Greetings to all! It really feels like fall today after the unseasonably warm weather of yesterday. I had the local weather on Wednesday evening (Channel 2 news from New York City) and the weather person said how dry September was and how we may get more rain today than for all of September. The news reporter said that the leaves are not going to be as colorful this year as it was so dry in September. Also, it was reported that the Monarch butterflies have hung around a lot later than normal, as it has been so warm. (Although I can dodge most turtles and some frogs on the back roads, I regrettably sometimes take out a monarch butterfly with my car as they seem to like the warm, asphalt roads.) There is still a beauty to the countryside with the yellow leaves and pine needles.

So faithful reader, Alton Diehl emailed me earlier this week and said he had no birds at his birdfeeder. I wrote back and said, I agreed, except for those dreadful doves that soil up my back deck, a pair of cardinals and a stray blue jay. I did see a chickadee last week and either a nuthatch or tufted titmouse. I got the suet out and so far, no red bellied woodpecker. The last female hummer left right before the first day of fall and the hummingbird feeders are cleaned and packed away for next spring.

Looks like there will be another banner year for winterberry. It is a mast year for red oak tree acorns, at least on Pucky Huddle Road.

The Kenoza Lake Fire Department will be having their annual roast beef dinner on Saturday, October 12th. Delicious-delicious-delicious! Real mashed potatoes. Home made gravy. Delicious! If you love roast beef, like to see your friends and neighbors and like supporting extremely worthy causes, then check out all three Roast Beef dinners: Kenoza Lake - October 12th, Jeffersonville - October 19th and Youngsville -October 26th.

Congratulations to the White Lake Fire Company for winning first prize in the recent, Sullivan County annual Firemen's parade, held in Rock Hill. They won a gorgeous wooden flag. CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!

The Kenoza Lake United Methodist Church preaching schedule is as follows for the next few weeks:

Linda Simmons - October 6th, Dr. Allen Wachter - October 13th (with communion), Bud LeConey - October 20th and Linda Simmons - October 27th.

The next Kenoza Lake news column will be for the October 18th edition of the Sullivan County Democrat.

John Erik Karkula, the chair of the Callicoon Beautification Committee and chair of the Town of Delaware Renaissance project contacted me earlier this week and advised me that he has received a few different types of bulbs to plant for next spring, including Fritillaria, Alliums and Daffodils. The bulbs are from Sullivan County Renaissance. I plan to do some planting after I get past my huge, October 15th tax filing deadline. Please let me know If you would like to help me plant bulbs at the Kenoza Lake post office and perhaps the firehouse.

Bill Brey has a gorgeous corn garden along Old Taylor Road. He has been so kind to give me some of the corn that is too old for human consumption. Rudy the raccoon has been enjoying it. Rudy leaves his trademark of peeling back each piece of the husk that surrounds the ear of corn. Plus, he must wash his paws in the water I leave for him. I have caught some recent sightings of Rudy, and he has been packing on the pounds for the upcoming winter.

Beware of all the wet leaves and white pine needles that have fallen. They can be very slippery. The White-Tail deer mini rut will be happening, before my next Kenoza Lake news column is published.

I have a beautiful card on my desk that says: “Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful, Annette Funicello”. How true, how true.