Fall Meme (I Can't Resist)

Several of the RevGalBlogPals had posted a Fall meme. Me, too! Me, too!

Favorite Fall Food: apple crisp, with the first wonderful apples of the season.

Favorite Fall Date: October 12th, my anniversary to PH. Beautiful million-colored leaves on the ground, the family all around, PH's grad school buddy preaching, the church at dusk, my little daughter in her bridesmaid's gown and my sons in their tuxes (which they tried to bribe me to avoid wearing).

Favorite Fall Memory I: Walking around Rome, and walking and walking, in the rain, and eating Roman-style deep-fried artichokes in the Roman ghetto.

Favorite Fall Memory II: Hiking in the Shenandoah National Park.

Least Favorite Fall Memory: my ex telling me he wanted a divorce.

Favorite Holiday: Yup, I'll join the crowd saying Thanksgiving, despite the work of cooking for the clan. I actually love the work of cooking for the clan. Halloween is a close second. There's something about little kids in home-made costumes that just warms my heart.

Favorite Exercise: Walking at lunchtime around the National Mall - my office is a couple of blocks away.

Least Favorite Exercise: Raking leaves and preparing the garden for winter.

Favorite Change in Clothing: Being able to wear sweaters again. Especially old, big, snuggly ones. Not having to expose my thighs to the world in shorts.

Least Favorite Change in Clothes: Too chilly for sandals.

Best for Fall Sex: early Saturday morning, while it's still dark out, hiding together under the covers.

Best Fall Vista: northern Vermont on Columbus Day weekend: drive up the Toll Road on Mount Mansfield in Stowe. Use Lamaze breathing to calm yourself driving back down again.

Second Best Fall Vista: Skyline Drive in Virginia, but dealing with the zillion other drivers on it during leaf-peeping season is not so much fun.

Favorite Sunday Afternoon Road Trip: Anywhere they're pressing fresh apple cider, especially over in the western part of Virginia towards the Blue Ridge.

Traditional Fall Candy: Anything that comes in "Funsizers" bags.

Best Fall Aroma: Baking bread.

Fall Childrens' Memory: Mommy hunched over the sewing machine, making Halloween costumes (Robin Hood, Belle, Pirate, Bride - what was I thinking?).

Best Tree in the Fall: Northern sugar maples. Beautiful austere birches a close second.

Favorite Sound: A tie between the neighborhood three-year-olds saying "Trick or Treat" and the crunching of leaves under my feet on the nature trail.

Favorite Music: Whatever extremely loud piece - usually an arrangement of some hymn tune by Ralph Vaughn Williams - that our choir prepares for the October visit of the Bishop, when he confirms our young people. Our choir director usually plays trumpet, the organist cranks up the volume, and we all sing very loudly. It's great fun. Not necessarily a transcendent musical experience, but great fun.

Reliable Prediction: the leaves will keep on falling several weeks after we're really sick of raking them up.