As the wind blows colder, leaves shift into vibrant hues, days fall shorter, and the sun takes longer to peak out from the east, autumn inspires many with its ironic warmth as it remains a poetic symbol of change. Autumn is more than just a regretful goodbye to summer; it brims with opportunity for creativity and connection. The school year is in full swing. There is lots of planning for homecoming, and later Halloween. Here are some ideas to add to your to-do list for October.
Visit the pumpkin patch
The first activity someone can do is going to the Pumpkin Patch. Native Americans introduced pumpkins to European settlers who heartily embraced the sweet, multi-purpose fruit. It is used as a side dish, dessert, soap, soup, beer, decoration, snack, and oil. It’s common to see a pumpkin flavored dish on the Thanksgiving table. Getting the pumpkin itself, carving it for halloween, and making a variety of tasty desserts can be a nice family activity. Because of its wide variety of uses, visiting pumpkin patches with family and friends has been a long-standing tradition in the United States.
Here in Aurora, there are quite a few pumpkin patches. Through Sept. 21 and Oct. 27, you can buy a ticket at Abbey Farms for an event called Pumpkin Daze. Outside of these dates, you can visit their 40-acre pumpkin farm and petting zoos on weekends. They have many other attractions, and timings are listed on their website: Abbey Farms.
There are a couple of farms that offer similar attractions such as: Johansen Farms, Windy Acres Farm, Sugar Grove pumpkin farm, Blackberry Farm, and Keller Farmstand.
Heartwarming movie recommendation
In October spending quality time with our loved ones is precious, and another fantastic way to do that is by watching movies together, so here are some heartwarming movie recommendations.
The Blind Side (2009) : The movie is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a Black teenager from a broken home who is taken in by the Tuohys, a wealthy white family. The Tuohys help Oher overcome his difficult upbringing and fulfill his potential on and off the football field.
It showcases beautiful family bonds and reminds us how important familial bonds are to thrive.
The Little Rascals (1994) : This movie is another classic, albeit a lot more silly. It is about a group of elementary school-aged boys, Spanky, Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Stymie, and Porky, who are members of the “He-Man Woman Hater’s Club.” The movie is about the betrayal that occurs when Alfafa starts dating Darla, an adorable little girl in the neighborhood.
The Big Friendly Giant (BFG) (2016) : An orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world. It is a children’s movie with a charming portrayal of the BFG and his friendship with Sophie, a dreamy world and their adventure.
And for ghibli lovers, Kiki’s delivery service will be playing in Cinemark theaters for its 35th anniversary. It was made in 1989 by legendary Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki. This movie is about a resourceful young witch who uses her broom to create a delivery service only to lose her gift of flight in a moment of self-doubt. It is a tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon and fly off into the wide world to learn their craft. When that night comes for Kiki, she embarks on her new journey with her sarcastic black cat, Jiji, landing the next morning in a seaside village where her unique skills make her an instant sensation. Featuring the voices of Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, and Debbie Reynolds. It will be playing on the 26, 28 and the 30 of October.
Horror movie recommendation
And then we have classic horror movies. The scariest movies are the ones that depict the ordinary horrors of living.
First up we have Requiem For a Dream (2000) : In the drug-induced utopias, depicting 4 different types of drug addiction. Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep. Imaginatively evoking the inner landscape of human beings longing to connect, to love and feel loved, the film is a parable of happiness gloriously found and tragically lost. “Requiem For a Dream” tells parallel stories that are linked by the relationship between the lonely, widowed Sara Goldfarb and her sweet but aimless son, Harry. The plump Sara, galvanized by the prospect of appearing on a TV game show, has started on a dangerous diet regimen to beautify herself for a national audience.
Goodnight Mommy (2014) : Twin boys move to a new house with their mother after she has face-changing cosmetic surgery, but under the bandages is someone the boys do not recognize.
Shutter Island (2010) : Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, two US marshals, are sent to an asylum on a remote island in order to investigate the disappearance of a patient, where Teddy uncovers a shocking truth about the place.
Other activities
While cozying up with a good movie is a fantastic way to enjoy the season, Autumn also offers a rich variety of activities that invite you to step outside and embrace the fall ambiance.
The Aurora Maize is a great way to do just that. It has movie nights, cornfield mazes, courtyard activities, hay rides, campfires, concessions, and the county store where you can buy souvenirs.
Going to the Aurora Skate center is another option. There are morning and afternoon sessions for those of all skating levels, and nighttime sessions for those with a bit more skill.
Another great way to spend time with family is baking.
Donut recipe
Ingredients: 2 TBSP yeast, 1 cup warm water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 stick butter, melted, 1/2 cup warm milk, 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp vanillin (vanilla sugar)
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar together and let poof for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Whisk in the remaining sugar, salt, warm milk, butter, eggs, and egg yolks. Add in the flour and mix over low-speed until dough comes together. Knead for 5 minutes. The dough should be tacky, placed in an oiled bowl and allowed to rise for 1 hour in a warm place.
Step 3: Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness (about a 17-inch oval.)
Step 4:Cut out donuts using a 3.5-inch donut cutter. Re-use scraps and continue cutting out remaining dough. Allow donuts to rise another 20-30 minutes.
Step 5: Heat 2-3 cups of oil in a medium-sized frying pan over medium-low heat. Fry donuts until lightly golden on each side. Transfer onto paper towels and continue to fry 3-4 donuts at a time.
Step 6: Combine the glaze ingredients and dip warm donuts in the glaze. serve.
Note** use mild frying oils such as canola.
Cake recipe
Ingredients: All-purpose flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla essences, baking powder, cardamom powder (optional), nuts (optional)
*note*
Flour, sugar, eggs, butter and eggs can be mixed in any amount but all of these ingredients have to be of equal measurement.
Step 1: 1 cup of sugar eggs butter and flour.
Step 2: 1 spoon of vanilla essence
Step 3: ½ spoon of baking powder
Step 4: a pinch of cardamom powder
Step 5: mix well.
Step 6: preheat the oven 325 degrees fahrenheit
Step 7: set the timer for 20-25 minutes and continue to check with a toothpick to see if it’s finished cooking.
Fall reads
Along with all these activities, you can fully embrace the autumn vibe with the Literary Magazine. It has writing competitions coming up centered around the fall theme. Just like Lit Mag, there will also be many other club specials to celebrate the coming of the new season.
For our book lovers here are some autumn vibe books to occupy your weekends.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: The Night Circus is about two people, Celia and Marcus, who since they were children were told they are to duel to the death at some point in their lives. Celia is chosen as the competitor for her father, Prospero the Enchanter. Meanwhile, Mr. A.H. selects Marco, a boy plucked from a London orphanage, to represent him. Very quickly, the two competing apprentices feel an attraction towards each other, knowing full well that they’ve been selected as rivals. The two smitten apprentices are at first blithely unaware of the contest’s full rules, but in due course Celia and Marco find out that it is not merely a casual competition. They’re trained by these two old magicians who have been fighting each other by proxy for centuries. But when someone decided they wanted to make a circus filled with imagination and magic, it became the playground for both Celia and Marcus to show off their magical skills before the very end.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is a thrilling novel that tells the story of a group of elite college students who commit a murder and struggle to keep their secret hidden, ultimately leading to their downfall.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling:
Harry Potter is a young wizard who discovers his magical heritage on his 11 birthday when he receives a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Although not as popular, reading short stories is definitely a great way to immerse yourself in stories for not too long, so we can actually get our school work done. Here are some of my favorites that get me into that strange yet comforting feeling.
Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl
‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ is a short story about the murder of police detective Patrick Maloney by his wife Mary. Driven to homicide after her husband’s unexpected announcement that he’s leaving her and their unborn child, Mary quickly regains her senses after fatally killing him with the leg of lamb.
Invitation to a Murder by Josh Pachter
The best lawyers across the country receive a special letter all at the same time, inviting them to a murder.
Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
“The Yellow Wallpaper” is a short story with elements of psychological horror that details one woman’s descent into madness as a result of patriarchal constraints. Written in 1892, the story serves as an allegorical portrayal of female repression and is a significant and influential work of feminist literature.
The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
Poe uses symbols such as a talking raven, a bust of Pallas, and the narrator’s chamber to share the story while representing his narrator’s struggle with grief. “The Raven” summary can be boiled down to this: a talking raven turns a man mad by declaring he will forget his lost love ‘nevermore’.
There are a myriad of things to do during fall, like escape rooms, antiquing, visiting a pet shelter, creating playlists to exchange with friends, the list goes on and on. The idea is that even when it’s colder, there are a lot of things to do to have fun.
Studying can always be done alone, but you will not be able to hang out with your loved ones whenever you want. The seconds you spend right now will never come back to you. Do things. Do lots of things, fun things. Spend time with family and friends, be there with them. And learn to live without ever regretting that you should have spent more time with them, Live.
