Alison's blog

At the risk of repeating myself, sunrise was beautiful today

2011-01-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

And then it turned into a beautiful springlike-but-with-snow-on-the-ground day.

Saturday sunrise

2011-01-29T09:51:00.000-05:00

Yes, it was. Just like this.

Winter thrush

2011-01-29T09:50:00.000-05:00

This guy has been turning up a lot, recently. Just one, feeding with the sparrows like an oversized brother. He's beautiful, but that beak makes me suspicious that he's a grackle in disguise.

Snow, again.

2011-01-27T14:07:00.000-05:00

Shirley sunset

2011-01-23T17:57:00.000-05:00

Shirley beach is the perfect viewpoint for sunsets on this part of Long Island. About five minutes in the car from home.

This evening, the bay was frozen flat; a mirror of ice; the sky turquoise and pink and faded.

I have never, ever felt so cold, so quickly: I understood frostbite. Thermometer said 22 degrees farenheit, it felt colder... the breeze across the bay helping numb fingers and nose inside a short moment.

Not a time to be living outdoors. I hope the car-people have somewhere warm to go tonight.

Seriously... every day.

2011-01-19T07:57:00.000-05:00

This morning, it was like someone was shining a red light up, behind Fire Island, into a solid grey sky. This persisted long after the sun must have been clear of the horizon.

Nice to have a dawn above freezing; birds singing, sound of the ocean faded and more gentle. Yesterday's rain washed all the snow from the deck and reduced it everwhere; can even see tufts of grass where the snow hadn't drifted.

It will probably freeze this way now, but spring will arrive, one day soon.

Orange morning

2011-01-17T16:36:00.000-05:00

One thing I have learned to appreciate since living here is the colour orange. It just happens: at sunrise, at sunset, in lillies that appear in the garden as if by magic. It doesn't look out-of-place next to pink or turquoise or grey anymore... it's a natural and beautiful colour that, before living here, only meant citrus to me.

Frozen bay, frozen (ocean) beach... but the hunt goes on

2011-01-15T11:57:00.000-05:00

Smith Point ocean beach on Fire Island, frozen this morning; baby waves rippling onto the sands where plates of sand-mixed-with-ice had floated and cracked. A strange and unusual sight.

How cold must it be for the ocean to freeze?

Seagulls standing on their reflections on the bay; deep ice in Pattersquash Creek this morning.

Cold, but not cold enough to deter us from going to the beach, nor to keep hunters-and-their-dog at home, nor preventing the guys in the rowboats from going with the ice floes at the end of Cranberry in Mastic Beach.

It's the sunshine that does it. Makes everthing possible, despite what brain/eyes/thermometer says.

Never two the same... just spectacular

2011-01-15T07:43:00.000-05:00

Keeps happening. Every day.

2011-01-14T08:38:00.000-05:00

I like this guy

2011-01-12T11:07:00.000-05:00

Really nice renovations, beach cottages

2011-01-10T08:34:00.001-05:00

A shout out to the folks who have turned the cottage on the corner of Whittier and Dogwood, just before the marina. A few months ago it was an unloved eyesore, dark and abandoned. Now it is a beautiful, happy beach cottage, a subtle but cheerful green, somewhere anyone would be proud to call home.

All over the village of Mastic Beach, people have been working hard to renovate homes. A walk down Park Drive is a good example--many of the cottages have been given new leases on life. A new home has grown up where the house damaged by fire once stood.

There's a lot of opportunity here. Look at the prices, the proximity to the bay, to boating and fishing, to watching the birds. Think about taking a bicycle ride to the ocean beach or just nipping there in your car. No ferries to catch. No Hamptons-horrendous beach parking charge.

Nice place to spend your weekends, even if you are not ready to leave the city full-time... yet!

Another day, another sunrise

2011-01-10T08:26:00.000-05:00

And a reminder: this could be your morning view! See the house on the MLS. MLS# 2315270, find it on Realtor.com or MLSLI.com or any of your favourite real estate search engines!

Sunday melted away...

2011-01-02T16:27:00.000-05:00

Temperatures well above freezing; the bay-ice just a melted shadow. Mist rising from ploughed, dirty piles of snow. Across the water, suddenly crystal-clear then fogged from view again. The sun tries to break through, then retreats behind the clouds. Just teasing.

Happy New Year!!!!

2011-01-01T10:15:00.000-05:00

May it bring you health, happiness and good things.

010111

Last day of the year, 2010

2010-12-31T15:47:00.000-05:00

Still ice on the bay, but less than yesterday, and there is a drip-drip-dripping sound as the sun melts away the snow... but the bay ice seemed to radiate a chill into the sun-warmed air.

Another grackle invasion

2010-12-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

They came in a crowd-cloud and scooped up all the bread, tipped the birdseed all over the deck, and then had a group pooping-session all over the deck railings. There are many brown (juvenile?) grackles in the crowd this year, disguised as something other than their beleathered counterparts.

I do like grackles.

Frozen bay, sunshine on the snow

2010-12-30T13:25:00.001-05:00

It looks like the Arctic came to Long Island. The Great South Bay is covered with ice; static in the shallows, flowing with the current in the boating channel. This was low tide: the ocean beach was huge, the tide way, way out, frozen seafoam on the sand, drifts of snow on the dunes, and the tunnel from the parking lot a sheer drop down a wall of snow drift.

Smith Point bridge from the new fishing pier, Smith Point

Smith Point condos from the new fishing pier, Smith Point

I went to the beach

2010-12-30T13:20:00.000-05:00

It was pretty. Snow, sand, shadows.

Sunrise, December 30th 2010

2010-12-30T08:12:00.000-05:00

Looks-colder-than-it-is today

2010-12-29T09:57:00.000-05:00

Ice is floating on the bay, chunks and slices, plates and slivers. The bay is a giant, grey slushy today; it's less cold and the air is still. The ice must be lifting from the beaches in the salt-fresh water.

I am watching out for the playful seal in case he comes back this year.

Watching the birds watching us

2010-12-29T09:52:00.000-05:00

I am very very hungry. I think I can eat it all.

How dare he?

Well I guess there is enough to share...

What's all the fuss about?

After the blizzard

2010-12-27T21:49:00.000-05:00

There was a lot of shovelling to be done: the driveway, the deck, the bridge/slope from the deck down to the lawn, the lawn steps, my neighbour's driveway... Tomorrow I have to do the area in front of the mailbox or, once the street has been ploughed and the mailman can get through, he'll leave an officious note letting me know it's my responsibility to clear the snow so that he doesn't have to get out of mail van to put the letters in the box. But today, there was no mail because no-one was driving much down here... only a couple of big trucks, and the kids on their ATVs.

I hope this is the last blizzard of the year.

Boxing day 2010

2010-12-26T12:19:00.000-05:00

We didn't have snow for Christmas, but it's here today, Boxing Day (they day-after-Christmas to those who don't know what Boxing Day is!) (Which should also be a holiday-day. Really.)

Just after midday, and the snow is fine and settling. Blizzard warning for later today, with the worst to arrive early evening in the city--possibly, hopefully less here.

I have learned from last year's digging-out experience to leave my truck at the end of the drive, close to the street. It might be more sheltered closer to the house, but it's a lot of digging once the snow stops! I bought pet-friendly snow-and-ice melt for the deck so that Bella (and I) can get outside without slipping. It may be pet-friendly but judging by the grass beneath the bridge to the back yard, it's not grass-friendly. Oops.

Hope you are having a warm snug and safe day wherever you are spending it!

Bella on a cold morning

2010-12-21T14:11:00.000-05:00

The wind was blowing her ears! Doesn't she look well! She is big and strong and kind. She is still scared by silly things--like the reeds rustling in the wind, or going through the front door--but so much better than she was a year or so ago.

Recently, someone on Long Island was arrested for starving a Great Dane to death. How can you do that? They are the size of a woman or a teenage boy. Bella now weighs about 145 pounds... and she weighed only 105 lbs when she arrived here. This is Bella, a couple of days after she came to live here in March 2009. It made me cry when I saw this picture of her again. How could anyone have not noticed how hungry she was???

She still sometimes sleeps all folded-up or wrapped into a tiny ball, like a kitten, and with her paws folded right back against her dog-wrists. But mostly she sprawls. All over her favourite sofa. All over me.

Bird visitors in December

2010-12-20T09:27:00.001-05:00

This weekend's bird visitors included grackles (just a few, not a gang), various titmice, all sorts of sparrows, grey-bluejays (they are a much greyer-blue than California bluejays and they make nowhere near as much noise), lots of cardinals both male and female, looking like mini-parrots and squabbling over the food. The great blue heron has been frozen in place next to the creek in his favourite fishing spot, only occasionally rising to fly, creaking loudly, across the wetlands.

And one beautiful flicker. Red-headed, spotty-chested, long-beaked. He sat on the deck rail and ate a lot of the seed. I've only seen him on the bird feeder before, never so close to the house. He darted away anytime there was a movement behind the glass, but returned again and again for food.

Grackle invasion

2010-12-12T15:51:00.001-05:00

They are back: arriving behind the storm, swarming the roof and the telegraph wires, finding the seed left out for the bluejays and titmice and cardinals, squabbling and feasting and fighting, and then suddenly they are gone again.

Grackle season.

At the dawning of the day

2010-12-10T10:14:00.000-05:00

Cold, but beautiful. There are ice stalagmites in the yard, where water has slowly dripped down and frozen.

New house? Really?

2010-12-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

I was trying to take a photo of the Great Blue Heron who was fishing in the wetlands, but he stalked off through the reeds, so I took a pic of my favourite pair of wetlands trees. After uploading it, I noticed the building on Smith Point. Was it there before? I don't remember seeing it. Is it a temporary hunting lodge--like the ones we see on the backs of little boats during wildfowl season, but bigger? Or is it the remains of a long-ago house, revealed by winter stripping away the vegetation?

... or is it public bathrooms for campers? Anyone know?

Golden afternoon

2010-12-07T16:09:00.000-05:00

The school bus drops off bescarved and bemittened children who look like mini-Michelin-men in all their layers. It's very cold, the wind is biting, but it is still beautiful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T11:12:00.000-05:00

Sunrise for sale!

2010-11-23T09:21:00.001-05:00

This could be yours... everyday!

(Full disclosure: the sunrise you receive may be slightly different in colour, style, shape and hour-of-day. Some mornings it may be shrouded in cloud or may happen too early for you to notice. There is no guarantee on the number of birds flying romatically between you and the glowing orb, nor on the luminosity of the water in the bay on any given day.)

Free samples are available in unlimited quantities from various viewpoints around the Village of Mastic Beach. For this unique viewpoint, see MLS # 2315270

Sunrise at Osprey Park, Mastic Beach

2010-11-21T14:41:00.000-05:00

Jade and I went to Osprey Park this morning, to watch the sun rise. It was cold, but worth it.

... then we went to the Diner in Moriches for a fry-up and hot coffee!

Sunny deer!

2010-10-30T09:10:00.001-04:00

These guys were hanging out in the wetlands for so long this morning, in the same spot, that I thought they were stuck...

... then suddenly, they ran away.

A really nice, sunny, crisp morning for a family outing.

Greyday

2010-10-27T15:56:00.000-04:00

Today is grey, and damp, and raining off-and-on; leaves are falling but many trees are beautifully orange-brown-red-yellow.

The pumpkin-heads are leering at me from the table on the deck. Really must move them to the front of the house to scare the passers-by instead of me.

Autumnal sunrise... a misty morning in Mastic Beach

2010-10-25T07:41:00.000-04:00

It was really, really pretty. And I really, really must get my camera and lenses cleaned. Professionally.

Mushrooms!!! (or Toadstools... don't eat these!)

2010-10-20T11:09:00.000-04:00

Jade and I went for a walk in the woods on Sunday, intending to take photos of the colourful leaves, but ended up fascinated by all the 'shrooms. The deep oak leaf mould is perfect for them.

Expected to see the Caterpillar sitting on one, smoking his hubbly-bubbly and enticing Alice. Instead, we saw a two-foot garter snake, brown with a go-faster stripe, zipping around in the leaves.

Budapest pictures: Sunday, October 10th

2010-10-16T13:20:00.000-04:00

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Budapest, Hungary

2010-10-16T10:40:00.000-04:00

For the past week, I was in Budapest, Hungary, for the LISA conference. Never been to Hungary before; was lucky enough to have Sunday free, spent all day walking, climbing, watching, looking, visiting.

Reminded me of Grenoble, only bigger and smoggier. Beautiful architecture with carvings and statues and decoration that must have taken years. Carved giants holding up the next floor of a building; beautiful women bursting from walls or carrying water vessels; giant kings or presidents or leaders fighting off pagans. You could tell the pagans, because their hair is in braids/plaits.

Noisy streets and a wide, flowing Danube river. A bridge protected by giant lions and yet called the Chain Bridge. A castle up on a hill where you can spy on the houses of parliament, the winning building in a competition where the losers were delegated to other government functions. A falling-to-pieces Casino which still has more class than anything built in the 1960's and perfectly maintained. The biggest synagogue in Europe and walls wearing the scars of the anti-Soviet uprising. Cobbled streets and taxi drivers who would be at home in the Grand Prix. Big bowls of goulash soup, and dessert of sweetened chestnut and whipped cream. Signs and words in a language which I couldn't even make a guess at the meaning of.

Pictures to follow....

And back to Long Island

2010-10-15T18:22:00.000-04:00

Almost two weeks away, an only a few leaves have fallen, and a few more changed colour, though one of the trees at the back of the house is already almost bare.

Had a wonderful few days in Grenoble and in Budapest; wonderful to spend time with friends at work, it's amazing how much we can do/learn/think just being together for a while. And friends new and old(er) at LISA, I always value the time we get together, agree/disagree/challenge/inspire each other... we're working in an industry that is turning itself inside-out with new ways of doing things, and it is fun. Hope to see you again soon.

Sassenage Shito-Ryu karate: I miss you guys! Darn good workouts... yep I was the only woman in the Friday night Karate Contact class, felt like the good old days. I must be mad ;-)

(Those of you in France, the first international Cup/Contact Karate is the weekend of October 23rd, in Sassenage--Dominique Valera will be there, plus other champions. For more information see http://coupe.karate-ryu.com/index.htm I'd be there if I could!)

Yesterday's sunset

2010-10-03T20:14:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, the best part of the sunset is in the opposite direction to the sun.

Yesterday and today

2010-10-03T10:13:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I was wearing a sleeveless top and it was too warm and bright to sit on the deck and read. This morning, I wore a pullover and a jacket for Bella's walk. The poison ivy has turned red, seemingly overnight.

Now the sun is trying to break through the clouds, but it's still a different season to Saturday.

And the birds are gathering

2010-10-02T18:11:00.000-04:00

More came to join them... squabbling to find a space on the wire. Then they rose as one, clouded and swarmed over the wetlands, and flew away. Heading south, or to another local roost?

Roses!

2010-10-02T18:08:00.000-04:00

It's the beginning of October, but today was just beautiful... sunny, warm, calm, mild. Tranquil.

The roses prefer the less-humid days, and are blooming again just for fun. And they are all old-fashioned, scented beauties. How can you grow roses that don't have perfume???

Within minutes, pink changed to steel

2010-10-01T13:49:00.002-04:00

Reed section

2010-10-01T13:48:00.000-04:00

The wind was making music in the reeds.

Beginning of October

2010-10-01T13:45:00.000-04:00

It was a spectacular beginning to the month. Warm, blustery, and pink.

No words needed

2010-09-25T12:59:00.000-04:00

Up a gum tree????

2010-09-23T08:16:00.000-04:00

Twice in the past three days, I have seen a Kookaburra. Seriously. The first time, it zoomed past, hovered over the creek, then plunged in with a giant PLOP. This morning, it zipped past us as we were walking near the bay, following its giant, pointy beak.

Either his internal GPS is really messed up (we're a long way from Australia), someone has been putting hallucinogenics in my coffee, or it's a Belted Kingfisher.

I know he's laughing at me.

And Igor gives us waves

2010-09-19T18:00:00.000-04:00

Another hurricane waved to us, from a long-long way away this time... waved with waves. Major surfiness. Can see plumes of spray from the house. At the beach, waves rushing up the sands. A milllion or so kites in the air, a rock band, and a beautiful let's-stretch-summer-out-as-far-as-we-can sunny afternoon.

Shirley beach at sunset

2010-09-19T14:33:00.000-04:00

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Planning a remake of The Birds? Here's the perfect location!

2010-09-16T13:10:00.000-04:00

Come to Mastic Beach in September!

Sunrise. Again. Today. From the deck.

2010-09-14T12:00:00.002-04:00

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Phone pics

2010-09-13T09:25:00.001-04:00

I am continually amazed by the quality of the pictures from my iPhone. Mother Nature, of course, must take all the credit--but this little device captures the moment beautifully. These two were taken yesterday, Sunday 12th, from the little wetlands beach in front of the house.

Non-horizontal horizon has something to do with a Great Dane being attached to photographer's arm...

Sunday, sunrise

2010-09-12T12:22:00.000-04:00

Once again, it was beautiful.

NEW PRICE!

2010-09-11T08:57:00.000-04:00

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Thunder approaches...

2010-09-08T08:59:00.000-04:00

Sun on its way up behind the clouds to the east: a band of stormclouds and thunder approaching from the west. As seen from the deck, looking south-eastwards.

Pow Wow

2010-09-06T21:33:00.002-04:00

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Pretty as a picture

2010-09-05T15:34:00.000-04:00

Jade and I swapped lenses--this is the view from the deck, looking east, through wide angle, bright sunshine, strong breeze, Sunday afternoon. The reeds are dancing.

Want this for yourself?

2010-09-05T08:40:00.001-04:00

I reduced the price: house for sale!

(If this link doesn't work the first time you click it, go Back to this page and then click it again. Weird...)

Westhampton Dunes, Cupsogue beach, high tide after Earl

2010-09-05T08:19:00.002-04:00

We headed to Cupsogue Beach at the end of Dune Road, Westhampton Dunes, around high tide. A cool-but-rough-around-the-edges blues band was playing, the perfect soundtrack.

The waves were huge, there was a sign warning against swimming, but there were people in the water. The two guys above were way out, far from the beach. I thought they were mad, even though the tide was rising and pushing them towards the shore. Found out at least one of these guys was a lifeguard--so a very strong swimmer--but still... his friend lifeguards nearly had to go rescue them.

Watching the waves, playing in the surf.

Huge breakers, clear skies.

Smith Point, the day after Earl

2010-09-05T07:59:00.001-04:00

Simply: a beautiful day

It was low tide, early in the day after Earl brushed past Long Island. Smith Point beach had been scoured clean: so had the skies.

It was simply beautiful.

This is now my flag

2010-09-05T07:54:00.000-04:00

This is the flag that flies at Manor St George: it's the "Grand Union" flag, believed to be the first USA national flag: a combination of the British Union Jack of the time (notice the St Patrick's cross, representing the Irish, is missing in comparison to today's Union Jack), and the stripes of the first 13 US colonies. Part British, part American, very confused. That's me.

Manor St George: back to the British!

2010-09-05T07:45:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we visited Manor St George, near Smith Point, in Shirley. It's just down the road, it's part of British (as well as Dutch and American) history, yet I'd never taken the right-turn off William Floyd Parkway. The road twists through typical Long Island overgrown low woods... and then opens up into an English park. Low grass, mature trees. And a beautiful view over the bay.

At one time "Fort St George", it's now a museum which contains a full geneaology of the Smith family, copies of deeds from British royalty, a wonderful 17th-century kitchen, beautiful and decoratave parquet floors, and several very short beds (when did people grow so tall?) A good history can be found here: St George Manor. A knowledgeable young lady showed us around the house and refused to take even a donation--it's all free. And we met a couple who were visiting from Setauket, who hadn't known the place existed. Why no handouts? It's true... think of all the historical sites in Setuaket and on the north shore, and how they are publicised... why are we not doing the same for Manor St George, the William Floyd Estate, and other places of interest here? Yes, there is information out there--but some of the marketing is lacking.

A small cemetery on the grounds of the manor memorialises the Smith family--but living memorials are the names, with Smith Point and the Tangiers area of Shirley.

We tried to claim the manor back for the British, but the cannons point the wrong way.

Lunch at Painters

2010-09-04T13:25:00.001-04:00

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Location:County Road 36,Brookhaven,United States

Dawn the day after Earl missed

2010-09-04T08:33:00.000-04:00

View from inside the house towards Westhampton Dunes at sunrise, waterbirds playing. One came zooming down the creek into the middle of a group of placidly-feeding birds; playtime!!!

Earl's day

2010-09-03T14:45:00.000-04:00

It is 2.41 p.m on Friday, the day that Hurricane Earl is (was?) supposed to visit us. So far, nothing but a bank of grey sky, a couple of heavy, hard, warm rain showers (enough to flash-puddle Park Drive), a little breeze, and what must be massive breakers on Smith Point sands (can see the white spray plumes from there, rising way into the sky).

The egrets know something is going on. They have decided that the best place to be is upstairs.

The weather here has been nothing special (so far). So how do they know what is just over the horizon?

The Village of Mastic Beach--day one!

2010-09-01T08:44:00.000-04:00

It's a brand new day.

Tomorrow: special election day, Incorporation of Mastic Beach

2010-08-30T14:11:00.000-04:00

Mastic Beach residents: don't forget--tomorrow is the day we vote on whether or not to incorporate Mastic Beach as a village. By now you should have heard all the good and factual arguments for and against, and you've probably heard a lot of rumours, tales, fibs, battles-that-should-have-been-left-in-the-schoolyard-fifty-years-ago and downright lies.

Make up your own mind... and make your voice heard. Don't forget to vote!

12 pm until 9 pm at Mastic Beach Fire Department on Neighborhood Road.

Mastic Beach wildlife

2010-08-30T09:09:00.001-04:00

Egrets little and large, herons (giant blue and small ones that perch in trees), glossy ibis, plovers (piping and otherwise), american oystercatchers, bluejays that are more grey than blue, woodpeckers, mockingbirds, catbirds, starlings that paint the sky, seagulls that sit on lamposts and giggle/cackle at you in the dark, horseshoe crabs, snapping turtles, blue-clawed crabs, ospreys, rumours of bald eagles, smaller raptors, american robins, raccoons!, white-tail deer with mouths full of hostas, black squirrels, grey squirrels, eastern screetch owls...

Reeds that rustle in the breeze and moonrise over the bay.

Would you enjoy living amongst all these? http://by.ly/jsql

Almost-full tonight

2010-08-26T21:27:00.002-04:00

Sky-writing

2010-08-23T12:17:00.000-04:00

There are a miilion or so starlings swirling around my back yard: resting in the trees for a moment or two, then taking off in a giant cloud. I catch them out of the corner of my eye, and the pattern they make seems to be forming words... almost, not quite... and then it breaks up and they form a swirl, a wave, a breeze of birds.

And every so often, they sit on the electric lines like music.

The street below is stained red: tree-berry poop!

Those colours which don't work together? Green pink turquoise and purple?

2010-08-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

Sometimes they do.

Might as well go fishing....

2010-08-19T16:33:00.000-04:00

(Soundtrack: Chris Rea.)

Misty, moist morning... silent bay, cicada song

2010-08-19T08:34:00.000-04:00

Mosquitos? Get martens! (Purple, house, whichever you can!)

2010-08-19T07:08:00.000-04:00

Noticed that a lot of visitors end up on this blog, searching for anti-mosquito devices. The best one I have is lodged above the light on the front of the house, just below the gutter. Looks like a large wasps' nest from the street... it's not, it's a marten's home, and they have been happily producing baby martens. And they all spend their days and evenings feasting on mozzies. Brilliant!

HGTV Facebook and my view...

2010-08-18T22:14:00.000-04:00

HGTV have been showcasing "rooms with a view" on Facebook recently... and today they posted my view!

Click here to see the pic and all the hundreds of comments!

Thank you everyone who commented: and to address some of them:

- if you look out of the south-facing window (the one in the right corner), you'll see a lot of water--the Great South Bay--otherwise just wait for high tide and you'll see more
- yes I should have straightened the curtain pole/removed dream catcher/removed air freshener before taking the pic, but that's the good thing about digital cameras, you can take another shot when you realise your mistake... in this case after I'd uploaded it ;-)
- the curtains look better replaced with white sheers but I can't be bothered changing them every night, so the practical ones stay for now
- yes, we do have mosquitos during some of the summer: we also have herons, egrets, ibis and host of other birds and animals, and we don't have traffic noise or lots of sirens... some you win, some you lose.

Wonderful seeing so many people have heard the name of Mastic Beach today!

Black and blue. And red.

2010-08-18T09:58:00.000-04:00

Black-and-blue salvia in the little garden next to the shed. Really really blue, on long stems, above lime-green leaves. Mixed in with lemon balm and annual mini basil. Deer won't eat these unless they are really, really, really hungry and they've already devoured all the hostas. So they're probably safe for a couple more weeks. Maybe.

A humming bird was feeding from them this morning!

Purplish-blue salvia in the front yard, with some "volunteer" blue flax mixed in. Apparently flax was farmed years ago on the William Floyd Estate--it was their main crop--and it still "crops up" all over the place each summer. It's beautiful.

The front yard is a mass of different colour salvia. The chrysanthemums are swelling, preparing for their showtime. The irises are spreading and this year's babies are growing strong--next year's spring iris show should be spectacular! This area of the garden does get soggy in winter and spring, so the Japanese iris love their place.

Fireman red salvia.

Good news and bad news

2010-08-18T09:48:00.001-04:00

Good news: I was sad when one of my neighbours told me that "the dogs had got" the baby twin deer. As I'm never sure if he is talking about the past, present, future or some random dream sequence, I was hoping he was wrong (and which "dogs"???). The good news is that he was wrong.

Bad news: he was wrong, they are fine and they roused me from pre-caffeine stupor this morning, by loudly crunching hosta leaves. Mother and twin babies, another mother and one baby bambi. No dogs. Just deer.

Smilebox blog-of-the-week!

2010-08-17T08:26:00.000-04:00

The Smilebox team has named my blog, "blog of the week"! (I'm using Smilebox for the presentations and slideshows that you see here.)

Credits where credit is due:

- Richard Peikoff for the music on the presentation that Smilebox shows on the blog-of-the-week page (you can find him on Facebook and MySpace, too).
- Mastic Beach for the scenery, seasons, water and wildlife

And check out Sparrow Realty for homes in this area, whether year round or vacation/weekend.

Thank you, Smilebox!

All about my house-for-sale!

2010-08-10T18:54:00.000-04:00

Click here to see the brochure

Click here to see the virtual tour

Click here to see the full listing details for this house

MLS # 2315270

Listing agent is homeowner.

Ibiseeingyou

2010-08-07T09:12:00.000-04:00

Amazing birds with their curving beaks. There are more this year than any other year I have been here. Up close, they shine green.

2010-08-07T09:10:00.000-04:00

I was awake and up really early this morning, but was certainly not the first.

Heron-imus

2010-08-07T09:08:00.000-04:00

Big bird convention

2010-08-06T14:18:00.000-04:00

Home is for sale!

2010-08-02T10:37:00.000-04:00

Don't be surprised when you see the Sparrow Realty sign outside my home this week!

Last week, I finished working on the garage--the last room in the house to be renovated. And I decided that I need a new project. I'm really happy with the way the house turned out, and the garden with all its plantings and "outdoor rooms", whether it's the rose garden or the sunning deck or the tomato grove, the reading patio or the woodland hideaway... but it's time to move on to the next one!

(Maybe I should become a Bedouin, and live in a beautiful tent that I can pack onto my camel's back and move to vistas new every few days?)

If you know anyone who would like to live in a waterview paradise, please point them in the right direction.

For more information, see: http://c21sparrow.com/details_general.asp?id=19893837

There will be an open house on Sunday! 8th August, 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.

Early one morning, just as the sun was rising...

2010-07-23T21:18:00.000-04:00

... someone went out on their boat.

Sunflowers! Smiling in the sun

2010-07-21T10:10:00.000-04:00

The largest, mammoth sunflower appeared... in the middle of the tomato bed! The tomatos are using it as a scaffold, draping handsful of ripe, yellow-cherry fruits all over it.

Strange tree

2010-07-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

Found it under an upturned flowerpot saucer. I'm glad I found it after all the "kids" had left home. Don't know if it was bees or wasps. We have so many varieties of buzzing things here: thin and fat, big and small, long and short.

Front border, early July

2010-07-12T10:12:00.001-04:00

Every morning, I wake up expecting the deer to have been during the night. So far, so good. The front border is a mass of yellows and reds and whites. The various types of sage and bee-balm have a variety of scents when you crush their leaves between your fingers. Have to try making tea with them too.

I took several photos of a very cute, photogenic deer, growing-out of her fawn spots, who was browsing in the wooded area at the south of the property yesterday evening (they are welcome to keep the weeds down there). But when I uploaded the photos, I saw that she had a nasty, crawling infection in the corner of one of her huge, drowning eyes. It made me sad.

New hydrangeas

2010-07-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

Two new hydrangeas, street-side of the shed, one pink, one blue, but let's see what the local earth does to those colours next year.

They were reduced at Home Depot because their flowering season is almost over. Large and healthy, and I had the exact spot for them. The pavers some idiot dumped on Forest Rd a few days ago, so I collected them and found a good use. Also recuperated a large wooden plank that another idiot (same one?) dumped at the bottom of Park Drive, along with a truckful of compost which now has 'shrooms growing all over it. If you see me down there with my wheelbarrow, don't be surprised.

Met the road crew on Forest Road a couple of days ago, cleaning up yet-another illegal dumping. I'm still wondering why people find it more fun to load up a truck with their garbage/boat/leaves/treetrimmings/etc/etc/etc., and spend time, gas/petrol and energy dumping it here, than putting it in the street in front of their own home and having the town collect it. Makes no sense whatsoever to me.

... and waspish behaviour

2010-07-08T14:53:00.000-04:00

Wasps, bees, and insects of all sorts love these thistle-like flowers. They are so intent on collecting the nectar, they don't notice or bother humans nearby.

Flying dragons

2010-07-08T14:50:00.002-04:00

Dragonflies like the tree-like hydrangea

Egrets have families too

2010-07-08T13:33:00.001-04:00

About six babies!

Daylily show

2010-07-08T09:00:00.001-04:00

All so pretty! But I now have purple hands from deadheading the purple ones. Daylily dye. Who knew?

All fall down!

2010-07-08T08:50:00.000-04:00

Had to bring several of the gladioli indoors, they fell down in the hot humid breeze yesterday. So I am enjoying their beauty in the house.

Mystery plant in flower

2010-07-06T13:47:00.000-04:00

It's over five feet tall, the leaves are large and soft, and the center of each flower is sort-of "hairy". I still don't know its name, but it is a nice addition to the garden.

Ospreys

2010-07-04T22:06:00.000-04:00

That is a fish underneath, like a pontoon on a sea-plane

Early-morning Saturday

2010-07-03T07:49:00.001-04:00

Mackerel sky swimming away slowly south. Hazy white bay. Five little WW2-like planes propelling their way east, following the barrier island. Calm but vocal birds: crackly redwing blackbirds, catbird, martens. The mockingbirds are no longer crazy, they must be too occupied filling tiny beaks.

Yesterday two ospreys rode thermals above the house: one had a silver fish, face-forwards, in it's grasp, but still sailed around and around, higher and higher in the warm air.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

For anyone who doesn't believe I have an ocean view

2010-07-02T09:14:00.000-04:00

Boat sailing by at low tide.