Okay, it’s mid-August here in northwest Alabama/southern Middle Tennessee (and really I guess everywhere else, too) but there already are signs of fall. I saw these giant pumpkins in Tullahoma, Tenn., this past weekend at Dotson’s Farm Fresh Produce, on Highway 55 going east out of town. The woman at Dotson’s said she didn’t know anything about them, only that “some man” had brought them by. Is this normal to have humongous gigantic pumpkins like these in the middle of August? I have no idea, but I predict the unknown pumpkin-growing man will win some ribbons at the Coffee County Fair. Plus, I’ve seen other signs of fall: winter squash (acorn, butternut and spaghetti) at Food Lion in Manchester; and back in Alabama, autumn decor at Wal-Mart in Muscle Shoals (but no Halloween candy yet) and jackets and sweaters squeezing out swimsuits at T.J. Maxx in Florence. Can Christmas-tree ornaments be far behind?