May 22, 1986 A Beautiful Day for HayingSECOND SECTION
THE SUFFOLK TIMES
A Beautiful Day for Haying
By PAUL STOUTENBUR.GH
This was a busy week. It was time
to get hay in for the winter, the boat
just in needed much attention, the
new calf and mother took a little extra
time but are doing fine, swarms of
bees that people called to tell us about
were collected, an eagle sighted in
Orient was checked on, a chance to
get out and do some fishing and then
there's always the article to write. It
all adds up to a busy time around
here.
We got in part of our hay this week.
What beautiful weather for haying.
Hot, dry days make green hay and
the bales we picked up were just that.
Sometimes Long Island, with its high
humidity and early spring rains,
creates conditions for a dull greenish -
brown hay not too pleasing to look at
but the cows don't seem to mind it.
Our calf is doing well and is begin-
ning to get more frisky every day.
During this hot weather the cows lie
under the shade of the hedgerow and
are not too active, but as soon as the
sun goes down, out they come and
both mother and baby feed in their
own special way.
Rain on the Bay
We ate on the boat for the first
time Saturday. It wasn't quite all to-
gether but that didn't matter. We
watched a thunderstorm develop up
bay and then move in over us. How
spectacular nature can be with its
dark billowing thunderheads and
brilliant white flashes of zig -zag
lightning. Then, as we counted the
Focus on
Nature
seconds, the rumble and thunder fol-
lowed.
We sat and watched this spectacu-
lar approach until we could actually
hear the roar of rain coming. It was
most uncanny for, like a wall, it
moved across the bay towards us. A
few drops warned us and then, a
downpour.
We quickly retreated to the cabin
below as the raindrops pelted the
water and flattened it with splashing
rain. In no time, it was over and up
we popped, bringing our dry cushions
with us. We sailed home just as dark-
ness took over and the lights about
the bay came on.
While working in the garden this
week we knew the bees were espe-
cially active as we could hear a dron-
ing sound as they milled about in
front of the hives. This is the prime
time for bees with all the plants and
trees blossoming. It's the time when
they collect honey and pollen to feed
the never - ending production of young
bees which means crowded quarters.
They select a new queen and take
off by the thousands to settle on some-
one's back porch or tree. Here they
hang until a new hive is selected.
Then once more the bees will swarm
to their new home. When the bees are
in this stage, they are quite docile and
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
COLLECTING BEES - -When, bees become too crowded in their hive,
they leave in great swarms and collect on a tree, a bush or even a
back porch. Often beekeepers collect the insects by setting a hive
nearby.
can be collected easily.
I longed to go fishing, for May is
the month that the weakfish are in.
It's always the time I think of for
evening fishing. Roy Paul had invited
me out and luck was with us for we
came home with a six pound weak-
fish, a four pound bluefish and three
snapper blues. Sorry to say, Roy
caught most of them, but the thrill of
being out and seeing those handsome
fish spurred me on to try again.
We live in a wonderful part of the
world and I think it is important for
Photo by Judy Ahrens
all of us every once . in a while to look
back and review where we are and
then count our blessings. I feel sorry
for those to the west with their
crowded streets and fieldless vistas.
No bays to fish in, no creeks to clam
in, no farms to look out at -- no peace
and quiet.
Without these support factors, as I
call them, I'm afraid a person sees the
world through a different set of col-
ored glasses. Perhaps what they see
suits them, but what they see is not
for me.
Bless
You,
Fleet
The Rev. Terrence Weber of
St. Peter's Lutheran Church in
Greenport performed blessing
rights for over 35 boats at the
Greenport railroad dock
Saturday afternoon. The
event, an annual right of
spring, was sponsored by the
Eastern Sailing Club of Green -
port.