One of the loveliest characteristics of New England, and New Hampshire in particular, is the fall and its wonderful fall foliage. There are many things that one can and should do during this marvelous season.

One thing I do every year without fail is go apple picking. Mack’s Farm is only a half hour from campus, and I could spend a whole day walking through the farm. There are 4 different locations for one to pick apples, each with all different kinds. I always love meandering through the orchard to find the reddest and juiciest apples possible.

After spending several hours picking and munching on some apples, I make my way to the pumpkin patch. Finding “the perfect pumpkin” is quite an adventure. I grab one of the wagons provided, and I weed out the bad pumpkins to find a good pumpkin to carve, in addition to a few smaller pumpkins that make my humble abode a bit more festive.

I make my final stop of the day to the Farm Market. Although I have already picked my apples and pumpkins, I enjoy perusing through the variety of squashes they have. They have huge bins of squash and pumpkins of all different sizes, and they have countless bags of apples for people to purchase.    Another place for pumpkin picking is McQuesten Farm in Litchfield. There, they have hayrides, goats, rabbits, and a variety of birds. They also grow their own vegetables, which they sell at their store. It is a lovely place to go visit on these beautifully crisp afternoons. It reminds me of the time I rode my horse and buggy through the sparsely inhabited New Hampshire to get to the local market, and flirted ever so modestly with the brawny young men who worked on the farm.

Before I became too old and brittle, I loved to climb Mount Monadnock. There are so many different trails, which span from very steep to very easy.  Every once in a while, I like to hobble along one of the short and easy paths just enough to get a nice view, and then I make my way back. I usually ask one of the charming and rugged mountain rangers to assist a frail old lady up the mountain; they make lovely company.

Although the view from Mount Monadnock is breathtaking anytime of the year, when ascending the mountain in the fall, one should stop and look out at the scenery at different points, and simply notice how beautiful New Hampshire is. I always loved stopping at certain points throughout my hikes because I could see how much progress I had made on my way to the top.

I know you college kids are caught up in your Sunday football, but perhaps you should take a trip one weekend to enjoy the fall air and the gorgeous foliage. Don’t get me wrong, this old girl loves to sip her beverages while watching a great game of football, but there is more to do on a Sunday afternoon than just sitting in front of a television screen, especially because you can get the scores sent to your phone and watch recaps of the games.

There are only a few good weekends left, so consider what I have said, especially you seniors who are not from around the area.