It won’t be long until all the lil’ Hobgoblins will be trekking up & down the streets, going from house to house filling their lil’ Pumpkin baskets with all sorts of treats so as the folks won’t get “tricked”. Anyhow, the end of October is right around the corner & it seems as if it was only a couple of weeks back that we were enjoying the Labor Day weekend. Our Fair Valley of the Pecan has enjoyed a fairly fine Fall, so far, what with the few fronts that have eased down into the Hill Country, bringing along some precious precipitation, along with some cooler temperatures. We are already right at a third of the way through our Fall season of ‘12 & I, for one, am dreading it’s demise. Looking toward popular opinion, it’s probably safe to say that quite a large number of folks share the same preference of season as do I. Probably a prejudiced point, but the Fall might be the most well liked of the four. Quite a number place spring as their favorite, some select summer, while few of the more stalwarts will say winter. There are several reasons for Fall being favored for folks from our Fair Valley. Some that would be at the top of my list include cooler weather, fronts that bring rainfall, hunting seasons all through Fall & into the winter, football, Pecan harvest, & not having to mow the lawn as often. There are some more valid points, but we think you probably could list a few of your own. Being a bit nostalgic, we might also add that it doesn’t seem quite right to not be able to smell the smoke from burning piles of Pecan leaves & sticks that used to fragrant our air around the ol’ Town. Seems like we have to have more Town ordinances now than when we were kids growing up here in San Saba. I’ve heard some opinions toward that from the “Table of Knowledge” at the Café & though they may not be completely true, they do seem to hold a hint of merit. Back in “The Day”, they hold that nearly all the members of the Council were mostly native San Sabans, & more involved with developing local commerce and building developments than restricting citizens normal activities. It does sound sensible that a number of folks that move here might have left the cities and have had little experience with trash or leaf pile burns in the back yard. Most folks had a burn barrel in the back yard and had enough sense to put a grate on top, as well as not lighting it and leaving the fire untended. The ol’ Timers also knew not to light an outside fire when it was too dry or with the wind blowing too hard. I do have to say, that most of our renovations of our “Downtown” motif is being applauded by our local citizenry, as well as our Tourism clientele, even though it’s going back to the look of what San Saba was back in the Forties & Fifties. Maybe longer, but that’s about as far back as I’m able to recall. Wish someone could reconstruct the ol’ Huddle Café on the Corner where T.K.’s service station was later, after the Huddle burned. Oh, Well; Red’s Café on the Square has been gone for quite a while, too. The Pecan harvest is trying to get geared up, but most of the Pecan pickers are still tuning up their equipment. It appears that we should have a fairly fair crop this year, but the forecasters are hesitant to predict prices. It usually sets it’s own level when we get enough production in for a decent test. Livestock prices are still in good shape and the runs at Jordan’s out at Harkeyville are staying steady with good participation at several of the Fall special sales they have been having. The hunter activity has been picking up, tourism is more steady, and several of the special entertainment activities are attracting nice crowds. All in all, the season is a boon for “selling” San Saba. There is even a higher demand for Squirrel hunters around the County this season. I’ll guarantee that the Mayor & yrs. truly are holding up our part out around—————Harkeyville!!!!!!!!!!!