Fall Is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

at least, I think it is!  Autumn is by far my most favorite time of the year and it officially begins today!  Living in New England we have the opportunity to fully experience the 4 seasons and I think fall is the prettiest.  While I am by no means a "leaf peeper" I do like to see the leaves change colors.  Can't you just see these mountains covered in a blanket of gold, orange and brown leaves?  And there's just something about the days getting shorter, the temperatures getting cooler and that fall-ish smell in the air that I enjoy.   

     One of our favorite things to do in the fall is to visit Carter Hill Orchard.  You can pick your own blueberries, apples and pumpkins or pick up some of their deeee-licious homemade pies and cookies in the bakery.  If Aaron and I are up for the challenge we'll ride our bikes UPHILL the 3+ miles from our house to the orchard to enjoy not only the apple picking but also the scenery.  On a clear day you can see several mountains in the Presidential chain, including Mt. Washington.

    Carter Hill is also one of the NH Audubon Society's Raptor Observatories.  During September and October, thousands of raptors are counted as they pass over Carter Hill.  Volunteers from the Audubon Society collect scientific data on raptor migration in New England and use Carter Hill as an environmental "classroom" for visitors.  It is free to anyone who visits the orchard and binoculars for viewing the birds are even provided to visitors up on the observation tower!

   Last September my dad and I rode our bikes to the orchard and were lucky enough to see a NH Audubon Society volunteer with a rehabilitated hawk.  I am a self-proclaimed animal lover so seeing a wild bird this close was a pretty cool experience for me. 
    This is my dad and his "signature pose" on the deck of the observatory tower.  The sign he's standing next to identifies each of the mountains you can see from the tower.