May 05, 1983 - Listing Things To Do on a Spring DaySECOND SECTION
The &Uffloth Timex May 5,1983
Listing Things To Do on a Spring Day
By PAUL STOUTENBURGH
Every once in a while we have to give
in and do some of the unimportant jobs
that are necessary to survive in today's
world. I'd really like to sweep them all
under the rug and forget about them, but
dentists have to be visited, licenses have
to be attended to, and banks must be
visited. All these and many more pile up
until one day we give in and hopefully get
them all done at one time.
The problem with this is that particular
day usually turns out to be a fine, sunny,
warm spring day. And who wants to do
such menial tasks on a beautiful day? So
when Monday came along with dark and
gloom we headed for Patchogue where
we had an appointment. We got out the
long list and set up a sequence: first to
the Town Hall, then Barkers in Matti-
ffoQdg3 ow
�mlQmTg
tuck, then Phillips Audio to have a
projector fixed, then to the bank, stop off
to check on a window, then the license
bureau and we've just started.
Outside of Riverhead we headed south,
past the lakes that were bulging from last
week's rain and then up over the great
moraine that runs generally east and
west along the back of our island. This
great high line of debris left by the
glaciers 10,000 to 20,000 years ago gives a
great view of the low Peconic River basin
to the north and a breathtaking view of
the outwash plain to the south. If you
know where to look from, you can see
Shinnecock Bay and the recent troubled
waters of that area from up there.
As we drove over the highest point
and headed to the south, we ran into fog
which changed everything as though
we'd gone into another world. From that
moment on, our travel was to be wrapped
in the foggy dampness that can only
come from off the ocean.
Everywhere green is starting to make
;tself known. Soon it will dominate the
countryside and flourish all summer long
until the cycle changes and winter moves
back in, putting everything to sleep. If
this coming winter is anything like last
winter, we can't complain for surely it
was the mildest I can remember for
many a day.
Stalking Asparagus
At home the beautiful white of the
shadbush can be seen everywhere. It's
especially handsome along our creek
edges, where it lends that needed bit of
cheer to the dark and slow budding oaks.
Asparagus is up in our garden and
we've already had two tasty meals from
it. I'll have to get out and walk the
hedgerow and creek fronts to "stalk the
wild asparagus" that's there for the
picking. But let me warn anyone who
might try this venture: you had better
know your dormant poison ivy for you'll
be working in its environment along
these edges. Keep an eye out for amber -
colored leaves just starting out. As they
mature, they'll turn to poison ivy's
characteristic three green leaves. But
even the risk of getting poison ivy is
worth the taste delight of wild asparagus,
particularly if its feet are bathed once in
a while by a high tide along our creeks.
...............
DANDELIONS - -There are two sides to every story. youngster couldn't be happier sitting among them
Some spend many hours and many dollars trying to helping to spread their seeds.
get rid of dandelions in their lawns, while this Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
Some of you might have seen a lovely,
low- growing pink flower in scrubby
lawns and fields along the roadsides. I
first saw this immigrant to our shores
some years ago in a field off New Suffolk
Lane. I'd never seen cranesbill before
but it was breathtaking. The whole field
shimmered in pink. After checking it out,
I found it was from Europe. The weed
seed had come over with other seeds and
escaped. Many of our common roadside
plants have come to us this way.
The dandelion that makes such a
showing every spring in our lawns came
to us from across the sea. The common
daisy that whitens the fields traveled
from abroad. As a matter of fact most of
what people call wildflowers are actually
refugees from other countries. Native
wildflowers are not usually found along
the roadside edge.
This infiltrating of foreign species
becomes a real problem if you want to
preserve a pristine natural area. Here on
Long Island, it's almost impossible but in
many of our national parks precautions
are tak &n to prevent these intruders.
Actually in some parks the personnel are
not allowed even a garden of introduced
plants for fear of them spreading
throughout the area. _
It's as bad as introducing goldfish into
a lake. The reason is that goldfish are
just carp in disguise and carp eat the
eggs and fry of the young gamefish such
as bass and trout, etc. And seeing carp
can live on almost anything, and have the
t ability to multiply rapidly, you can see in
no time they would take over. A parallel
would be the dandelion in your lawn if
you let them take over.
Spring is a wonderful time to be
outdoors. Already on nice days we've
taken to eating breakfast, lunch and even
dinner out. Everything tastes better and
the sheer joy of being part of the scheme
of things makes you feel better. For those
who have stayed away from this treat,
take your lunch out on the back porch in
the warm sun on the next nice day. Relax
and be thankful for the wonderful world
we live in. I guarantee you the day will
look a lot better than the one you left
inside.
0 11 01. 40 V HIGH MILEAGE.
P'PHIGHLY RELIABLE.
Standard --LOW PRICEN
Hatchback / "Use
Estimated
MPG for
comparisons.
Your actual
mileage will
probably be Standard Hatchback
less. 4speed transmission
"Accept no substitute for genuine SUELARU®
Subaru parts and service."
DI '11b STAY AND BUTT
fb STAYTNATYIM7G
WellsVaa MAIN ROAD, PECONIC - 765 -1000