Hiya, neighbor.

November may seem like a strange time to start a nature column – the birds have flown south, the squirrels are bedding down for the long cold, plants are going to seed. I think the slower pace of late autumn and winter means more time to explore rabbit holes, though (such as “Do rabbits hibernate?”). Also, I find it easier to focus on small, fascinating details that I might overlook when I’m distracted by stunning blooms or showy foliage.

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There’s plenty of nature to be had, if you take a minute to look. Even in one of the most densely populated metro areas in the country, it’s easy to find animals and plants in every nook and corner and potted plant. We’re also home to some of the best minds studying nature, as well as communities of birders and foragers and farmers. There’s plenty to explore, year-round.

So join me every Friday as I explore our neighborhood.

Apples, Part 1: Cider Days start today

I love apples. I don’t mean that I like apples, or that I’m fond of apples – I mean that I love apples. I feel about apples the way oenophiles feel about wine or the way Marvel fans feel about the premiere of the next Avengers movie. My husband feels the same way. Which is why our weekend will be spent (in part) visiting the many orchards and mills around Franklin County for Cider Days.

Every year for more than three decades, Franklin County has celebrated apples and cider (hard and sweet) on the first full weekend of November, and it’s one of the highlights of my family’s calendar each year. It’s also the last hurrah for the orchards, which are usually done with apple picking and are packing up for the season.

As old hands who’ve visited for more than 25 years, we know the highlights that appeal to us: Clarkdale early for varietal sweet ciders and quince, New Salem for sweet cider by the fire and the view, Apex for piping-hot cider doughnuts and yet more views, and finally Scott Farm for rare and heirloom varieties (the Pink Pearl apples, with their rosy flesh, were among my favorites last year). We’re not big drinkers, so the hard cider salons and tastings aren’t the main attraction for us, but we’ll stop by a few cideries and pick up enough to cook with and serve throughout the season.

Apples, Part 2: The pies

A major part of shopping Cider Days is buying the right apples for our Thanksgiving pies. As you can imagine, my family is serious about our pies over the holidays. My grandmother-in-law once told me that the secret to an exceptional apple pie is the right mix of varieties. You need ones that cook down, ones that hold their shape, sweet ones, tart ones, etc.

I agree and will spend a happy half hour at each orchard selecting the perfect mix for each of our three Thanksgiving apple pies. I’ve been told that’s excessive for a holiday table of four, but I disagree: You need different pies for different reasons. There’s the breakfast pie for Thursday morning (butter-and-lard crust, no sugar, minimal cinnamon), the dessert pie for after turkey (an all-butter crust and a generous hand with the sugar and cinnamon) and the sacrificial pie I make to enjoy Wednesday night while I’m getting ready for the feast.

Pumpkin smash (or compost)

The jack-o’-lantern that looked jaunty or comical on Halloween is probably starting to sag in places, or maybe it’s begun to deliquesce into black goo. It’s almost certainly about to attract rats, if it hasn’t already. You might be tempted to tip it into the trash and forget about it.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that more than a billion pounds of pumpkins get harvested each year, and an absurd amount of them wind up in landfills. You have better options.

If you have your own compost bin, that’s the most obvious alternative. Or you might drop them in the public food-waste drop offs in Somerville or Cambridge. Or you can head to the Somerville Pumpkin Smash on Saturday at Chuckie Harris Park to engage in some joyful destruction.

Last of the foliage

Each year offers a different palette of foliage, and I like to take a minute to think about what was truly spectacular in the past season. This year, for the first time I can remember, the answer was the oak trees.

Most oaks turn a dull burnt orange at best, and fade quickly to the familiar acorn brown. And plenty of the trees did that this year too. But we had (and continue to have) some striking trees that went crimson or screaming orange or even an interesting mottled color.  I have no earthly idea why this year was different – the drought combined with the high heat is my best guess, but science has no answer I can find. 

The maples are reliable showstoppers across both cities, with an unusually long window this year. I’m still seeing some arresting specimens in flaming red and shocking gold. It’s late for foliage, but the combination of the urban heat island effect and global warming means we get to extend our fall season, at least.

Be smart, be safe, be curious, be kind.