halloween 1997

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digging through some old pre-blog halloween photos, I came across this vintage one from 12 years ago... those were the days! I plan on spending the day carving pumpkins and taking pictures, oh yeah, and raking leaves. what are you doing? whatever the case may be, happy halloween everyone.

just a week ago...

please click on photo to see the squirrel's nest



this tree was covered in leaves. remember the golden photo from last week I posted here? wednesday morning I walked outside and saw this bare tree against this grey sky, a sky that was so grey this photo looks almost as if it is in black and white. yesterday we had beautiful blue skies most of the day. I heard today will be more of the same. how has the weather been by you?

today is skywatch friday, if you'd like to see more skies from all around the world or if you'd like to add your own sky, please go here, thanks to klaus and his team, sandy, wren, fishing guy, louise and sylvia.

recycling is a good thing

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every wednesday evening people in our neighborhood put out recycling bins for thursday's morning pick up by the town's sanitation department. as I stopped to take a picture of this nearly overflowing bin, I thought of all the space this same trash used to take up in a landfill somewhere.

today's post is part of "think green thursday" thanks to host michelle from rambling woods. please go here and check out her neat tips for a green halloween. or if you'd like, post a green idea of your own and share it with the rest of us!

O is for Otto

please click on photo to see otto up close



otto is the name of this ghost standing guard over at hicks nursery in westbury. I've written about hicks before, they always have something interesting for children going on during the different seasons and holidays. I thought otto's portrait was the perfect post for this halloween week. have you put up any scary decorations this year?

today is abc wednesday thanks to our host mrs. nesbitt. the letter for the day is O. please go here to join in the fun.

getting away from it all...

please click on photo to see woodland details up close



even if it's a simple walk in the woods, it always does me a world of good. seven trees grouped in a circle, my friend calls them seven sisters. these woods happen to be in her backyard in northern virginia, not too far from long island. you can get there in three hours on amtrak if you leave from penn station.


this post is a part of my world tuesday. to share a part of yours or just see more of others, please go here, thanks to klaus for hosting with his team of helpers, sandy, wren, fishing guy, sylvia and louise.

view from new jersey

please click on photo to see an illuminated empire state building



while speeding along on the amtrak yesterday, I was delighted to see evidence of the big apple indicating my close proximity to home. the light was golden and the view was sweet. it's good to be back.

shadows on the door

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today's shadow shot is dedicated to taking some time just to be at peace. I hope that anyone who is home today will be able to relax for at least a few moments. have a great sunday everyone.

thank you tracy, from hey harriet's shadow shot sunday meme. please go here if you'd like to participate or see more shadow shots.

autumn color on long island

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I have read in a few different places that autumn color on long island peaks during the last week of october and the first week of november. so the good news for the day is, this means we still have a fair amount of time left to enjoy all this beauty! it is such a picturesque time of year and it always seems to go by faster than any other season.
I also wanted to mention I am sorry I won't be around for commenting this weekend. I am in northern virginia visiting my childhood friend, a girl I grew up with on long island. I'll be back sunday. I hope you have a great weekend everyone!

halloween roadside

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doesn't this look like a dirt road? like somewhere out in the country? you'd never know this is directly across the street from a super store. this used to be a country road. long island was a lot different back in the day, a lot like this. I often think how wonderful it would be to be able to walk through different parts of the island like it was when I was a child. these are the types of places I imagine I would see.

n is for nighttime

please click on photo to see interesting textures up close




have you ever noticed any water main covers on the streets by where you live? I honestly can't say I have, until of course walking around my neighborhood the other evening. I was intrigued by the play of light and dark shadows so I took a chance and snapped some photos. most times I don't do well with night shots, so I was happy to have found this actually worked.

today is abc wednesday thanks to our host mrs. nesbitt. the letter for the day is N. please go here to join in the fun.

there goes the high school football team...

I sat at a red light as the team crossed jericho turnpike. it reminded me of the recent news about football players and head trauma. I worry for the players, especially the young ones. so I was glad to read about how if athletes will at least take less hits, like in practice for instance, they can significantly reduce the number of hits to the head which is important when you consider how many times a player gets hit over a long career. I found the article on the new york times nfl blog here.

this post is a part of my world tuesday. to share a part of yours or just see more of others, please go here, thanks to klaus for hosting with his team of helpers, sandy, wren, fishing guy, sylvia and louise.

where the wild things are

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this is the type of movie you think about again and again after you leave the theatre. and although I shed lots of tears and I had a huge lump in my throat towards the end and then again at the very end, this movie was not your typical tear jerker. in fact, for me, it was all a bit bizarre and thought provoking, and yet a totally unique movie. this is probably why it was the best movie I have seen in a long time. a word of caution, this is not exactly a children's movie.
thanks babzy for recommending I post the trailer! it's right here.

shadows and reflections and the montauk daisy

please click on photo to see daisy up close



it was supposed to rain all day yesterday so I was surprised, to say the least, when I walked into the kitchen and found sunlight pouring through the window. the common name for this beautiful flower is montauk daisy, after the fact that they can be found in abundance on the east end of long island. I remember my brother telling me they grow particularly well out there because of the way the wind blows in that part of the island forming them into full and bushy plants with lots of flowers. I tend to believe this having seen the daisies out east, they do look like this compared to the ones in other parts of long island where they tend to be more straggly looking. whatever the case may be, you can read more about them here.

todays post is part of newtown area photo's "weekend reflections" meme hosted by james as well as hey harriet's "shadow shot sunday" meme hosted by tracy. please pop over to their highlighted links to see more shadows and reflections or you may even want to join in the fun and post some of your own!

rainy autumn days

please click on photo to see autumn beauty up close



the weather has been gray and rainy and cold the past couple of days. sitting in the fairway parking lot I decided the autumn color makes up for it though.

upstate new york skywatch

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I took this photograph from the backseat last saturday while I was getting a tour of the beautiful countryside somewhere in brunswick, new york. for those of you unfamiliar with the term "upstate", that is how long islanders refer to the rest of new york that lies above itself and manhattan. for a more complete definition, check this out.

today is skywatch friday, if you'd like to see more skies from all around the world, please go here, thanks to klaus and his team, sandy, wren, fishing guy, louise and sylvia.

also, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow blogger friend pietro for creating this beautiful award that he has passed on to me, thank you pietro for sharing your talent so generously!

if you ever get a chance to check out more of pietro's beautiful artwork I can assure you will not be disappointed. I absolutely love his improvisations. go check out his site and see for yourself!

corn maze?

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yesterday was an otherwise dreary gray day had I not noticed this florescent pumpkin begging for attention. around these parts halloween is one of those holidays where people trying to earn a living get creative. I have seen "authentic" haunted houses complete with actors, pumpkin picking on farms and garden nurseries and even "safe" halloween parties held at churches. the corn mazes are not specifically related to halloween other than both the corn and the pumpkins are ready around the same time adding to the festivities for those that like to do a little more than pumpkin picking.

m is for macabre

according to merriam- webster, dwelling on the gruesome, tending to produce horror in a beholder are among the definitions of macabre. I guess that about sums up the halloween decorations this farmingdale resident displays on his front lawn every year. and every year the macabre is always done a little differently too, keeping things interesting. remember last years?

today is abc wednesday thanks to mrs. nesbitt, and the letter for the day is M. please go here to join in the fun.

aliens among us

please click on photo to see tiny alien up close



I always get a kick out of the halloween decorations my neighbors display every year. if you look closely you can see what looks like the alien's parent sitting on a chair just to the left of this little guy. when I googled the words "aliens among us" I came across the most interesting sites. one of which that claims aliens are living on planet earth right now at this very moment, 4000 to be exact! according to the site,"...some living peaceably and others who have more sinister intentions" hmm, they don't sound much different than our fellow humans living among us!

columbus day fair at farmingdale

unlike those rides that give you whiplash and turn you upside down at full speed, there is something 
about kiddie rides that make them seem so safe and reassuring. today is the last day of the fair in farmingdale. my favorite ride is the ferris wheel. it seems safe enough and you can enjoy a spectacular view. today I hope to get a ride on it before it leaves town. how is your columbus day?

turkey trot

please click on photo to see turkeys and shadows up close



we had to stop our car on the taconic parkway yesterday to let these turkeys trot, or rather I should say stroll by. they sure took their time. lucky for them we were the only ones on the parkway so there really was no rush. I was amazed at all the beautiful autumn color to be found in upstate new york. with a few exceptions of some color here and there, long island is virtually green by comparison, though upstate's colors definitely haven't peaked yet, maybe next weekend. have you been doing any leaf peeping?

thank you tracy, from hey harriet's shadow shot sunday meme. please go here if you'd like to participate or see more shadow shots. here's hoping your weekend is going well.

eleanor rigby's

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I passed this doorway while walking down mineola boulevard the other day. this is the entrance to a sort of beatle's theme restaurant. I love the fab four so of course I had to share this with you.
this also happens to be the first weekend I am participating in jame's of "newtown area photos" weekend reflections meme. please stop over there and check out the other reflections or if you'd like too, join in the fun. have a great saturday everyone!

october sky over jericho turnpike

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sadly, electrical lines are a part of the skies over long island. I am so used to seeing them I'm often taken by surprise when someone makes a comment about them ruining the view. I'm not sure anything could ruin this view though. besides, I like the stark contrast of the silhouettes against the soft sky. also, these clouds seem to make everything else insignificant. what do you think?

today is skywatch friday, if you'd like to see more skies from all around the world, please go here, thanks to klaus and his team, sandy, wren, fishing guy and louise.

mischief in the suburbs

please click on photo to see tp up close



I don't know why but it always makes me smile when I see a neighborhood home covered with bathroom tissue. I guess it reminds me of high school. it's hard for me to say if I'd still smile if this happened to my own abode. I believe the official name for it is tp'd. what about you? have you ever woken up one morning and found your home the victim of some toilet papering high jinks?

long beach

long beach is actually the name of this town where you will find this beautiful scene. I didn't notice one person on this entire stretch of sand until I enlarged this photo. there looks like one is sitting in a beach chair all by themselves! the boardwalk was barely busy. I am sure the year round residents relish this time of year when they get their beach town back to themselves. it was so peaceful sitting on the bench yesterday, eating breakfast with a view of the ocean. the sunshine made the sand seem extra white.
the cargo ships below are even more interesting if you click on the photo to enlarge. doesn't the water look like a precious jewel?

today is abc wednesday thanks to mrs. nesbitt, and the letter for the day is L. please go here to join in the fun.

farmingdale water tower

please click on photo to see tower up close



I've passed by this typical long island water tower a zillion times over the years. I don't think I've ever seen it look so pretty standing there in the sky. this reminded me of a Thoreau quote I recently came across over at sylvia's blog, "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."
check out some typical new york city water towers here and one up close, here, not to mention this unique one here.

this post is a part of my world tuesday. to share a part of yours or just see more of others, please go here, thanks to klaus for hosting with his team of helpers, sandy, wren, fishing guy and louise.

horse traffic

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I forget there are horses on long island and then I'll pass a stable or notice a couple on the l.i.e.
this is the first time I've seen a bunch of them crossing the street like this before. this was a neat surprise. I wish I knew the story behind where this group came from.

crape myrtle shadows

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crape myrtles seem to bloom at different times depending on where they are located. for instance, my neighbors crape myrtle's across the street bloomed earlier in the summer while a neighbor's blooms down the block are just petering out now. I love how these two are framing this driveway. aren't they beautiful? I couldn't decide between the two, which one do you prefer?

thank you tracy, from hey harriet's shadow shot sunday meme. please go here if you'd like to participate or see more shadow shots. hope you are having a great sunday.

vintage long island

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check out these guys. I love the plaid shirt on the boy with the cuffed pants. how cute are these boys and their clothes? & I would love to have in my possession the car the middle one is driving, not to mention the one they are all playing in front of. authentic vintage am I right? ah..., those were the days.

another wonderful skywatch by tracy

please click on photo to see mountains up close



remember last weeks skywatch? this awesome view was photographed by my same darling niece while she was at lake placid this summer. beautiful isn't it? thanks tracy!

today is skywatch friday, if you'd like to see more skies from all around the world, please go here, thanks to klaus and his team, sandy, wren, fishing guy and louise.

golden changes

please click on photo to see autumn leaves up close



every autumn these trees are the first to change in our neighborhood. luckily I snapped this photo a couple of weeks ago since as of this morning there are hardly any leaves left on them at all. do you believe it is october 1st? how fast did september go by?