There were some doubts from some folks around the County as to the fact of our being in another drought season, but I’ve heard from the “Horses’” mouth that we should have El Nino coming back to our country about mid October. If you would like to know my reliable source, it comes from the Meteorology Department down at Texas A&M University. Most of us country folk like to believe like to believe weathermen that give us a favorable forecast. Someone down at the Table of Knowledge remarked a while back that weathermen were the only professionals that could keep their job while being wrong 80% of the time. Anyhow, I still like the A&M story & I’m stickin’ to it! From most of the reports of rainfall we got from folks this past weekend, it appears that the rains were fairly general in that most everyone got at least an inch, while some of the more fortunate measured up to 3” of precipitation. The gauge here at Lady Z’s house showed right at 1.80 , total for both rains. E.L. Grumbles reported 3.1” off Johnny Brown Lane out east of Town & Luis E. said their gauge on the Carter Place off Bend Rd. measured an even 3 inches. Seems like Ruben told me they had about 1.6” out around Harkeyville, while it rained about the same at the Double Ford on the Sloan Rd. across the River. T.Noel turned in 1.l” at Old Algerita, and it showed an even inch down the Creek at the Duncan. Jack Taylor said they got 1.3” around Richland Springs, and Ms. Sue at the Cherokee Store reported 2.2 inches. I heard they got a bit more,2.7”, out west toward Potter Flat. Our HCEC gauge down at the Colony on the Towerton showed 2.4” but John Wells said their big gauge up at the DPH gate measured 2.9”. I think I like his measure more. I visited with T. Behrens down at W.D.’s Monday and he said they had an even inch out at McMillin. It’s pattering a bit on our tin roof as this is being written, so maybe we might be in for a bit more. Most folks surely need some running water. Most of the small grain farmers are most assuredly grinning right now & the others are cranking their grain drills back up. The Pecan producers won’t have to irrigate for a while & might start thinking of shredding some of the bottoms & orchards. Sticks & limbs will be a major chore this Fall as most everyone experienced some more die-back of Pecan timber this summer.Early varieties have started to open along with some of the early ripening Natives. Gilbert Flores brought in the first Pecans to the “News & Star” a couple of weeks back with a sample of Pawnee. Daddy’s favorite was the Pawnee and the tree in the garden showed shuck-split on the 15th, which is right on schedule. Momma’s Sioux isn’t open yet, but the pesky squirrel that comes over the roof doesn’t know that. He’s been cutting those nuts for the past 2 weeks. We’ll be lucky to have enough nuts left for a show sample. Most reports from the Producers around the County points to a fairly good crop this season. San Saba seems to do a lot better when we have a good Pecan crop. Now that we’ve had some, it might spark the interest of gardeners that enjoy planting produce for Fall gardens.Beets, Broccoli, & Brussels Sprouts can be transplanted this time of year, as well as Carrots, Cabbage, Cauliflower, & Collards. Kale, the most nutritious green, goes in well now, and you can also plant bunching onions this time of year. Spinach can be seeded now, & there is still time for Radish,if you hurry. I think Tennessee sowed his turnips a week or two back. Get with it and be a glad gardener,as Fall gardens make us all look like a good one. Our hunters were in from Stephenville this past weekend down at the River Place and spent most of the day working on their feeders and filling some of them with corn. Shaw & I have been seeing some pretty fair bucks out around the County & some of them have just about rubbed off the velvet. Most of the bucks are still running together and Doug Hayes said he spotted 5 in a bunch in his back yard a few days back. Anyhow, the advent of deer season really is a boon for our fair Valley of the Pecan, and the Mayor & yrs. truly will surely welcome them all out around————Harkeyville!!!!!!!!!!!!