I miss the East Coast in the Fall. The colors of the leaves, the crispness of the air, the crackle of dried leaves underfoot, the smell of a wood stove… It was a reminder that Halloween and Thanksgiving were right around the corner. Here in LA there is something of a Fall, but the occasional 90 or 100 degree day even in October and November is a clear indicator that we’re missing a little something when it comes to seasons.

One of the fruits that represent Fall for me are freshly-picked, locally grown apples. While we do get some really good apples here in California, the pleasure of picking up apples from a local organic farmer on the East Coast is a true treasure. Biting into the perfect apple, you get that crisp crack and smack followed by the surprise of the sweet or tart flavors running down your chin.

While I can’t offer you a just-picked apple, I’ve tracked down some great apple-oriented products that I think you’ll love.

I discovered an organic lip butter the other day that is as lip-smacking good as a fresh, juicy apple. It’s by Body America and is called the Vermont Va Va Voom Green Apple…Maple…Blueberry Lip Butter. Seriously, it’s sooo tasty! I shall use restraint and not eat the container of it. My lips are super soft as a result, which is a nice side-effect, long after the flavor is gone. The lip butter is 0.3 oz (so TSA won’t take it at the airport) and is available for $5.95. According to the box, it’s made with 72% organic ingredients, no paraben, no BHT, no urea and no testing on animals. They also have a Vermont Va Va Voom Green Apple…Maple…Blueberry Body Butter that is $14.95 for 6.9 oz. For a more portable version of the body butter, there’s a Vermont Va Va Voom Green Apple…Maple…Blueberry Body Butter On The Go Pump that is $10.95 for 3.5 oz.

I found an adorable apple-adorned onesie for $24 that is fair trade, organic cotton and made with environmentally-friendly low impact dyes. (The bigger sizes are t-shirts.) Considering how many organic cotton kids clothes are in blah colors I thought this one was really cute and worth a peek!

For those of you craving a few dishes from the Hippy Gourmet, I found an episode that includes amaranth grain, vegetable jambalaya and a delicious apple and fig fruit compote. Get it here for $14.95. The Hippy Gourmet’s Quick and Simple Cookbook for Healthy Eating is another option if you’d prefer his recipes in print.

My sister’s friend Rosie works for Dogswell, a natural pet products company, that sells dog (and cat) treats that have no corn or wheat and are made with cage-free chicken. She dropped off some samples to my house one day, knowing that I have two dogs and three cats (yes, it’s a zoo). I was appreciative, but a little skeptical. My dogs are pretty picky, especially when it comes to fruits and veggies (although they can’t seem to get enough baby carrots for some strange reason). Anyway, I figured we should give it a try so I opened a bag and with just the smell of them they went bonkers! They loved every flavor I gave them, including all of the apple ones. They have a Veggie Life Chicken and Apple that comes in a 6 pack, a 15 oz. resealable bag or  a 5 oz. size, with pricing ranging from $4.99 to $25.10, depending on quantity. They also carry Veggie Life Happy Hips which contain Glucosamine and Chondroitin for aging pups. Those come in the 6 pack, 15 oz. and 5 oz. sizes as well. I highly suggest them, even for finicky dogs.