WRITE TEAM: Decorating, reading and going for a walk great ways to enjoy fall

I love everything about autumn. I love the crisp, cool air in the morning, and the autumn colors that begin to appear everywhere. Oranges, yellows, reds, and browns are vibrant, wiping out the blanket of green from the departing season. It’s getting colder and darker, the days are shorter. It’s fun watching the animals starting to prepare for the cold months, especially the squirrels. I watch them from my classroom window, and they are very diligent scavenging nuts. Some of my students will tell me, “Hurry! Look at that squirrel! It looks like a small cat!” Some of them are humongous and I take it they want to keep it that way.

You need to get outside, take a walk daily. It’s time to get out and indulge the last rays of sun which can warm your skin, and listen to the sounds around you. I enjoy taking nightly walks with my husband, listening to the symphony of frogs around us, and the occasional coyote looking for food.

I came up with a list of ways you can slow down and enjoy autumn.

•Have a bonfire. My daughter’s birthday is in October, and every year, we have a big bonfire for her. We have a fun time with friends and family, and lots of laughs. Put your phones down, listen to music, and enjoy! I highly recommend it!

•Decorate your home for the season. My daughter and I enjoy decorating the house with pumpkins, scarecrows, and other autumn-colored accessories.

•Enjoy an outside fall activity. Boggio’s Orchard in Mark is a great place to pick a pumpkin, go through a corn maze, animal barn, pony and wagon rides, jumping pillow, vegetables, fruits, and you can buy some yummy treats from their bakery. They have so much to offer and they are local.

•Homemade soups. I’ve already made some chili and beef and noodle soup. There’s nothing better than taking a long walk, and coming home to a fresh bowl of soup. Delicious.

•"It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." It’s a timeless Halloween classic, with the funniest quotes. Linus’ funniest quote from this show is, “There are three things I’ve learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.” What a smart boy.

•Break out the cool weather clothes. Get out your adorable boots, warm sweaters, and comfy sweatshirts.

•Good TV resumes. I watch two shows that are in this decade, “The Good Doctor” and “This Is Us.” I highly recommend them. “The Good Doctor” is a series that follows Dr. Shaun Murphy, an autistic surgeon with savant syndrome. I think it’s fascinating. As an educator, I enjoy watching Dr. Murphy’s idiosyncrasies and how he figures out medical cases. It’s brilliant. I also watch, “This Is Us” and it’s wonderful and emotional! The series follows the lives of Kevin, Kate, and Randall, who are known as the “Big Three” and their parents Jack and Rebecca Pearson. It’s not too late to tune in!

•Curl up with a good book! I got a few emails telling me they enjoyed my article on “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens. YOU HAVE TO READ IT! Another reader suggested that I read “Educated” by Tara Westover. She stated that it’s a memoir of a woman brought up in Idaho and deals with survivalism. I ordered it from the library, I’m excited to get into it. It sounds like my cup of tea.

•Speaking of tea, drink a cup and enjoy fall!

• Amy Roach is a wife, mother and teacher living in Hennepin. She can be reached at tsloup@shawmedia.com.