Home of George B Post

I had an interesting day today.

Since I am on the House Tour committee for the Bayport Heritage Association, I toured the house built by George B Post.

Click here for more information about him.

The home, the Littlewood Estate, built 1896, is now for sale.

Since it is such a historic house and built by a well-known architect, the Heritage Association wanted to have it shown to the public.

It is not known what the new owner will do, how the house will change or even if it will remain standing (Yikees!).

It is a beautiful old home, with 9 bedrooms, servants quarters, trunk room, full basement and attic. It needs much updating but the right owner can do it justice and return this to the masterpiece it once was.

My wish is for its preservation, of course.

If you'd like to go on the Hour Tour, October 16, 2011, please comment to this post and I will send you more information to buy tickets, $25. There will be 5 or 6 homes on the tour as well as refreshments at the estate of Meadow Croft.

Temple of Love

Temple of Love, originally uploaded by Alida's Photos.

Temple of Love at the

 Old Westbury Gardens, Old Westbury.

This is one of the best times of year to visit the Gardens.

Flowers and flowers and more flowers on this beautiful estate!

Owls at the Roosevelt Sanctuary, Oyster Bay

Barred Owl

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Horned Owl

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These two owls were taken on the same day, same place as the hawk below.

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Osprey at the Arboretum

Ummm...err...how do I say this and sound "like a proper lady?"

I was watching and photographing this osprey at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum, and he was having a nice little breakfast/lunch of freshly caught fish.

Well, he fluffed his wings and raised his tail and I kept snapping away.

After I got home and put the photos onto the computer, I realized what he had done!

I'm glad I wasn't too close.

If you have a chance, go over to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum. There is a nesting pair of osprey with a nest right atop the chimney of the main estate building.

They are close enough for everyone to see.

My husband and I keep returning hoping to see the babies hatch.

Everytime there, we are amazed at the size and beauty of such a large bird.

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Click on the photo to see the larger version!

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La Salle Military Academy, now St. John's University

Almost every night after dinner, my husband and I search for interesting places to take sunset photos.

We decided to drive into the grounds of the old La Salle Military Academy which is now St. John's University. It is a spectacularly beautiful place.

There is an old mansion with a long line of trees leading to the main entrance of the estate. The photo above shows a quaint little bridge over a pond, actually a river tributary, that flows into the Connetquot River.

At sunset, it is spectacular!

The main building, the mansion, has this huge chimney extending up above the roof-line.

It now contains the nest of an osprey.

This is the third osprey I've seen this spring that is nesting in an old chimney.

It is wonderful to watch them fly into the nest with a fish or eel for their young.

And, it is a great sign to see the return of the osprey...a healthy Long Island! Don't you think so?

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Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Oakdale

This is the estate house, an English Tutor in style, of the Cutting family.

For more information about the estate and the arboretum....click here.

Take time to visit the beautiful grounds here at the arboretum. Now that spring is here and the weather is warm, the arboretum is alive with fresh flowers and the blooms of the season.

Each week, or every few days actually, something new is in bloom.

There is a $6 parking fee, free if you have the Empire Pass.

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Spring Flowers at the Arboretum

Weeping Cherry Tree

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Star Magnolia Tree

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Pink Magnolia Tree

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Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Oakdale

A beautiful estate, and of course beautiful grounds, take a trip and see the flowering trees this time of year.

The trees are beginning to bloom after the heavy rains.

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