BY: RACHEL WUMKES

Happy Fall, Y’all!

It’s officially my favorite time of year.  I know I say that in the summer, too, but I think fall might rank just a tad higher.  I can’t help but love absolutely everything about it.  The cooler temps, the beauty in the changing leaves, the taste of a crisp apple.

And then, you know… there’s all the fall food.  If you don’t have an arsenal of soup recipes locked and loaded for the next few weeks, we can’t be friends.

Oh, so many soups to choose from, and just so little time!

Another fun fall activity is the annual Homecoming celebration.  Tonight, the Clear Lake Lions football team will face the GHV Cardinals, with hopes to cage them and send them back to the West with their tailfeathers tucked between their legs.

Homecoming is one of those lifelong memories these kids will cherish forever.  Heck, I’ve been out of high school for just a few short years… well, more like 25 years and I still have fond memories of Homecoming week.

Did that say 25 years?  Yikes.  Better add some eye cream to my shopping list.

Another telltale sign that Fall is officially here is the opening of my two favorite places to experience all the Fall things – Plain Ol’ Pumkins in Clear Lake, and Enchanted Acres in Sheffield.

If you haven’t been, you need to pack up those kiddos in the car and set forth for an awesome day of pumpkin picking, hayrides, corn mazes, and all the things!

Plain Ol’ Pumpkins is located at 4333 260th Street, Clear Lake, Iowa.  They are a good old fashioned pumpkin patch with pick your own pumpkins, corn maze, corn pool, hayrides, truck slide, slingshots, wagon b-ball, pedal tractors, and more!  They are open on Saturday from 9-5PM and Sunday from 12 – 4PM.  Light concessions are available but check their Facebook page as they often have food trucks on site!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Plain-Ol-Pumpkins-914564775560721

Website: https://www.plainolpumpkins.com/

Phone:  (515) 341-2822

Enchanted Acres in Sheffield is celebrating their 10th season this year and have SO MANY fun things planned!  In fact, this weekend is their grand opening for the season, and it will surely be a doozy.  There will be inflatables on Saturday and Sunday (this weekend), with Sunday being a special event as will have individual pie slices for sale and are auctioning off a one-of-a-kind chainsaw carving!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnchantedAcres

Website: http://enchantedacresia.com/

Phone: (515) 371-0450

Before we know it, the mood will shift.  Darkness will surround us and the things we fear in the night will, once again, come alive at the The Nightmare – Haunted Hike.  You’ll want to sleep with a light on for a while after you take a trip through this spooktacular-ly creepy network of all the scary things you can’t even imagine.

The Hike will be open every Friday & Saturday in October from 7 -10:30 pm, and on Halloween night from 7-10 pm.  Special price for the FIRST Friday night (October 1st) is only $10 per person.  Regular rates of $15 per person apply for the remainder of the season.

And so, my fellow Clear Lakers, go forth and have a grand weekend doing all the fun fall things.