It's FALL, Y'all ...

It IS.  It's HERE!

This morning when I woke up it was 54 degrees outside.  Last night while driving out of the little Town of MT Laurel, nestled in the Dunnavant Valley, I noticed that the trees blanketing the mountain are putting their fall wardrobe together - pretty colors of gold and deep red.  Birmingham is a fabulous place to watch fall set in, and the Dunnavant Valley is most gorgeous.

My first load of firewood is being delivered this afternoon.  I now have two fireplaces in which to burn firewood  (one in the living room and one outside); I'll surely be Mr. Champion's best customer this year.

Pumpkins are in down at the MT Laurel Grocery - All shapes and sizes.  And colors.  I think I'll have to have the green and orange one.

And - College Football is on today - We're already in Week 5 of the of the N-C-Double-A Schedule, and according to the AP, 3 of the top 10 are SEC teams (#1 - LSU, #3 - Alabama, #10 - S. Carolina), with Florida not far behind.

As I sit in my favorite chair with my Saturday morning coffee, this is my sensory stimuli: windows open, I can smell the cool air (it just "smells" chilly, it's different than that warm summer morning air).  The leaves are rustling on the trees, some of them have already turned golden.  Some of the already fallen ones are tumbling down the street, racing with a little boy on his bike.   I am reading my favorite cooking magazines for ideas to create something fabulous ... I can almost taste fall.

It's FALL, Y'all!  That means it's time for soups and stews and cornbread.  Time for chili on a cool afternoon.  And time for pumpkin cheesecake and apple butter on warm toast.   I hope you will enjoy some of MY favorite things to make in the fall over the next few weeks.