The outdoor living of summer doesn’t have to end when the weather turns cooler.

Autumn is the new summer when it comes to outdoor living. From tailgating at football games and outdoor hikes on the weekend to Halloween and Oktoberfest, there are plenty of opportunities for gathering with friends and celebrating the bounty of the season outdoors. The outdoor living in autumn is easy, so fire up the grill and get the fire going in the firepit!

Outdoor Living Tips and Ideas for Autumn

1. Firepit

A fire is a must have when entertaining in autumn. Not only can a fire provide warmth and lighting, but nothing’s much better than homemade s’mores over a fire whether camping or in your backyard. If you looking to build a fire in your backyard, consider whether you want to purchase a firepit or build your own.

2. Pumpkin Everything

Autumn is the season of the pumpkin. While you may eschew the cult of the pumpkin spiced latte drink, that doesn’t mean that everything pumpkin is bad. Roasted pumpkin soup and pumpkin muffins are the perfect eats for those cooler nights out on the deck.

3. Outdoor Games

If you are having friends over, outdoor games are a fun way to pass the time. While you might not want to sit down to a board game outdoors (or maybe you do), games like flag football, tag, or cornhole are not only fun but can help keep the blood flowing and keep you warm and energized.

4. Warm Drinks

The cooler days and nights of autumn call for warming drinks. From mulled apple cider to hot toddys, the key to staying warm on cool nights around the firepit are “warm you from the inside” drinks. From hot chocolate to Irish Coffee, it’s all good!

5. Outdoor Seating

If you are planning on spending time outdoors chillaxing, the same seating that served you in the summertime may not do in the autumn. Consider swapping out those plastic Adirondack chairs for something that’s not going to be so cold to sit on–and consider adding some warm and washable throws to keep your legs warm.

6. Outdoor Lighting

While spending time outdoors in the autumn sun sounds nice, you may want to invite some guests over for an outdoor dinner party on the deck. That’s all well and good, but don’t forget that it does get dark earlier in the fall and you will need to provide light for your evening dinner. Everything from candles to camping lanterns will work, but just make sure that your guests can see their plates!

7. Autumn Garden

Don’t watch everything you grew over the summer just wither and die — be sure you’ve got some late summer and early autumn crops to tend to. Be that squash, corn, greens like kale or collards — there’s plenty you can grow before the first frost hits (and beyond). Plus, tending to your outdoor garden gives you an excuse to get outside. And what better for your outdoor dinner than fresh picks from your autumn garden?

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How to forage your own wild mushrooms.

Foraging for wild mushrooms is the ultimate in foodie fun, and each edible species has its own unique, earthy flavor, often making them highly sought-after delicacies prized by the world’s top chefs. The following six mushrooms are among the easiest to identify and the most delicious. Edible mushrooms can grow year-round in many regions, but the damp months of spring are particularly friendly to fungus.

Because eating a toxic mushroom can be fatal, it’s incredibly important to identify them with 100% accuracy. Make sure you take a good wild mushroom field guide – not with just photos or just text, but both – that applies to your geographical area. Second, if in doubt, throw it out (or rather, just leave it be). And finally, never eat wild mushrooms raw.

Chicken of the Woods

By far the easiest to recognize, ‘sulfur shelf’ or ‘chicken of the woods‘ is the best wild mushroom to start out with if you’re a beginner. It’s also one of the most substantial, and some say tastiest, of the edible wild mushrooms that grow in the U.S. It looks like layers of orange ruffles edged with yellow or white, and has a substantial meaty texture. Harvest the small, actively growing ‘edges’ of the mushroom and leave the large parts, which have grown too tough to eat. Avoid those growing on a conifer, eucalyptus or locust tree, as these mushrooms are a different species and can cause gastrointestinal upset.

Cook them with butter, eggs and cheese in an omelette, or with penne and wine in pasta primavera.

Morel

This prized springtime-fruiting fungus tastes better than it looks, with its spongy pitted cap. Its unique nutty flavor is hard to describe, and nothing brings it out better than butter and a little white wine. Look for morels in wooded areas, particularly at the base of dead or dying trees. Harvest just enough to eat by cutting them flush to the ground; choose firm fresh-looking caps. (A note on distinguishing from false morels, which can be toxic: true morels are hollow inside and range from yellow to light brown. False morels are dense, meaty, solid, and often have reddish or deep brown coloring. There is also a type of false morel with a skirt cap and a hollow stem; this, too, should be avoided.)

Cook them with a touch of garlic butter on the grill, or quickly sauteed with asparagus and herbs. Be sure to cook them thoroughly.

Giant Puffball

The giant puffball mushroom definitely lives up to its name: it can reach a foot in diameter, and when it’s fully mature, it bursts, sending a puff of spores into the air. Puffballs come in a number of other edible and nice-tasting species like the purple-spored puffball and the skull-shaped puffball, but the giant puffball is the most popular. Its texture is similar to that of the white button mushroom. Before the spores are produced, it’s solid white with a dense texture and a rich flavor. Look for specimens measuring at least four inches and cut into them to be sure they’re solid white with no gills.

Cook them like a pizza with sauce, cheese and toppings, or breaded and fried, eggplant parmesan-style.

Shaggy Mane

Often found growing in clusters in lawns or on the side of dirt roads, shaggy mane mushrooms are best when eaten at button stage, about three inches in height, when they are still mostly white or beige. As they age, these black-gilled mushrooms wither and drip black liquid that was once used as ink. The texture is oddly reminiscent of fish, but shaggy mane mushrooms have a delicate flavor.

Cook them with butter, scallions and chicken broth in soup or sauteed with onions and tossed with pasta and cream sauce.

Chanterelle

Tender yet firm, the chanterelle is prized for its bold, slightly spicy flavor and has a fruity apricot-like aroma when fresh. Found at the bases of trees and shrubs in temperate forests, chanterelles are golden and fleshy with wavy caps and shallow widely-spaced gills. These beloved mushrooms, in culinary use for centuries, are high in vitamins C and D as well as potassium.

Cook them with short-grain rice, parmesan and white wine in an earthy risotto.

Bear’s Head Tooth

It looks like something that should be growing under the sea, so it’s not too surprising that the bear’s head mushroom has a flavor that some liken to lobster. The shape is unmistakable, resembling a clump of translucent icicles hanging off a log, stump or tree trunk.

Cook them in butter over low heat to prevent them from getting too chewy.

Images: andriuxuk, vaprwere, damurphy, me’nthedogs, photogirl7.1, smlp.co.uk, shira golding

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A week on the slopes means good things for your body and soul, but it’s equally important to consider the impact on those slopes you’re skiing down. Still, a busy girl’s gotta prioritize her time, and planning your winter ski getaway shouldn’t be a research headache. Fortunately, there’s the Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition, an independent organization that rates ski resorts and areas according to a strict set of environmental criteria in four areas: habitat protection, watershed conservation, climate change consideration, and environmental policies and practices.

So what’s your best best in terms of an eco-friendly ski resort? Here are the SACC’s top five, meaning that you can rest assured these places are doing their part to keep the environment in mind, and all you have to focus on is enjoying your time on the slopes.

1. Squaw Valley, California

The top-ranked ski resort, Squaw Valley does a great job when it comes to habitat protection, particularly because it puts a high value on protecting undisturbed and environmentally sensitive areas and making sure that local endangered species are protected. But it’s also a world class resort with over 4,000 acres of terrain, which means you’re sure to enjoy yourself.

2. Aspen Mountain Ski Resort, Colorado

Known for its amazing runs, Aspen also gets top environmental grades across all four SACC categories. But even though the resort may be green, if you’re planning a trip to Aspen it’s also important to consider the environmental impact of your travel as well as lodging. Fortunately, the resort is close to the heart of town, cutting your transportation needs.

3. Buttermilk Mountain Ski Resort, Colorado

Along with Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk is part of the four resort consortium Aspen Snowmass. It’s currently the home of ESPN X Games through 2012, giving this green resort great national exposure and hopefully encouraging other ski areas to take similar steps to protect the environment.

4. Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, California

Another Lake Tahoe gem, Sugar Bowl is a great venue for a family trip, complete with an extensive network of kid’s trails as well as plenty of slopes for the more experienced. It also does a great job when it comes to protecting local watersheds.

5. Sundance Resort, Utah

Established by Robert Redford, and situated on 6,000 acres of wilderness, the Sundance Resort has everything from skiing to theater, all with four star comfort. Being located in such a beautiful area of the country, the resort is fully committed to doing all it can to consider the environment. Beyond implementing common green policies like a recycling program and offering organic goods in the restaurant, Sundance also has its own glassworks kiln, where glass bottles are broken down and turned into artwork used around the property.

To learn about more green ski areas, you can read the full Top 10 list here.

Don’t see one that’s near you? The SACC also lets you compare ski areas by state. Here’s to a relaxing, and environmentally friendly, ski getaway!

Images: Rennett Stowe, dcwriterdawn, Zach Dischner, mariachilly, GLiving

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