Vickie Fee

Pumpkin Spice and everything nice

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Things I love about October: leaves changing color, widely available pumpkin spice options, and Halloween decorations and movies.

Image: Pixabay

Leaves are ablaze with color here in the Marquette area. The most spectacular fall displays in the Upper Peninsula are actually in the Keweenaw Peninsula, in case you’re planning a visit. It’s a couple of hours drive from our home to the middle of the Keweenaw. Hubs and I made the drive up with friends to enjoy the fall color a few years ago. Seeing the brilliant foliage was wonderful, but we also had an ulterior motive. We wanted to make a run to The Jampot in Eagle Harbor before it closed for the winter. (The website says it close for the 2024 season on Oct. 12). 

The Jampot is affiliated with Poorrock Abbey, a Byzantine Rite Catholic Monastery. It makes and sells amazing jams and jellies, raising money for the monastery. Once snow comes to the U.P., the backroads location of The Jampot becomes inaccessible, which is why it always closes for the season sometime in October. If you ever get a chance to visit, I highly recommend the blueberry and thimbleberry varieties.

Image: Pixabay

Speaking of flavors, I know pumpkin spice is a contentious issue. Some people love it, some hate it. I unapologetically LOVE it! I currently have a bag of pumpkin spice coffee on my kitchen counter. I only make it when hubs isn’t home or isn’t drinking coffee. He cuts his caffeine consumption off earlier in the day than I do. He avoids caffeine after noon. I don’t. That is, I don’t avoid coffee anytime of the day or night. In the fall, I generally also keep some pumpkin spice flavored creamer around. This allows me to make regular coffee for both of us and spike my mug with pumpkin spice. I also enjoy pumpkin spice doughnuts and spicy pumpkin pie, which is my favorite Thanksgiving dessert, or maybe pecan pie. Or maybe it’s a tie.

I don’t do a lot of Halloween decorations. Traditionally, I just put up a Halloween-themed wreath on the door. But frankly, I misplaced it a few years ago. Mysteriously,I find myself attracted to mini-pumpkins and other small gourds at the grocery store this time of year. I’ll end up buying a few cute gourds and piling them in a bowl in the middle of the dining table. This pleases me and puzzles my husband.

Image: Pixabay

I’ll be watching a series of Halloween-worthy movies between now and the end of the month. I like classic old films with Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Vincent Price. So far this year, I’ve only watched The Mummy (Karloff). I rarely miss a year also watching House on Haunted Hill (Price). Other favorites include The Corpse Vanishes (Lugosi), Clue, and Rocky Horror Picture Show.

I prefer campy, creepy fun films. You won’t catch me watching truly scream-inducing movies, like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm’s Street or Chucky. Although, The Sixth Sense, The Others, and Young Frankenstein fit the bill, along with everything Hitchcock. 

Lately I’ve seen a recurring commercial on some cable TV channel where a woman covered in gauze says she had a dream the devil was stalking her. I had a dream once where the devil touched my back with his cold bony finger. It still creeps me out just thinking about it.

What do you love about October/autumn? What about pumpkin spice — love it or hate it? Do you have a favorite scary/Halloween movie? Or maybe one that was so scary it traumatized you for life? Share in the comments.

31 thoughts on “Pumpkin Spice and everything nice”

  1. I love everything about the Fall. The colors and cool weather are my favorites, but pumpkin spice is not far behind. We live in a retirement community, and I love seeing all the different door decorations on each apartment. This year I chose little straw squirrels holding their acorn stashes and Happy Fall signs along with my Lego Fall centerpiece creation for the table outside my door. (I kill real flowers) My Halloween cross stitch hanging will go up in a few days. Sweaters will come out and more knitting projects will also start. It is also a good time to curl up with a good mystery book and a cup of coffee/tea. Fall is a WONDERFUL time!

    Carol

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  2. I love October. My wife and I were both born during the month, so that makes it a biggie! We, alas, don’t get trick or treaters at our house, but will celebrate Halloween by watching Young Frankenstein and Muppet Haunted Mansion.

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    3. Happy Birthdays to you and your wife, JC! My daughter and her husband both have Oct bdays. We don’t get trick-or-treaters either and we may not even realize it’s Halloween around here. That’s the problem with working from home!

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      1. We live in apartments where you have to get buzzed in to enter, so we don’t get trick-or-treaters. But our newish neighbor has a toddler daughter on the weekends, I’ll shop for her this year. I love hearing her squeal and run through the apartment!

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  3. Cool temps, gorgeous leaves, crackling fires – what’s not to love about October? The map says we are at peak color for the leaves right now in the Laurel Highlands, but I don’t believe it. Still a lot of green out there.

    Pumpkin spice in moderation (baked goods, yes – air fresheners, no).

    The jam sounds amazing!

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  4. I love the weekend “fests” held in so many small towns here in NH–people come from far and wide, the weather is generally gorgeous, the leaves are on fire (color-wise) and there are all kinds of food, drink, crafts, books, music–just about everything. It’s all very social before the long winter. I’m not a scary or creepy movie lover, sadly. I was the editor of the Blair Witch book series way back–and had to watch the original movie. I have never recovered. The only thing that saved me on the job was that a good friend authored it–and I knew she was the least thing from evil.

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    1. my maiden name is Blair. When my brother and his wife learned they were expecting their first child they made a an announcement video in the style of Blair Witch Project that was super cute. My bro teaches digital studies at a small Christian university.

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  5. Here in Santa Cruz, autumn generally brings warm days, and I love how the light changes to a soft yellow and the air becomes crisp and fresh. But we’re off for Hilo next week, where it will feel like summer all over again! Until the rains come, that is….

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  6. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I enjoy Pumpkin Spice in other things. I usually get Trader Joe’s pumpkin frozen waffles this time of year. And they have a turkey/sweet potato burrito that is wonderful. (I know it’s not pumpkin spice, but it’s seasonal.)

    Got to get my Halloween decorations up. I don’t do much, but I do a little bit.

    I don’t think I’m going to get any spooky movies in this year. I do usually go for the darker stuff, but I’m on vacation next week, so I don’t think I’ll have the time to get any in.

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  7. We don’t get the cool foliage of other states, but I do get to experience a little bit of eerie fog. I enjoy a dash of pumpkin spice, usually in baked goods. But I’m not into creepy movies or even scary decorations; I’ll generally set up pumpkins and cutesy stuff for trick-or-treaters on our street.

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  10. I love October. The sights, sound and smells bring everything back and put it all in perspective. I appreciate everything more than before, and I look forward to renewal. 🎃🍁🌙

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