Maybe part of it is my adverse reaction to the life-draining hotness of summers in the south but I’ve come to relish autumn as much as any other season.  Some of you know which of the four seasons my favorite is, and while spring and summer have their strong points, I’m beginning to lean towards autumn as being my second favorite season.  Here are my reasons behind being a fan of a season that most people dread.

First and foremost is the bounty from nature.  From fresh veggies to fruit to newly harvested grains, this is when food is the best.  Is there anything better than going to a farm that presses fresh apple cider right there on the spot?  I’m salivating just thinking about it – hot or warm, it doesn’t matter.  With the colder months approaching, food gets heartier and more “comfort food-like”.  Sure, the food might be a tad unhealthier but something like a shepherd’s pie on a cool autumn night seems to be a perfect marriage of food and season.

It’s also the beginning of breweries releasing their really tasty seasonal beers.  The Octoberfest and pumpkin and autumn-inspired beers seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon and other great flavors pave the way for the even-better holiday beers.  This time of year is when a brewery can really stand out from the pack with their beers that overflow with flavor.

While we’re on the topic of edibles, does anything tip off that it’s fall than seeing bags of candy corn available in every store you see?  It’s this time of year when I start eating fistfuls of those diabetes-inducing isoscoles triangles of fun.

For the sports nut, this is the time of year when the perfect storm of events comes together – football, baseball playoffs, and hockey.  While I’ve been turned off from college football thanks to the beyond-fanaticism of SEC and ACC fans, it’s fun to see a game on a sunny, 45 degree day up north with 100,000 fans who all share your passion.  And for those wannabe Canadians like myself, hockey season is officially underway!

I don’t know about your personal preferences, but as someone who walks several miles a day, I prefer crisp, colder air that doesn’t make me sweat while getting my heart rate up is a nice bonus to the season.

And, of course, it isn’t Fall without the vibrant colors of the leaves.  Who doesn’t like staring out your window and seeing red, orange, yellow and green splashed out over the landscape?

Autumn is where it’s at, man.