By the time you get the "News," it should be the first day of Fall.

The Norman Rockwell calendar on the ice-box calls it "Autumn," but I prefer Fall. There are several solid reasons for that . Just to mention a few, we should be reminded of cooler weather, good rains, colorful foliage, football, hunting seasons, favorable and comfortable fishing, and Pecan harvest kicking off. One of the ol’ timer’s sayings that I seem to recall on such said subject was "Fall has fell". I don’t think Ms. Harbuck would approve of the usage, but then again, it sounds better that to use "fallen".

Another thing on the terminology is that those of us beginning to have some problems with clear recall deals with the time-change factor. I’ve never heard anyone say "Spring forward & Autumn back." Those of you that have read "Highlights" over the past 10-15 years, are well aware of my preference of the Fall season, and you’ll probably get a few more of them in the next couple of months. Looks like we’re about to get ready for our Fall Fling around the square the 2nd Sat. of October. I think the Chamber and the "downtown" committee has a good band lined up for the street dance on the square at the Southwest Corner. A number of folks were somewhat skeptical when they scheduled the 1st one last year, but I think that anyone that attends will attest to the success of the event. I’m amazed at the number of folks we see in the crowd that hardly ever come to Town anymore. Bud Roberds even comes in for it and says that he sees some folks there he’s hardly seen in years. Back in my days as a kid, Skeeterville did seem like a long ways from Town. Heck, I used to think it was a pretty trying trip to get to Town from Algerita. Of course, the highway was a bit more crooked, back then. The beginning of Fall is a good time to get a bunch of chores tended to in the fields, yard, garden, and orchards, as well. Activity has really gotten "ginned up" with the small grain farmers, following the good, general rain we’ve received over the past couple of weeks. Sowing of wheat & oats has been at a frantic pace, as well as the fertilizer tanks, spreaders, and big wheel trucks hurrying in and out of Town. The added moisture has also given the weeds & grass a boost in the Pecan bottoms & orchards with a lot of shredding to get the orchard floors ready. I think Gilbert Flores might have brought in the 1st sample of Pecans following shuck-split, to the "News". Daddy’s Pawnee pecan tree out in the garden opened 3 days after Gilberts and isn’t near the normal size this year. I remember when O.B. Harkey and Ward Ellis used to try & beat each other to the "News" office with the earliest Pecans. There used to be a prize for the 1st bale of cotton that was ginned, too, but that has been gone for a long time. Maybe we’ll get some other folks watching their early opening Natives come next year. This is also a good time of the year to tend to a few of those chores around the yard & garden to get your lawn, landscape, and trees ready for the winter. A good Fall fertilization goes a long way with the turf grass, shrubs, flowers, & fruit & nut trees in helping them come through the winter and into a good spring emergence. A complete fertilizer containing all three elements, such as 13-13-13, is best advised for this application. All of the above mentioned plants don’t need the Potassium, but usually if you fertilize your turf grass, it will provide some for the shrubs & trees, as well. If you are only concerned with the orchard, then you can use whatever mix you apply in the earlier fertilizations. If you need to transplant some flowers, shrubs, or trees this winter that might have been put in the wrong place or whatever the reason, the Fall is the best time to tend to a few things that will provide better success in the winter transplant time. Root pruning with a spade or sharp-shooter is one thing you can do ahead of time, but I’ll probably have more time and space to dealwith that in the near future.

In the mean time, Shaw & I are trying to bag enough birds to grill or fry a few, but the Whitewings are still remaining rather elusive and the Mourning Doves aren’t quite as numerous following the recent rains and cool spells. Other than the recent success of the Armadillos, there were a number of very sloppy football games played this past weekend. Hopefully, we can watch some better football this weekend. I’m going to be fairly well occupied this Sat. what with a bunch of Gauny and Davenport folks being in Town for the Robbins Family Reunion. Other than tha , the Mayor & yrs. truly will ask that you might look—out——————out around Harkeyville!!!!!!!!!!!!!!