I’m currently sitting on my porch with a blanket! (Listening to crickets, birds, occasional end-of-workday traffic, and piped in crowd noise over the speakers at Beaver Stadium while the football team practices.)

We’re starting to experience more and more fall teaser moments these days.

The breeze that just blew through released a flurry of yellow leaves.

The air today is not swimmably humid. (Thank. You. Nature.)

And the students are back!

The relaxed pace of summer seemed to transform overnight and after the chaotic move-in weekend we’ve all come to expect – swarms of mission-focused parents, lines of students waiting to get into their favorite bars, and some of the most creative parking jobs you’ll see all year – the familiar flow of upbeat energy and constant activity has seamlessly become our new reality.

The sidewalks are alive again.

Parking is “more difficult”. (A 4 out of 10 versus summer’s standard “you can find an open spot in your sleep” out of 10.)

We’re this close to side-of-the-road piles of farm pumpkins popping up just outside of town, mum shopping at Sammis Greenhouse, and that joyful reunion with our full lineup of cozy clothes!

In the woods, mushroom hunting has already begun.

And with September quickly winding down, my husband and I are compiling our October to-do list.

More than any other month, October is the month we make sure to be in town as much as possible. The fall colors are at their peak, hikes are refreshingly less buggy, and the temps are ideal.

This year, we’re eyeing up an overnight stay at the newly remodeled (and cute as heck!) inn at the Gamble Mill in Bellefonte, a less-than-20-minute-drive from State College. The creekside location would be a perfect home base for a fall afternoon stroll through Talleyrand Park with a Bonfatto’s latte, a dinner date at Mamma Lucrezia’s where the vodka sauce is next level, and a cozy evening in one of the Inn’s rustic rooms. Yes. Top of the list. Something a little special and different while still enjoying the seasonal gorgeousness of home.

A new friend also recently told me about the somewhat mysterious Decker Valley Cider Press! It’s a 150-year-old cider press in Potter Township, owned and run by Larry Bair. They’re pretty elusive online except for this video, but apparently you can show up with your farmers market apples and press them yourself, which sounds like a perfect thing to do with friends or family who come up to visit for a weekend. Stay tuned for more info to come…

And rounding out the list? We’re going to finally get our butts over to ReFarm Café for a fall-centric farm to table meal!

(Two things continue to be a point of local shame for me. One? That I still have to use a GPS to get basically everywhere, even after living here for almost 7 years. And two? That we have yet to experience a meal at ReFarm!)

So this season is about to be charming, cozy, filled with some new experiences, and all about appreciating what makes Central PA so irresistible at this time of year.

As usual, I’ll bring you along to experience it with me!

More soon-