Susan Says . . .

— This week, October 4 - 10, is National Newspaper Week and a great opportunity to say how thankful I am to work in the exciting world of the newspaper business. The communications industry has changed drastically since the advent of the computer age and many have speculated that the newspaper is doomed. I disagree. I was reassured after hearing a recent conversation in which two intelligent, well-informed ladies, both computer owners, agreed they still wanted that daily newspaper lying on the table beside their coffee cup each morning.

Temperatures dropped again this week. We put an extra blanket on the bed and we’re seeking out warmer clothes. Jim took both air conditioners out of the windows last weekend and put them away for the winter and Tuesday after work we drove over to switch Aunt Leta’s cooling system over to heat. Walnut buying season has begun and already several folks are collecting the popular nuts and hauling them to the hullers. The plum trees in the back yard and the big maple in front of the old nursing home have put on their bright fall coats. It’s a lovely time of year.

Columnist Joyce Hifler described this time of year in her Think On These Things: “This is my dawdling time, never pushing myself to get there and back - there is too much to see and enjoy.....The woods have held their green amazingly well - until the sight of a tree that seems to suddenly blush pink and coral. Then it is easy to see that color has begun all through the woods and the trees know, even without a frost, that it is time to take on autumn colors.

“We know, as well. We think warm, we think jackets, we think football and walks through the woods and not so far ahead - Thanksgiving. It seems like summer zipped by and we did not enjoy all that wewanted to, so let’s make up for it and never give trouble a chance to thrive by talking about it.”

It’s fall haying season and area farmers are working to get their bales in the barn.

We moved our October library commission meeting to the last Monday in September and when I came home lights were circling the field as nephew Dustan cut the tall grass there.

Sister Nancy brought the rake in Wednesday night and her husband was raking the hay when we left for the ballgame Friday evening. They baled it later that night and returned Saturday afternoon to haul the last bales home.

Tuesday was Mama’s birthday and the florist brought a lovely bouquet.

Another visitor delivered a bag of assorted candies and the mailman left a package with a warm sweater from her brother and sister-inlaw. Wednesday evening we received a call from our editor to say he’d returned from his week’s vacation. Jim and his helper went to Maysville Thursday to put a metal roof over the deck they built recently.

We were part of a solemn occasion Friday afternoon when we attended funeral services for a young man Jim has worked with. Jim said a few words in tribute to the deceased and then addressed those gathered in his behalf. We joined family members for a meal after the memorial service and picked up grandson A.J. to go with us to the football game at Gentry that evening. We were pleased the Lions came home with their winning streak still intact.

We were busy over the weekend. I went out Saturday morning to the recycling trailer and then to the farmers’ market. Fall gardens are flourishing and I found a variety of prime veggies, purchasing green beans, zucchini, okra, radishes, cucumbers, banana peppers and new red potatoes.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 10/07/2009