Long Island Fall

Three things I love about Fall on Long Island... Honey Crisp Apples, Empire Apples and JonaGold Apples. They crunch when you bite into them!

#ilovelongisland

#fallonlongisland

Fall on Long Island

I love fall on Long Island! Comfortable temperatures, beautiful colors, special events, the Mets in first place heading into post season play, the Jets winning, the arrival of the JonaGold apples, tomatoes still coming in from the garden, Daylily seeds being harvested to become new seedlings next spring... It is Long Island's best kept secret!

31 Things People From Long Island Have to Explain to Out of Towners

http://www.movoto.com/ny/things-people-from-long-island-have-to-explain/

Long Island's Approaching Winter Season - My Perspective

http://larrysbackyard.blogspot.com/2014/11/ready-for-long-winter-nap.html

More About Coach Jim Murrin

A bit of a different post this morning. I want to encourage all of you who work with children or teenagers whether you coach, teach, lead a scouting group or whatever.

My friends and the Bellmore Community lost a great coach yesterday. My good friend, Robert Sanfilippo, called to tell me the news. Last night here on Facebook tributes and memories were shared about Coach Jim Murrin. They will continue throughout the weekend and as we gather Sunday afternoon to pay our final respects.

He had a tremendous influence on an entire generation. I always think about him when I pass Jerusalem Avenue Junior High School on Southern State Parkway.

He was dedicated. I can still see him out there in the cold wet early spring weather, on the practice football field having us run sprints down to him as he waved his hands for us to run. I can see him at the finish line of the last race I ran in 9th grade.

He called us to be our best. He would not accept anything less. 45 years later he still influences all who he coached. He had patience with us. He made everyone feel a part of the team. Like Robert and others said, he was the one we would go back to see when we visited our former school.

Working with children and teens is more of a challenge today. Much more! But we need the Jim Murrins among us! So when you feel overwhelmed and exhausted from your work with them, remember the big picture. The things you say, the things you do, the way you lead are going to have a positive impact on those kids their whole lives, much more than you can imagine! Keep up the good work!

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Coach Jim Murrin, Jerusalem Avenue Junior High School

We lost a great coach today. Coach Jim Murrin coached at Jerusalem Avenue Junior High School back in the turbulent 1960's and 70's. He coached track, wrestling, and football.

On the day we were being weighed and measured for our height he said to me as I stepped off the scale, "Mancini, how come you didn't go out for track?" I answered, "I don't know." He responded, "Go out for the team." I did and it changed the rest of my school years.

Coach Murrin was one tough coach. He did not put up with any nonsense. He worked us hard and expected us to do our best.

You never had to try and figure out what he meant because he spoke straight and to the point.

He leaves us all with personal memories of running, wrestling and playing football for him, Jerusalem Ave. and giving it our all.

Thanks Coach!!

Fall on Long Island

Many have called Long Island's Autumn its best kept secret. The days are in the 70's with nights in the high 50's. The humidity is low. Late blooming flowers  abound. Its the second week in October and the leaves have not really begun to change yet. My nephew who recently migrated south from Buffalo said to me yesterday, "I can't believe how green everything is still."

I am enjoying a brief respite at the park this afternoon with two of my grandkids. It has been refreshing to my soul. 

Autumn

Ah, Fall on Long Island! Wonderful!

Fire Island

I was able to run over to Fire Island and hang out with some friends yesterday afternoon. The water was wonderful! The company blessed my heart and the weather perfect! My TBT is a picture of the same ocean 700 miles south. I watched families vacationing. It brought back sweet memories of 18 years ago. Fire Island is a 20 minute ferry ride away. I decided last evening walking back that I simple need to do this more often.

#ilovelongisland

Wadda ya say?

My nephew just moved here. I explained the nicknames to him. 

You'll learn the official names first, the nicknames will come in time, then you'll never call them by their official ones!

For example:

The George Washington Bridge is the GW.

Queensboro Bridge is the 59th Street Bridge.

The Long Island Expressway is never I-495 it is the LIE.

The RFK Bridge is the Triboro.

And a Subway is never a sandwich. It is a train. The sandwich is a hero.

I'm sure you can think of more- comments welcome!

So True!!!

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/towns/things-only-long-islanders-would-understand-1.7834264

No Doubt About It!

Seals! Here on Long Island!

Never in a million years would I have dreamed that there were seals on Long Island, and that they would be just down from where I used to swim as a kid in Zach's Bay!!! But there they were yesterday, frolicking in the icy water just off the shore line. The were beautiful to behold.

Ten True Things About Long Island

http://www.movoto.com/ny/long-island-stereotypes/

Tonight

http://longisland.news12.com/news/weather-update-blizzard-warning-issued-for-li-1.6709568

A Long Island State of Mind

I lived ON Long Island not IN Long Island; When I leave New York, I say I am from Long Island and everyone is expected to know where that is. II say "yo" often and cal people by an abbreviated form of the name. For instance my name is Larry but I am called "La". 

Mustard should never be considered as a burger condiment and I know what real pizza and coffee taste like. I know that a bagel is more then just a roll with a hole in the middle and it's a hero, not a hoagie, or a sub, and I wash it all down with soda, not pop or cola.  All good nights must end at a diner. Every town has one. It is the place where all out of town visitors want to go. 

Yea, it sounds like I spell "walk," and "talk" with W's in them but you're the one that actually tawks weird (and do not try to tell me that "dog" rhymes with "log"). I don't go down to the shore, it's called the beach and I have one 20 minutes away in every direction. I know that 55mph really means 90 and a yellow light means floor it. When someone cuts me off they get the horn ... they expect it. 

The sun shines here most days. We have four distinct seasons and although we complain about the humidity in the summer and the cold in the winter we love it here. Fall is our best kept secret. Come here in September or October and  you will understand.

I go to The City, not Manhattan and I am not dumb enough to take a car there when I do. "New Yorkers" who are not from The Island or from The City, are "upstate" and therefore not really from New York. I'm from Long Island and we are self contained. We never see a need to leave and when we do can't wait to get back.

Riding my bike to the marina this morning brought some special treats. The bay was nearly placid. The only thing that disturbed it were the Fire Island Ferries. Several blue law crabs swam effortlessly along side of the dock. A loon dove for fish. Just a handful of people were there.

A Swallow dove for me then turned at the minute. The splash pool was empty. The sun rose quietly. A lady was at the water's edge sitting looking over across the bay to the barrier island and the lighthouse.

I love Long Island's south shore.

Last Evening's Thunderstorms

Having grown up on Long Island, I can recall some pretty wild summer thunderstorms. However many time because of our topography and geography we can miss the boomers that New Jersey and Upstate NY get hit with. Long Island's weather is unique. We can get rain when the rest of the state is shoveling out snow. We get lots of sunshine.


Yesterday afternoon we got hit with some tremendous storms, knocking out power and causing local flooding. I happened to be in my Bronco with 2 grandkids when they rolled in. We had gone to the Great South Bay to swim and had enjoyed some fun when the dark clouds rolled in. The kids  wanted to stay and watch the storm come so we did. Lightening was striking all over. Wind and rain came. It was a sight! Watching it with two children I dearly love added to the excitement.


Life can bring storms. Sometimes it can bring a steady rain. Financial trouble in this economy is widespread. Stress on families is great. Sometimes an ongoing medical condition can bring unspeakable steady stress. I love the saying my daughter has up in her living room. "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It is learning to dance in the rain."


Jesus told about two men, a foolish one and a wise one. The foolish built his house on the sand, the wise on the rock. The storms came, the floods rose and beat against both homes. The foolish one's came down with a crash while the house on the rock stood firm. He is the Rock of Ages. Build your life on him and you will weather life's storms.

Roosevelt Field

Back when Roosevelt Field was a shopping center, before it was enclosed into the huge mall it is today, there were little huts where Hot Pretzels were sold. I believe they were 3 for 35 cents. I remember my dad buying them for us and enjoying one himself.

Life was certainly much simpler back then. We didn't have all the technology we have today. We talked and played more together.

Can I suggest something to those who are parents, grandparents and uncles and aunts? Children still very much need and want time, our undivided attention and to be with them, enjoying what they enjoy. It is amazing how Little League is still Little League and how the backyard is still an adventure for kids when an adult is there to converse with them.

Father's Day is a week from Sunday. Children are in need of their Dad. Some do not have one. Be a Dad to them! If you have children, grandkids or other relatives who are young, the moments spent with them are priceless.

Some thoughts from the Island this day.

The Four Seasons

One of the things we are noted for on the Island is our four distinct seasons. My Aunt Vivian used to travel up from southern Florida and spend a month here in the spring because she missed it so bad in the south. My friend, Roy Probeyahn, calls our fall, "Long Island's Best Kept Secret". There is nothing like the beach, either Jones Beach or Robert Moses, in the summer. Our winters are winters most of the time. It can get bitterly cold in the 6 weeks of deep freeze we have In January and February but this year proved it can as mild as spring with no snow days (sorry kids!)

Life is full of seasons. Change is something we must adjust to or we are in for some difficult times emotionally. Loss is part of life. So are new things.

In the changes you are experiencing now, one thing is certain: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! Look to Him this day!