This week we welcome another autumn into our lives. As a thoroughly predictable human being, every September I fight the changing season, and then start warming up to the idea after reminding myself of all the things to love about fall. I finally give in (short of relocating, what’s a Portlander to do?). This years autumnal equinox is September 23, so as the rains have arrived, I’ll be re-reading my annual fall list.

I started this proper list of things that I love about fall, last year, just to remind myself… So here’s the 2011 updated, with 77 things this year. Epic!

  1. leather boots
  2. crunchy leaves
  3. scarves (a serious weakness)
  4. cozy striped socks (and argyle! Of which, Target has $5 argyle over-the-knee socks right now. Amazing)
  5. English tea w/milk
  6. apple orchards
  7. Hulu
  8. rain boots (looking forward to wearing my Converse-style rainboots! & bees!)
  9. coffee
  10. Powell’s bookstore
  11. reading
  12. cooking over-elaborate meals (this 3 hour soup comes to mind)
  13. snuggling (kittehs or boys)
  14. hikes
  15. tights & skirts (cable knit!)
  16. live music/Doug Fir
  17. soup
  18. fall-ish tunes
  19. change/fresh starts
  20. duvets
  21. yellow
  22. baking
  23. chai lattes
  24. plaid
  25. wine
  26. shooting guns (Don’t judge. I’m from the country.)
  27. movies/beer/pizza/Cajun tots at McMenamins (tasty!)
  28. home goods stores
  29. pretending to love shopping
  30. argyle (see #4)
  31. learning
  32. pumpkin everything, (including pumpkin spice lattes)
  33. apple sauce (planning a canning party. I’m so almost 30)
  34. hoodies (cozy)
  35. Thai food
  36. cities
  37. cinnamon
  38. whiskey
  39. planning winter trips (last year Iceland. This year??)
  40. planning 1 winter escape (somewhere warm & cheap! February? March?)
  41. skinny jeans tucked into boots
  42. pretty maps (yet another serious weakness)
  43. layering
  44. dreaming of Barcelona
  45. popcorn
  46. the air
  47. food carts with heated seating areas
  48. baths
  49. colors
  50. crying to Sigur Ros or Beck’s Sea Change (no explanation. It’s not 2 hrs and 14 min/week worth though, clearly I need to listen to more Sigur Ros)
  51. corduroy
  52. massive breakfasts
  53. geocaching
  54. making out in the cold
  55. trains
  56. watching people be excited about college football
  57. spin class
  58. yurt camping
  59. finding new music
  60. yoga pants
  61. long dinners
  62. storms
  63. writing
  64. flannel sheets
  65. indoor workouts (Bar Method!)
  66. even more indoor time: a new cooking class
  67. board games
  68. mashed potatoes
  69. lazy weekend mornings catching up on my Google Reader in bed
  70. carbs
  71. rocking sudoku
  72. sucking at crosswords
  73. seasonal ales
  74. dark nail polish (OPI Over the Taupe)
  75. museums
  76. the words ‘crisp’ & ‘cozy’
  77. sweaters…

photo set on flickr

What do you love about fall? Share in the comments!