Thrifty Thurston Makes a Fall Bucket List

As the leaves turn orange and brown, the air gets cool and crisp, and we turn our calendars to October, the beginning of fall brings many activities to appreciate during this time of year.

We’ve compiled a bucket list to help you get into the cozy spirit of autumn, from nature walks to seasonal baking. Use this list and see how many you can check off, or use it to help compile ideas to create your own fall bucket list.

• Go on a walk or hike to see the changing fall leaves. Some favorite, mellow hikes include Priest Point and Tolmie State Park. If you’re up for more of a challenge, take a trip to Staircase or to Lost Valley Trail and McKenny Trail Loop for a view of the foliage.
• Watch a scary movie with popcorn. Some classics are Poltergeist, The Exorcist, The Shining, The Blair Witch Project, Psycho, and Carrie, or consider a newer one such as The Visit, The Conjuring, or Cabin in the Woods.

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  Make caramel or candy apples.

• Learn to knit a hat, socks, a scarf, or even a sweater with knitting classes offered at Joann Fabrics and Black Sheep Yarn Boutique.
• Pick up a new book. Some good reads to get you in the mood for fall include The Cider House Rules by John Irving, Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol, Our Endless Numbered Days by Clair Fuller, and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King.
• Carve pumpkins and display them outside your home. A trip to a local pumpkin patch or even your favorite grocery store can provide you with pumpkins to turn into works of art. When you’re done scooping the insides out of the pumpkins, save the seeds and roast them in the oven with a little salt and olive oil for a snack while you work.
• Go to a football game, or organize a pick-up game of football to play with your friends or family.
• Create a DIY Halloween costume for yourself, or help children make their own. Check out Goodwill for some inexpensive costume pieces.

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  Get a crisp cider at Whitewood Cider Co. Tasting Room or Cascadia Homebrew.

• Bake an apple or pumpkin pie. Here’s a tip: making pumpkin pie with sweet potatoes gives the dessert a fuller, richer taste. For other tasty autumnal treats, try making pumpkin bread or gingerbread cookies. If you aren’t much of a baker, pick up a seasonal dessert from your favorite local bakery, such as San Francisco Street Bakery.
• Have a bonfire in your backyard, complete with roasting s’mores.
• Make an autumn wreath to display on your door with seasonal foliage.
• Take advantage of the earlier sunsets and go stargazing with a blanket.
• Take a trip to the Olympia Farmers Market to browse the seasonal produce and crafts offered while supporting local farmers and artisans.
• Go mushroom foraging for a family-friendly way to get outside while learning more about mycology. Bring along a pocket field guide such as All That the Rain Promises and More by David Arora, or pick up the author’s more expensive book, Mushrooms Demystified. This time of year, look for chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, and boletes, along with the classic, and poisonous, amanita muscaria.

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  Visit a corn maze and try to find your way out.

• Take advantage of the clear weather and the quickly ending warmth and take a camping trip. Remember to bundle up, especially at night. If it looks too cold for camping, rent a cabin for a weekend getaway.
• Buy candy either to hand out to trick-or-treaters or for yourself. Try the candy corn and other seasonal treats made locally by Olympia Candy Kitchen.
• Learn how to can and save fresh produce for later in the season.
• Get a festive, seasonally themed coffee drink at Burial Grounds, Olympia’s spookiest coffee shop. While you’re there, check out the local artwork displayed on the walls, their library, and the local crafts offered for sale.
• Light a candle that smells like autumn. If you don’t already have some candles, pay a visit to Long Life Beeswax Candles at the Olympia Farmers Market to help get cozy while supporting a local business with eco-friendly candles.
• Visit a haunted house.
• Drink a cup of hot tea. Consider stopping by Radiance Herbs and Massage to pick up an immune-boosting blend of loose-leaf tea, or make your own mixture with their bulk herbs. Some popular tea ingredients for fall include nettles, cinnamon, rose hips, peppermint, and ginger. Add echinacea and reishi or shiitake mushrooms for immune support.
• If you celebrate Thanksgiving, make a harvest dinner to share with friends and family.
• Make the most of a rainy day by getting cozy with some arts and crafts supplies and finishing a project.