny afternoons, I love it all. But my favorite thing is to walk through my neighborhood after dark peeking into the windows as I go (from the street, of course!) smelling whatever is cooking on the stove, and just enjoying the coziness of it all. Isn’t Fall the BEST???

  17. elizabeth says:

    We added an outdoor room this year with a fireplace and cooktop, so here in Oklahoma(shout out to the rest of you from OK) I plan to sit by the fire while my husband makes chili. We will watch a good movie or a college football game and perhaps I will be snuggled under a vintage quilt ; )

  18. Amy Lynn says:

    Hi Susan! Life is too sweet & short, for that matte,r to pick just one… so close your eyes and imagine all the delightful treasures of fall…like the smell of camp fires in the evening air, the sound of crickets on damp foggy school bus mornings. A soft sweater and grandmaws cotton quilt with the book I’ve been too busy to finish all summer, on the front porch swing after supper. The smell of damp leaves, the last of summers peppers in the garden, meeting new friends (aka Spiders) when pulling the rake out of the old shed, and trips down the parkway to peep at the changing leaves. Home town football games on Friday night, and pumpkins pumpkins everywhere! I just love all the fall decor that people use, down here in the south we use fodder shocks (bundles of cut corn stalks), scarecrows, mums, strawbales, and PUMPKINS! Oh my… I could go on and on…. but lifes to short… so gotta get going. Have a Blessed Fall everyone!

  19. Anita says:

    I love everything that fall offers. The warm colors of the season, comforting meals, cozy sweaters, flannel quilts, the cool air and the crunching of the leaves. Oh yes, let’s not forget pumpkin pie! I love turning the pages of decorating magazines and get great inspiration in bringing that coziness in my living space.
    I want to let you know Susan how much I love reading your blogs…a heartfelt
    thank you for bringing your readers inspiration.

  20. Sweet Mormor says:

    My favorite thing about Fall besides EVERYTHING is lighting the fireplace and listening to the crackling fire and the cozy smell of the burning logs throughout the home! Heaven – almost!

  21. Lynne says:

    oh and one more precious thing….

    Autumn means celebrating 65 years of a dear, loving friend’s life who cancer should have taken from us and this earth 10 years ago. Happy Birthday Sharri!

  22. Carrie Hopkins says:

    I look for the first leaves that are turning and press them into the biggest books I have. The colors of autumn are such a gift before the starkness of winter sets in. Gone are hazy hot summer days replaced by sweater cool mornings and skies that are bluer than any other time of the year.

  23. Oh I love snuggling under blankets around a fire with a fresh cup of hot coffee, October nights, so dark and frsh and the sound the leaves make as they crunch underfoot. Candles, and holidays. Pumpkins and apple pies. Everything.

  24. Barbara Braun says:

    Fall…..hmmmm…..time to buy pumpkins to decorate the porches and kitchen counter and time for pumpkin scented candles in the kitchen! I also have a miniature pumpkin decoration for a tea light with a tiny mouse that goes on the dining table. Once the calendar nears November, I turn the two largest pumpkins into “turkeys” with kits containing turkey faces and feathers. They are always a hit by the front door where they stay until Christmastime.

  25. Nicole says:

    I love fall! My favorite part of Fall has to be” hibernating” – cozy fires, warm soups, tea with friends, baking, slowing down! We live in El Dorado Hills, CA and just spent a beautiful day at Apple Hill. The leaves are changing, the air was crisp, the kids had a great time in the pumpkin patch and eating yummy apple donuts!

  26. Bevie B says:

    Fall just makes me happy!! It has always been my favorite season. I have to say that my favorites are going to the Apple Orchard and buying apple cider donuts. Oh YUM!! (and) Watching the trees change colors always always is so spectacular!!

  27. heidi shorts says:

    i grew up in southern california, where i felt robbed of the changing seasons…so, several years ago, when we moved to the central coast, i was amazed that in the fall, the air actually felt different and the leaves actually turned different colors!!! that first autumn, when my boys were small, we discovered a beautiful liquidambar tree where we went banking. i just couldn’t gather enough of the vibrant red leaves to bring home and scatter everywhere! then, on an outing to a local nursery, we discovered the joy of variety, as we checked out the many shapes of leaves on the many types of trees. we collected several examples, with a nurseryman’s help, and when we got home, we created an autumn banner, printing the leaves we had brought with us. we used all the fallish color paints i had tucked away and together, we made what has become my favorite decoration for this time of year. it’s the first thing i hang when i pull out my “fall stuff” and it always makes me smile. my boys are now 24, 24 and 21 – they love & appreciate fall, too – and over the years, due to that first autumn and the many handcrafted, nature themed items i have created, i am known as the “leaf lady” – I LOVE THIS SEASON!

  28. Vela says:

    Love the cool, crisp weather and going to the State Fair!

  29. Donna W says:

    I love the crisp cool change in the air that Autumn brings… and everything that follows: leaf color, the smell of woodsmoke, finishing another quilt to snuggle under, thick socks, candlelight, baking, holiday plans, family gatherings…peace.

  30. Julie Borg says:

    Living in Texas my favorite thing about fall is that the temperature finally drops below 100! I can’t wait for fall- it doesn’t start her for another couple months!

  31. Val says:

    Associating autumn with back-to-school time has never left me, so fall always feels like a fresh start to me: Everything is cool and crisp and colorful, and you know that Thanksgiving and Christmas, aka “It’s the best time of the year”–sing along :)–are right around the corner, and the leaves crunch under your feet when you walk outside, and you can bake again without breaking into a sweat, so everything smells good inside, and best of all is the cuddling up under covers in finally-chilly-enough-to-need-a-blanket-but-not-too-cold-to-keep-the-windows-open-at-night weather. 🙂 My husband and I got married this April, so this is our first autumn as a married couple and our first in our new home too–moved into our new little apartment in August–making this fall even more special. 🙂 So, Autumn: (An oxymoron perhaps but) A *cozy fresh start* ? 🙂

    And how generous of you to host the giveaway, Susan. I hope you have people in *your* daily life who shower you with love and kindness and humor and sweetness the way you do for all of us.

  32. Stella Boatman says:

    Fall is my favorite season. I love to serve homemade soup in all my lovely fall dishes, watch the falling colored leaves, and cuddle under a quilt hand made by my own Mother.

  33. Janet says:

    Susan, I can’t say enough about Fall except thats it got to be second only to heaven in my book. I love the cool crisp air, the quilts to grab and wrap up in while I’m reading one of your books or watching an old movie. There is nothing better then going for a walk looking at all of the different color trees and smelling the cool crisp air, sometimes filled with the smell of burning leaves then coming home to a steaming mug of hot chocolate and curling up with my daughter and just taking it all in. Fall is Love !!!!

  34. Jennifer says:

    I love fall because the weather in hot SC starts to cool a bit…my house takes on a different flavor, and I can cook comfort foods!

  35. Barbara Bloink says:

    I just finished eating a bowl of your wonderful “Corn Chowder” (in your last blog)so I have to say that at the moment it is my very favorite thing about this beautiful fall day that we are having in Michigan. My husband is still raving about it. I also made the “Iowa Corn Bread” in your Autumn Book to go with it – Yum!!! I was hesitant to put in the orange zest because I have never seem it in a corn bread recipe before but it really gave it a refreshing flavor that went well with the chowder. My kids live in Florida and one of the things they miss most is the fall and winter comfort food that we have up north.

  36. Sue Connolly says:

    It is just the most wonderful time of the year. Mostly I remember my Mom and all the simple things she did with us growing up. Who would think when it was time to remove the leaves after jumping in them that an old sheet would be called “the fat lady” and we would stuff her up real good and try to move her to the woods. Lots of laughs all the way. Mom passed away in late Sept. the first part of fall and her love of fall was how the funeral home let me decorate with corn stalks, mums, pumpkins and all. I even did the casket piece in fall leaves with garden marigolds, dry grasses and other things she had cared for in the garden. It was truly unique. I even remarried Oct. 7. Because of all the wonderful colors and smells and foods it was easy to know I was going to bake carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for our wedding cake. Decorated in fall colors. The big day has to be Halloween and all the fun. I just found some old 60s paper decorations that I tucked away in the attic. Maybe back in the early 70s, I’m so excited.

  37. Ann says:

    Pumpkin Pie! Apple Pie! Sweet Potato Pie! Pecan Pie!
    Brunswick Stew! Corn Chowder! Navy Bean Soup! Vegetable Beef Soup!
    Falling leaves, fire in the fireplace, Buffleheads on the water, thick sweaters, cozy quilts, pumpkins on the front porch, tailgates, and crisp, fall weather!!!

  38. The most favorite thing I love about fall is the Color and the Food. WE put it all together at our Family Fall Sunday Dinner every October at my Nephew John’s house. Every year his home is decorated for the Fall, with the pumpkins and apples and cornstalks. Everyone brings their favorite fall dishes, and pies. Their property is huge and all the kids play in the leaf piles. By nitefall we light a fire in the stone pit outside and the kids roast marshmellows and make smores. Its always a beautiful day and every year more people come….We Love it!

  39. Lynn says:

    I love filling my crock pot with apple cider – then add mulling spices and let it simmer for hours. Makes the house smell divine. Decorating my home with the things I treasure – folk art pieces I’ve created, wreaths I’ve made and carefully stored away year after year, cornstalks at the front entry and the best – the first night you actually have to get out of bed and close the window a little because it is so chilly. Put on a nice pair of bed socks, pull the covers a little higher and sleep like a baby.

  40. cyndy says:

    Fall, my favorite season, evokes change….exciting, unknowing, wonderful, welcomed…warmth to cool and crisp, busy to reflection, green to kaleidoscope, hazy to clear….each year is different, each day, each moment – enjoy the change that comes your way!

  41. Julie H says:

    My favorite thing about fall is the coolness in the air, the beautiful reds, golds, and oranges of the foliage, and celebrating my wedding anniversary with my husband. Every year we try to take a weekend up north Michigan to Traverse City and the Mission Penninsula. We take in the beautiful sights of the trees and visit the wineries. I also love Homecoming and watching our daughter perform in the marching band. So exciting!! Susan, thanks for sharing your stories and experiences with us. I enjoy spending time on my computer reading your blog and all the entries. Have a great Fall season!

  42. starr miller says:

    I love all the earthy colors so when Autumn arrives I can’t wait to put out all my seasonal decorations that I have been collecting for years. Leaves, leaves, leaves everywhere, along with an assortment of squash and pumpkins and nuts. I comb through all my old ‘harvest time’ recipes for ones that I adore and eagerly plot to ‘whip up a batch or two’, a pie or two and at least a cake or two for the freezer.
    Often, I deposit surprise treats upon my elderly neighbor’s post-box and I know that he, too, is anxious to see what the new seasonal goodies will be. Hmm, perhaps I shall start with pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins. aaaaaaahhh
    Then it’s off to the pumpkin farm with the grandchildren to see the pumpkin eating dinosaur, the pumpkin launcher, the corn maze, the spook house, pig races and tons more fun!
    Bless us all.

  43. Beth says:

    I LOVE FALL! I truly treasure this season from the bottom of my heart because it reminds me of my childhood growing up on a midwest farm in the heartland. I remember I would get off the bus after school and run for the trusty old tree swing in the back yard. I would pump my legs as high into the sky as I could and feel the chilly autumn air against my face. The warm fuzziness of my trusty old sweater comforted my skin. The sights and sounds of Fall were everywhere. Brilliant shades of orange, red, yellow and brown surrounded me as I would swing happily watching the tractors and the combines at work in the nearby fields. As the sun started to set my mother would call us in from the porch. “Suppertime!” I would run inside through crackling leaves, past a garden full of pumpkins, with thoughts of what delicious smells awaited me in our cozy kitchen. Always greeted with a smile, we would finish our evening happily indoors together as the beautiful autumn sun set in the distant horizon.

  44. Charlene Hisayasu says:

    My favorite thing of Fall is the attitude of Thankfulness that comes with this Harvest season. All the physical labor of Spring and Summer produces this Fall Harvest! As I gather my last tomatoes or as I clear my garden for winter planting (So. Calif.), I can reflect on God’s generous bounty…not only in my garden but within my family life as well. So appropriate (!) as the family gathers around during this season and acknowledges our blessings. Harvesting, gathering, and giving Thanks are tightly bound together as my “favorite thing” of the Fall season.

  45. Merry Groszmann says:

    Collecting leaves into piles for jumping in and tossing at each other. I played for hours with my neighbor and best friend’s three children( two girls and a boy all grown up now). I now toss the leaves for their adorable and forever-a-pup miniature poodle. He loves trying to go ten ways at once.

  46. I love everything in autumn but my favorite thing is going over to the other side of the mountains and seeing the incredible fall foliage and visiting a little town called Leavenworth. We always stop and go visit the apple orchards and bring home fresh apples for the crisper. It is a trip I look forward to every year and can’t imagine a year without seeing autumn in the Cascade Mountains and the apples in huge bins that have just been harvested.

  47. Patrice says:

    I was inspired when I saw that quilt- I am going to learn how to quilt, so I can make quilts for my daughters to take off to college and then…….. I hope that some day they will look as loved as the one you found!!
    My favorite fall treat is pumpkin desserts….all of them:
    pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pudding, pumpkin scones and pumpkin creme brulee (new recipe I just found!!)….can’t wait to make and enjoy them with hot cider!!

  48. Karen P says:

    How FUN is all this blogging goin’ on?! Love reading all the comments. There are so many who LOVE Fall and I think everything mentioned here you have captured in your AUTUMN book, Susan. Its my fav! xoxo….kp

  49. I do love the smell of woodsmoke and the honking Canada geese flying in wide V’s overhead, and the blaze of maples reflected in the still water of our lake on early mornings, and hauling out all of my sewing projects and embroidery projects. But one of my favourite things is discovering that thin layer of ice that forms on puddles on some cold mornings, then stepping on it and feeling it crackle under my boots. I used to do it as a kid, and I still get a kick out of it now. I love that quilt by the way. I just got back from a week in Pennsylvania with my sister and we saw a lot of quilts in those colours. Lovely!

  50. Sara says:

    Oh my goodness, Susan, how I love your blog.
    One of my favorite things about fall is noticing the breath taking show Mother Nature puts on for us. Each morning as I take my morning walk with my sweet dog, Gemma, I take in all she has to offer us this time of year. I savor the cooler temperatures, the crisp fragrance in the air from nearby orchards, the spectacularly colored leaves of rusts, gold and scarlets. I gather a few special treasures in my pockets–a magnificent leaf here or a handful of acorns or buckeyes there. Nature’s gifts abound. Happy, happy fall!

  51. Beth Farwell says:

    I love Fall, the back-to-school routine after a long, relaxing summer. I also love to cook up some soup and homemade rolls. If we could only skip winter! Thanks for the contest.

  52. Debra L says:

    A porch swing, a big cozy sweater and a good book makes me happy!

  53. Nancy says:

    Love seeing all the leaves turning beautiful colors on your website/blog. We don’t really get that here in Central California. Fall is my favorite season because it contains my birthday, for starters! I love the necessity of putting on a jacket for the first time, going out early in the morning for a walk in the crisp air. When I return, I think of getting back in bed (but never do), perhaps with some raindrops pounding on the roof and snuggling under a warm quilt or coverlet, watching “The Bishop’s Wife” a little ahead of schedule of the Holidays.

  54. Wendy says:

    I love apple anything, especially cider,apple donuts, pie, you name it, love how the house smells when things are baking. Just bought my mulling spices and cider today. It was chilly last week in Boston…now it’s warm again!

  55. starr miller says:

    p.s. Thank you Susan for sharing your thoughts every day. I look forward to them for they make me stop and LOOK at all the blessings that are in my life.
    We must celebrate every day as a bountiful gift.

  56. Carol C says:

    Fall is the perfect season for me……so many things about it that all rate at the top of what makes life special…..first is the cooling of the day’s breezes after a sweltering summer, pumpkins of every shape and size finding a place in and around my home (and made of every sort of material, including fresh), making delicious aromatic soups, baking pumpkin recipes, enjoying those fall colors in leaves of every glorious hue, quilts in displays and stacks around my house to bring warmth to my home. And these things just get me started! LOVE FALL!

  57. Joan B says:

    FALL……………………..football, fires in the fireplaces, festivals celebrating the season. I get home at 3:00 pm, make tea and cuddle with my kitties, and wait for the school bus which will bring my beloved daughter home at 4:00 pm. The squirrels in the back yard are dropping acorns onto the deck so loudly that I swear they must be throwing them, with all their might – then scurrying around to collect the remains and store them for the winter. It is a delicious hour of warmth and gratitude and appreciation for all of the senses. Preparing a warm and fragrant meal for the family when they arrive home – the oven warming the house and the lovely smells filling the air – make you want to put your pajamas on early, curl up on the couch with a good movie, and settle in for a restful evening. Everything about fall is a blessing, and the time when you can truly settle in to the “heart of the home.” Thank you Susan.
    With gratitude and love,
    Joan

  58. Jandina Konop says:

    Fall, just the thought of it makes me smile. Candles burning in the house, sitting and stitching a gift for someone special, and going to the ocean to watch the stormy waves as they hit the beach. But my favorite thing is the turning if the fall leaves. I love to watch them as they fall from the trees and blow in the wind. It’s almost romantic.

  59. Jean says:

    I love nature’s artwork on the hillsides and woods in colors of burnt orange, harvest gold and enough ever-green to highlight the fiery reds. The sky and the lakes match blue for blue and the wisps of wood smoke offer up their blessing to the harvest.

  60. Pat Mofjeld says:

    Well, I’ve got to join in on this one–I love the quilt! My favorite thing about fall? Wow, that is a hard one as I love fall for so many reasons! Will you eliminate comments that list more than ONE reason? 🙂 Maybe my favorite thing is the beautiful colors of the maple trees here in the Midwest. And if I can say more than one, I’d have to say trips to the apple orchard, fires in our fireplace, apple cider with popcorn, sweaters, and the cool crisp air replacing the hot humid air of summer! Happy Fall! 🙂

  61. Rebecca says:

    Oh where do I start? Crisp air. Falling leaves. Coffee mugs. Scarves. Crunch of grass beneath my feet. Soup. Blankets. Crocheting. Just to name a few wonderful things I love about Fall.

  62. Cheryl says:

    Yes! Yes! a thousand times yes! I love everything about Fall, though living in southern california we don’t have quite the season that everybody else does. But, I manage to turn my face away from the warm (sometimes santa ana windblown) weather and bury myself in baking, cooking up big pots of chili, watching football games, savoring one of my favorite movies; Little Women, and looking for signs of Fall where ever they may be! I wondered when we’d see that quilt again 😉 Love. it.

  63. erin says:

    Fall is my favorite season by far! I love the cool, crisp air. I love the colors. I love putting up fruits and veggies for the coming winter. I love the baking, pumpkins, apples, fresh potatoes. Love the quilt, too!!! That could become a favorite!

  64. Sally says:

    I’m a September baby, so fall is truly my season. I think my favorite thing about fall is probably apple picking and pumpkin gathering. In my opinion a house can not have too many pumpkins both inside and out or too many beautiful quilts to keep toes warm.

  65. Karrie Yancey says:

    Snuggeling down for a nap in the crisp autumn air and sunshine under a quilt.

  66. Theresa Isenhower says:

    I live in the high country of Arizona and love when a strong winds comes through our little valley and it rains leaves. The smell of Pumpkin Bread in the oven. There are just to many to pick just one. Must not forget going to the Pumpkin Patch with grandkids. Next time you are in Cottonwood drive to Phoenix and visit Culvers for your Butter Burger. Ever so good.

  67. Maureen says:

    My favorite thing about fall is sitting in the backyard with my family around an evening fire, with the fall crisp air surrounding us, telling a story or two about our day, the gardens both vegetables and flowers going to sleep, and just relaxing……

  68. June says:

    Fall in Hawaii is marked by tiny little changes to the rhythm of our sunny days. I watch for the plovers to migrate and wait for one to come and claim our front yard as its winter home. I feel the warmth of the sun intensify as it peaks before the start of our rainy season. We enjoy the last of the summer mango and lychee fruits. And at night when it is quiet and I hear the tradewinds rustle through the palm fronds outside my window, I check on my little children in bed and remember the feeling of being a little girl and starting a brand new school year. These are my favorite things about fall on this “other” little island!

    • sbranch says:

      Ooooo, tradewinds rustling through palm fronds sounds very nice to me…with a little plumeria blossom on the side!

  69. Well, the first signs of fall here are pumpkin spice latte’s at Starbucks and my copy of your Autumn book displayed in all it’s beautiful glory in my kitchen. 🙂

    However, my favorite part of autumn has to be the leaves. I love their change of color, their musty scent, and the way they crunch under my feet when walking. I even love how some hang on even in the midst of winter’s winds!

  70. Lynn Marie says:

    Oh, Where to start? I love the cool evenings and coming home to light a few candles and snuggling on the couch under a cozy throw. It is the start of soup season and Oh how I love roast butternut squash–these are a few of my favorite things!

  71. Marcia says:

    Being way down in deep South Texas, I love the crisp coolness that fall brings…a welcome break from our South Texas heat!!! The first day that I get to wear a sweater, open up the windows and let the fresh fall air into my house (and sometimes even my classroom!!!), a pot of Super Stew (my mom’s recipe!) on the stove with crusty bread, and curled up on a chair on my front porch with a blanket and a good book….come on fall!!!

  72. Beth Grbich says:

    Ahh… FAll! You are right Susan it is to hard to name one thing!
    Love, to gather some goodies like a homemade Carmel apple (addicted) and an embossed gingerbread cookie with a beautiful fall design, a mug of hot spicy apple cider, then grab your WONDERFUL book,Autumn (from Heart of the Home) and relax on my porch swing and enjoy the beautiful colors of the trees.
    How sweet of you to give up a quilt….can you ever have too many quilts?

  73. Betty Williams says:

    I agree, Fall is the best season, the year winding down and preparing for the winter when life is slower and easier. I lived in eastern Oklahoma as a kid and it was a beautiful place, hickory nuts, pecans, living on a farm and pretty much self-sufficient. All the fall leaves were in such beautiful colors. It is so nice snuggling under a homemade quilt after a hot stifling summer.

  74. Lisa Hay says:

    Gloria Groza (the one who commented above) is my mom and she is the greatest mom in the whole world and deserves to win the quilt hands down! I hope she gets picked! I was one of the kids that ate her wonderful Autumn soup and enjoyed all the love she brought into our home growing up! I will miss her when she moves back to Cali. 🙁 Oh and my favorite thing about Fall is hands down making a big pot of chili and cuddling on the couch with my wonderful husband for an afternoon of football! GO COWBOYS!!!
    Love Love,
    Lisa 🙂

  75. Merry Gay Lape says:

    I love Autumn! I love how the air turns crisp and cool and in the evenings you can step out on the porch and smell the smoke from the fires in fireplaces. I love decorating the porch with colorful mums. I love the smell of apple crisp wafting from the oven filling the house with apply cinnaminny wonderfulness. And I love pulling on the cuddly soft warmness of a too large for me sweatshirt. All wonderful things to look forward to after a hot, muggy summer.

  76. Robin says:

    Fall baking and soup making. Love the smell of Fall.

    Thank you for this great opportunity.

  77. Linda says:

    The cooler temps of fall are such a relief after the hot southern summer. I love being able to bake the hot comfort foods I love…..especially mac & cheese and acorn squash. By this time of the year I am craving soup, lasagna, chili. I am also addicted to cinnamon toast. It is my dessert with hot chocolate on many cold nights. No wonder I have to exercise 5 days a week!

  78. Monica says:

    I love that first chilly morning when you go outside and have to come back in for a sweater 🙂 The crunch of leaves, the smell of apples and cinnamon simmering on the stove, sipping hot apple cider around a fire in the backyard. Fall is simply the best 🙂

  79. Sandra says:

    This year, my favorite thing about Autumn is Dave is here to celebrate with me. He has cancer and every day we spend porch sitting, drinking tea or coffee, enjoying each other is another day of perfect added to our lives.
    All the cooking, baking, smells of wood burning, voices of the farm and house animals, cuddling with the dogs and cats…just adds another layer of perfect.
    We are most blessed and grateful.

  80. Juliana says:

    There are so many things that I love about fall! I love the cooler weather, and the gorgeous colors of the leaves, the smells of baking spices and outdoors. But really it’s the memories that fill me up – as a child jumping in leaf piles with my sister and friends, the start of school, seeing old friends again, making candy and caramel apples with my mom, Halloween. As I got older, it was Homecoming dances and driving to farms to pick pumpkins and autumn picnics with my (now) husband. We were married in September, and my first child was born in October,(not the same year:)) Trick or treating with my children, then when they got older – marching band and football games, now they are off in college and there are parents weekends. Always something to look forward to at this time of year, surrounded by family and friends!

  81. Gayle says:

    My favorite thing about fall is the cooler temps. I can barely tolerate the heat of summer, so when it starts cooling off I’m in heaven!

  82. Shannon says:

    Fall has always been my favorite time of year… I grew up in Louisiana and Fall was when it finally started to cool down a tad and the humidity was lower, a tad, haha… The smells from the kitchen were of Gumbo, Crawfish, new potatoes, corn on the cob, pecan pie and lots and lots of pumpkin and banana breads. Shelling pecans on the porch, running barefoot down the dirt road with a sweater on… crawling into my Grammie’s lap, under her favorite old quilt and listening to ghost stories about the Tataille (Ta ta ee) (Cajun boogie man), the smell of her and that old quilt… I’d pretend to be scared just to cuddle closer! I miss that old quilt and that old woman too!

  83. Heidi Rose says:

    I love fall here in Western Washington. I love being able to wear my favorite cozy sweaters again, the musty, smoky smells in the air, the Pumpkin Farms and tromping through the fields looking for the perfect pumpkin, then watching “Its the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!” Of course I love tea all of the time, but a nice cup of tea while the wind is whipping the leaves around outside makes it even better. My big, fat kitty Lulu Belle especially loves the fall because she gets more lap time. 🙂

  84. Kelly says:

    Fall is my favorite season. It always has been since I was a child. It’s just a magical time of year. I love the cooler snap in the weather and just the way the air feels. Hot apple cider, bright orange pumpkins, scarecrows, the smell of woodsmoke in the air…what’s not to love. Thanks!

  85. Rebecca says:

    Greetings Susan
    Fall is a blessing in my area, thats when the gardens are finally through growing and award us with an abundance of fruits and vegetables. I live in a tiny town called Chattaroy and I have a tiny cottage, lechaumiere. Its where I go to get away from the fast lane of life, but I feel your BLOG does that also. To curl up with a book, small grandchild and your quilt would be so much fun. It has fall lights and leaves along the eaves that come on at night and with the pumpkin candle lite, all is well. Isn’t fall such a cozy time. May we all have a little fall in our lives and share it with others…..

  86. TracyP says:

    My favorite thing about fall is the colors. I love the deep gold, orange, red, and browns that color the landscape. I love seeing all of those wonderful, rich colors in the decorations of the seasons. And I especially love wearing those colors.

  87. Debbie says:

    Even though I have lived in Southern California for 14 years ( I am originally from Missouri) I love fall and always try to bring fall into our home with a traditional “Homemade Brunswick Stew Night” with our neighbors. We have been doing it for years, our kids too. But now the kids have left for college this year so we are empty nesters but we are still having it and celebrating our new beginnings with the best neighbors ever. We also watch my husbands favorite fall movie, “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad”. Here’s to new beginnings and lovely cool evenings in California. Happy Fall everyone!

  88. The best thing about fall is the cooking and the eating. It us easier in the fall! Warm, long-cooking foods and a more relaxed feeling when staying inside and lingering over dinner because it is dark already outside and the candles inside are so inviting. Yes, I’ll have another serving of beef stew!

  89. Susan (CLBCQ) says:

    Snuggling under quilts because it’s so marvelous to leave the windows open at night… watching the autumn fog wrap up everything in marshmallow mist… getting rosy cheeks and a sniffly nose while watching my son play soccer or cheering on the high school football team… wearing big huggable cozy wool sweaters… fresh apple cider, pumpkins unique as snowflakes, trees that change their color every time you glance away… big pots of soup, fresh hot homemade bread with real butter (remember you are wearing a big sweater!!!), baking baking baking… etc… etc… etc…

  90. Pam says:

    Oh my! Over 500 comments already and I’ve only just gotten up and opened this newsletter! But of course you’ve been up and about for the whole day by now over there in the US. 🙂
    Now I have to say, sitting here looking out the window onto my backyard while I sit at the pooter, that what comes to mind about some of the best things about Spring is……
    all those fabulous little flowers budding on all the trees/plants that have already been, and still are, visited by sooooo many little busy bees. All of them heralding the coming of all that lovely fruit(in my yard at the moment Mango, Brazilian Cherry & Strawberry) and all those gorgeous flowers including Australian Natives, Honeysuckle, Nasturtiums and Mock Orange! To name just a few.
    ….the temps have finally started to climb a little(just wish they could stay right there and NOT climb any higher! 🙂
    …all those sweet, sweet birdies dancing and singing their way amongst all those trees and plants.
    ….yep it all definitely makes me fall in love all over again……with Spring! :))

    I don’t make all that many comments throughout Blogland, but just wanted to say how much I’ve enjoyed following along on your wonderful train trip. I read each post with great interest. Thanks so much for sharing. A lovely long train trip is definitely on my wish list! x

  91. Lee says:

    My favorite part of fall is the chill in the air and the need for a cozy handknit sweater!

  92. Elizabeth says:

    I love the feast for my senses during the Fall.! Here in Northern Michigan, I am so lucky to have the contrast of the green pines and the riotous blaze of color on the hills so bright that it looks like a huge bowl of Trix cereal!! The sounds of the rustling leaves as I walk; snuggling on the porch swing in a blanket with a good book; the smells of the harvest, apples and pumpkins and squash that are baking and bubbling on my stove. And best of all creating wonderful things from my garden harvest to use throughout the year, bringing back wonderful memories of fall to keep all year until it comes back around again.

  93. deezie says:

    Hi Susan
    Oh my, everyone had such great Fall Favorites. I love the little video of the toast you were making and the mushrooms you were sauteing. How fun is that.
    Oh Fall,,,, I just love every single thing you wrote. How can I pick just one thing. I love it all!!!! the leaves, the pumpkins, how cozy you feel with a fire going in the fireplace. I love smelling a bread baking and homemade soup on the stove.
    If I had to pick a number favorite thing though it would be the chill in the air. *I love it so
    Great question Susan
    love that quilt too:)
    happy day Susan
    deezie

  94. Terry Kokko says:

    What’s my favorite thing about Fall? Walking in from the cool crisp afternoon and smelling cinnamon potpouri simmering in the kitchen counter. Warm cups of pumpkin spice tea while watching the fireplace and reading your blog!. Getting to wear the cozy sweaters, turtlenecks and warm slippers around the house. The anticipation of the holidays that are just around the corner!

  95. Daena says:

    When the front door opens and my face feels that snap of cold that makes me go back for my Fall jacket… the coziness buttoning it up… then walking about and feeling the cool air… taking deep breaths. Heaven.

  96. Rita Goshorn says:

    fall, my favorite season, too. changing fall colors, green to gold with splashes of red underneathe. termination dust on the mountains, brilliant against blue skies. migratory birds overhead while the winter birds sneak in, popping up here and there. my garden scraggly and unkempt while the last rose of summer blooms in solitary splendor. a few short weeks of rich autumn before fading into frosty prewinter days.

  97. Debbie K says:

    I love everything about fall. It just feels like such a relief when the crisp cold air returns, the nights are nippy, you feel like cooking wonderful dinners, and the best thing of all picking pumpkins! Love your blog!

  98. Kay says:

    Everything! The colors, the smells, the flavors, the way the weather feels, the food, the clothing. Everybody seems to mellow out and are nicer to each other (maybe the heat makes people a little antsy). Although I’m a summer baby, Autumn seems to be my season. I also start seriously working on my Christmas gifts for the children and grandchildren and settle down to a more “home-y” life instead of the constant “gotta go” feeling of summer.

  99. Cathy in Golden, CO says:

    I love it all – the smells, colors, baking, cool, sunny days, dampish nights and memories of walking home from school and my Brownie meetings – skipping and kicking the leaves so contentedly but what comes to mind right now is that big, giant, yellow/orange moon just coming up over the horizon. Amazing everytime it shows up! I love the moon.

    • Cathy in Golden, CO says:

      I forgot school marching bands and cheering crowds at football games! So sweet to hear them. Brings me back to school days, school days. I’m really enjoying reading all these posts. The memories of all are gifts.

      • Cathy in Golden, CO says:

        One more memory and then I’ll stop! I promise. Does anyone remember “burning leaves”????? My daddy used to burn them till they outlawed it. But I remember that smell. He burned our lawn black also. He said it was easier than raking. I never saw anyone else do that but he “claims” they always did this in has small town of Cumberland, IA!

  100. Jeane Stewart says:

    It`s such an honor to follow after Cathy Obbema — an almost first lady:-) — I know I wrote in earlier but I had another thought about Fall and besides October being my birthday — Fall takes us through the best holiday season of the year including Halloween and Thanksgiving also to mention Canadian Thanksgiving on the 10th plus the Veterans day we so honor and not to forget National Voting Day in November and then…. Winter and Christmas —
    for me you can forget Christmas , as it exists , so commercialized AND it is Christmas that makes me realize I`m another year older- yuk on Christmas —
    another year gone by >> QUEEN OF THE YEAR >
    And ending with that , I will fall away byeeee folks — Jeanie

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