Signs That Fall Is Officially Here

High School football players are our modern day gladiators. Young men clad pads and helmets battling for their school's honor on the gridiron. On this battle field life lessons are learned and boys turn into men. Every Friday night each community from the vantage point of the bleachers cheers their team -- hoping for victory.

Everything IS bigger in Texas -- even Homecoming Mums. High school Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back former students and facility to the community. The pressure is on the high school boys to ask a girl to the football game on this special night. Not only must this brave young man work up the courage find a date -- but he must demonstrate his level of affection for this girl in the form of a "mum." A Homecoming Mum is a corsage in the school's colors worn on the shoulder. The bigger, bolder and more extreme it is the better.

We know it is fall when it seems every where we turn there is hunting paraphernalia for sale -- from deer feed used to bring a unsuspecting Bambi closer to the hunter and deer urine used to disguise human scent. Avid hunters are easy to find as they proudly display Mossy Oak window clings and frequent Sporting Goods stores.

This time of year is so much fun with all the festivals and fairs to attend from now until Thanksgiving. Great fun is to be had at these locally sponsored events. Whatever community you call home its imperative you attend these social functions. Set aside your day to reconnect with your family and your community as its certain you'll rekindle friendships and discover the variety of wares offered by your neighbors.

Weekends open up with the elimination of the bi-weekly lawn maintenance chores. The lawn mower and weed-eater can't be put to rest completely but the labor intensive tasks are not sucking the time out of nights and weekends.