Autumn, How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways...

I shall but love thee better even after the season has passed

There’s a chill in the air and the leaves are a kaleidoscope of brilliant color; autumn is here! Let’s pick apples in the orchard and visit farms to hunt for the perfect pumpkin. Grab a sweater; we’re taking a scenic route.

Neopian’s months of Gathering, Collecting, and Storing (autumn) in my opinion is the best season amongst the other three seasons, with winter following a close second. Just the name itself conjures up the warmest of feelings in me. I love knowing that the hot summer of Relaxing, Swimming, and Hiding are over for the year. It is time to open your neohome windows and feel the cool air filtering out the stale air of summer. Mother Nature takes out her paintbrush and paints the Neopian landscape with the warmest of colors.

Neogarden: With the leaves changing colors and the fresh crisp air around us, now is the time for you and your neopets to take a walk outside, clean your neohome and gardens by raking the leaves and jumping into the pile. If you have a neohome with a garden, then I would highly recommend getting some of these items to beautify your space. The Autumn Gourd Cart and Tree with Changing Leaves are both perfect for your neogarden if you have NC to spare. For Neopoints items, I would suggest going for Shedding Tree, Autumnal Bonsai, and Sunflower. Of course you’ll need the Pile of Autumn Leaves to jump into after raking the leaves. Honorable mentions are Autumn Birch Tree and Apricot Baubletop. The Gigantic Bonfire is perfect for warming you up when you’re enjoying your garden outside.

Autumn is here and with the new season means a new beginning. Our neopets come alive during this season. Fall clothes are the most comfortable. The warm cozy sweaters, comfy big blankets, and layering your clothes, this is the best time to show your fashion sense.

NC Wearables: This time of year the items at the NC mall are t their most fantastic. It could be the fact that the season is my favorite, or it could be that the NC team tries harder during fall. Whatever the reason, the items at the NC mall is something you should get your hands on if possible. Some of my favorite autumn items are Fuzzy Autumn Hat and Wig, Windy Autumn Fence (this item is really difficult to trade for if you don’t have it. I use it in almost all of my fall season customization). Let’s not forget the Autumn Pumpkin Display Foreground and Extra Plaid Scarf.

Neopoint Wearables: When it comes to NP wearables, we have some cool items for fall. If you’re into customization but can’t afford NC items, look no further than our very own NP wearables. These four items are a must have to deck your pets for the season. Grab these must have items: Autumn Shrubbery, Beautiful Autumn Leaves Foreground, Autumn Country Road Background, and Autumn Harvest Foreground.

Beverage: One of the joys of having the temperature change from hot to cold is the pleasure of drinking hot beverages. It is no surprise that my favorite beverage during the fall and winter seasons is hot chocolate. I actually make a conscious decision to feed my pets chocolate drinks and from time to time, tea or coffee. Of course you can’t go wrong with anything pumpkin. Any beverage you decide on is great, but some of my favorites, based solely on the images and descriptions are Autumn Herbal Tea, Exquisite Cup of Tea, Caramel Hot Chocolate, Hot Apple Cider, Marshmallow Roast Coffee, and Pumpkin Spice Coffee.

Books: Not to be outdone, but there are lots of books that focuses on autumn. Who doesn’t like the idea of reading a book next to your neohome’s fire place while drinking a warm beverage? The books you read to your pet would not only get them to appreciate the season, but increase their intelligences as well. It is a win-win situation no matter how you slice it. So check out Neopian Autumn. Fall Destinations will show you were to go to enjoy the season in Neopia. Fall Leaves Book is essential because tt tells you all about the leaves in fall. And last but not the least, Autumnal Decorating. Not sure what to do for your neohome, shop, or gallery in the fall? Well, reading this book will sure help you decide on choosing the right items to spruce up your place in an elegant way.

Soups: I am a huge fan of soups. I think you can get almost all your nutrition from adding all kinds of things together to make a soup. Without being outdone, Neopia has a large section of soups for your pets to enjoy during fall. From Harvest Soup Bowl, which looks very festive and in season, to Pumpkin Soup or Pumpkin Spice Soup, the choices are almost endless. With sweet potatoes in abundance in fall, letting your pet try the Creamy Sweet Potato Soup or Chestnut Soup for their enjoyment. If your pet is more adventurous, then I high recommend trying Chocolate Soup, Hot Banana Soup, or Marshmallow Yam Soup.

Sounds: Outside you can hear sounds the new season brings. From the gabble of a flock of migrating geese honking their goodbyes to autumn’s music of leaves crunching under your feet while you walk, sounds of autumn are everywhere. I love hearing the sounds of bird wings flapping in the wind as they make their way south and the sound of leaves being raked. Neopia has some items specifically themed in autumn music. Take a look at Autumn Guitar, Autumn Trumpet, Pumpkin Top Cymbals, and Autumn Pumpkin Drum.

Cakes: Let’s face it, you don’t need an excuse to eat cake. You can eat it any old time and it would be delicious either way. With that being said, these are some of the cakes I think fit into the fall season. When I say cake, I mean all sorts of sweets with cake in the name. Try getting your hands on Pumpkin Pancakes, Fall Sprinkle Cupcake, Caramel Apple Bundt, and Shenkuu Pumpkin Cake.

Pumpkins: Pumpkins are synonymous and celebrated during autumn. This humble fruit/vegetable can be turned into different things. From sweet looking pumpkins we crave with our pets to those vicious and scary looking ones we find in Haunted Woods and all the creepy areas of Neopia, pumpkins are the unofficial fruit/vegetable for fall and definitely Halloween. For scary carved pumpkins, try eating or putting these in front of your neohome to greet visitors: Spooky Pumpkin Gateau, Carnivorous Carved Pumpkin, Glaring Pumpkin, (Very) Angry Pumpkin, Tall Pumpkin, Tyrannian Flaming Pumpkin, and Cannibalistic Pumpkin. For your friendly carved pumpkins, take a look at Jolly Pumpkin, Silly Pumpkin, Jolly Pumpkin, Hilarious Pumpkin, Pumpkin Negg, Double Green Pumpkin, and Candy Corn Stuffed Pumpkin. If you like to eat pumpkins, try Pumpkin Bread, Pumpcorn, Pumpkin Pot Pie, Tofu Pumpkin, and Pumpkin Cinnamon Yurble Ear.

Pumpkins, apple cider, hot tea/chocolate, bonfire, Halloween, apple picking, pumpkin carving, turkey dinners, garden harvesting, beautiful fall foliage, and more are all associated with this new season. To sum up in one word what autumn means to me would be… comfort. It is like an old friend you haven’t seen in a while greet you with a big smile and warm hug. Autumn is the season I can hug, and that brings me comfort.

Poem Contribution by Greyfever

Autumn is finally here

The warm weather will now disappear

Leaves are falling to the ground

Warm colors will now be found

The winds music have been released

Now let’s enjoy this harvest feast