I have been making a habit of visiting Trader Joe’s about once a week in the last year, and on each visit I was counting down the days until I saw the sign. The sign that indicates the changes of seasons, the Holy Grail of the modern day basic American woman, and the source of a multi month giddiness I know I am not alone in…
Hello. My name is Brittany, and I loose my marbles over the beginning of pumpkin season.
The thing is, I don’t actually consume most pumpkin items. I’ve never even had my own pumpkin spice latte (I have had sips, but it’s not for me for a handful of reasons.) For me seeing this sign is an indication that calmer days are coming my way. The busyness of summer adventures are coming to an end, the rainy days are on the horizon, and the much needed rest my body seeks is more acceptable to my go, go, go mindset.
I love fall. This time of year always feels cleansing to me. A time to appreciate the changes of colors in nature, heartier seasonal foods, and there is a sense of joy that fills my soul when I see pumpkins sitting outside every grocery store. What can I say, I am a sucker for large orange spheres. Walking into Trader Joe’s with the smells of cinnamon brooms and the sights of every gourd imaginable makes me feel like a kid again.
I don’t care what this says about me, I will take any source of excitement I can get.
Pumpkin season also starts my adventurous attitude with food. I typically keep things strict with what I eat, but I let my hair down this time of year through Christmas to taste some forbidden fruits. There are a handful of seasonal treats I avoid, but there are a handful I don’t avoid. I had been waiting 365 days for Trader Joe’s to bring back an item I discovered last year, one I consumed many times.
And in typical Trader Joe’s fashion they did not bring back my beloved this year.
As my luck would have it anytime I find a decent gluten free item, it’s limited. I fell in love with a local muffin company a handful of years ago and they no longer exist. I fell in love with Trader Joe’s gluten free pumpkin bread and it no longer exists (at least not at my local store.) This bread was hands down one of the best store bought loafs I have ever eaten. It’s hard for me to find a treat that not only tastes good, but doesn’t leave me feeling like I consumed an entire fifth of vodka the night before.
Alas, I must move on and continue to seek a new seasonal treat. There are some items that are seasonal, but they’re items I would eat on a normal basis. Add a seasonal flavor to something and I am all over it. Sometimes they are a win, and sometimes they are such a huge loss that I wish teleportation existed so I could speak face to face with whomever created such an abomination.
Tasty treats aside I also look forward to an annual visit to a pumpkin patch/corn maze. The weather has been a bit finicky in Washington, but I hope to get lost in a maze soon. I last all of 15 minutes before I stop trying and begin allowing Duncan to guide me out. I just like to wander. The pumpkins, the flannels, the boots, the corn, the leaves changing – all of this is the beginning of a magical few months of holiday seasons.
I never used to be big on holidays, but as I get older I look forward to them. I don’t care for the consumeristic aspect of them, in fact I abhor that correlation with holidays, but I love the sense of togetherness it brings. I love the fun activities available, the foods, and sometimes even the weather. I savor October and November and I look forward to many pots of homemade applesauce, nights of wool socks and movies, stormy afternoons while I snuggle with my cat, and all the decorated porches.
If anyone out there knows of a good gluten free item I must try (yeah yeah I know I can just make my own and I DO, but sometimes a girl just wants to buy an unhealthy treat), please let me know. Or just share with me your favorite fall treat you like to consume.
Q’s:
- Do you like fall?
- Do you get seasons where you live?
- What’s your favorite fall treat!?
Blissfulbritt 
43 thoughts on “Autumn Has Arrived”
Michael McCard
Oh you’d have a blast at our house. I start rolling out fall baked goodies mid-august.
Brittany
YESSSS! I love this. My mom decorates her house in August. It looks like a full blown home decor shop and I live for it.
Michael McCard
Well my partner and I love the holidays….. he says that if Hallmark wouldn’t film the house it’s not decorated enough. lol I’d love to see your mom’s place.
Brittany
Stop I love him. 🤣 That’s a perfect way to put it.
Michael McCard
Thought you’d get a kick out of this. We just had a family stop and want to take pictures. Now mind you we live out in the country. But they are coming back tonight when the lights are on, I’ll never hear the end of this.
Brittany
Hahahaha yessssss. That’s too funny!! 🤣
Rootchopper
I can understand enjoying the burst of colors and the cool, dry breezes, but the pumpkin spice thing is just completely lost on me. I don’t like pumpkin pie or pumpkin soup. Now a warm cup apple cider and a cider donut, that’s the ticket!
Brittany
I will say this post accidentally published before I was finished, but I absolutely should have included apple cider and spiced stuff! Pumpkin is sort of just the umbrella of the season in my head. I love a good pumpkin pie, but apple cider or gingerbread spices are superior!
Rootchopper
Give me cherry or blueberry pie over any other kind any day of the week!
Brittany
Apple pie is my all time favorite. With a crispy thick crust, and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. 🤤
Cherry pie makes me think of Dale Cooper. With a damn fine cup of coffee, black as midnight on a moonless night.
C.A. Post
Autumn is my favorite and in Lexington, KY we get four seasons, but not enough winter for my tastes!🥶🙂
Brittany
Not enough winter?! I don’t know many people who want winter to be longer! Unless they like skiing or snow sports. Winter is my least favorite season. I like it for what it is, and for a period I enjoy it, but it’s always a month too long for me.
C.A. Post
Well, a friend living in Florida once sent me a Christmas picture of himself leaning against his lawnmower with a Santa hat on and an iced tea in hand and said, “Too bad you have to stay holed up from snow at Christmas!”
I took a selfie of my wife and me cuddling in our turtlenecks by our fireplace with a hot toddy in hand and said, “Too bad you have to mow the lawn on Christmas vacation!”😂
Brittany
HAH! Excellent come back. 🤣
Belladonna
My fav time of year!
Brittany
Yaaaasss! 🐈⬛🍁🎃
Pree
When I was in Italy, I craved pumpkin like no other. I think I literally died when I had a PSL at the Starbucks in Milan 😂! But now I’m like eh, only because Texas isn’t the best place to feel like you are in fall lol! We have been having some cooler days as if late..
Brittany
It would be hard for me to care much about pumpkins and fall if I were somewhere hot year round too.
Some Small Things
Love this post. I read it while walking on the trail outside my house. Trader Joe’s made the best Apple cider hand soap a few years ago but never brought it back. Im using Mrs. Meyer’s limited edition apple cider now, and it’s just as good, but pricier. As for edibles, someone gave me a bag of gf pumpkin spice bites the other night, and while it took a few to settle in, I ended up loving them. I think they are Emmy Organics brand. Otherwise, I’m quite enjoying my Starbucks pumpkin spice coffee (generally don’t like Starbucks coffee but this one I do!) that I bought in a bag and make each morning. It’s a bit on the light side, but it stands in place of the pumpkin spice lattes, which I love, but are so caloric!
By the way, I love that TJ’s sold the broom bottom separate from the entire broom this year. Otherwise they are just too big!
Happy fall!
Brittany
I do like the smell of the fall Mrs. Meyers soaps, Duncan got the apple cider one last year and I love love loved it.
I think Costco Carrie’s Emmy Organic bites, I’ll have to look out for the pumpkin ones! I’m not a flavored coffee fan, but I would try a sip of the one you like. I do like some of the darker Starbucks blends – guilty.
As for the brooms, the big one are way too big. I’ve only always purchased the small ones. The downside is this smell only lasted maybe four days. It was sad. LOL.
surrealartpsychonaut
I think pumpkin seeds are gluten free. They’re very good for you (-:
Brittany
Absolutely they are! Even better when roasted with tasty spices.
Amy
YES!! I’m obsessed with pumpkin-themed fall decorations, and… I may or may not have bought cinnamon-scented pine cones AND a full-sized broom that looks suspiciously similar to the whisk you found. 😉
That’s such a bummer that TJ’s didn’t bring back the GF pumpkin bread this year! It’s so disappointing when we wait 10+ months for something… Only to discover it’s nowhere to be found. Out of curiosity, I checked the TJ’s website, and I didn’t see anything about it being discontinued — so I really hope that’s only temporary!
Brittany
So here’s the thing, I also checked the website (I love that you did that), and I found the bread and it had a pretty little banner on the photo that said “limited.” So now I’m just confused as to who gets the lucky bread. Is it only certain stores, is there only a certain amount of loaves and then they’re gone?! I’m likely going to check two other stores if I drive near them soon…🤣🤣
The whisk only smelled good for maybe four days, but it was still a magical time. I’m so happy you love the decorations too, they bring such joy! Maybe I should buy some of the pine cones and see if those last longer haha. Although I liked the whisk because it was just cinnamon oil, I’m not sure what’s on the pine cones.
Amy
Great minds think alike!! That’s odd about the “limited” part… I would TOTALLY drive to every other TJ’s in my area if I were in your shoes too — and feel zero shame about it! 😉 I saw on the TJ’s website that they have a GF pumpkin bread mix too. I wonder if that tastes anything like their premade loaf???
Maybe we should invest in some type of cinnamon essential oil instead of buying pine cones and whisks/brooms every year… But what’s the fun in that?? 😂
Brittany
I see the bread mix every time I go, but the ingredients are meh and I tell myself at that rate I can just make my own from scratch. 🤷🏻♀️🤣
The funny thing is I HAVE cinnamon/Christmas blend like essential oils. I thought about adding some back into the whisk I had, but I never did. I had mine in my car for it to smell nice, so maybe I can put some oil on a cloth and put that in my car. LOL.
Amy
…you’re preaching to the choir about baking from scratch!! 😉
Bahahaha I love it!! At least make it a black cloth? So it’s semi-festive and Halloween appropriate??? 👻😜
The Conflict Visionary
Homemade applesauce sounds delicious and I’ve never had pumpkin bread… you got me wanting to try. I too love the fall and my favorite season is winter… die back to bloom. Thanks for your share.
Brittany
Ohhh you must try pumpkin bread!! It’s so delicious.
The Conflict Visionary
I don’t have TJ out here but I’ll get it. 🙂
Brittany
Could you bake your own loaf? Would probably taste better than TJ’s!
The Conflict Visionary
For sure.
Kim
Any of tj’s gluten free muffins have been delicious.
Brittany
I did try the GF pumpkin muffins this year, and they were good, but they left me feeling ROUGGGHH. 🤣😅 I tell ya this bread is my white whale.
gpavants
Brittney,
Fall is the best. My daughter is named Autumn because of it. Pumpkin & gingerbread are great together. I am with you, Gary
Brittany
What a beautiful name. I don’t want children, but if I ever had a girl I think Autumn is the perfect name!
gpavants
That’s cool. Lots of great names out there.
surrealartpsychonaut
I envy your Fall. Sadly, Autumn isn’t spectacular in Sydney. The leaves that are eventually dropped don’t dazzle anyone before they turn brown. Being down under, we’re headed into summer soon of course.
Brittany
Aww, I love the colorful leaves before they turn brown. Eventually they will all be gross and brown so I savor them while I can. Enjoy your summer months ahead, it’s getting very cold here!
Barbara Wilson
Brit, love this blog and the fall too! Although I don’t get to see all the colors that I did in the midwest, it is still one of my favorite times of year. I also wanted to share the Wildgrain bread company. They do multiple kinds of sourdough bread, rolls etc. using a starter that originated thirty years ago! But I believe they also make gluten free products, and they’re delivered to your home partially baked for you to warm up and serve. You might find a good healthy bread there. I’m going to order some loaves, baguettes, and maybe a few others like their pasta or cookies for you dad and I. Looking forward to seeing you this summer! Barb Wilson
Brittany
I think if I lived in Arizona, or anywhere that didn’t have four seasons I would have to spend at least the month of October elsewhere. I MUST see the fall colors!
I checked out the Wildgrain website, and I think I might be in trouble. They have a plethora of GF items. Thanks for sharing!
Dad
like the pumpkin meant to look like a fishhook cactus!
Brittany
No entiendo papa.