What a hot and humid summer we are experiencing this year! Every day is a bad hair day, when you have semi-curly hair like I do. The cicadas have started to buzz, a sure sign that we are mid-way through the summer. The milkweeds and thistles will soon be going to seed.

Although I love monarch butterflies, I hate milkweeds and thistles. At this time of the year, I am on a mission to check their spread. In the past week I spoke with two farmers, Boomer Russell and Jon Rosal, both of whom expressed their distain for milkweeds. Both milkweeds and thistles can take over a hay field or pasture in a few years' time and cows and horses and eschew eating them. Not good for the many farmers who sell some of their hay bales.

If you buzz along Route 17B, near the Bethel Market Café, you will notice the construction on the new, huge, solar panel farm, taking place in the field south of the Dancing Cat. I am delighted to know that sheep will keep the grass in check, once the panels are in place. Hopefully, no Roundup will ever be used.

Avid whitetail deer hunters are readying their food plots.

Belated happy birthday wishes to two special Kenoza Lake residents: Bill Brey & George Slater.

If you are looking for some delicious tomatoes and corn and other summer farm produce, check out Lisa & Larry Schicks's L & M Farm stand, on Route 17B, Bethel, near Dr. Duggan road. DELICIOUS TOMATOES from the Amish country.

Every summer, there are a few weeks when the Canada Geese molt. One does not see Canada Geese in one hay field one day and another hay field another day. The geese are on the move now, so I am assuming they are done molting.

Last week I had a wonderful visit with Bill & Elaine Korwan of Swiss Hill. Bill is the most knowledgeable gardener around. Elaine and he had the most extensive collection of rhododendrons in the county. The Jeff Journal featured them a few years ago. They are in the process of downsizing their gardens now and have some wonderful plants to share with you.

The Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church will reopen on Sunday, August 9th. The church's Administrative Board met earlier this week with Pastor Bridgette and Bud LeConey.

Pastor Bridgette will be in the pulpit the third Sunday of each month for the purpose of serving/offering communion. Bud will be in the pulpit for the other Sundays. We are delighted to have church re-opening and are ecstatic to have the LeConeys as our pastors. Welcome!

There will be no Kenoza Lake Fire Company's chicken barbeque this year. However, the Kauneonga Lake Fire Company will hold their chicken barbeque this Saturday, from 2:00 until sold old.

Earlier this week, I planted Renaissance plants at the Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church with Maggie Russell, a recent Sullivan West graduate. We spent two hours working on the gardens. We ran out of flowers, so my sister Nancy Neumann picked up some more plants from the Callicoon's Delaware Home & Garden center.

When all four sets of three plants each are in the ground, we will have 12 new perennials, including one of my summer favorites, Black-eyed Susie's. Thank you, Maggie! You did a great job gardening. Maggie will also help water and weed. Next week there will be a Renaissance crew at the Kenoza Lake post office, attacking the weeds.

Kudos to the Town of Bethel Highway guys. Great job on repaving the road for Pucky Huddle Road. What organization! The trucks! The stones! I was extremely impressed. Last Friday morning, a big tree fell on Pucky Huddle Road. Within minutes there was a caravan of NYSEG trucks, cutting the tree and restoring power.

Get well wishes to Ed Neumann, my brother-in-law who is recovering from knee surgery last week.

Let's go Mets!