There is no doubt about it: fall is firmly established and winter is sending unmistakable signals.

When the oak leaves started turning (they are always last around my house), I realized that the beautiful autumn colors had passed the peak — and before I could “Jack Frost,” leaves were blowing like snowflakes and my yard and driveway were covered.

We in this area are fortunate to experience all the seasons, but sometimes the changes come so fast, we are hardly prepared for them.

Thanksgiving and Christmas have become almost one seasonal holiday.

Retailers have already brought out decorated trees and holiday merchandise, hoping for a better season than the economic crisis is predicting.

With December coming in on Monday, that throws many organizational Christmas parties almost immediately after Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, we can be thankful for the blessings we have, including the fact that we are not battling terrible fires and high winds threatening our homes as they are in California.

Those of us in the War Hill/Hwy. 53-400 area will be grateful for the promised new fire station, especially if it really includes a sheriff’s precinct, a satellite tax office and even a recycling center.

Think of how many miles and hours we will save and how much safer we will feel.

It’s time to offer congratulations, some of them belated, since I didn’t write a column last week:

• To the Masons on their 150th anniversary, and to cousin-in-law Dr. Herbert Robinson, who in his 90s can still deliver an inspiring speech without notes.

• To the DCHS Competitive Cheerleading Team and their coach Kim Fleming, who didn’t do as well in state competition as they had hoped, but who won their fifth consecutive regional title.

• To Christ Fellowship Church for continuing to sponsor a monthly Seniors’ Breakfast with exciting music by Sharon and Sunnyside.

• To all the veterans who were honored on Nov. 11 and especially to the Chamber of Commerce and the county schools for their sponsorships of Veterans Day events. And to George David, who was a great Grand Marshal.

• To Dawson County Woman’s Club for their generous gift to the sheriff’s department to create a privacy center for interrogation of women and especially children — as well as for their many other generous projects.

They are not alone; our county has a number of civic organizations and churches, which consistently work for the betterment of the whole community.

By the way, have you made your donation/pledge to United Way yet?

Helen Taylor’s column appears periodically in the Dawson Community News.