Looks like we’ve just about gotten rid of all the turkey, trimmings, and such, observed Pearl Harbor Day, and have less than 3 weeks left ‘til Christmas. I saw week before last where the City crew got all the lighted decorations up on the utility poles up & down Wallace and around downtown. A number of the homes around our fair Burg have done a bang-up job of decorating around the homes, yards, and such. Most of the youngsters really enjoy getting to ride around town in the evening and take in all the lighted scenes and décor. We know a lot of us elder youngsters that enjoy it as well.

I would like to lend kudos toward whomever is responsible for the Fall scene that adorns the NE corner of the Courthouse lawn. Whether if be the Chamber folks, S.S. Garden Club or a combination there-of, it might well be one of the most tastefully appropriate scenes I’ve ever seen depicting the most important of our 4 seasons. A lot of folks, local and visiting, really enjoy and remark of how our folks take pride in observing the Season & Holidays around these parts.

The weather as of late has lent us a mood more toward the Christmas spirit, as well. We experienced a nice little snow spell last Fri. around most of the County. My measurement on the tool box of Lady Z’s pick-up, was just a tad over a half of an inch. It started coming down lightly around 7:30 a.m. out on the west end of Wallace, and by the time I got Daddy sat down to breakfast and made it to the Courthouse to check on all the H.D. ladies and the San Saba County Pecan Bake Show, the flurry was falling quite well.

The Bake Show seemed to have a good many more entries than the past few years and all the Club ladies that help put the Show on seemed to have everything pretty well in order. I also got to visit with some friends and former co-workers as the Extension offices of Llano & Burnet brought a bevy of qualified folks over to tend to the judging. I certainly do not envy their chore as the entries all seemed extremely attractive, and some I happened to check on following the placing were very tasty as well. I don’t have all the results of the winners right at hand, but am assured that results of the placings in the County Pecan Show and the Pecan Bake Show should be in this week’s edition of the "News."

I do recall that the Bend was well represented in both as Val Gene Eckhoff garnered the Reserve Champion Native and Mebbie also placed well with several top quality entries. J&J Byrd Farms of King’s Crossing carried off the Champion Native from a tree that he had not entered prior as it doesn’t seem to bear eachyear. I thought the Judge, and Bill Ree, of College Station did a fine & thorough job of judging the Pecan Show entries.

I would imagine that Brenda Gibson, also of the Bend, agreed with the decision of the Bake Show entries as well, what with her Pecan Cake garnering Grand Prize, and a big Champion rosette with some added prize money, too. She told me that she and her sis came in from Tarleton the evening before and Carol did help her pick up some nuts out in the yard to crack & peel for enough kernels for the prize winning entry.

The County Agent has already taken our County entries up to Stephenville for the Regional Show, so we should have some idea of the results by early next week.

Hunters are still coming down in droves in search of the ol’ wiley Bucks that have been showing up fairly often around the patches and pastures the past few weeks. Several of us folks that pay pretty close attention to the activities of the Whitetail population and seasonal activities have noted and agreed that the rut and ensuing mating season has seemed to last a little longer this year. I’d say that it started about a week earlier than normal and still seems to be fairly active, as some of the larger more mature bucks have just now seemed to start showing themselves.

If you happen to be more inclined to harvest the trophy type bucks, you might want to get on out in the pasture, as they seem to go fairly well secretive after the rut has run the first course. I know that Larry Hibler has reported several large, heavy bodied bucks being brought in that tip the scales anywhere from 125-140 lb. range.

Lil’ Joe Lindsey sent me a pic. of a nice buck he harvested late last week that most any trophy hunter would have readily taken. That’s about all the time and space we have for this week’s edition so try to keep your powder dry and the Mayor and me will try to do likewise out around ————Harkeyville!!!!!