This is how I celebrated the summer's arrival. My husband and I took the boat at on the calm bay and watched as summer arrived. This is the best time on the water...early morning. Happy Summer Everyone!

Very calm morning on the river...and then more rain!

In the wake of the ferry...This ferry is leaving the river and is off for Fire Island. The lighting is from the setting sun. The seagulls are chasing the ferry for some fish that will swim through the wake. In the distance, you can see homes on Fire Island. Click on the photo to enlarge and see more detail. This was taken with the Nikon D200 which is an amazing camera!

Perfect time for flowers. We've had so much rain, the lawn and flowers are looking beautiful!

My beautiful sister...

My beautiful sister...

I don't usually like to post photos of people in the family but my sister is the greatest and I think she gets more beautiful as she gets older...inside and out!

I saw her this week and she is always upbeat, energetic and happy.

She makes everyone around her feel special!

Thanks Sis for being such a wonderful person!!

We took an early boat ride on June 21st...the first day of summer. We wanted to be out on the bay when summer officially began. The bay was calm which is typiclal for early summer mornings!
Welcome to summer!

Another view of the canal, early morning.

Another sunset

We took a ride on the bay last night to watch the sun set on the Great South Bay.

It was another spectacular sunset.

The sky gets so red-orange-yellow. The water picks up the spectacular colors.

A passing boat adds interest....

Who is that? Where are they going? Did they come out to watch the sun set too?

Maybe they are going home.....

Robins' Nest

A nest of American Robins right on my patio!

What could be more interesting while relaxing in the backyard?

Each time the parents come into the tree to feed the babies, they chirp like crazy, and stop when the parents leave.

In only a few days they are grown.

It all happens so fast. Life is like that, isn't it.

The Rose

A rose from a bouqet....The lighting is from the setting sun, outdoors.

Just one rose in this bouqet. I think I appreciated it more because of that.

The other flowers were equally as beautiful. Actually they were more colorful, but there was something special about the rose.

People often ask, "What do you want your photography to show?"

I think I want to catch the moment...to catch the beauty that I see at a single second.

It is more difficult that I ever realized. I have so much to learn.

My memory will remember the beauty. The photograph will just help me remember.

Just another beautiful day on Long Island!

Friends coming to visit. The canal on a windy day.

I composed this photo for the Utata Group on Flickr. They have projects and a society of photographers. It's just fun. This one was something red, something round, taken through a window. Check out my member page, Utata Member Alida

Hibiscus in the sunlight...

Happy Fathers' Day!

Happy Fathers' Day!

This is a scanned photo of my father. It was taken in his grocery store in the 1940s.

May you have a wonderful Fathers' Day and may it be filled with good memories!

Beheman's Pond at Sunset

The pond at sunset.

This pond is in my neighborhood. It looks different in the four seasons and at different times of day and weather conditions. This photo was taken last night, June 16, 2006.

The sun was setting and the wind had died down.

Click on the photo to see more details.

You can see the other houses and vehicles on the street but from this angle, it could be upstate New York or some foreign country.

No, it is Long Island!

Atlantis...in Riverhead.

The shark tank at the Riverhead Aquarium...Atlantis.

You can swim with the sharks!

Bayport Beach at Homan's Creek

Bayport Beach at Homan's Creek.

Swim nets are in place for summer. Why are they there? It is a supervised swim area. It keeps the children in one area and keeps out unwanted fish and/or jelly fish. There is a life guard on duty during the day. Like most town beaches, it if for residents only. Sorry!

In the distance you can see Fire Island. The buildings are in Water Island and Davis Park.

I wonder if the nets keep the fish safe from the children?

New Camera...Nikon D200

Calla Lily...

This is one of the first shots taken with my Nikon D200. This was a very exciting week...a new boat AND a new camera.

The camera is my birthday gift. The new boat was a trade-in on the 28' Wellcraft. It was time to scale down and get a comfortable and sea-worthy Parker.

(See photo below.)

New toys are always fun, regardless of age. I could NOT have done this 20 years ago with little children and all the responsibilities that go with that stage of life.

By the way, Calla Lilies are my favorite flower.

Summer is my favorite time of year and my birthday begins the summer

Our New Boat!

Our new boat. We picked up the boat yesterday.

A 25' Parker, a Yamaha 250 4 stroke engine. And the summer is all before us.

We traded this for our 28' cabin crusier that we were using less and less each year. We decided that we enjoy a smaller boat for the ease of using it to take over to the beach and for some fishing in the Great South Bay.

I think we're going to like this boat. More photos will follow in the next few days.

Brown's River and the entrance to Bayport Marina

The river at sunset. Just another angle of th light and the fragmities.

The canal is actually pretty shallow here. Brown's River was dregdged last fall, but not into the narrower canals. Those big boats do have a problem.

The Great South Bay is relatively shallow. Charts are definitely needed, even for boats that draw just 24 inches. It helps to know the bay.

Cameras and Cell Phones!

Everyone has a cell phone and a camera, it seems. Don't forget that some cell phones are cameras! How did we stay conneted without a phone attached to our ears?

New York City, June 10, 2006...We went into "the city" to see "Three Penny Opera" at Studio 54. As we walked toward 5th Ave, we heard the music. It was the Festival of India parade. There is always something going on in the city!

Same day as the photo below. The clouds were hugh but there was no wind so the water was super calm. It was a perfect day to sail across the Peconic Bay....well, NOT SAIL, just motor!

very calm and clouds overhead

I've posted this immature gull before, in a different pose. I just think he's cute and deserves another post.

the calm, gentle river, lined with fragmities

Ferry to Fire Island. There is another close behind. The summer is here and the ferries are ready in full schedule!

Sailboat gently moving along, on the Great South Bay, Long Island.

Sunset on the Great South Bay. The smaller boat was having engine trouble. Boaters always help each other, it seems! The brotherhood of boating. There is something special about it.

Getting ready for the storm!

This photo is from LAST weekend....the beautiful weather began the summer beach season with sunshine and very pleasant weather. This weekend is rainy and a good day to stay in and get some household chores done. I won't be inside once the sun comes out, that's for sure! Hope you all have a great weekend, whatever you have planned!

Watch Hill on Fire Island

Watch Hill on Fire Island, looking north to the Great South Bay....

This is part of the National Seashore and there is ferry service from Patchoque.

In this building, there is an educational nature center and don't forget the walk over the dunes to see and swim in the ocean!

It's a great family beach and there are boat slips for boaters, for day visits or over-night!

There are walking trails, barbeque grills and camping possibilities.

Find out more here...and make a visit this summer!

Jet-skis on the Great South Bay...There are laws about coming too close to Fire Island on jet-skis. These guys have kept a safe distance!