"I love to throw small dinner parties during the fall months more than any other time of year, particularly between November and the first half of December. This is the best time of the year for cooking and baking, especially since Thanksgiving is during the autumn season. My menu for autumn dinner parties always includes roasted chicken with rosemary and port wine, oven-roasted herb potatoes, and root vegetable mash." -- Atiya Walker Dykes

"Every year, I love walking around my neighborhood and admiring all of the beautifully-colored leaves. I live in Utah, so I'm surrounded by the vibrant forests of the mountains. Even my tree-lined neighborhood becomes quite the art piece in the fall. This year, I want to look into pressing and preserving leaves to keep and put in a glass coffee table collage." -- Ashley Walton

"Fall is a great time to plant trees. Because gardening is a bit cumbersome at times, I've decided to decorate my yard with fruit trees and flower trees. I ordered some pear trees and got a free red maple tree. Red maples are gorgeous in autumn. Their leaves turn from neon green to florescent yellow to orange to a fiery red." -- Devrie Wise

"Central Park is perhaps the most picturesque place in autumn in the city. As much of a tourist trap as it is, I'm going to spend some time in New York's most beloved park to snap photos of dancing leaves in a splendor of colors." -- Vivian Lee

"A friend recently posted a picture from our high school's opening football game this year. I asked whether the band was playing 'The Horse' (our old fight song by Cliff Nobles & Company); she said yes and that she still knew every word to every cheer. Next question: 'When's Homecoming?' By the end of the thread, it was official: we graduated more than a decade ago, but we will be back in the stands in October." -- Marie Mocello

"In our house, we try to keep our family Christmas presents as much on the homemade end of the gift-giving spectrum as we can. With work to juggle, a toddler to chase, and chores to do, it can be hard to fit in the crafting time, so getting an early start helps to cut back on holiday stress. My goal is to get started in September." -- Claudia Broman

"Apple picking is a great fall tradition. There's nothing like the smell of an apple orchard or cider mill to get me in the fall spirit; however, my favorite fall delicacy is an apple cider doughnut. Subtly crispy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside." -- Patty Brewster

"During our family visit to the pumpkin patch, the kids love to pick their own pumpkins, big and small. Everyone will pick a perfect pumpkin to carve. We compete when we carve pumpkins. My boys carve fancy designs and unique faces. I carve old-fashioned Jack 'o Lanterns. Dad doesn't carve pumpkins; he waits for the homemade pumpkin pie!" -- Wendy Dawn

"Five girls spending five days in a cabin in the middle of the woods sounds like the start to a horror film, but this is the first thing on my bucket list this fall. As an office manager and a writer, I spend most of my time at a computer, attached to technology. Instead, this mini-getaway is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with my girls and disconnect from the web. It's time to hit the reset button and de-stress!" -- Lissa Clouser

"After learning the basics on the Cowee Creek near Juneau, Alaska, I want to find a fly fishing spot closer to my Georgia home where I can hone my skills. I would like to prove to my boyfriend, an avid fisherman, that I, too, know how to keep it between 10 and 3." -- Janet McCartney

"Go see an NFL game. There are only eight home games every season, so the pre-planning is very important. What can be better than an afternoon with friends, food, and football? My pick: Panthers vs. Patriots on November 18. (Tom Brady? Yes, please!)" -- Ashleigh Blue

"Arizona has an incredible geography, offering an autumn that runs from early September on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to early December in the southern regions of the state. It is also a perfect time for a nice picnic with the family. This will be my daughter's first fall season, so I cannot wait for her to experience it and play in some leaves." -- S. G. Buesing

"This is the season I stock up on apple cider! I cannot get enough of piping hot cider made with pineapple juice. It's great for a breezy night out with my daughter to warm us up as we enjoy our time together. I cannot get enough apple products in my life come autumn, so making caramel apples is definitely on the autumn bucket list. This year, I may even experiment with making some caramel applesauce." -- Janoa Taylor

"It's time to treat Halloween like the best holiday that I've ever seen! It's my favorite holiday, so I'll be carving more than one pumpkin. Since I'm the only one of my friends without kids, I can try to go trick-or-treating with them in hopes of getting some candy." -- Keara Hopkins