Here’s one fall foliage shot in Alstead. I’ll work on getting some more this week!

Walpole is a drive, but the destination is worth it: Burdick Chocolates. There are very few places that make their own chocolate (a shop in Newport and a shop in Woodstock made their own, but both closed last year) and there’s a huge difference between the waxy chocolates that sit on a shelf for…weeks…months…and something that was made on site that day. We didn’t buy much (it was very busy) but we did pick up a sampler box and some penguins for the kids. Then, on our way out of town, we see Walpole Creamery – their homemade ice cream is my all-time favorite. (I recommend the cinnamon.) Of course we’ve already eaten some chocolates AND a cookie, but we have to stop in to see where the ice cream is made…and get a scoop. If you decide to make the drive (an hour from the Kearsarge area and probably about 35 minutes from the Upper Valley), don’t plan on sticking to any diet.

Apple picking is an annual activity for anyone with kids. This year we left the Kearsarge area and made a drive to North Haverhill to Windy Ridge Orchard. Why? Because I heard that the cider donuts were amazing. (They were.) We picked a peck of apples, walked the nature trail, pet the animals (sheep and goats), shared a dozen donuts – all in a really scenic location. My favorite part of the day was when my husband yelled to our kids (playing on the swings) “Hey guys, it’s lunchtime!” and two little old ladies yelled back, “Great! Count us in!” I would have treated them to some donuts but they were leaving with several bags of their own. If you don’t mind an hour drive, I highly recommend the trip. We stopped at Farmway for some shopping on the way home and Colatina Exit for some pizza for dinner, so you can really make a whole day of it.