The weather is teasing us. For a (cold) second, it felt like fall was coming. The air was crisp, the breeze was cool, and suddenly it became necessary to don the kind of chunky sweater that goes best with a steaming mug of apple cider and a yard full of crunchy leaves.

And then, just this Wednesday, Middletown hit a whopping high of 94 degrees, and we were once again reduced to prying our bedroom windows open another inch in the hope of tempting in an ultimately muggy and sweltering breeze.

But listen, guys, fall is really coming. The Argus may not have a meteorologist on staff, but if we did, ze’d tell you that it’s going to get chilly soon and that this is as good an excuse as any to jump into autumn activities with the enthusiasm of a five-year-old diving into a pile of freshly fallen maple leaves.

Thoreau would surely understand your desire to soak up the season—so pull out your to-do list, and put these things at the top.

Go to a Farmers’ Market

Snap up the last joys of the summer season and get an early jump on the fine fruits of fall at a local farmers’ market. There’s perhaps no better time of year to sample New England’s produce. The North End Farmers’ Market, held on Fridays on Main Street through Oct. 25, is an excellent option if you’re a dedicated pedestrian, but you’ve got a lot more choices if you can secure a car for a few hours. A personal favorite of Argus staffers is the Sunday Farmers’ Market in Chester, Conn. Almost absurdly charming, the main drag in this small town bustles with activity on market day as a little creek burbles beneath its stone bridges. Expect delicious local honey, creamy dairy products, and more apples than you can throw a cinnamon stick at.

 

Take a Drive

Sure, it smacks of middle age, but you might give your parents’ generation some credit after taking a long drive through the many scenic routes Connecticut has to offer for prime fall-foliage views. Foliage drives range throughout the state, and maps are available on ctvisit.com. Prime foliage time this year should start around Columbus Day at the northwestern and northeastern corners of the Nutmeg State and spread to the coast by mid-November. Consider packing a picnic basket (maybe with your new farmers’ market finds) and finding a Technicolor tree under which to lounge. Take some reading, take some friends, take some pictures—and don’t take it too hard when you don’t actually get any of that reading done.

 

Pick Something

Something edible, that is. Connecticut does not mess around when it comes to fall-time pick-your-own farms. Lyman Orchards is, of course, a classic choice. Its weird farm-turned-theme-park style is something that should be experienced by every Wes-kid before ze graduates, but there are plenty of places that offer apple trees without overzealous signage to boot. Check out High Hill Orchard in Meriden, Conn., for instance. The farm uses “natural growing practices” and offers some organic and low-input produce. Pick some apples, choose some pumpkins, take a hay ride, and sip on piping hot apple and pear cider, which are described as “excellent” by pickyourown.org (yeah, that’s a thing—check it out).

 

Get Baked

Autumn is a time to indulge in that most American of traditions, pies. Or really, baked goods in any form. Fusion Bakery (near Metro Movies in Middletown) is offering apple bars as of late and is sure to keep up the fall theme for the months ahead. If you’re more of the do-it-yourself type, try making your own apple or pumpkin pie this year. If you’re really ambitious, you can even prepare the pumpkin filling from an actual pumpkin. It’s not as hard as it sounds and is a great weekend project if you need a break from your homework with something that will get your hands dirty.

 

Decorate

There’s nothing like fall to make you think of home: Thanksgiving, curling up by the fire, and chilly days are guaranteed to remind you of family and a return to the comforts of your childhood abode. Whether you’re a new transplant (welcome, freshmen!) or a wizened senior, spend some time in the next few months making your dorm room or your house feel like a real home. Keep it simple and buy a little pumpkin to put outside your door or pick up some bright leaves to put in a vase (or, more likely, mason jar). Or make it a project and trace some handprint turkeys, weave a fall-foliage wreath, or carve your own pumpkin. Bonus points if you can carve yours to look like Michael Roth’s face.