Time for some Sunday Stealing!

1. Are there any fall-specific hobbies or crafts you enjoy pursuing?
Does Horrordailies count as a hobby? Having fun with it this year.

2. Do you have any favorite fall-inspired recipes you like to cook or bake?
The first batch of Grandma’s Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Chili is always special.

3. Are you a fan of Halloween? If so, what’s been your favorite costume?
It’s my favorite holiday! I’d say my favorite costume is Vampire’s Victim. I like to be ironic.

4.  Do you have any childhood memories related to the autumn season?
Considering my birthday is in October, yes.

5.  What kind of outdoor activities do you enjoy during the autumn months?
Walking, hiking, reading on the balcony.

6. Do you look forward to ‘sweata weatha’? What is your favorite go-to outfit for autumn?
I start looking forward to sweata weatha in June. Of the four seasons, I like summer fifth.

7. Are you a fan of pumpkin or apple flavored treats or beverages?
Pumpkin treats with apple beverages.

8. Which fall scents do you find most appealing?
Air. I live in the D.C. metro area. By mid-July just breathing is a reminder that the District was built on a swamp. Also, warm apple cobbler, pumpkin pie, mulled wine, allspice.

9. Do you like to visit apple orchards or pumpkin patches or corn mazes?
I haven’t been to an apple orchard in 30 years, but I would love to go. When I went, we did “gleaning,” where we went through all of the recently fallen apples that couldn’t be sold to bag them up for food banks.

10. Have you ever participated in or attended a fall festival or harvest fair?
In my college days my then-sweetheart and I used to go to the Feast of San Gennaro festival in New York. He was Jewish but everyone thought he was Irish and they would yell things at him from the game booths, like, “Hey, Irish boy, win your nice Italian girlfriend a prize!” I supposed he kind of looked Irish, with black hair, green eyes, some freckles, and a smallish nose that was absolutely a plastic surgeon’s work.

11. What’s your favorite thing about autumn?
The cooler weather. But I think it will be my new tradition to leave the country for Thanksgiving. Bird-loving vegetarian-near-vegan here. The last thing I want to see on a table is a bird carcass.

12. Are you more of a cider or hot chocolate person when it comes to fall beverages?
Hot chocolate.

13. What’s your ideal way to spend a crisp autumn evening?
Windows open, watching a movie. Or maybe going for a walk to see Halloween decorations.

14. Do you like to dress up for Halloween? What’s your favorite costume or what costume do you plan for this year? Do you like to make your own costume?
I haven’t dressed up in years. I keep saying that one day I’ll have a costume-required Halloween party but I’m not sure I’d be all that great a hostess anymore. I’ve become defensive of my lair and kind of lazy about dealing with food. Maybe if I could have it catered.

15. Are you a football fan? What’s your favorite team?
I used to be a huge Jets fan, but I haven’t watched football in years. Not even the Super Bowl, actually. Too many bros acting up with their toxic masculinity, too many commercials, too much overt sexuality with women in skimpy costumes (see “toxic masculinity” earlier in the sentence). Just not my thing anymore.

But let’s end this on a fun note, shall we? Came across these nice folks on a walk with friends today. The song that popped into my head was “Groovin’,” by The Young Rascals, because I’m twisted like that.

Kudos to the homeowners. Also, kudos for D.C. not being New York, because in New York all of that would have been stolen, including the bistro set. My only suggestion is to not use that decorative webbing. Birds and other critters can get caught in it.