The fall colors are starting to show, with hints of gold and red. Area gardens too, are showing some flashy hues in the early fall sunshine.

While I don't have the patience, or the eye, to be a proper gardener, I do know a good thing when I see one. Particular favorites are those gardens that have a shy side, that don't give away everything with a perfunctory glance.

That's why the garden created by Spencer Hospital along Grand Avenue has become a particular favorite of mine.

Everyone knows the one I mean, the beautiful area which the hospital has created in the past year, giving those traveling on the highway a glance at the hospital for the first time ever. It's a spot of open green in the otherwise residential neighborhood.

The garden, however, can't be truly appreciated from the road. You've got to park, and walk into the area, to really appreciate it. It's best viewed from the hospital, which I suppose was the point. Patients, and those waiting on friends and loved ones, need a place of peace and tranquility to quiet the worries on their minds.

It's even better when you get up close.

Purple hydrangeas spill over with lush blooms. The only sound you hear once you've stepped down into the small protected terrace is the tinkle of water meandering over rocks. The roadway could be miles, instead of yards, away.

It's a pocket of quiet and calm in a rushing world.

You've got to admire the hospital board and administration for utilizing the area in this way. Too often, boards make decisions based on dollars and cents. This decision seemed based on the soul and what it craves -- beauty and peace.

I'll bet many of you have admired the garden from the road, just as I did for far too long. To do so misses out on the real beauty of the place.

Do yourself a favor, before frost and snow put it to bed for the winter. Take a walk through the garden. You won't regret it.

Another don't miss is the Spencer Community Theatre's production of "Annie Get Your Gun," premiering Friday at the SCT Playhouse.

I've gotta admit, I'm a fan of Annie Oakley. That woman had gumption.

And the musical has rollicking songs, a great cast, and a guarantee of fun written all over it.

We're so lucky to have such a quality theatre in our area, and a cast of talented amateurs who put in countless hours to present such high-quality theatre to us.

Sometimes it's easy to overlook what's in our own backyard, and if you've bought tickets to a touring show lately in the region, you know that SCT offers an awful lot of bang for your buck, without the hassle of a long drive, overnight stay and seats in the nosebleed section.

Pack up the family, drive a few minutes, and have a great evening at "Annie Get Your Gun."

For ticket information, contact the SCT box office at (712) 262 -7336.