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It’s that time of year again, my friends. The leaves will soon be changing, the temperature will slowly dip, and fall will be here. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I could live in a world where every day was fall.
With that in mind, I wanted to share three experiences every person needs to have this fall. I’ve had a few recently that just take the cake. So here is what you need to be adding to your calendar for the weeks to come (or, worst case scenario).
First, everyone should attend a Harding football game.
Not being a football fan, I surprised myself – and my friends and family – by heading the Howland-Harding game last weekend. This was my first time attending a game at Harding, and it was really just an impressive experience. The stadium, the bands, the teams, the excitement of both crowds.
Obviously, other games will lack the hometown rivalry that this particular game had, but the point remains: help fall be fall and go see some local football somewhere.
Second, don’t overestimate the distance to White House Fruit Farms down in Mahoning County.
My wife and I make a trip there once every few weeks, and it seems to chagrin those who hear it. Friends, it’s really not the jaunt you think it is – and what you get there is simply the best. Take your friends and family and get some doughnuts, and sit on the porch. Then get some cider, some whiskey sticks, some sesame sticks, and some of their coffee. As we head into October, there will be even more fun activities at the farm on the weekends.
Third – and this is the most important – drop what you’re doing and head to Artisan Cafe, 410 S. Main in Warren.
If you’re still reading, I strongly suggest any sandwich, and any of their teas and lemonades, made in-house. Be sure to pack a cooler so you can pick up some ice cream that they make in the store. I recently sampled the pumpkin ice cream (remember, this is about fall) and it was incredible.
The most impressive feature of the space is, well, the space itself. Original brick, exposed beams – I haven’t been in a place like this since I lived in Chicago.
We need to celebrate new businesses anywhere in our region, because they mean good things for us as a community. (Or at least this is what I’ve been telling myself to justify a lunch there every week for the past three.)
We especially need to celebrate businesses opening in downtown Warren, which is not as scary or as dangerous as many county residents think it is. The city continues to take big steps forward – and has taken many worth celebrating even in the year that I have been back.
When we celebrate what’s great about our community, we cultivate an important discipline of focusing on what’s good instead of what’s bad. Not that we need become a community of Pollyannas; what we do need is to be a place where in all seasons we have something be excited about when it comes to living here. The fun part is, it’s often easy.
In this case: eat up and watch some football.
Tennant is a Warren resident. Email him at editorial@tribtoday.com