Fall is in the air

You know the first whispers of fall are upon us when my reasons for getting out of bed on a Saturday morning shift to College GameDay, pumpkin spice lattes, and extra blankets.  Bring on the college football, please.  None of this NFL business (especially now that I live in Redskins country - the lifelong Cowboys fan inside of me might be a little quiet this year so I can survive the season without serious injury), just Saturdays filled with tackles, commentary, and crazy college kids from 10 AM EST until the last game on the West Coast wraps up.  Oh, throw in some beer, too - I've tracked down the official game-watching location for Tech alumni here in D.C., so I'm set for next weekend's battle against Texas (fingers crossed for crazy Coach Leach and his pirates) if I can't make it halfway across the country for the redneck football bash at the Vaughns.  Can't wait to see pictures from that event...

The latest issue of Bon Appétit is gazing up at me from the coffee table, tempting me with taglines like "cozy fall suppers" and "apple desserts - old-fashioned pie, spice cake, cheddar turnovers, flaky tart" and making my mouth water with that cover picture of slow-cooked short ribs.  Crockpot season is coming, kids!  And while it makes me feel older than my years to get a little excited about that, I love coming home to the smell of dinner just waiting for me, something hearty and comforting that gives off wisps of steam and delicious smells when you lift that lid.  Yipes, I'm waxing poetic about slow cookers.

I love love LOVE fall.  I much prefer the in-between seasons to the extremes of winter and summer.  My delicate Casper-like skin just doesn't tolerate the rays of summer very well, and who likes sweating their way through the day?  As for winter, I actually enjoy the snow and the extra layers and the snuggling under blankets, but then there are those days where you have to walk to work in the winter mess and it just feels a bit excessive.  Fall, though?  Crisp and beautiful and all you need is a light jacket.  Living here in the land of trees, I'm really looking forward to watching the leaves change.  Especially with a pumpkin spice latte in hand.  I think I might need a twelve step program to help out with that particular addiction.

I actually could have used a jacket yesterday walking to and from work - amazing!  In early September!  Of course, as soon as I write this, the sun will pop out and things will warm up again, but at least I know fall is on the way.  Time to get back to Fowler, Herbie, Corso, and my omnipresent-on-weekend-mornings cup of coffee.