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October 28, 1993 - Two Wonders From the Land. and SeaOctober,28,­$9 (0- The{SuffolkTihles o' SW— Two Wonders From the Land. and Sea By Paul Stoutenburgh I'm afraid I'm going to have to eat my words of last week for I said snow geese were uncommon here on Long Island. Today, as Barbara and I worked out in the garden, 150 of them flew directly overhead to let me know they were Focus on around. Add this to the 30 I saw Nature previously in a field nearby and I'm wondering what's going on. Most of you, I'm sure, remember not too long ago when the sight of geese was something to talk about. Now they are a common sight throughout our East End. Could it be the snow geese are following their cousins and are going to become feeders in our fields hereabout? One of the things we do this time of the year is to dig our Jerusalem arti- chokes. We only had a small patch of them this year, but they produced almost a bucket of their small, potato -like tubers that we enjoy raw in salads. Boiled, they seem a bit mushy to us, but stir -fried with greens and bits of chicken they are great. The nice part about growing arti- chokes is that there is nothing to it. They do like full sun and a fair amount of moisture, but that's just about all. They are often used in Chinese cooking as a substitute for water chestnuts and there is a fair market for them. A local farmer tried them one year and made out well but, like many things in farming, the next year the market was flooded and he almost had to give them away. For the home gardener there is nothing like them. Keep the little ones for seed next year and dig them up just about any time you want them. We've been pestered with mice who seem to enjoy them also, so this year we've dug them all up in the fall. In past years we dug them up whenever we could get the shovel in the ground, letting the soil keep them fresh. Fined Time To Fish There's so much to do in the fall that it is hard to sneak away and get a few hours of fishing in, but if you are clever enough you can usually manage it. So it was last week when I slipped away to try my hand at bluefishing just before sun- set. That's the most perfect time to fish, particularly if you are alone as I was that night. A good friend of mine lets me park in his driveway to shorten the dis- tance I have to walk, but that night it really didn't matter how far I had to walk. I knew this was the night for fish- ing. I've got an old surf pole and reel I bought from a man who moved to Florida and it has served me well through the years. Of course it doesn't always catch fish but I don't blame the pole for that. To get to my favorite spot I'd have to walk through heavy sand in back of the dunes and then through a cut to the beach. The wind was off shore so I'd be able to cast a bit further with its added help. A new moon was on its way down even though the sun was still half an hour before setting. Rollers washed lazi- ly up on the sand as I came out onto an empty, almost quiet beach. For a mile in either direction I could see no one. I wondered why, for in my book this was the ideal night for. fishing. My spot was still to `I Was the west but not wanting to miss any alone on chance of a strike I'd cast as I walked the beach along, but no luck. With rn My spot was right ahead just off that fish ' jetty that now, in the lingering hours of sunlight, took on a dark and sinister look. I checked over my Hopkins, then the leader and pole and started to cast, and retrieve, cast and retrieve. A string of ducks caught my eye heading east low on the water. They were too far out to tell what they were but if I had to guess I'd say they were scoters or, as they are locally known, coots. They'll be in our waters through- out the winter, feeding on mussels and crustaceans of all kinds. My spot wasn't proving as productive as I'd like so I thought of changing my tactics: reel in fast, reel in slow, little jerks as I reeled in, long sweeps; nothing seemed to work. There was a deep eddy just around the end of the bulkhead. 1 _w699M ■ w..L 82 Years Ago Oct. 28, 1911 Advertisement: In confidence women speak to each other of the natty and well- groomed appearance of the men who keep themselves comme it faut in clothes. When a man keeps his clothing pressed and cleaned here he always looks prosperous and is the cynosure of the eyes of observant people. Don't look baggy at the knees and "down and out," when you can look like a gentleman by having your cloth- ing kept in order at Louis J. Levinson, up -to -date tailor and cleaner, 18 Main St., Greenport. 50 Years Ago Oct. 29, 1943 Homing Pigeon Sent Home: On Oct. 11, Mr. Fred Billman of East Marion noticed a homing pigeon, which was exhausted, on the ground near his garage. Mr. and Mrs. Billman took care of the bird, which had a band attached to its leg. On Oct. 17 the pigeon, having recovered its strength, was released. Mr. and Mrs. Billman fastened their name and address to the bird's leg. They received a letter dated Oct. 17 from Howard Lewis at Osterville, Cape Cod, Mass. "My bird, band No. 12343, came back home today with your note attached and I wish to thank you for caring for him. He was shipped to Syra- JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES — Easily grown, these little tubers can be eaten any time from fall on. The picture above was taken when we dug some one February. Perhaps in there where the tide churned around I might change my luck. More casting, more reeling in. Then it hap- pened. Just as I was about to lift my lure out of the water as I reeled in there was a swirl and a quick glance of a silvery cuse, N.Y., with 78 other birds, from our Cape Homing Club and released on Oct. 10 from Syracuse. It was a hard day with a heavy wind. Only nine birds returned from the race out of the 79, until my bird returned today. It was a hard race for the birds. It is 311 1/4 miles from Syracuse to my loft. "I think, after looking up your location on the map, that a lot of our birds must have been blown out to sea Thanks very much for caring for my bird and writing the note." 25 Years Ago Nov 10 1968 Sports vs. Austerity: The austerity budget under which the Greenport school is operating did not include funds for varsity athletics. In order that the usual athletic program for the school could be continued, the sum of $5,894.78 has been collected by public subscription in order that the school could participate in football, basket- ball, baseball, cross country and track activities. Program on Drugs: In view of the increasing use of drugs among the young, it seemed wise to the Women's Society of Christian Service to bring a speaker here. He comes from the Suffolk County Mental Health Clinic on Nov. 4. He will speak in the Greenport Methodist parish house about the perils of drug addiction. body — a bluefish. Now I again tried every trick I could think of. Back and forth the lure went. I forgot just what position I was in when finally I got a strike. I set the hook ... zzzing ... out went the line. The drag was too loose. I tight- ened it up. Still it went out. I tried to reel in but it was as if I was hooked to the bottom. I stood there, pole bent. The fish and I had met. Then slowly, ever so slowly, I gained, only to have the line once more taken out. My heart was beat- ing faster. Would I lose the fish? Darkness was taking over. I could feel my arms getting tired. I was alone on the beach with my fish. Now it was swirling below me. I could see its silvery sides. I reached for the leader and with one gigantic lift tossed the blue ashore. It lay there exhausted. I had caught my fish. I walked up the beach under the new moon laden with the joy of fishing. License Exams Set For Ham Operators SOUTHOLD —The Peconic Amateur Radio Club will administer Amateur FCC license exams in all classes on Fri- day, Oct. 29, at Southold Junior High School. Applicants will be accepted between 6:30 and 7 p.m. For more information, call John Rieger (323 -3812) or Ralph Williams (323 - 3646).