I am sure this must be Blackberry Winter we're having, because

my granddaughter tells me the blackberries are blooming profusely in her pasture and around her house. Temperatures have dipped into the high 40s and low 50s for several days, and warming to around 70 during the day. I'm enjoying it.

Four-year-old Anne Marie Burriss has an imaginary friend and Trevin and Tracey (mom and dad) thought she had acquired still another imaginary friend last week when she kept mentioning "the vampire." They questioned her about it but couldn't quite understand what she meant until she said, "You know. He came to our school." And then they knew. Marvin Hudson, our Major League Baseball umpire, had visited the school and talked to the children about his job.

Priscilla Maxwell, who writes the news from the Tyrone community for The News-Reporter, began her column this week with, "Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall." That's what Priscilla did last week. She had a great fall. She was doing some cleaning at the Phillips Mill Baptist Church Cemetery (by herself) and when she picked up a load of clippings and started down the hill, she fell and then rolled down

the hill near the old baptistry. She couldn't get up but managed to make her way up the hill to the car where she got her cell phone and called Morrison who took her home. But guess what she did next. Before she went to the doctor, she sat down and finished her Tyrone News which was due in around 12:00, sent it in by Morrison, and THEN called the doctor. Her pelvis is cracked in two places and she has been in the Elberton hospital since Monday, April 24.

Rebecca Deweese will be graduating from Mercer University this month with a degree in Early Childhood Education and has already landed a teaching position in the Oconee County School System. . . . Rebecca is the daughter of Alicia and Jim Deweese and one of the many high school students who laboriously worked at The News-Reporter, getting your paper to you every week when she was in high school.

Vicky Moses' Second Time Around Mini-Farm was "written up" in the May issue of Rayle EMC's "Georgia Magazine." A paragraph in the article says, "This hideaway features animals native to the hills of England's countryside and the Andes Mountains of Peru, including Baby Doll sheep, goats, pot-bellied pigs, donkeys, a miniature horse, and 30 award-winning llamas." Word gets around.

A picture in the Athens BannerHerald last week showed John Hansford eating sorbet cones with a group of girls on College Square in Athens. It was "Ben and Jerry's" nationwide free cone day celebrating 28 years in business. The article identified John as a student "who will be attending the Medical College of Georgia in August." John is Ann and Tim Hansford's son.

Susan and Edward Pope (Jr.) had a famous personality as their weekend guest. Nationally-known turkey hunter, Roscoe Reams of McDonough, was their guest and he and Edward enjoyed hunting turkeys on the Pope farm. I never did hear whether they bagged a gobbler or not.

Marshall Sherrer was recognized last week at the annual County Commissioners of Georgia Meeting in Savannah for his 40 years of service as a county commissioner. This is a rare accomplishment and it's nice to hear that Marshall has been recognized for his long dedicated service in Wilkes County. He will be retiring at the end of this year.

Bonnie Bounds, a junior at Briarwood Academy, was pictured on the front page of The McDuffie Progress last week as she and her escort participated in the promenade for the annual high school prom at Briarwood. The full-length, full-color picture was a perfect compliment to Bonnie's green dress and auburn hair.

Seen visiting at the piano recital at The Playhouse on North Alexander Sunday were very old friends,

Charles Irvin and Vola Jacobs, who was the pianist for the marvelous program.

Judge Jim Burton officiated at his 400th wedding ceremony Saturday morning. Jim says that the 400 weddings were performed over a period of 18 years since he has been probate judge for Wilkes County, and some of them he has presided at twice. He also says that the weddings are the fun part of his job.

This event is far into the future but worth mentioning for a good cause. The Wills Memorial Hospital Auxiliary is planning another of its popular fashion shows and luncheons on August 12. It's always a fun time.

Friday evening at seven o'clock will see the beginning of the Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society. The track at the Washington-Wilkes Parks and Recreation Department will be lined with luminaries in memory of and in honor of loved ones who have or have had cancer. A special ceremony will begin at 9 p.m. . . . A barbecue honoring cancer survivors was held at the Barnett Barn on the Lincolnton Road Saturday night, and I hear it was an impressive event with about 125 cancer survivors attending.

Marion Barnett Jr. and his daughter, Mamie Barnett Rich, have donated a "Red Baron" pedal car to the Kiwanis Club to be used as a fund-raiser for the club's Liberty Street Playground Restoration Project. The Red Baron is on display in the window at Grate Fires on The Square and the winner will be drawn at the Fourth of July celebration on The Square.