Happy weekend

A couple of weeks or so ago I stumbled across this quote by Friedrich Nietzsche: "Notice that Autumn is more the season of the soul than of Nature." Now, I'll have you know I'm not exactly a Nietzsche fan, as I haven't read much of his work, but that quote seemed to sum up much of what I love about the fall, about the crisp air and crunchy leaves underfoot and bouts of refreshing rain. It really is my favorite time of year, and it's so sad that the season doesn't last very long. It comes and goes that quick, and I always feel like I missed out on truly enjoying the season and everything that comes with it, like apple picking or prowling around a pumpkin patch and making batches of soup with fresh market produce and baking up lots of goodies to celebrate the first weeks of cooler weather after such a long, hot summer as we get in California. I don't think I'll ever get enough of fall.

This weekend we're celebrating my nephew's first birthday (although it was actually on Tuesday), and I'm baking him a monstrous apple spice cake for the party. It's hard to believe it's actually been a whole year since he first graced us with his presence, and, since I marked the occasion with an apple cake here on the blog, it seems appropriate, as well as seasonal, that his first birthday cake be another kind chock full of apples and spices, although this time made even better with cream cheese frosting. He's grown into quite the ham since he was born, with a rather irresistible charming smile. It'll be quite a party for the little guy, with lots of family and friends invited to partake of the cake and some ice cream. In the meantime, here are some fall-themed posts for your weekend-

Fall is beautiful even in the rain.

Nothing like a good grilled cheese when the air turns crisp.

Growing up reading L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, I've always wanted to visit Prince Edward Island, and this post definitely inspires more daydreaming.

Studs in shades of autumn.

I've linked to this shop of illustrated quotes before, but new editions have been added since then.

The Impossible Instant Lab can turn your iPhone shots into polaroids.

On my reading list: E. B. White's Here is New York.

Simple yet pretty packaging.

Orange Pippin, an impressive resource for apple varieties and orchards--the site also features a section on vintage looking apple crate labels.

To continue with the apple theme, Frost's After Apple-Picking.

The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee was just published October 9--finally, a thorough and beautiful book for coffee lovers from a true expert.

Another pretty horse print.

Now that it's apple season, what better reason do you need to make homemade caramel?

Extraordinary words.