As the trees turn

10/12/2015 Taylor Tucker

Written by Taylor Tucker

 
Even with the seventy degree days, it has definitely turned to fall here on campus.  Here is a list of fall activity ideas for the off chance that anyone has enough free time to do them.  For those of you who love Halloween, I threw in some haunted houses too.
 
  • Photo by Taylor Tucker.
    Photo by Taylor Tucker.
    Corn maze (and reindeer) at Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch, Rantoul (they also have a pumpkin cannon)
     
  • Apple and pumpkin picking at Curtis Orchard, Champaign
     
  • Oct. 17: U of I storytellers will tell ghost stories from all over the world, Champaign Public Library
     
  • Haunt at Bonesaw Mill: Haunted house and zombie paintball (Country Fair Drive, Champaign)
     
  • Midway of Madness Haunted Barn, Champaign County Fair Grounds in Urbana
     
  • Baldwin Asylum haunted house, Rantoul
     
  • Walk around Crystal Lake and Busey Woods near downtown Urbana 
     
  • Picnic at Kaufman Lake (anyone own an RC boat? RCs are welcome there)
     
  • Check out the gardens and paths around our Arboretum (the pond in front of Japan house has a brand new bridge)
     
  • Seasonal milkshakes at Steak n Shake on Neil St: caramel apple or s’mores 
     
  • LEAF PILE (enough said)
In the spirit of the season, I will leave you with a stanza from Robert Frost’s October.
 
O hushed October morning mild, 
begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
at noon release another leaf;
one from our trees, one far away.
 
 

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This story was published October 12, 2015.