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5 ways to eat a pumpkin in Fresno

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JoAnn Hallum

Houseplant killing optimist- freelance writer -kid herder

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It’s that time of year. The time when pumpkins are everywhere and everything gets a little bit oranger. Like it or not (and you must like it if you clicked on this post), pumpkin-flavored food and beverages are an annual fall tradition.

Thus, I’ve compiled a list of ways to enjoy the gorgeous gourd that takes over our food and beverages every September. Have you tried all five of these ways to eat a pumpkin in Fresno?

1. Pumpkin in your coffee!

Get your annual PSL fix at Yellow Mug Coffee at Champlain and Perrin. Not only will you be supporting a local business, you can also get an adorable cup (see below). Everyone knows cute cups make coffee taste better. You can keep up with Yellow Mug on Facebook here.

eat a pumpkin

Buy a small PSL get it in a cute cup when you visit Yellow Mug Coffee [photo: Yellow Mug Coffee]

2. Pumpkin in your ice cream!

What better way to celebrate fall when it’s still hot outside than a pumpkin pie-flavored ice cream cone from the Fresno State Gibson Market? New to the ice cream counter, this treat is a limited edition flavor that not only tastes like pumpkin pie, but has chunks of pumpkin pie crust in it! You can also purchase actual pumpkins at the market, so it’s kind of like a one-stop shop for all things seasonal squash. See what else is new at the Gibson Market by following them on Facebook here.

eat a pumpkin

Bulldogs love ice cream. [photo by MaryAnn Mayfield]

3. Pumpkin in your seeds!

Honestly, pumpkin seeds are my favorite. They’re nice and crunchy and delicious with a sprinkling of salt. Grab some seeds from the Sierra Nut House Wine Bar and Bistro, and while you’re there try to stay away from chocolate almonds (impossible). Be sure to check out our article on the delicious meal offerings here as well. Hint: there’s more than just nuts!

eat a pumpkin

Pumpkin seeds and yummy meals are at Sierra Nut House [photo: Natali Carrera]

4. Pumpkin in a donut!

It’s always a great idea to stop at Donut Fantasy on Marks and West. They have gorgeous donuts and yummy flavors, and they often sell out because everyone loves a well-crafted donut. Since it’s fall, and since donuts are amazing, you should add a pumpkin cheesecake donut to your fall bucket list. This pumpkin-infused donut is topped with cream cheese icing and a white chocolate drizzle. You can find more seasonal donut offerings by following Donut Fantasy on Facebook here.

Fantasy Donut Sign

5. An actual pumpkin!

Pumpkins are often part of delicious treats, but it’s not often you see a whole pumpkin presented at a nice dinner. Campagnia in north Fresno is offering a wild mushroom-stuffed baby pumpkin with pepper cream sauce. Garnished with pumpkin seeds and pomegranates, this seasonal dish is obviously very popular. You can make reservations to see why it’s a favorite here.

eat a pumpkin

[photo: Campagnia]

Is this list complete? Hardly. I haven’t even addressed cupcakes. If you have a favorite way to eat a pumpkin in Fresno, let me know in the comments. Meanwhile, lets celebrate the fall season by eating a lot of gourds.

Time for pumpkins! Here are 5 pumpkin patches you can visit this October

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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Though there isn’t quite a chill in the air just yet, the leaves are hinting at the start of change and technically, fall is here. So you know what that means. It’s pumpkin patch time!

Once again, FresYes has rounded up a list of five awesome local pumpkin patches for you to enjoy this October. Read on for details.

five pumpkin patches

1. Pumpkin King

Located on the northwest corner of Blackstone and Shaw in Fresno, Pumpkin King is a pop-up patch smack dab in the middle of Fresno offering a wide variety of pumpkins, squash, corn, and corn husks for sale, plus pony rides, shaved ice, fall photos, bounce houses, and a hay bale maze. Parking is ample and admission is free. Pumpkins range in price from $3-$25. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Owner of Dale Bros. Coffee Melanie Unguez says, “We like taking [our son] to Pumpkin King on Shaw and Blackstone because they offer photo shoots. For something like $40, they have an area where they will take pictures of your kiddo and then give you a disc of all the pics.” 

What makes Pumpkin King even more special is the patch’s long-standing commitment to helping fill the need for blood donations for local hospitals. Each year, Pumpkin King hosts the Great Pumpkin Blood Drive and offers free pumpkins to donors. This year, you can donate blood on any Sunday between the hours of 10 a.m. at 6 p.m. at Pumpkin King and as a thank you, receive a t-shirt, pumpkin, slice of pizza, soda, and free admission to the bounce house!

2. Planet Pumpkin

Many are familiar with the large pop-up pumpkin patch that is located at Nees and First in Fresno. This year, the patch will be known as Planet Pumpkin, and will offer rides, shaved ice, food, face painting, photo booths and, of course, lots and lots of pumpkins. Planet Pumpkin will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Halloween.

five pumpkin patches

12-year-old Brandon and his 3-year-old sister Lilly having fun at Planet Pumpkin (photo courtesy of the Castaneda family)

3. Hillcrest Farms

Located in Reedley, Hillcrest Farms offers a wooded wonderland of family fun with pumpkins, steam trains, hay rides, concessions, nature trails, and play areas. Of all the patches, this is the one I hear touted most often as a favorite.

“They have everything for kids of all ages! Train rides, hayrides, a corn maze, eats and drinks, and of course some amazing pumpkins from all of the pumpkin families!” says Visalia resident Shari Charron.

Hillcrest has an entry fee of $10 per car except on the weekend of Oct. 28-29, when the fee will be $5. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Their treehouse party area is available with advance reservation.

five pumpkin patches

10-month-old Annella and 2-year-old Josiah enjoy Hillcrest Farms (photo courtesy of the Hermosilla family)

five pumpkin patches

4. Simonian Farms 

Located in eastern Fresno, Simonian Farms offers old-fashioned fun with their year-round ice cream and retro soda shop, shooting gallery, and gold-panning area.

During the month of October, Simonian offers a pumpkin patch complete with Halloween costume accessories gift shop, a haunted house, and hay bale maze. Entrance is free, and while you’re there, you can also stock up on locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as artisan-made jams, jellies, wines, and candies. My family went to this patch last year, and had a really nice time. Simonian Farms is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

five pumpkin patches

5. Hunter Farms 

Gaining steam and quickly becoming a highly-praised favorite among Fresnans is Atwater’s Hunter Farms. Hunter Farms began operating its pumpkin patch in the fall of 2013, and each year since its attractions have increased and their popularity has grown.

Hunter offers pumpkins, both a corn and hay maze, fall photos, a petting zoo, a hay pyramid for climbing, a trike track, a tractor train ride that takes passengers through historical scenes, simulated gold mining, and a “barnyard bounce” (giant, outdoor bouncing surface).

Open daily from 10 a.m. until dusk, Hunter Farms is sure to delight guests both young and old. And, with reasonable pricing, including an unlimited attraction wristband for $10, families will likely return year after year.

Dogs can dress up, eat pumpkin pie at Furry Fall Festival

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FresYes Writing Team

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Serious question: Is there anything better than animals in costumes? No, right? Which is why Valley Animal Center’s Furry Fall Festival is THE place to be this weekend. Not only will there be tons of animals in costumes, there will be plenty of other fun to be had for canines and humans alike!

Furry Fall Festival

Fun for the whole furry and non-furry family

The Second Annual Furry Fall Festival, which takes place at Valley Animal Center on Sunday, Oct. 8, from 1 to 5 p.m., is a fundraiser for the no-kill shelter. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased online here or at the door. Dogs are welcome as long as they’re well-behaved and on a leash. They get in for free, but owners will have to sign a waiver at the entrance.

Bring your whole family to hang out at the Kid Zone, complete with a bounce house, face painting, pumpkin decorating, “paw-casso” pictures for kids and dogs, a petting zoo, and more. There will be a food court featuring Dutch Bros. coffee, La Imperial Taqueria, and pet-friendly treats. You can also shop from vendors for humans and animals alike.

Costume and food-eating contests a highlight

Personally, I am most excited about the contests at the festival. In addition to a biscuit toss, there will be pumpkin pie-eating contests for both people and dogs. For the sake of their health, the canine version will be a speed round rather than volume, featuring pet-friendly pies with pumpkin purée and whipped cream. I will be signing up my beagle, Grover—aka the canine garbage can—for this one. I have high hopes of victory.

Furry Fall Festival

Contestants in last year’s pumpkin pie eating contest. [photo: Valley Animal Center]

What I will not be signing Grover up for is the costume contest. Because this is what happens when I try to put him in a simple t-shirt for warmth in the winter. He acts like he’s being tortured. Not dramatic at all.

Furry Fall Festival

I can’t wait to see what you all come up with for your dogs, though! Based on the photos from last year, it should be epic. I’ll be taking pictures to feature in another story on FresYes next week, so bring your “A” game!

Furry Fall Festival

Two of my favorite things at last year’s Furry Fall Festival: tacos and dogs. [photo: Valley Animal Center]

Furry friends are available for adoption

Most importantly, make sure you check out the adoptables fashion show, featuring dogs from Valley Animal Center that are looking for a loving home. You might find the perfect match for you or someone you know!

Furry Fall Festival

I got to hang out with the adorable Marmaduke at Valley Animal Center recently. He and many others are looking for their forever homes!

After all, that’s what the Furry Fall Festival is all about: Supporting the amazing work the shelter does for animals in our valley.

The Valley Animal Center is one of my favorite local organizations. So come out, have some fun and learn more about this great place!

FresYes Pumpkin Patch Guide – 2016 Edition

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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The FresYes Pumpkin Patch Guide

It’s that spooky, sugary time of year! Halloween is just around the corner, and the children in your life are thinking about their costumes, candy and of course, carving pumpkins.

Pumpkin patches, like Christmas tree farms and corn mazes can be open one year, and not the next – due to the changing climate, varying rainy season (or lack thereof) and the year-to-year profitability and feasibility of patch operation. So, to make things easy, I wanted to provide you, dear FresYes readers, with a guide to the best bets for pumpkin patching fun this season.

Three Pumpkin Patch institutions remain on the list of places to go for a pumpkin in 2016, and a slightly further patch is quickly gaining fans from Fresno who say it’s well-worth the short drive.

pumpkin-patch

 

Pumpkin King

Located on the northwest corner of Blackstone and Shaw, Pumpkin King is a “pop-up” patch smack dab in the middle of Fresno offering a wide variety of pumpkins (price range is $3-$25), squash, corn and corn husks for sale, pony rides, shaved ice, fall photos, bounce houses and a hay-bale maze. Parking is ample and admission is free. Hours are 9am to 9pm, 7 days a week.

Local mom, Melanie Unguez says, “We like taking [our son] to Pumpkin King on Shaw and Blackstone because they offer photo shoots. For something like $40, they have an area where they will take pictures of your kiddo and then give you a disc of all the pics. Ours turned out great last year!”

Something else extra special about Pumpkin King, is the patch’s long-standing commitment to helping fill the need for blood donations for local hospitals. Each year, Pumpkin King hosts the Great Pumpkin Blood Drive and offers free pumpkins to donors. This year, you can donate blood any Sunday between the hours of 10am at 6pm at Pumpkin King, and as a thank you, receive a t-shirt, pumpkin, slice of pizza, soda AND free admission to the bounce house!

pexels-photo-26935

Hillcrest Farms

Located in Reedley, CA, just 40 minutes southeast of Fresno, Hillcrest offers a wooded-wonderland of family fun with pumpkins, steam train rides, hay rides, concessions, nature trails and play areas. Of all the patches, this is the one I hear touted most often as the favorite.

“They have everything for kids of all ages! Train rides, hayrides, a corn maze, eats and drinks, and of course some amazing pumpkins from all of the pumpkin families!” says Visalia resident, Shari Charron.

Hillcrest does have a per vehicle fee this year of $5/car on the 1st, 2nd and last weekends of the month, and $10 per car on the peak second and third weekends. 2016 operating hours are 10am to 5pm, Saturdays and Sundays, and their treehouse party area is available with advance reservation.

pexels-photo-110441

Simonian Farms

Located in eastern Fresno, en route to Sanger, Simonian Farms offers back in time, wild-west style fun with their year round ice cream and retro soda shop, shooting gallery and gold-panning area. During the month of October, Simonian offers a pumpkin patch complete with Halloween costume accessories gift shop, a haunted house and hay bale maze. Entrance is free, and while you’re there, you can also stock up on locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as artisan made local jams, jellies, wines and candies. Our family went to this patch last year, and had a really nice time. Simonian Farms is open from 9am to 6pm daily.

img2752

Last, but far from least…

Hunter Farms

Quickly gaining steam and becoming a highly-praised favorite amongst Fresnans is Atwater’s Hunter Farms. Hunter Farms began operating their pumpkin patch in fall of 2013, and each year their attractions have increased and their popularity has grown. This year, Hunter offers pumpkins, both a corn and hay maze, fall photos, a petting zoo, a hay pyramid for climbing, a trike track, a tractor train ride that takes passengers through historical scenes, simulated gold mining and a “barnyard bounce” (giant, outdoor bouncing surface).

Open daily from 10am until dusk, and with such a wide variety of offerings, Hunter Farms is sure to delight guests both young and old. And, with reasonable pricing including an unlimited attraction wristband for $10, families will likely return year after year.

For additional information on any of the patches mentioned, click the name of the patch to be directed to their website or Facebook page.

Fall Family Fun: Simonian Farms Pumpkin Patch

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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This weekend, my family, our bonus kiddo (one of our kiddo’s best friends) and my parents decided to pay a visit to Simonian Farms in Sunnyside to check out their Pumpkin Patch. This was the first time we’d all been, and we had a really fun time exploring all there was to see and do there.

Our family at Simonian Farms Pumpkin Patch

 

When you first arrive at Simonian Farms (located on Clovis Avenue on the SE corner of Clovis and Jensen) you’re drawn into their giant red barn. Inside, everything is decorated like the old west, complete with saloon (wine tasting area), shooting gallery (with great animitronic targets) soda shop and ice cream bar and even a barber shop (non-functioning). There’s a lot to see, and this area is kept cool and comfortable thanks to the biggest fan I’ve ever seen (signage indicated it was provided by “Big A** Fans” which is appropriate! ha!).  In the barn you can wine taste, enjoy Fresno State Ice Cream, challenge your friends and family to a shoot out, shop for gift items and try on cowboy hats. We also enjoyed a sample of some of the best barbecue sauce I’ve tasted, Pa Paw’s Killer Barbecue Sauce (do yourself a favor – click their name to see where to buy this stuff and go out and get some this week. You’ll be really glad you did. I liked the spicy one myself, but the other one has a great honey flavor to it, and would be fantastic for everyone including kids.)

Wine tasting area located inside the barn at Simonian Farms Pumpkin Patch

Wine tasting area located inside the barn

The shooting gallery ($2 for 18 shots of 1 minute of unlimited shots)

The shooting gallery ($2 for 18 shots of 1 minute of unlimited shots)

The awesome animitronic shooting gallery targets

The awesome animitronic shooting gallery targets

Hundreds of old-fashioned sodas to choose from

Hundreds of old-fashioned sodas to choose from

Beyond the barn is the Market, boasted an amazing selection of local fruits and vegetables, homemade jellies and spreads, wine, candies and snacks (we left with dried honey-coated pineapple, sour cherry balls, bridge mix, giant gum drops and chocolate covered cinnamon bears). The entire market is adorned with vintage bicycles and pedal cars, and you can even buy old fruit crate labels to decorate your home with, if you like the vintage look. (I want to go back for these soon!)

More jams, jellies, sauces and spreads than you could eat in several years

More jams, jellies, sauces and spreads than you could eat in several years

Delicious, local fruit and veggies

Delicious, local fruit and veggies

Back outside, if you proceed past the market, you’ll see the gold panning area (sand filled with fun stones and gold flakes can be purchased in the Barn) and then the Pumpkin Patch.

Gold panning

Gold panning

The patch is free to enter and all attractions are free, you just pay for your pumpkins. In the patch you’ll find tons of pumpkins varying in size from mini to gigantic, an awesome old train car that’s been turned into a haunted train car (fun!) and a mini-hay maze. There are several great hay stack areas set up as photo-op spots and painted cut outs, too.

The caboose at Simonian Farms

The caboose at Simonian Farms

 

My mom survived the Haunted Caboose! (Just barely.)

My mom survived the Haunted Caboose! (Just barely.)

 

Just hanging around the saloon

Just hanging ’round the saloon

Simonian Farms is a great place to spend a fall day with your family, while supporting local farmers. Check it out any day of the week between 9am and 6pm. Have fun!

iPhoneography

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Mark Sasser

Outdoor Writer at FresYes.com
Having been born and raised in the Valley and spending his complete adult life exploring the outdoors gives Mark a unique look at what we all see each day. From cycling to backpacking, solo or with friends, Fresno proper to the mountains above can at any time be where Mark is found living his life outdoors.

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Much has been talked about this week with the instagram graffiti artist who defiled multiple National Parks and Monuments with her scribbling’s making the national news. While I’m not writing about that I’ll just say I’m not a fan.

What I am a fan of is the new wave of photographers who have taken their iPhones and the like into the field and become an army of outdoor photographers producing wonderful images with nothing more than a hand held device. Romantic as the image of Ansel Adams in the high mountains with an enormous camera and tripod are in my view I’m a huge fan of how well my Galaxy 5 Active works for its size and quality.

Georgia_stark is the instagram handle of a childhood friend of mine and is one of these photographers and her photos are out of this world beautiful reflecting more than just the landscape in front of her. This new wave of outdoor photography is both beautiful as well as instantly gratifying. We can see, film, edit and produce amazing photographs right in the palms of our hands and then decide to keep it for ourselves or share it with the world. This is now the world we live in with data and connectivity at our fingertips. Some as our fore mentioned graffiti artist use this for personal glorification others use it as a way to record and share the beauty and wonder of our surroundings and while doing that give us a glimpse into the beauty inside of their lives for one who see’s such beauty rarely is without an equal light inside. My friend Georgia_stark is of the later doing so anonymous to most and I’m always excited when she puts up new photo’s on her page.

“To me, iPhoneography is all about capturing an image with the bare minimum in equipment that I have ready in my pocket. We don’t need high-end gear to show our world in our own creative way. I’m most  inspired by small, serendipitous moments that I want remember and perhaps use to use to tell a story later.” ~Tracy Bezanson~

As a total lover of the outdoors I too love taking photo’s with my phone when I see something that catches my eye and I want to share. While I’m not at the level of my friend I enjoy the process and it brings me happiness when I see others enjoy what I’ve shared. I see a tree as art, the mountain colors as a living painting and the high mountains with their snowy peaks and icy lakes cathedrals of beauty and every once and a while I’m able to capture that and much more in an image.

old stump

 

Reflection

 

For me, that is art and beauty. What is it for you?

Places to Go: Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch

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FresYes Writing Team

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Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch

At the beginning of the month, I posted about Single Palm Pumpkin Patch, a wonderful family attraction on the far West side of Fresno. For those of you located closer to the Eastern parts of the city, you may enjoy making the short drive to Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch in Reedley, CA, a lovely, family-run, seasonal treasure. Hillcrest, now it its 54th year of operation is located in a heavily-wooded (yet easy enough to find) area of Reedley, and offers picturesque outdoor exploration for the whole family to enjoy.

Hillcrest will delight with a pumpkin patch throughout October and a Christmas tree farm in December. A unique offering of Hillcrest is a beautiful half-scale steam engine train which takes visitors on a 15 minute ride around the farm. During October, Hillcrest is open on weekends from 10am – 5pm, is admission free, and offers visitors a nature trail and play house to explore, $4 train rides, $2 hay rides, snow cones and hot concessions including much-famed corn dogs. Class field trips are also available, and include a pumpkin for each child, hayride, story time and use of the nature trails, playhouse and picnic areas for just $6 per child. Interested teachers should contact Hillcrest at 559-638-2762.

If you enjoy pumpkin hunting at Hillcrest this month, you’ll definitely want to mark your calendars for the Pajama Christmas event in December in which Hillcrest will remain open after dark and offer moonlit train rides, holiday music and lights, fresh baked cookies and a hot cocoa bar to enjoy around fire pits. All guests are encouraged to wear their comfy and cozy pajamas for this special family event. Tickets are sold in advance to ensure groups aren’t too big to make the event enjoyable, so if you’re interested – be sure to snag your tickets well in advance. This event is quite popular.

Hillcrest map

FresYes Families: 5 ways to welcome Fall (even when it’s still hot.)

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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A good friend of mine posted on Facebook over the weekend, “Finally! Sweatshirt and jeans weather in Oklahoma!” I couldn’t help but laugh as a life-long Fresnan, knowing we likely have a good month and a half if not two months before sweatshirt weather. The long summer has it’s perks – swimming into the first week of October, not needing to layer under your kids’ Halloween costumes, barbecues with friends even after you have to put away your post-Labor-Day white pants. But, it does make it a little tricky to know when to welcome Fall. Fall is my favorite season, always has been, always will be. My mom made me pumpkin muffins for breakfast as a kid, so I’m going to be bold and say I liked pumpkin even before Starbucks made it so dang cool.  (Yup, I went there.) So, to help my fellow fall lovers living in my happy home of FresYes or other extended summer areas, I thought I’d share five quick tips on ways to welcome fall without jumping the gun, and respecting the fact that if you wear a sweatshirt right now, you’ll be a sweaty mess.

1. Bake fall foods – with a twist

‘Tis the season for baking with pumpkin. Don’t wait – it’s ok. If you crave it, bake it – no one’s judging! But, don’t serve your pumpkin bread or pumpkin cookies with hot cocoa or coffee – no way! Serve it with ice cream. Try this recipe from Pumpkin-Oat Chocolate Chip cookie recipe from Cooking Classy. I made these cookies on Sunday night for my family with ice cream, caramel and cinnamon (though I subbed butterscotch chips because I didn’t have chocolate on hand) and they were a hit!

Pumpkin Oat Butterscotch Cookies with Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel and Cinnamon

Pumpkin Oat Butterscotch Cookies with Vanilla Ice Cream, Caramel and Cinnamon

 2. Interject fall colors into your wardrobe, mixed with neutrals

Clearly it would be a bad idea to go for your boyfriend sweaters, knit scarves and boots when its 102 out yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start incorporating fall colors into your daily outfits. Rich purples look great with khaki or olive/army green. Gold or amber or can go with dark denim and a neutral cognac sandal.

Purple outfit

An example work outfit I created using Polyvore.com, with purple and neutral khaki

Gold top

An example casual outfit incorporating a gold/mustard top and neutral shoe

3. Bring the scents of fall into your home

If you’re anything like me, when it’s hot out, you’re not ready for the holiday reminiscent cinnamon-y scents – it just feels mismatched. This year however, I found a good compromise at Bath & Body Works – Pumpkin Apple fragranced items! The crisp apple balances out the sweet pumpkin and makes me think more of apple picking (a perfectly acceptable warm September activity) than Christmas (whoa there Speed Racer). Grab a candle, hand soap or car freshener to gently welcome the season without going overboard with the Santa spices.

4. Get your home ready to welcome to upcoming season

Need to spend your weekend air conditioned, but still want to welcome fall? Spend an afternoon making a beautiful wreath for your front door, to transition from summer to fall to year after year. Good Housekeeping has a great feature with 9 Fresh Wreaths you can make this fall, some as inexpensive as $10 to replicate and many neutral enough to put up in late summer and carry you through fall. I’m not particularly crafty, but these wreaths make me want to try to be.

5. Oh, just get the Pumpkin Spice Latte

Over ice of course – tastes just as good! I’ve had several people now tell me an iced pumpkin spice white mocha is heaven (though, that sounds a bit too sweet for my liking) I felt I had a duty to pass this info on.