Sunday, July 29, 2007
A Day at the Beach
I had a wonderful time at the beach with my nephew yesterday. We golfed and then swam. I love the ocean!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Baldwin
Magazine: Baldwin among best places to live
BY STACEY ALTHERRstacey.altherr@newsday.com
Money magazine has named Baldwin one of the top places to live in the country.
The magazine calls Baldwin "a haven for families" and says it "draws a diverse population who move to the town for its schools, and its proximity to healthy job markets and beaches." It comes in 25th out of 100 "Best Places to Live" and is the only Long Island community to make the annual list.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The LIRR
Mr. Butler, who lived across the street from us in Bellmore, worked for the Long Island Railroad. I always looked with awe on his work growing up there. The LI double "R" as it sometimes calls get us LIers where we need to go. It has come a long way.
Yesterday, after a pastors meeting in Massapequa Park, my friend George dropped me off at the station. I got my ticket through the automated machine. I was heading into Flushing to meet Lucy. She was coming out of the city at the time I was heading in. I got on one of the new trains, complete with air conditioning. I was able to relax and enjoy the jaunt along the south shore where I grew up. Visible from the train were some of our old fishing spots- we would spend hours there day after day in the summer. Strangely enough but not surprisingly really there were no kids. Computers, DVDs, air conditioned houses (an absolute luxury when I was a kid) have kept the kids of today locked up, leaving the outdoors to itself. They do not know what they are missing and I would not trade my memories of fishing in Twin Lakes for all the money in the world... If MasterCard made commercials back in the 60's... a fishing rod at Robinhood's- $1.95, all the hooks you could ever use- 49 cents, fishing line- 59 cents, memories of days spent fishing in Bellmore and Wantagh- priceless! Sorry for the digression. Back to the LIRR... I arrived safely at my connection in Woodside and jumped on the 7 train and met Lucy. It is always an adventure to travel by train for me. I love trains. I guess that is why every Christmas for the past 50 years a set of Lionel Trains have been around our Christmas tree. My dad bought them in Queens coming out of the subway in December 1956. I was 5 months old. He said he bought them for me. Yeah right!
Yesterday, after a pastors meeting in Massapequa Park, my friend George dropped me off at the station. I got my ticket through the automated machine. I was heading into Flushing to meet Lucy. She was coming out of the city at the time I was heading in. I got on one of the new trains, complete with air conditioning. I was able to relax and enjoy the jaunt along the south shore where I grew up. Visible from the train were some of our old fishing spots- we would spend hours there day after day in the summer. Strangely enough but not surprisingly really there were no kids. Computers, DVDs, air conditioned houses (an absolute luxury when I was a kid) have kept the kids of today locked up, leaving the outdoors to itself. They do not know what they are missing and I would not trade my memories of fishing in Twin Lakes for all the money in the world... If MasterCard made commercials back in the 60's... a fishing rod at Robinhood's- $1.95, all the hooks you could ever use- 49 cents, fishing line- 59 cents, memories of days spent fishing in Bellmore and Wantagh- priceless! Sorry for the digression. Back to the LIRR... I arrived safely at my connection in Woodside and jumped on the 7 train and met Lucy. It is always an adventure to travel by train for me. I love trains. I guess that is why every Christmas for the past 50 years a set of Lionel Trains have been around our Christmas tree. My dad bought them in Queens coming out of the subway in December 1956. I was 5 months old. He said he bought them for me. Yeah right!
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Long Island Sailor Man
Bay Shore sailor grinds out America's Cup win
Matt Welling, of Bay Shore, never doubted that his longtime dream of crewing on a sailboat that won the America's Cup would come true this year -- even when the competing boat took an early lead in the series.
Under contract to his team for another month, Welling hopes to be signed on for the next race cycle, which could keep him with the team for two to four years. In the meantime, he said, "We're looking forward to moving home at the end of this month" and staying in Bay Shore for at least a year. After some rest, he said he would engage in other professional sailing events until Alinghi calls.
He's anxious to return to Long Island. "I miss the bagels," he said. "We can't get good bagels here in Spain."
Under contract to his team for another month, Welling hopes to be signed on for the next race cycle, which could keep him with the team for two to four years. In the meantime, he said, "We're looking forward to moving home at the end of this month" and staying in Bay Shore for at least a year. After some rest, he said he would engage in other professional sailing events until Alinghi calls.
He's anxious to return to Long Island. "I miss the bagels," he said. "We can't get good bagels here in Spain."
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Long Island Clams
Yesterday our friends Mike and Linda brought by some fresh clams. They were absolutely delicious.
It is amazing how many memories a single taste can evoke. As I savored those treasures of the Great South Bay, my mind went back to places we had talked about together: Nathan's in Oceanside, where you could get clams on the half shell and some fresh lemon and seafood sauce. Then there were summer cookouts in the 60's and 70's. Clams always showed up and there was someone there who knew the fine art of shucking them.
One of my favorite clamming stories has become a favorite of my granddaughter's, Emma. We were at Jones Beach, somewhere around 1967. There was one of those sandbars that often form in the summer. People were running on it. Some kid started to dig and then a gold rush began. It was a bed of clams! people were running from every direction to dig. We got 90 clams as we filled buckets and bags and any other container we could use. I remember a Coleman gallon jug being used as one.
Later that day and into the next Mom made up everything from fried clams to clam chowder and stuffed clams. It was incredible.
Thanks Mike and Linda for bringing the clams by and for all the memories they brought to the surface.
It is amazing how many memories a single taste can evoke. As I savored those treasures of the Great South Bay, my mind went back to places we had talked about together: Nathan's in Oceanside, where you could get clams on the half shell and some fresh lemon and seafood sauce. Then there were summer cookouts in the 60's and 70's. Clams always showed up and there was someone there who knew the fine art of shucking them.
One of my favorite clamming stories has become a favorite of my granddaughter's, Emma. We were at Jones Beach, somewhere around 1967. There was one of those sandbars that often form in the summer. People were running on it. Some kid started to dig and then a gold rush began. It was a bed of clams! people were running from every direction to dig. We got 90 clams as we filled buckets and bags and any other container we could use. I remember a Coleman gallon jug being used as one.
Later that day and into the next Mom made up everything from fried clams to clam chowder and stuffed clams. It was incredible.
Thanks Mike and Linda for bringing the clams by and for all the memories they brought to the surface.
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