By: Rachel Ventura
I heart Fall. Ever since I can remember, it has been my favorite season. I love the cool, crisp breezes, the colors of the leaves, and the excuse to wear comfy sweaters and boots. My family and I also love all the fun outdoor adventures it brings. And of course, Halloween!!
One of the simplest things we do at the beginning of the season is also one of the most fun. We take a nature walk around our neighborhood and hunt for different fall items: different colored leaves, pine cones, acorns, sticks, and pine needles. Then we take some of our findings home and make fun crafts. Some different projects we have made include gluing our things to a paper to make a fall collage, painting a picture using the pine needles, painting the actual items, and (a personal favorite) rolling the pine cones in glue and then glitter. We usually like to do these crafts outside, so the mess isn’t in the house and so we can enjoy the beautiful fall weather.
Our first official autumn event is the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes in Boston. This year it is being held on October 5th at the Hatch Shell. This cause is near and dear to my heart, as I have been living with Type 1 Diabetes since I was 10 years old. Also, my uncle, who was also diagnosed at age 10, lost his battle with diabetes at the very young age of 40 after suffering a stroke, a heart attack, kidney failure, and nerve damage which resulted in a full leg amputation, all complications of this horrible disease. My family and I have participated in the 5k walk each year since 2005 as “Team Billy and Rachel.” It is a truly wonderful event and I suggest joining the cause. You could even join our team if you wanted to – the more the merrier!
We also love to attend the NRT Harvest & Craft Fair in Easton. The sheep pasture is a place we frequent a lot anyways, but the craft fair is really great!! They have lots of yummy food, fun crafts and activities, music, and many vendors. My family and I look forward to this every year.
Last year, we went pumpkin picking at Ward’s Berry Farm and a few weeks ago we went peach picking there as well. But I am a little ashamed to say that we have never, as a family or myself personally, gone apple picking. It is definitely on my list of things to do this Fall. I’m not sure where we will end up doing this, though. I hear wonderful things about Honey Pot Hill but I’m not sure I want to drive so far with the kids being so little. Maybe we’ll go there in a few years. It looks like there are a few places in and around Acushnet, like Peters Family Orchard and Keith’s Farm, so I think we will try one of these. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Another of our annual “musts” is to go check out some jack-o-lanterns! Before we had kids, my husband and I would go to CN Smith Farm for their Hallo Lantern Hayride. It was a lot of fun, though it was cancelled last year. For the last two years, we have brought the kids to Roger Williams Park Zoo for the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. It is seriously amazing to see what they can do to a pumpkin! They put so much hard work into carving those pumpkins and they do an awesome job. We can’t wait to go back again this year.
Last year, we also went to Edaville’s Halloween party, which was a lot of fun. This year, it looks like the event has changed to a Pumpkin’s Aglow! party, which adds jack-o-lanterns to the fun. Definitely looks like a good time!! My daughter loved dressing up as Snow White and going on all the rides. My son was only a few months old but he had fun on the train and seeing the sites.
What are some of your family’s fall favorites?
Community Voices for Health 