October 2024

October here has been dry with several days warmer than usual. But regardless of seaonal anomalies, the trees still indicate that it is Fall and so we have found several ways to enjoy that this month. Here are all photos and videos.

Autumn Joy

Rob: Peak autumn usually hits around mid-October as usual, and this year the color changes came on slowly and were maybe less vibrant. On a perfect autumn afternoon that seemed worthy of playing hooky, I ended work early and we went to Minnewaska state park to hike to the waterfall along paths of crunchy leaves.  No regrets. Other outings this month included walks along rail trails, visits to local parks, and a trip to the arboretum which is always decorated perfectly this time of year with pumpkins and bales of hay throughout. The Hudson Valley is a lovely place that seems to be made for all the most celebrated American Fall traditions.

Becky's Birthday / Weekend Staycation

Rob: We had one other outing to celebrate not just autumn, but Becky's birthday. We rented a tiny home AirBnB for a night up in Kingston, about an hour north of us. We took a Friday off work and school, and drove up to a popular waterfall in that area (near Woodstock) called Katterskill Falls. Given the lack of rain lately, it was maybe less impressive than some pictures I've seen. But it was a fun little hike along many steps to a view and pools below. We went out for dinner and stayed the night in the AirBnB. Then the next day, we drove over to Rhinebeck, one of the more upscale little towns in the area, and stopped by a fancy bakery there and then checked out the local library. Then we continued on to the town of Hyde Park, known for it's historical mansions. We decided to check out the FDR property and historical site (Springwood) and walked around the grounds a bit. 

Also for Becky's birthday, on the actual day of her birthday, we went out to Texas Roadhouse for dinner and ordered whatever we wanted to celebrate. Alex loves to go there for the rolls, as do we.

Halloween Activities

Rob: Our ward had a trunk-or-treat activity and dinner that we attended. Alex wore his Batman outfit from last year that still fit, and had fun running around the gym although he had no interest in the trunk-or-treat. On Halloween we carved our three pumpkins and did a bit of trick or treating to a few houses by the park in our little town, just enough to help Alex get the idea of it. It was unusually warm, almost 80 F that day, so no jackets or even sweaters were needed. 

What Else Is New

Rob: We got a new slow cooker / crockpot! Which I realize is pretty boring as far as appliances or new things go. Our old one died that I've had for at least 10 years. I actually remember buying it from someone used when I lived in Tempe, and we've made a lot of Coca-cola slow roasted pork and other meals in it since then. RIP Slow Cooker.

Alex: In past autumns, we would build piles of leaves and spin Alex around to crash through them. He has not forgotten this, and has been on the lookout for any spot with lots of fallen leaves to repeat the activity this year. He has also rediscovered the joy of games on his iPad. For the past few months, he has been stuck on YouTube kids for entertainment. So we deleted that for a while so he'd try other things on his iPad, and it seems to be working.

Becky: I got out to do some canvassing a couple times this election season for some of the local races, which is a new experience for me. I enjoyed meeting some of the people working at the local level and their enthusiasm, as well as conversations with those in the neighborhoods I went to.