Greetings faithful readers of the Kenoza Lake news. Fall is in the air. 

As most of you know, my mother-in-law Florence Brown passed away last week.  (Her obituary was published in the Tuesday, August 22, edition of The Sullivan County Democrat.) She was 99 years old and lived an amazing life. On behalf of my husband Ray and our family, we thank everyone for your condolences at this time of sorrow.

Some folks can watch the moon rise on the horizon from their living room and others cannot. I am one of those in the “cannot” category. So, if there is going to be a super, blue (full) moon, I drive down Pucky Huddle Road, right near the little “toll house” on Route 17B that is ready to fall down.  I drove down the road last night around 7:45 pm but the sky was a little cloudy and there was no full moon yet. I checked out the window at 9:00 and it was already in the sky (and I could then see it from my dining room window). Oh well, I missed the awesome moonrise. The next super blue moon will be ten years from now. 

Continuing healing prayers for Pastor Bridgette LeConey. Last Sunday I spoke with Bud LeConey. He said that Pastor Bridgette is getting stronger, day-by-day. Last weekend was class reunion weekend.  Richard Bihler was in town for his class reunion. Richard also attended the Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church last Sunday. Oldtimers may recall back in the late 1960s or early 1970s when Richard Bihler, a retired US Air Force pilot, buzzed Kenoza Lake with “his” C-130 military transport aircraft plane. His parents were the late Paul and Eunice Bihler of Kenoza Lake. John Girrbach will be in the Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church pulpit this coming Sunday. 

One of my favorite movies is Dirty Dancing. Fans of this movie know that it seems as though Babe and her family arrive Memorial Day weekend and stay until Labor Day.  I don’t know if Babe’s father spends the whole summer at Kellerman’s or not, it seems as though he does. Anyway, the grand finale of the movie takes place on Labor Day weekend.  “At Kellerman’s we come together. . . .” It reminds me of the summers I worked at the Valley View House, Winski’s former Polish resort on Swiss Hill. I am always a little sad when Labor Day arrives. My husband Ray loves the fall, why? Because of hunting season. Ray tells me that the bucks will start shedding their velvet next week. 

I was in the parking lot of the Kenoza Lake Post Office the other day and I was speaking with Legislator Rob Doherty on my cellphone, and I said I was in Kenoza Lake. Legislator Doherty told me that Dan Hust pronounces Kenoza Lake differently than I do.  (Dan Hust was raised in Kenoza Lake.) (I say Ke-no-za and Dan Hust pronounces it more like Ku-no-za). I completed my call and with that Ed & Anne Raum arrived. I asked Ed how he pronounces Kenoza Lake, and he pronounces it like I do. How do you pronounce Kenoza Lake?

Election season is around the corner. In the Town of Bethel, Labor Day is normally the day that folks wait to start putting up their campaign signs on non-private property. Unfortunately, some candidates jumped the gun and put out their signs a few weeks ago. (I am waiting until Labor Day to put up my signs.) Early voting begins October 28th and Election Day is November 7th. If you will not be able to vote in person on November 7 or in-person, early voting, then it’s time to apply for your absentee ballot.  

Save the date: The annual Kenoza Lake Fire Company Roast Beef dinner, Saturday, October 14th. I believe that it is take out only. The Smallwood/Mongaup Valley Fire Company will have a pancake breakfast this coming Sunday, September 3rd. 

The next Kenoza Lake news column will be September 22nd. Folks with hummingbirds, now is the time to increase the strength of your hummingbird nectar. I like to use a three-to-one ratio. Most hummingbirds are gone by the first day of Fall, September 23rd.