Enjoying the Season Day 8

Week 2 Autumn Traditions

Day 8 Annual Hikes and Feasts

Here we are in the middle of the season already, though it feels like we just got started! It's the second weekend in October and things are in full swing in lovely Niagara.

Everywhere you turn there is a harvest shindig of some kind. The lovely landscape beckons for us to come and explore at every turn. The harvest is around us, just a walk around the corner and we come upon the vineyards, heavy with grapes. I'd love to sneak in one more winery tour...hmmm.

In Canada here, Thanksgiving is upon us, now. The feasting begins, and continues, for days sometimes. Tomorrow we celebrate the holiday at my sisters updated farmhouse in Jordan, the weather promises incomparable loveliness, and plans for the kiddos include a bouncy castle and bobbing for apples.

For us, it is a truly multicultural affair. We sisters are of Canadian-Greek heritage, but we're joined by our students - Chinese, Danish and Columbian. My brother-in-law's family is South African and we've got the Scot-British-Welsh mixed with Italians and French. Should be a great time! On Monday, we'll do our own little celebration as the holiday gives us a long weekend.

Thanks to the long weekend, there's ample opportunity for hiking and enjoying our region. Yesterday we started off with a hike to Balls Falls. It was gorgeous! We got to see the salmon running upstream to lay their eggs. Who knew they would come this far inland up the St.Lawrence River!? We - bought some more apples and pears at a roadside stand and have been enjoying every sweet, crispy luscious one. There are little adventures everywhere you turn. Hoping to get out to Heartland Forest this weekend, and maybe take our students skating too.

Every year we get out to one of the local Pumpkin Farms; this year we'll return to Bryanne Farm. We love their quaint barn with the animals, the hayride and the activities for the kids. Last month we already went to an apple orchard with our homeschool group - Windwood Farm and we had a blast!

We also trek through Decew Falls (home of Morningstar Mill) and the Niagara Gorge. We also love Happy Rolfs Bird Sanctuary. Thanks to the home school group we'll be doing many more this year, but these are our favs.

At the end of October we have an annual Harvest Hoorah with all our friends' families. Lots of crazy games and activities and the best part is the pot luck dinner. Usually there are countless slow cookers full of yumminess! By hosting a family event in the fall, we don't feel bad about having an adult only event during the holidays :)

This is usually followed by Halloween fun. Then coooolddd (and usually wet) November is upon us. We usually attend a performance at the Shaw Festival in picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake.

This year there are so many great shows playing - My Fair Lady, The President, Candida, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - it'll be hard to choose! Plus they opened a Starbucks on the main road now!!! Serious date night I tell you.

November in our house boasts several Birthdays, so we usually have much to be merry about. My dear friend Jodi who usually does our family photos, hosts a fall feast in November which is always something to look forward to - she/we always plan a hike, but we usually end up kiboshing that and just eat...and eat... and eat... and then explode. It's so.. much... fun. The weeks of the Fall are rounded out with football games, parades and day trips near home like to Dufferin Islands...

Who could NOT enjoy this area and this seasons finest? We love to get out and see the changing leaves (we always intend to drive down to Ellicottville and see the Allegheny's in their splendour, but it doesn't always happen.)

Sometimes we have to "settle" for little places like these...

and this...

it's rough, I know...

November also brings Christmas shopping trips - esp. Stateside - love those, and the decorating parties and the baking exchanges...and then it's the holidays... after those, we collaspe in January and hibernate for a least a few weeks before we're ready to enjoy winter at it's finest.

But until then, we'll enjoy living in this beautiful region while it's in it's autumnal glory.