I'm happy to report that fall has most definitely arrived! While we had one suspiciously summery day this week, I think (hope!) we've left our days of 80+ temperatures behind for the year. The trees in our apartment complex are some of the first to turn a vibrant gold and lose their leaves every fall and I've started to see them as an indicator that fall has arrived. Soon they'll be bare, but for these few weeks, on sunny afternoons their color reminds me a little of my beloved alpine larches.

After another stressful week of work, I was happy to pack up the car and head to my family cabin in the mountains for a girls weekend with one of my oldest friends. It rained the entire time we were there, so we hunkered down indoors, watching old movies, working on a puzzle, eating a moderate amount of junk food, and drinking a little too much. If you ask me, there aren't many things better than sitting by a crackling fire, listening to a heavy rain drumming the world outside. Before heading home on Sunday, even though the rain hadn't let up, I decided to go for a short hike along the trail near the cabin. I hadn't brought my hiking shoes, so I didn't make it far before my tennis shoes were soaked and I turned back. Luckily it didn't take long before I found myself in the middle of the most vibrant display of fall color that I've seen in years. If it weren't for the rain and my complete lack of proper rain gear, I might have never wanted to leave!