Autumn in Arizona
“Here comes the fall, doo-doo-doo-doo, here comes the fall
And I say it’s all right
Little darling, it’s been a long hot lonely summer
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here.”
For Phoenicians, the Fall is when we emerge from our homes having survived another summer of living on the surface of the sun. Bike paths and hiking trails and parks fill up with people delighted by “cooler” temperatures.
So I keep reappropriating this old Beatles tune as I anticipate the coming months.
Of course, we had to hunt for the beginning of Fall by spending the weekend in the mountains.
Listening to music that sounds like Fall.
What sounds like Fall to you? Here is my Spotify playlist.
Looking for changing colors on hikes.
I’m loving my new hiking sling bag from Osprey.
Tasting our first Oktoberfest of the season.
Who makes your favorite Oktoberfest? We’re partial to a local brew from San Tan.
Puzzling a Fall scene.
We knew our limitations and stuck to 500 pieces. This lovely Fall scene from Central Park.
Reading with a cozy blanket with an actual chill in the air.
There is nothing better than a soft blanket and a book.
Hunting for pinecones to take home.
I threw a bunch of items into an old basket I brought home from Ethiopia to add a sense of Fall – pinecones, cinnamon sticks, whole nutmegs, star of anise, and dried orange slices.
Eating my Scandinavian apple coffee cake.
Would you like my recipe? Here she is.
Crumb Topping
1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
Cake
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 apples, diced
Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Crumb Topping: Combine dry ingredients. Add butter and mix with a fork. Set aside.
Cake: Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer. Add the eggs slowly, beating a few seconds each time. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and beat until combined. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add to the mixer and beat until combined. Fold in the apples. Spread the batter into the pan and top with the crumb topping. Bake for 45 minutes.
Happy Fall Y’all!