It’s October! Summer, however, has been reluctant to exit. The recent forecast indicates that we will have high temps in the 70’s for the next week or so, and we also may have more sunshine than rain. So it should be a stretch of pleasant weather. I have so much yardwork that has been neglected because of the heat, or the mosquitoes, or the rain — and without a freeze to take care of the bugs, I doubt if there will be much change. I have been thinking that simplifying my outdoor plantings and reducing the size of flower beds might be a good idea. I have spent little time outdoors because I hate having to remember not only the sunscreen, but also the bug repellent. And can we please turn down the humidity!

School is well underway and some of the athletic teams are finishing their regular season competition and preparing for district and state-level tournaments. If you haven’t attended games or matches, there’s still time, so get your schedule and head out to the fields.

Many of us remember NASA’s launching of the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft in 1977. They were sent out to fly close to several of the outer planets and send back photos and other data. I recently learned that as of this past month, Voyager 1 has operated for over 41 years and still communicates with earth stations to receive commands and send data back to us. While its onboard generators will cease to function power for its scientific instruments around the year 2025, it will continue to move through space – with an expected close encounter with a distant star in about 40,000 years. How astounding!

Hughesville Events:

Thurs. Oct. 4 HHS Junior High Softball at Jersey Shore at 4:30 p.m.; at Home vs Loyalsock on Sat. Oct. 6 at 11 a.m.; Away versus Williamsport Cherry on Tue. Oct. 9 at 4:30 p.m.

Thurs. Oct. 4 HHS Junior High Football teams play at Home vs Loyalsock beginning at 5 p.m.

Fri. Oct. 5 HHS Varsity Football plays at Mount Carmel at 7 p.m. The Junior Varsity team usually plays on Monday evenings at 6, facing the same school that the Varsity played on the past Friday.

Sat. Oct. 6 “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” at the Eagles Mere Auto Museum and the Village Shops. Admission fee at the auto museum, shops open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 6 Dushore “Octoberfest,” downtown Dushore from noon to 6 p.m. featuring a variety of games, vendors, and foods.

Sat. Oct. 6 Hughesville Volunteer Fire Department “Octoberfest” at the Fire Hall, corner of Water and Railroad Streets.

Sat. Oct. 6 HHS Varsity Boys Soccer team plays at Home vs Shikellamy at 7 p.m.;

Sat. Oct. 6 HHS Varsity Girls Soccer team plays at Home vs Millville at 4:30 p.m. They will also play at South Williamsport on Tues. Oct. 9 at 4:30 p.m.

Sat. Oct. 6 HHS Junior High Cross-Country team competes in the Lewisburg Junior High Classic.

Mon. Oct. 8 “Wee Tales” for children ages 12 months to 3 years and their caregivers at Hughesville Area Public Library (HAPL) from 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.

Tues. Oct. 9 “Pre-school Storytime,” for children ages 3 to 6 and caregivers at HAPL, 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.

Sat. Oct. 13 Soup sale at Tivoli United Methodist Church from 9 to 1.