August 21 – After a few weeks of truly glorious weather, we finally got some much-needed rain. Wonderful, however, we are looking ahead to a week of cloudy skies and cooler weather. I always find it sad when Fall starts. My husband Ray looks forward to it, due to deer hunting, I feel a little sad.   

My sister Ginny spent last week visiting my mother Marguerite Brown and her Kenoza Lake family and friends. Ginny lives in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. Last Saturday I dropped her off at the Monticello  Coach USA bus station, and I was dismayed to see two huge dead thistles that someone had knocked over along the side of the bus station along with a huge flower tub of dead flowers. Welcome to Sullivan County. I miss the Renaissance program of a decade ago. On a positive note, kudos to the Town of Thompson welcome signs and the gorgeous hanging baskets of unbelievable petunias that adorn the roadside of the two roundabouts in Monticello, near Shoprite and Walmart.  Gorgeous. Also, a shout out to the Jeffersonville JEMS for their beautiful flowers and caring about the appearance of Jeffersonville. 

The Kenoza Lake Fire Company is looking for volunteers to help with their Kenoza Lake Roast Beef dinner. (Saturday, October 11, Kenoza Lake, take-out only) Cleanup, set up, day of the event, all of the above.  Please send me an email with your phone number at PuckyHuddleSusan@aol.com if you are interested in helping. 

Last Friday Ray and I went to the Grahamsville Fair.  Great event. I love touring the 4H barns.  Laney Herbert was there, and she showed two of Dave Slater’s White Park Beef cows. She spent weeks training the cows.  I understand that she is going to the NYS Fair. I got a great photo of Laney with neighbors and fellow cow show Aiden Fulton and Max Blumenthal.   

Did you know that beginning January 1, 2026, almost all new building construction in NYS will require electricity?  No more heating with oil burners or propane gas. Not sure if wood burning stoves will be allowed or not. Plus, we are looking at a few more electric hikes. Where are we going to get electricity from? The recently announced new nuclear power plant will take years to build and bring online. Stay tuned. Don’t forget to vote. Elections have consequences.

Last week I attended an excellent farmland protection session that the Orange County Land Trust spoke at, along with Cornell Extension. The event was held at Dr. Duggan School in White Lake. I understand that presentations have been made to the Sullivan County legislators as well as the Sullivan County supervisors.  Stay tuned as hopefully farmland land preservation moves ahead in Sullivan County. 

There will be no Kenoza Lake church service in Kenoza Lake on August 31.  As August 31 is the fifth Sunday of the month, the service will be held at the Monticello United Methodist Church. 

So, this is the week that many of your recent Sullivan County high school graduates started college. I know three young people who are starting college. Best wishes to all.

In Bethel, Labor Day is the unofficial start of the November campaign season regarding signs.  Six people are running for two Town of Bethel town board positions. Be prepared for oodles of campaign signs sprouting up, beginning next weekend.     

Save the date, Sullivan County Federation of Sportsmen Clubs’ Kay Danchak Memorial Youth Outdoor Expo will be, at the Grahamsville Fair grounds, on Saturday, September 6 from 11am-3pm. The event is free to Sullivan County youth, ages 5 – 15. (Must be accompanied by an adult).

I have been receiving questions about when the hummingbirds leave. My hummingbirds normally leave around the first day of Fall. My mother and another neighbor have Baltimore Orioles feeding at their grape jelly feeders. I am so jealous. I guess grape jelly is the trick and not oranges. Next May I will be sure to keep out ample supplies of grape jelly.