Carolina Autumn

Posted: September 17, 2007

Awful August is over. September has lost its sizzle. Autumn is on the horizon. I watched the sun come up this weekend at my cabin off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Alleghany County. With a chilly breeze and a hot mug of coffee in my hands life sure felt sweet. I absolutely love this time of the year.

A brisk hike at Stone Mountain State Park was another weekend highlight. It was also great seeing my son at Appalachian State University in Boone. Will is adjusting well, loving school, making new friends and enjoying his freshman freedom. I just wish we could have stayed and watched the football game Saturday afternoon but Cindy and I had a dinner party near Roaring Gap that night. Fall football at Kidd Brewer Stadium is one of my favorite fall destinations. It ranks right up there with an October gridiron battle at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill.

Enough about me. What are your favorite things about fall in North Carolina? I'd love to hear from you.

By the way, tomorrow we'll announce the winner of the Essential Carolina contest.

Image of Hope Posted: September 10, 2012

Charming Southport Posted: August 14, 2012

My trip to Charlotte Posted: July 30, 2012

21 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

This blog post is closed for comments.

page 1 \| 2
<prev	next>

sort order: oldest first | newest first

Riding around in Person County on a Saturday

Boogalooboy
September 18, 2007 7:27 a.m.

Report abuse

The small of someone lighting the first fire in the fireplace. The State Fair. College football..Go Pack! The golden color of everything as the sun drops in the late afternoon. The morning you need to slide on a sweat shirt to walk the dogs. Good home made soup. Turnip greens, collard greens and fried cornbread.

jchalmersnc
September 18, 2007 5:50 a.m.

Report abuse

While I don't own a cabin, Bill, we rent one 2-3 times a year. To be on the porch of the cabin near Grandfather Mtn. on a crisp, sunny fall morning. There is no cleaner air than that! Picking mountain apples and looking out over colorful trees shedding their colors. You just can't beat it!

mcmags
September 17, 2007 10:51 p.m.

Report abuse

The cool mornings and just warm enough afternoons...beautiful leaves on the trees...high school and college football games...high school band competitions...church homecomings...sitting on the beach on a cool fall afternoon...pumpkin pies...fall displays in yards...the beautiful blue skies with just a few fluffy white clouds...mums and pansies of all colors.

Snoopy Gal
September 17, 2007 9:13 p.m.

Report abuse

Leaves on trees that remind you of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles; Throwing a football in the yard with my five year old son; drinking early morning coffee with my wife; walking the beautiful campus of UNCW with a crisp breeze blowing around you; and I am not ashamed to say that I love to watch a Football game at Wallace Wade Stadium; the music of James Taylor; and, of course, the most beautiful mountains in the Country-the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.

OldTimeRadio
September 17, 2007 7:34 p.m.

Report abuse

As I called home yesterday afternoon for my regular Sunday chat it made me miss times that have long past; The invigorating cool North Carolina air that calls for a bike ride; Sunday's when even Grandma and Grandaddy would skip church for an outing to the N.C. Zoo in Asheboro, raking leaves when I was little just to play in them with our labradors (who've long since passed), and my most enjoyable North Carolina Autumn memory -living in Wilmington, N.C. and walking on Wrightsville Beach in late October as the wind whips and the waves roar with my Fiance' (now husband) and our little Yorkshire Terrier.

wakeraised
September 17, 2007 3:49 p.m.

Report abuse

missparrothead: You stole mine! I thought I was going to be the first to mention opening the windows again & letting the fresh breeze flow through - I love it!

Daily walks outside again at night instead of on the old treadmill from a long, hot, humid summer.

The crisp scent of the air, with cool mornings & Carolina Blue skies.

The smell of leaves burning. Geese honking & flying by overhead or nearby as they make their way to where??

Sitting on the front porch or back deck reading, feeling invigorated by the breeze & cool air. Having our toddies there too, after work Friday & on the weekends.

Admiring God's palette of changing colors & the range of gorgeous colors on the trees.

Being able to work in the garden again & catching up on yard chores, where the crab grass has just about taken over everything. Sprucing everything up with new pinestraw.

Riding in the car yesterday with front windows down & sunroof wide open - my hubbie & I felt like teenagers again.

CestLaVie
September 17, 2007 3:30 p.m.

Report abuse

Oh how I love this time of year. I love sitting on my front porch watching the mommy deer and their babies. They actually let us come out on the front porch and watch them search for food! I love to drink a cup of coffee on the front porch too. I also know Thanksgiving is coming up... my kids will be home from school and we take walks back in the woods and the kids each have their food item they make for the dinner. I love driving with the windows open looking at the leaves and down my road with all the colored leaves -it looks like a tunnel. It is beautiful. I love camping this time of year as well!

cheddarhead
September 17, 2007 2:29 p.m.

Report abuse

Oyster's are in season!

2thebeach
September 17, 2007 2:20 p.m.

Report abuse

Lots of warm, comfortable sunny days and cool mornings and evenings. I love exercising on early fall mornings- not too cold yet and the fresh air gets you going. Opening windows in the house to feel the fresh breeze is invigorating.

missparrothead
September 17, 2007 2:05 p.m.

Report abuse