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I have healthy obsession with fall. On Saturday the leaves were ablaze with color, the weather forecast called for the perfect amount of fall bluster, and I’d painstakingly researched, compared, and hunted down the most spectacular fall farm within a two-hour radius (complete with spreadsheet, y’all. I don’t mess around), so I decreed Saturday my own personal day of Fall Fest goodness.

I like to think it all started like this:

• Diagnosis: Fall Deprivation.
• Cause: 24 years of living in Texas where we have two seasons – “summer” and “almost summer.”
• Symptoms: Addiction to sweaters and participating in an unrealistic amount of fall activities, cooing over orange or red leaves like they are small children, taking pictures of said leaves like they are small children, stockpiling pumpkins, and using pumpkin or apple cider in every recipe.
• Cure: Move to a state with four seasons, and indulge in symptoms until they gradually decrease in intensity or subside in another 24 years.

The trees were nearing their peak color, it was in the high 40s and windy, the sun was shining, and I had my boots on and a hankering for some pumpkins, apple cider, and a little adventure. I’d waited patiently all week and when Saturday morning finally rolled around, I was ready for Fall fest 2012.

I choose Stokoe Farms as the lucky winner of my own personal day of autumn jubilee. Why? Well…

And I think we all know how I feel about petting farm animals, ziplines, corn mazes, pick-your-own-from-the-vine pumpkin patches, slides, wagon rides, and fresh spiced cider and doughnuts.

The farm was about a 30 minute drive from home. As a side note, I love that I can drive less than 15 minutes and be in the country surrounded by corn, horses, and meadows. I also love that I can drive 10 minutes and be in the city, 20 minutes and be at the beach, 40 minutes and be in wine country, 1.5 hours and be at the falls, and 2 hours and be in the mountains. Not too shabby.

Pulling up to the farm this was my view – autumn-hued leaves, a pumpkin patch, and Christmas trees all in one view…heaven!

Obviously, the day needed to start with a fresh apple cider doughnut before I could do any real exploring.

Up next were the animals!

Not pictured are the piglets and the yak. After I had my fill of animal lovin’ (or at least once I decided to let other people have a turn with the animals, because, really, I could love on animals all day long and be a happy camper) I moved on to the fun and games.

Yeah, it was awesome.

I took a break to enjoy the scenery, collect some baby pumps, and eat a caramel-apple snack before the adventuring resumed.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love corn mazes? Especially corn mazes with a quest (you know, other than to find your way out…), like when they do “Barnyard Clue” and you have to find six clues hidden in the maze who discover “whodunit” or when you discover a secret playground in a clearing in the middle of the maze, or when you have to find five finger-painting stations in the maze to determine your silly assignment. I’m a sucker and a schmuck.

With the maze conquered and all five finger-painting stations miraculously found, it was time for the crown jewel of the autumn season – the pumpkin patch!

The pictures are only a mere sampling. The pick-your-own patch was huge! I took home a real beauty of a pumpkin (and, uh, an ear of corn I plucked from the corn maze), perfect for the pumpkin carving and subsequent seed roasting party & fall potluck next weekend!

And because the party can’t end at 3, I took off to my second adventure of the day…a winery tour and tasting at Casa Larga Vineyards! I fully intend to enjoy the fact that I live in wine country. From the get-go this authentic Italian vineyard looked quality. It totally was. Count me impressed. I would definitely bring family and friends to this winery when they come for a visit (so come visit!). It boasts a beautiful country setting overlooking the gorgeous vineyard, the winery tour was excellent – far more informative than other wine tours I have been on – and the wines were definitely top quality…and absolutely tasted so! Delicious!

Most impressive was their ice wine…a true ice wine made of vidal grapes that are frozen on the vine for up to a week then picked and harvested in the dead of a cold winter’s night. It was phenomenal. Casa Larga’s ice wine won the best ice wine in the world award. A well deserved honor. They even make a red ice wine, which is especially rare. You better believe a bottle or two of that ice wine is on my Christmas list!

And finally, I took the pretty road home :)

Hope you all are making the most of your fall!

It goes by so fast…enjoy it while you can :)

And happy football season (Go Pack!)