The other columnists I enjoy are Jeanne Sager’s Inside Out. She lives right down the street from me in Callicoon Center, appreciates country life, is an animal lover and shares some of the same views that I do. She also is raising an only child as I was, when growing up in that small town.

Hudson Cooper in his Random Thoughts, writes very informative columns that are sprinkled with humor. I never miss reading his work, some of which I let marinate for awhile.

Jim Boxberger’s column The Garden Guru gives some good tips such as plants that deer are inclined to reject as fodder. However he has pointed out that when deer are very hungry they will change their diet and eat anything that’s growing. I think they especially like going to dinner in people’s yards. Jim recently deviated from the garden and wrote about honey bees which was fascinating. During the winter months, if there is a warm spell, they step outside the hive and relieve themselves which is a huge relief to the queen bee because she doesn’t like them going inside. An unexpectedly funny column I didn’t know bees did that. The title of the column was Even Bees Need To Go.

Kathy Werner’s Column Lifelines is another one I enjoy. I used to like reading about all the wonderful trips she and her husband John took with family. John passed away unexpecedly in April 2018. Thankfully he got to meet his granddaughter, Adeline before he died. Now most of Kathy’s columns revolve around that granddaughter. They do a lot of baking together and explore New York City. Writing helps a great deal to overcome tragedy.

I particulary enjoyed reading Anne Stabbert Robisch Foland’s column Long Ago But Near At Heart. She lived a long and productive life and died at the age of 94. She was the Aunt of our publisher, Fred Stabbert III. She once graciously replied to a letter I wrote to her even though she was sick at the time. She was one of the few people I knew who would walk “back the road” as I do.

I often read the column by Nellie Stabbert - While The Kettle Boils. She is long gone but her words live on. One column that was published recently and written in the 1950s was about her futile attempts to get a raise. As I read it I forgot that she was part of the family until at the end she wrote all she got was room and board but would still remain in the Democrat’s employ.

Now I will put my tea Kettle on to have a cup while reading more of the Sullivan County Democrat.