I was walking around sleeveless over the weekend and caught a chill. Goosebumps broke out on my arms and I immediately thought … yay! It’s fall!

I love me some fall. Apple cider and apple pie. Red and gold leaves on the trees and on the ground. That bitingly fresh burst of early morning air that makes you feel alive and happy and rosy. The way you can walk and walk and walk and never get hot and sweaty.

And fall is super romantic. Wearing those big, heavy sweatshirts and sweaters (even better if they’re borrowed from your love bug) that make you all warm and cozy. Fires in the fireplace and best of all, grilling outdoors. Because there is nothing better than stoking up the grill, throwing on a couple of steaks, and eating them with a baked potato, nice salad and a glass of wine on the patio while the sun goes down. And then snuggling on the patio furniture. Or inside on the sofa. Or upstairs on the comforter. It’s all good!

The beauty of fall is it comes with all the excuse you need for romance. Need a hug, blame it on the chill. Need an excuse to get him home for a candlelight dinner, appeal to the chilliness of the season and the warm supper from the restaurant that you’ve nuked and plan to pass off as home cooking. Looking for a reason to happen to pull out your sexy skivvies, explain that no matter what you do you simply cannot get warm and let the chill work its magic as your man comes to the rescue.

So this time of year, don’t mourn the passing of summer. It had its day. Sometimes that heat holds on for a little too long, like a house guest that overstayed their welcome. Summer will come again with a vengeance soon enough. In the meantime, grab some cider, warm it, spike it and chill.

What’s your favorite thing about fall?