Watching the Days: A Michigan Fall Bucket List

My goal was to hold sacred the last, long days of warm summer. I drank iced tea and wore flowery skirts and swam in the lake–but somewhere, in the middle of all those things, the world turned under my feet. And it was fall. Just like that.

So now I try to walk with the world as it turns, try to keep up with autumn and all the things I love about it.

I’ve made a fall bucket list. A few of these things I’ve already done. Others, I still hope to do, or want to do again before it’s winter.

If you want to make your own bucket list (and a really good one, too!) you might be interested this post.

This year’s fall bucket list:

1. Drink hot tea every day

2. Get out for a “serious” walk once a week, and short walks often

3. Have a pumpkin cappuccino or two

4. Have soup at least once a week

5. Get doughnuts from a roadside stand

6. Watch Catching Fire and Ender’s Game in theaters

7. Have hot cider and read H. P. Lovecraft stories with Eric by flashlight

8. Spend Thanksgiving in Alabama with family

9. Watch some “scary” movies with girlfriends (like Signs and The Village)

10. Go to the lake (Michigan!)

11. Finish my summer (!) reading list

12. Pick wild apples

13. Make an apple pie and make and freeze applesauce for the year

14. Make my Christmas wishlist

15. Pick red raspberries

No, fall isn’t a “To Do” list. But noticing and savouring these small things is what helps me watch the season.

Because these days go by so fast!