goodbye february

I wanted my last post of february 2009 to be a funny one. I had to laugh when I snapped this photo somewhere among the many fine establishments on jericho turnpike. if you are having trouble reading the name of the store, please click on the photo to see the punchline. so what do you plan on doing this lovely saturday?

last skywatch for february

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driving towards main street in farmingdale, I noticed the sun creating a beautiful silhouette against this february sky. if you'd like to see more lovely skies from all around the world, please go here.
Is everyone happy today is friday?

another sign...

please click on this photo to see this beautiful message up close


yet worthy of a post given its message. searching through my archives I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this meaningful quote by helen keller. I remember taking this photo somewhere in the town of huntington last fall. the added bonus is that it is the color brown which allows me to participate in blue's true colors meme today. if you'd like to see more brown themed photos, please visit here.
so how is everyone's day going so far?

fasting anyone?

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today is ash wednesday, the beginning of lent. many food establishments brace themselves with supplies of fish on this day as well as all of the fridays in lent. it's also not unusual for the local pizza place to be quite busy since the rule is, you should abstain entirely from meat on ash wednesday and all subsequent fridays up until easter. I see Friendly's is way ahead of the game providing seafood for the older ones while the younger ones get to eat ice cream. at least that is what I suspect is going on. whatever the case may be, today's post is part of abc wednesday & the celebratory letter is F. my theme being, fasting on fish at friendly's. please go here if you'd like to join in or would just like to see others take on the letter F, thanks to mrs. nesbitt.

fat tuesday

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or mardi gras ends at midnight tonight. traditionally this is the day when some christians indulge in their favorite food and drink before a long fasting period that lasts until easter. it is no surprise that my local waldbaums grocery has their holiday aisle prepared ahead of time for the holiday festivities. some might want to sample an easter chocolate or two while they still can. though we all know nobody celebrates fat tuesday better than the good people of new orleans!
this is the latest news in my world and this post is a part of my world tuesday. for more interesting stories from all around the world, please go here.
do you celebrate fat tuesday?

penn station

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you're not always guaranteed a seat on the train from penn station into long island. this is one of the reasons why you see people waiting in front of the departure screens so they can see what track their train is coming in on. usually the railroad will make an announcement before the track pops up on the screen, but sometimes it's garbled so you have to watch the screen just the same. it makes me feel like a kid again as I stand waiting. as soon as we find out where to go we always walk very quickly to the track as if we have to get there first. seasoned commuters usually know where the train is before an announcement and will often be sitting in the train already waiting. sometimes the people at the information booth will tell you what track the train will be on, but they always follow with the disclaimer that it's subject to change.

winter flowers

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today is my last stop in soho. at least until next time I visit. these beautiful flowers were displayed at the sicis store on the corner of greene and grand street. remember last summer when I posted about this fine establishment here? I thought the flowers lovely shadows were appropriate for today's meme over at hey harriet's as well. if you'd like to visit other interesting shadow shots, please go here. happy sunday everyone!

anna sui

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I first took a much larger photo of the beautiful display window in miss sui's manhattan store front in soho. later, as I walked by her shop again I noticed this particular corner of the window and was drawn to this face. it was a gray day outside and the warmth of the colors and light compelled me to snap this photo. I felt this would be perfect for today's PhotoHunt warm theme. if you'd like to see some of anna sui's clothing designs, check out new york city daily photo here.
how have you been staying warm this winter?

soho skywatch

please click on photo for amazing architectural details


they may not be the tallest buildings in new york, but I find them among the most interesting. while crossing grand street I stopped for a moment to take in the view, when I realized, what an interesting skywatch! though it's not the usual nature type I mostly post on fridays, it was still a significant piece of sky scenery happening right before my eyes. I hope you enjoy it as well. if you'd like to share a favorite skywatch of your own or you'd like to see more beautiful skies, please go here.

petal belle

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is the name of a tiny cafe in soho on sullivan street in manhattan. walking by, my son and I noticed this place looked so warm and inviting we had to give it a try. it turned out to be the perfect antidote to a grey chilly wintry day. sitting by the window we enjoyed both the tea and the view. when I inquired about the statue, the shop keeper told me it was a gift from st anthony's church across the street- what a nice welcome from their neighborhood. I hope their business does well. I would love to go back there again. if you'd like to see what petal belle's delicious waffles look like, please go here to ming's fabulous new york city daily photo.

the jackson pollock house

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extraordinary, exquisite, exceptional is exactly how I would describe the pollock house. this historical gem is truly a remarkable piece of art history on the eastern end of long island in the springs, near east hampton. I took this photo while visiting last autumn. please go here for more info on the pollock house. today's post is part of mrs. nesbitt's abc wednesday. you guessed it, today is the letter E! for more E stories, please go here.
do you have an extraordinary place you love to visit here on long island, or anywhere else for that matter?

beautiful birds

please click on this photo to see the adorable birds up close



pet lovers usa has the prettiest picture window. well actually the window is just a standard store front but the birds inside are so bright and colorful you can't help but notice them flying around as you drive by. when I pulled over to take their picture, they seemed to literally clamour for my attention. it was hard not to take one home! long island is filled with pet shops big and small. this shop is one of the smaller types. finding places like this are what I feel make long island an interesting place to live.
this post is part of a fun meme called that's my world. if you'd like to hear stories about other parts of the world, please go here.

graffiti in the burbs

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it's not as if it is nonexistent, but it is rare in high traffic areas. I actually found this expression of creativity on the side of a commercial building located next to a bank and a large group of storefronts. the sun was shining on the worn brick creating a shimmery contrast between the blue and the complimentary colors the artist chose for his work. I only photographed the part I admired. it's beyond me how the artist was able to pull off decorating nearly the entire side of this building without getting caught. then again, maybe he did! whatever the case may be, this work was truly odd for me to stumble upon in these parts. if you'd like to see more odd shots, or you'd like to join in, please go here and visit katney, the host of odd shots monday.

lotus garden

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I always thought that was a nice name for my favorite chinese restaurant. the sun was shining particularly bright yesterday afternoon creating some neat shadows in their window display. have you noticed the days seem considerably longer here in new york? according to time and date.com, today is 2 minutes and 29 seconds longer than yesterday affording us a grand total of 10 hours and 38 minutes of daylight. & don't forget daylight savings time is march 8th this year!
if you are interested in more lovely shadow shots from around the world, please go here and check out hey harriet's shadow shot sunday meme.

sharing the love

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I thought this was a beautiful way to celebrate valentine's day. this sign was placed in front of a local chiropractor's office for the past couple of weeks. it made me realize I haven't donated food to my local food pantry in a while. I guess I better get to it then.
happy valentine's day everyone!

friday the 13th

please click on photo to see mr. seagull more clearly


did you ever have one of those days that started out wonderfully and ended...not so hot? that was me yesterday. I had the good fortune of taking dozens of photos in the early morning light only to find them somehow deleted when I tried looking for one to post! dipping into my archives I decided on this photo I had taken at robert moses beach last year. eerily it just happened to be the thirteenth image. can you hear twilight zone music playing?
if you'd like to see more beautiful skies from all around the world, or you would like to join in, please go here.

princess bridals...

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another place in farmingdale. this bridal store has been here as long as I can remember. I like how the display is capitalizing on it's christmas themed accessories. driving by from the street it looks like valentine colors. Upon closer inspection I was surprised to see that what I thought were flowers were actually poinsettias. there is something quite charming about this window. doesn't she look like a giant barbie?

death and taxes

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couldn't help thinking of this quote when I went to see our accountant last night, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." ~benjamin franklin
it must have been my pondering the letter D all day that made me think of it. because guess what? for this abc wednesday meme, today's letter is D! so I waited until this morning to photograph the bethpage cemetery right here in farmingdale. if you'd like to see others interpretations of the letter D, please go here, thanks to our gracious host mrs. nesbitt.
have you done your taxes yet?

beauty is in the eye of the beholder

please click on this photo to see more dunkin donut's details



remember when I tried to get a shot of this dunkin donuts and then the truck drove by and blocked everything? plus it was snowing like crazy so the whole scene looked like a picture from somewhere other than what you see above. it's not that this isn't pretty, it's just that this is a bad photograph. go here to see the better one. if you take the time to stop and smell the roses here on long island, you will notice it is a very beautiful place. this post is a part of my world and I hope you enjoy it. please go here if you'd like to share a bit of your world or if you'd like to see other people's worlds from all around the planet. happy tuesday everyone!

evening hearts

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not many people put up valentine's day decorations, which is actually somewhat of a relief! I tend to think the best holidays are the ones with the least fuss. some people feel valentines day is exclusive to couples and think it's depressing if you don't have a partner of some sort. personally, I just think of it as a day to tell my loved ones that I love them. so what do you think about valentines day?

birthday shadows

please click on ths photo to see the frosting on the cake up close.


how do you celebrate your birthday on long island? last night my parents treated my family & I out to a delicious dinner at a favorite greek restaurant and afterwards we all enjoyed cake and tea at their house. sometimes, like this year, I like to make my own cake. when my husband set the cake down I couldn't pass up these lovely shadows for LIDP. I hope you enjoy them. thanks to hey harriet, if you'd like to see more lovely shadows, please go here.

bridge over northern parkway

please click on this photo if you'd like to see the moon, up close and personal.


or northern state depending on what you like to call it. on long island, there is the southern parkway running on the south side of our island and then there is the northern parkway on the northern side. most people I know refer to either one by saying something like, "take the northern state to the S.O.B. (the name of a real road, I kid you not) heading south till you hit hempstead turnpike." but if you notice the road signs, it will only say northern or southern parkway and they do not include the word state. I've mentioned this before with regard to the southern parkway here, but I never mentioned the northern parkway. I know, fascinating stuff, right? if you like bridges in general, please go here and check out this weeks cool photo hunt meme.

february sky

please click on this photo if you'd like to see the hidden valentines message


did you ever look up into the sky and not believe what you were actually seeing? heading west on old country road somewhere around plainview, I looked up and saw this sight and literally could not believe my eyes. thanks to klaus & his team, sandy, ivar, wren, fishing guy, and louise, if you'd like to see more interesting skies from all around the world, you may go here.

kentucky fried chicken anyone?

please click on the photo to see details like the do not enter signs


driving past the colonels I couldn't help but notice the orange glow emanating from this fine dining establishment. there are many KFC's across long island. this one is on jericho turnpike in mineola. when is the last time you have eaten at a fast food restaurant?
today's post is part of blue's true colors meme. please go here if you'd like to see other stories about the color orange.

composition in snow

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can you imagine my happiness when I saw this photo waiting to be taken as I pulled out of my parking space? searching for a C picture for most of the day, I immediately thought, what a neat composition! C is the celebratory letter for mrs. nesbitt's abc wednesday meme. if you'd like to join in the fun or see more representations for the letter C, please go here. otherwise, please stay warm and have a wonderful wednesday.

mermaid on long island

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I was actually looking to photograph a giant steaming heap of compost that I saw here a few weeks ago. unfortunately, the heap was gone but I did find this beautiful mermaid! if you travel east on jericho turnpike just after woodbury heading into huntington you will see wildwood farm on your right. it's not the typical looking farm but you know you are there when you see all of the beautiful woodcarvings out front. amongst this beauty there were a couple of bears and a walrus. this post is part of the my world tuesday meme. if you'd like to see what's going on in other parts of the world or you'd like to join in, please go here.

groundhog day

click on photo to enlarge for more details, thanks ian!


I know, this is rather odd. why post a photo from the old shea stadium when it's the day after the superbowl! to make a long story short, I was tagged for a photo meme by my friend Bobbie over at almost there. the game is, you post your sixth photo from your sixth folder, link back to the person that chose you, & then choose six more people to do the same.
my sixth photo happened to be a picture my son had taken while we were taking pictures together at last years "last night" at shea stadium. I think he has a good eye for an artist. you can see the photo I had posted here from that same night.
the photographers I chose, if they choose to participate, are listed below. If you get a chance to visit any of their blogs you will find them all fascinating for their beautiful photography and or interesting stories. oh, &, here's hoping for a happy groundhog day everyone!
Babzy at Babzy Photos Blog
tr3nta at (MAD) daily photo
Elizabeth at About New York
Priscilla at Stony Brook Daily Photo
Gwyn at Juneau Daily Photo
Wil at Reader Wil

still going strong...

I haven't been down this block at night in at least a couple of weeks so I was surprised when I happened upon this scene while driving home. every year this same house will be one of the first to put up their christmas decorations, this year being no exception. I don't think I've ever noticed when they actually take them down. I wonder if their dedication has some special meaning for them. whatever the case may be, seeing this display brightened my evening making everyone in our car smile and laugh. does anyone still have decorations up in your neighborhood?