Seas of Grass

Wind shapes these seas of grass 
near the water's edge

Unable to climb cliffs 
they ebb and flow here

.   .   .   

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Mattituck Inlet 4 to 5 PM November 30, 2011

The four day Thanksgiving was over, our guests returned home. The day had been a cold windy one, brilliant sun then cloudy in a blue sky, very changeable throughout the day. As the early evening approached I felt I needed to see the sun as it set.  I drove to the east side of the Mattituck Inlet breakwater to the Sound and took a few shots then went around the inlet to the west side for some more.  There was "golden hour" light lasting for an instant then whisked away, turn and turn about as I recalled memories from this day two years ago.

Fisherman on the inlet wall

To the northeast

Sun sets on the boardwalk

A tanker on the horizon

 Volleyball courts, play over for the season

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For Evan

The Quiet After The Storm

Who could have guessed that the North Fork and Atlantic Coast would experience an earthquake and a hurricane turned tropical storm within a five day span in the last week of August.   Winds caused the greatest damage on the North Fork blowing down compromised and shallow rooted trees knocking out power lines and landline phone service, but on the whole, damage to property, farm crops and grapes was minimal and the utilities have promised full service to be restored to all areas soon.

Early Wednesday morning we went down to the Peconic Bay to see how the waterfront had fared and were pleased with what we saw, perfectly calm water stretching from the North Fork to the South Fork and the East Creek was as we ideally remember it.

Three Views of East Creek

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4th of July Parade - New Suffolk

This year's parade was nearly perfect, what a 4th of July parade should be.  The parade route was on the old poured concrete New Suffolk Avenue and was five blocks long start to finish.  There were very few spectators as nearly everyone was in the parade.  The music was provided by our own Cutchogue United Fire Department Marching Band who do their marching and playing with gravitas.  The parade was geared mostly for the kids to have fun and fun it was with wrapped penny candy being tossed all around to fill little pockets.  As you can imagine, decorated boats figured heavily into float design with riding lawn mowers coming in a close second with three participating.  Families marched together.  One fella painted his white dog red and blue then got his own hair to match!

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Apple Blossom Time

Such a fine time

(click to enlarge and get a glimpse of the blossoms)

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In silence

fog makes it's stealthy way

surrounding everything

with a fresh, spring scent

Early Morning Sunlight Bathes Wickham's Fruit Farm

While having a cup of coffee Sunday morning my eyelids opened enough to realize that the early low light seemed special in the way it was illuminating the orchard behind our yard.  I gazed at it as I sipped, then thought, "Why don't I just put on shoes, go out and take a couple of shots, it's already in the low 40s!".  So, I did that.  Here are a few photos of the early light on the Wickham's Fruit Farm taken from our back yard and a little beyond.

Looking South

Three rows of apple trees have been cut down

Zooming In

The Wickham's Homestead established

in the mid 1600s

The white poles support electrified deer wire

Stacked apple wood...

I plan to glean some small pieces to use

to make a mild smoke for blue fish caught down at the inlet
as I did when other trees were cut down last year,

delicious!

Looking north to a barn situated

on MainRoad now a real estate office

...........

Three photos of the Wickham's Farm Stand

taken earlier

Closed for the Winter

From last Summer

A fine selection of honeys from hives in the apple, peach

and berry sections of the farm

One doesn't want to leave without at least

 one bag of fresh warm donuts

cinnamon sugar donuts are my favorite with a cup of tea

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Looking east

 the sun setting over my shoulder 

 gulls came to rest on the beach

twilight beginning.

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A Stop Along the Peconic River

The sweet water of the Peconic River eventually flows through Riverhead then in two more miles it empties into the Great Peconic Bay, a salt water estuary.   It is at the mouth of the Peconic River where the North and South Forks begin.   After visiting the East End Art Council's Riverhead gallery, we stopped at river's edge to photograph glistening, ice covered bushes, brambles, trees and phragmites.  Even a low sky masking much of the sunlight couldn't hide the beauty of the scene before us... a wealth of grays with a touch of gold.

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Distant Horizon

Though dark and muted

   this winter palette brings unique hues 

to landscape and sky...

the distant horizon a place for 

quiet thought, reflection.

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Look At The Sky

When I submit photos to Sky Watch Friday I usually opt for colorful, peaceful shots of sunrises over the Peconic Bay or sunsets above the Long Island Sound, but last Sunday afternoon our eyes were drawn upward by a rising column of smoke.  As we watched the smoke suddenly became black.  It was time to investigate.  We were on the west side of the Mattituck Inlet and knew that if the fire was on the other side it would take a long time to get there.  We ended up at the Old Mill Inn where a turntable bridge used to cross the inlet.  Directly in front of us on the east side one hundred yards away was the fire in plain view, the building no more than fifteen feet from water's edge.  The building was the Kaminski's storage barn where they stored supplies associated with their fish and lobstering business, 20 pound propane tanks among other things.  A very few tanks blew.  It could have been much worse had a full 3,000 gallon diesel fuel storage tank three feet from the building not been able to take the heat.  The Mattituck and Cutchogue Fire Departments responded very quickly and were able to save a house and several fishing vessels nearby.  I shot what I could and ended up with several interesting photos.  The sky reminded me of the Jimi Hendrix lyrics:

Look at the sky turn a hell fire red, lord

Somebody's house is burning

 down, down, down, down

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