March 30, 1995 - Rain, the Beach and Thoughts of HomeMarch 30, 1995 • The Suffolk Times • 5w
Rain, the Beach and Thoughts of Home
By Paul Stoutenburgh
I'm writing this in a little shack that's
been put up alongside the river espe-
cially for manatee watchers in case the
weather gets bad. Needless to say, I'm in
here because it is thundering and light-
ning and pouring rain outside. It reminds
me of one of the real old- fashioned sum-
mer thunderstorms I'm sure many of you
can remember.
The one I remember most, which will
always stick in my mind, was a spec-
tacularly terrify -
FOCUS On ing storm our
whole family wit -
Nature nessed together. I
must have been
about 8 or 10
years old and we were all staying in my
Uncle Henry's cottage in Cutchogue. It
was one of the typical cottages of that
period, built on locust or cedar posts.
The inside had partitioned -off bedrooms,
a kitchen and large living room. There
were no ceilings to the partitioned areas
and you could hear the chatter of the
family from one end to the other.
I remember waking up and hearing the
thunder and seeing the purple flashes of
lightning and hearing the concerned voic-
es of my parents talking about the storm.
I had hidden under the blankets as long
as I could in that skeleton of a room and
then got up to gain the comfort of the
group. We sat out on a big, glass -
enclosed porch and watched the storm
bursting around us. To a small boy it was
terrifying. It seemed as if the outside was
one continuous pattern
of purple light and clat- 6I kept as
tering thunder. How
loud those thunderclaps "How did
were! You know the
kind I mean, that "cra- of t
ckle" first before the
real clap sets in? The rain came down in
sheets and the wind blew, shaking and
swaying the trees around the cottage.
There was that wonderful feeling of
security we kids gained from our parents
as they reassured us with words and
hugs. As the storm passed and the rum-
blings grew fainter, we kids, of course,
became braver and even walked around
showing our courage. But every once in
a while as that last clap crackled nearby,
we'd find ourselves back in the security
of Mom and Dad. It was in the days
when the lights went out frequently and
seemed only to need an excuse to fail.
Then the kerosene lamps would be
brought out and the yellow glow of
warmth would take over. Of course,
there was that kerosene smell that went
along with it.
Storm Hits Close
The next day dawned sparkling and
clear and, of course, we kids had to go out
and assess the damage. Only a few lots
away from my Uncle Henry's cottage a
huge oak tree had been split right down
the middle. It was my first lesson of the
power and danger of lightning. Years later
my best friend's son would be killed by
lightning, driving home to me the lethal
power of one of nature's most fierce
forces. Here in south central Florida thun-
derstorms and rain are a part of life and
the natives pay little attention. Yet I'll
always hold a healthy respect from that
touch of long -ago remembered anxiety
whenever I hear thunder rumbling.
Yesterday was our day off from
watching for manatees and so we de-
cided to explore some of the wildlife
refuges and parks along the Gulf. We
Photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh
LITTLE BLUE HERON —Most of us know the great blue heron that stalks
minnows in our creeks, but few have seen this relatively rare visitor — the lit-
tle blue heron — from the south.
knew this strip would be a much -used
area but we weren't quite prepared for
what we saw. Our first destination was
the Matanza Wildlife Refuge on Estero
Island. We were overwhelmed by the
condominiums, highrisers and shops of
every description selling everything
from T- shirts to hot
king myself dogs, from bayside real
estate to tours along the
get into all river, and the assortment
11152 "' of people of every size
and shape was unbeliev-
able. There were the day
walkers, the runners, (who always seem
to be under such strain) and, of course,
college break week had brought out the
young men and women who were trying
to grow up faster than their already fast
world would permit them. I kept asking
myself, "How did I get into all of this?"
Somewhere along the way we saw the
sign for the refuge and turned in. We
parked amongst cement mixers and
1 _w69w 1 wwL
75 Years Ago
trucks and other paraphernalia for the
building of a new motel. As we collected
our binoculars and cameras we couldn't
believe that this wet mangrove area had
been spared.
We started our walk along a trail that
led to a large bay. All along were famil-
iar fiddler crab holes that reminded me
of home with their characteristic balls of
sand nearby. This spoke well of the area,
for fiddler crabs are an indicator of a
healthy environment. Out on the bay
red - breasted mergansers were diving for
small fish while big brown pelicans
begged at the fishing pier for handouts.
Like our gulls at home they have found
man is a ready source of food. I believe
this degrades these expert fishermen and
takes away from the joy of watching the
birds plummet with a huge splash into
the water for a meal.
It was hot and muggy in the mangrove
swamp so we decided to head for
Lovers' Key State Recreation Area to
March 266 1920
Mattituck Landmark Sold: Silkworth, real estate
agent of Mattituck, has sold to a Brooklyn party the Old
Mill near the mouth of Mattituck Creek. This mill, it is said,
is over 100 years old and was used as a grist mill up until
about 20 years ago. The property is known to many people
all over the state as well as Connecticut.
C of C Coming: There will be a meeting at the Green -
port House on Monday evening at 7:30 for the purpose of
organizing a Chamber of Commerce. Businessmen of
Greenport and vicinity who are looking for the good of the
community are urged to attend and hear what is going on.
`Live Ones' Only: Don't come to that meeting Mon-
day evening if you think Greenport and the East End are
known all over the world, and are developing at 100 percent
efficiency, or if you have made your "wad," and don't care
a "tinker's whoop." This is a game for the "live ones," and
we have them right here in this town. It is only a matter of
getting really acquainted, then careful, wise cooperation.
50 Years Ago
March 30, 1945
items of Local News: The local police and resi-
dents of Wiggins Street in Greenport are wondering why
the south. Here we found an entirely dif-
ferent atmosphere. It was still warm but
the land was higher and the breeze
delightful off the Gulf. Their beach is so
different from ours, being made up of
finely ground shells that almost give you
the feeling of sand. It was a bather's
delight although we saw few actually
swimming. Most were sprawled out
soaking up the sun.
Beach Birdwatching
We walked like tourists along the
beach, our eyes looking for bird life. We
found but one lone willet, a bird you'll see
along Dune Road in the Hamptons. It can
easily be recognized by the white blotches
in the wing when it flies and it usually
gives an alarm call after taking off. Then
Barbara's eyes caught some birds in back
of the beach on a beautiful little cove.
They proved to be ruddy turnstones
(50) and black - bellied plovers (15) plus
a nice flock of willets resting and feed-
ing on their migration north. We now
had fun stalking these wary birds in
hopes of getting some pictures. We
worked at it for about half an hour until
the sun got too hot and told us to move
back out on the Gulf beach where it was
cool. Everyone seemed to be collecting
shells. Some even had special nets to
scoop them up. This west coast of
Florida is a shell collector's paradise.
In all, our day was wearing us out and
we hadn't eaten since early breakfast so
we got in the camper and drove to a
roadside pulloff on the water where it
was cool and delightful. Here Barbara
fixed a nice lunch and we relaxed for an
hour or two. Even the cat came out from
hiding (she disappears when we travel).
The trip home was over flat farm coun-
try, where we saw hundreds of acres of
tomatoes staked. Later we'd pass
through more orange groves, the scent of
their blossoms tantalizing our nostrils.
At one point we saw the bird of the
day, a handsome swallow- tailed kit. It's a
black- and -white bird that might pass for
a huge barn swallow for it has pointed
wings and a large, forked tail. The sight
of that made my day for one seldom gets
a chance to see this graceful bird of prey.
Perhaps the forsythia and daffodils are
Continued on next page
some unknown person should have taken the trouble one
night this week after dark to very carefully place six brand -
new lobster pots across the road blocking traffic. Fortunate-
ly the pots were removed before they were struck by a car
or truck which might have resulted in an accident.
Advertisement: Something new to tie into: Arrow
Lido ties. Don't be surprised if your chin soars to an unac-
customed angle when you tie into one of the handsome new
Arrow Lido ties. It's just natural for it to want to show off
patterns and color schemes as handsome as Lido has... Take
your pick today. $1. Lipman Bros., Greenport.
25 Years Ago
March 27, 1970
Should Auld Acquaintance...: George Mellas
found a 1928 issue of The Suffolk Tunes in his attic, and
cut out Bob Brown's ad in that edition. Then his friends got
together to present it to Mr. Brown as a memento of his
early working days, and his retirement last week from the
presidency of Sunrise Coach Lines Inc. Placed in the July 6
edition of that year, the advertisement promotes the "Handy
Gas Station and Garage" and Mr. Brown's Marmon Motor
Car Agency.
Classified Ad: Southold — Furnished, two - bedroom
summer cottage, walk to Sound beach, $17,000.
The Heat Is On /Off /On...
According to my calendar, March 20
was the first day of spring. According to
my thermometer, there's still a way to go
before I will agree. I must say my life
was much easier this winter than last,
but I didn't come through unscathed. In-
stead, my woes were scrunched into the
last few days of February.
The last Satur-
day of that month
was sunny, cold
and windy.
About noon I
went to town to
retrieve my mail.
As I was prepar-
ing to leave the
post office, a
man motioned to
me through the
window, pointing
to the back of my
car. There was as
flat a tire as
you'd want to
see. No wonder
the trip down had
felt a little rough!
Back to the post office where the kind
lady at the window placed a call for me
to my Favorite Car Dealer /Car Doctor.
The truck arrived in a few minutes,
the tire was inflated and the truck fol-
lowed me down to the shop. Of course,
the tire barely survived the trip, so the
spare was put on and I was told to come
back on Monday for a new tire.
I made a few interrupted stops and
returned home about 2 p.m. The house
was s0000 cozy, the furnace blasting
away as I fixed my lunch. In fact, it
blasted for 20 minutes before I realized
it was t0000 cozy. The thermometer on
the thermostat showed 92 degrees, while
another nearer to the heat register
showed 100 degrees, and described this
temperature as"%Iood heat." I turned the
thermostat down as low as it would go.
And still the furnace blasted on. I called
the oil man, who said it was "in over-
ride" and I should shut the furnace off.
At 4:30 the man came, checked the
thermostat and said somewhere between
the living room and the cellar there were
split wires and the thermostat and the
furnace were "not in touch" with one
another. This was an electrician's job and
the thermostat might have to be moved.
I called an electrician who asked if I
could manage until Monday. I said I
could, not realizing that from 5 p.m. Sat-
urday until 8 a.m. Monday when he
arrived, I would be embroiled in a
marathon of running down to the cellar
to turn the furnace on until the heat was
unbearable, then down to turn it off until
the cold was unbearable.
In no time, he put the thermostat "in
touch" with the furnace and said there
was no reason to change its position. I
poured blessings or him, went down to
get my new tire and spent the rest of the
day wallowing in comfortable heat.
Until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
It was a wet, cold day and I opened
the door to be greeted with c0000ld. I
headed for the telephone, and then no-
ticed the clock on the microwave was
not blinking red. It was not blinking at
all. I had no electricity. I checked with a
neighbor. They had it. Now it was a
LILCO problem. And now it was getting
darker and darker.
Eventually the big, yellow truck hove
in sight, and a man went up in the cherry
picker to check the pole wires. They
were doing whatever they're supposed
to do. He checked the wires coming into
the house. They weren't.
Did you know your house has a
"weather head "? Mine wasn't working.
Worn insulation on the wires. He
patched it temporarily, and told me to
call ... an electrician.
I hope he's only going to be a passing
acquaintance, not a close friend.
Health Programs for Women, Seniors
HAMPTON BAYS — Educational
programs on health- related and other is-
sues are offered through Southampton
Hospital's Women's Center and Senior
Solutions program at the Hamptons Me-
dical Atrium on Montauk Highway.
The Women's Center's offerings in
April include a one -day workshop, "I
Like Me," on Saturday, April 1;
"Making Peace With Food" on Thurs-
days, April 6, 13, 20 and 27; fitness
walking and "Yoga With Ingrid" on
Focus...
Continued from previous page
out back home and the ospreys should
have returned by now. How I miss
them. I'm sure, too, the lonely call of
the piping plover can be heard along
some of our beaches. It builds its nest in
a shallow sandy depression and, if left
alone, will raise its three or four chicks
that are so well camouflaged one can
walk right by them without seeing
them. What a contrast — the tiny piping
plover and the great osprey!
Both probably spent their winter in
the Caribbean and perhaps passed by me
here in Florida on their way north. What
draws them? What stops them at our end
of the island? These and hundreds of
other mysteries are what make the natur-
al world that surrounds us so fascinat-
ing. Once you become involved you see
the immensity and grandeur of it all.
Saturdays, April 8 to May 13; and adult,
child and infant cardiopulmonary resus-
citation (CPR) on Tuesday and
Wednesday, April 25 and 26.
All programs require registration and
fees vary. Call 723 -3333.
April programs offered by Senior So-
lutions include a presentation on the fos-
ter grandparent program and the film
"On Golden Pond," both on Wednes-
day, April 12; "Fire Training" on
Wednesday, April 19; and a trip to the
Parrish Art Museum on Friday, April
28.
To register, call 723 -7012.
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medication management, activities.
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For further information,
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EEAST END COMPANION CARE
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• Meals, Laundry, Transportation
• Light Housekeeping, Pet Care
• Help with Personal Needs, etc.
• Live -Ins Available Immediately
Rates also available
for thorough
housecleaning
Please call to
schedule an appointment
516/765 -2095
800/421-5924 -
Lynne Richards, M.S.
Main Road, Southold
(Across from 7 -11)
Obstetrics, Gynecology
and Infertility
By appointment
Robert M. Schrier, M.D.
G. Michael Peters, M.D.
Steven I. Ross, M.D.
Gerard A. San Roman, M.D.
Susan L. Sterlacci, M.D.
OB /GYN Nurse Practitioners:
Cecilia Vanisky, RNC, • Patricia Striplin, RN
WE ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING INSURANCE PLANS:
AETNA - BLUE. SHIELD DIOCESAN PLAN - CHOICECARE - CHUBB - ISLAND GROUP ADMINISTRATORS
J J. NEWMAN - LAWRENCE - MAGNA CARE - MEDICARE - PRUCARE - REGIONAL - TRAVELERS
PENDING: MULTI PLAN - PREMIER AND SELECT PRO
Wading River Professional Center
6144 Route 25A, Wading River, NY 11792
929 -3222
Dr. Kristina M. Niemynski
announces the opening of her office
(7ZD at 1�D
Cutchogue Chiropractic
Cutchogue Medical Center
Suite 1, Main Road, Cutchogue
7346063