Autumn Bucket List!

October 3, 2017

Autumn flies by in a flash and if you’re not planning and paying attention, it can get past you before you have a chance to finish your seasonal bucket list! October is the month to get lost in a corn maze, arrange some fall décor or snap a selfie in front the changing colors of autumn leaves. Here are some ideas for plans to make before the season gets away from you!

Get Lost in A Maze

The straw maze and hayrides, pedal carts, bounce castles and pumpkins are an autumn harvest of fun at Nick’s Garden Center in Aurora at 2001 S. Chambers. Take the kids Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

And about 20 minutes from your driveway in the town of Bennett is the Mile High Farms with corn mazes, a petting zoo, unlimited barrel cart rides, tractor tire corn pits, a farmer’s playground and stage performances. Plus, you can pick a pumpkin or two for 80 cents per pound at 11 Cavanaugh Road in Bennett from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Autumn Decor

The Dollar Tree on East Quincy is a great place to find fall décor. Check out the corporate home page showing the autumn porch signs, scarecrows, ceramic pumpkins, ribbon in all kinds of autumn colors, and burlap. Now, keep reading for ideas about what to do with your haul!

Prudent Penny Pincher has pages of design ideas like gourd candles and an autumn leaf-graced centerpiece. Everything you need is at the dollar store and it only costs a dollar (or not much more). You’ll find ideas for a dozen or more fall wreaths using leaves, acorns, hydrangeas and plenty of burlap!

Making Lemonade shares ideas for fall mantels and door décor – still thrifty but trendy and fits any budget. Take note of Carrie’s mantra: “when in doubt, spray paint it!”

The DIY Network has more front entry ideas, including autumn garlands and pillar wraps that only take 30 minutes.

Fall Foliage Pictures

This week may be your last chance to catch some aspen gold and snap the changing colors of leaves in their full autumn regalia. There are still some stunning vistas on the way to the mountains driving up I-70 at the lower elevations.

Maroon Bells, a favorite of amateur and professional photographers alike this time of year (any time, really), has an allure all its own. By this weekend the aspens may have lost most of their leaves, so check the live feed before you head out.

If you do brave the three-and-a-half-hour drive (and that’s one way!) click this link about the shuttle bus into the Bells, and pack a picnic lunch! Trees in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park’s lower elevations might reward you with some yellow and gold. The National Park Service webcams will give you a preview.

Leaves for Crafts

Skip to my Lou has the perfect leaf craft project for you and/or the kids using autumn leaves and acrylic paints. You’ll need a roller to transfer the paint to fabric, which could be a tote, a tablecloth, placemats – or a blank canvas. It’s a simple way to create your own one-of-a-kind work of art.

And paper artist Kate Hust at Design Sponge offers up a DIY project made from red maple leaves: a rosebud bouquet, complete with a picture tutorial. (This is a pick-and-do craft, by the way, using freshly-fallen leaves, pliable enough to fold without tearing.)

Country Living has another 27 more leaf projects to try and of course Pinterest has dozens more for the whole family.

Foodie Things to Do 

The Pioneer Woman makes a mean Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, and calls it creamy, dreamy and out of this world. The secret, she says, is freezing the filling. Recognize the garnish? They’re crushed graham cracker crumbs!

Everybody makes pumpkin pie about this time of year, but here’s something you don’t see – or eat – every year. It’s Sweet Potato Pie with a Cinnamon Roll Crust. Those crispy circles on top are toasted marshmallows, and are the perfect texture and topping.

Autumn into Southshore

This autumn in the master-planned community of Southshore, with its flourishing, amenity-rich surroundings, homebuyers are moving into brand new homes almost every week. We invite you to tour the new Delaney model from Richmond American Homes and explore the latest home designs from Century Communities at The Hills in Southshore! These lakeside homes are available in ranch and two-story models and priced from the upper $300s to the $700s.