HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A rainy weekend kept us in the house. Out my window, probably looking for food (fish), a lonely Great-blue Heron was hiding under a tree. He looked like he was trying to keep dry! This was shot through a window and through the rain....

Night in autumn....

Not this weekend!

This shot was taken a few days ago. This was no weekend for the beach. It rained on Saturday and was very windy all weekend.

Mill Pond in Sayville. A very pretty pond covered with duckweed and surrounded by full autumn color.

A sure sign of autumn on Long Island...

Long Island has finally reached the point of full autumn color. This photo was taken in the late afternoon, so I promised myself I would return for better lighting. Stay tuned....

Nissequoque River on the North Shore

Kings Park Psychiatric Center

Building #135 of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center, Long Island, NY

We went to the park, Nissequogue River State Park,
that was only "recently" opened...(1999-seems like it's new. I had never been there and I lived on Long Island since 1979.)

Well, when we got there I realized that it was the abandoned Kings Park Psychiatric Center that had closed years ago. It opened back in 1885!
Read about the history of this sad and abandoned place. The buildings are still there but they made the 159 acres into a park!

...Sunken Forest, looking out through the trees to the Great South Bay. There are some fairly large trees here and hugh Holly trees that are native to Long Island.

....Sailors' Haven looking east.

....from the Sunken Forest at Sailors' Haven, looking west. You can see the town and the water tower of Ocean Beach.

A kyack quietly glides through the reeds on the Connetquot River in the Bayard Cutting Arboretum.

Busy, busy....

I haven't posted in a few days due to the fact that I've been very busy.

There is always so much to do, sometimes necessary activities and not always pleasant, unfortunately.

So today I'm stopping everything to "smell the roses."

Yes, I often enjoy my surroundings, but now this is serious.

Take some time today to rest and appreciate what you have. Enjoy your family and friends.

Don't wait until it is too late!

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Well, one positive "chore" I've been working on is selling photos to "stock photo" companies. Check out my site on IStockPhoto.com and Fotolia.com.

They pay "peanuts" for each shot but over time, if you have the right photos, the money can add up. Also, each photo can be used by more than one person for web sites as well as prints.

Now, let me get back to getting some photos together......and please wish me luck with this new project!

...and be sure that I will stop today and appreciate my life and good health.

Sunken Forest, Fire Island

Sunken Forest, looking west...

The sand dunes are huge and make it appear that the forest is below sea level...It isn't.

The Sunken Forest is just one of the east coast maritime forests, this one along Fire Island. There are trees twisted from the ocean wind and salt air.

As you walk through the forest and sand dunes, it feels like another world...nature at its best...

At this time of year it is just majestic...no crowds, just beautiful nature.

This is the Atlantic Ocean, on Fire Island. We took a boat ride to Sailors' Haven and walked thorugh the Sunken Forest. It was beautiful and peaceful.

Sunken Forest, Fire Island

A pathway through the sand dunes on Fire Island's National Seashore.

This walkway goes through the Sunken Forest.

You would never think this area is basically a sandy area.

The trees are huge and there is plenty of vegetation!

It was a great day for walking on the beach and through the forest!

Another Monarch Butterfly....There are so many on Long Island right now, passing through on their migration to the Yucatan Pennisula!

Sunday's night sunset. I set the camera on a tripod and put on the interval timer. It took one shot every three minutes, while I had dinner. Isn't technology amazing? I was sorry I didn't set it for every one minute because this young boy was making circles in the canal and then left. This was the only shot I got of him. Beautiful evening!

East end of Long Island, North Fork....the farmhouses are taken down to make room for big homes that just look Victorian. I like the upstairs windows on this one...

Bayard Cutting Arboretum

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum, a New York State Park, was donated to the Long Island State Park Region by Mrs. William Bayard Cuttingand her daughter, Mrs. Olivia James,in memory of William Bayard Cutting,
Info for the arboretum, click here.

Back to Fire Island

Ah, back to Long Island.

We just returned home from our road trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was a wonderful trip, filled with history and beautiful countryside. It's nice to go on vacation but it is always nice to return home, safe and sound.

Yesterday, we took a boat ride to Fire Island since the weather was so perfect for October.

The sun was warm and the beach was empty and beautiful!

There were Monach butterflies everywhere!

We read, relaxed and enjoyed the sun. Being retired definitely has it's advantages!

I was happy to be home on Long Island, and happy to be at the beach!

Lincoln at the National Cemetery at Gettysburg

Gettysburg Battlefield, Day One of the battle. It all began here.

In memory of the New York Infantry who died at Gettysburg.

Cannon at the National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, site of the American Civil War, July 1863.

General Major Warren viewed the battle from this spot...the top of Little Round Top during the American Civil War in July of 1863.

One of the many cannons on display at Gettysburg. There are monuments all around the city to remember the men who died...over 50,000 in three days!

Road trip......to the Gettysburg area of Pennsylvania. Today, we stopped at the apple orchards. I have other photos to post but will have to wait since time is limited...stay tuned for the Gettysburg photos!

Captain Jack Combs, wood carver, bayman

This is Jack Combs.

He is a fourth generation wood carver/ bayman of Long Island.

His family has been on Long Island since the 1600s.

There is this little work-shack on the Hallockville Farm where he does his wood carving.

Stop by if you get a chance.

He loves to talk and tell you about his family. This building was moved from Greenport and Jack is still making wood decoys.

Check it out, really!

One of the last days at the beach. It is definitely getting too cool now to just sit there. Perfect weather for a nice walk and a search for shells or beach glass!

Blue claw crabs....We caught over two dozen just the other day. Cut and cleaned them, and then put them into a pot of tomato sauce. It was the sweetest pot of crabs ever! Right Mary?

My husband Chris, an early morning boat ride to watch the sunrise. Yes, that is the New York Times and his cereal.

river on a calm morning