I grew up about a mile away from an apple orchard. Don’t let that last sentence fool you… if your mind is anything like mine you just pictured rolling hills and cows getting loose. Nope. I grew up in your basic suburban neighborhood; small to mid-sized ranches, enough of a yard to play but not so much that you couldn’t see directly into your neighbors house once the lights were on. Yes, it was your average middle class neighborhood that just so happened to be down the road from an apple orchard.
Anyway, one of my favorite memories about the fall, and perhaps the truest signal that the glorious days of summer were indeed gone, was the air’s aroma. Come late September when the leaves glowed crimson, the ground turned damp and apples were abundant, the air would smell like cider. It was subtle, mixed alongside the earthy wetness, of dewy grass and crisping leaves… but there were certain undertones of apples and cider. That, to me, is fall.
While the air certainly doesn’t smell like cider here in Baltimore, it surely hasn’t let me down this fall. We’ve packed our days full of festive activities. We’ve run through hay mazes, jumped in a corn box, pet various farm animals, and even spoiled ourselves with some apple cider donuts – we may or may not have eaten half a dozen right after we bought them… just sayin’.
Yes, city life certainly has advantages over a quiet suburban town. In my ideal world I’d have it all; amazing foliage, apple cider in the air, a plethora of fun activities… but still warm enough not to need a coat! (A girl can dream right?) Well, until that day, I think I’ll just have to settle for turning up the heat and eating another donut.
