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April 07, 1983 - See Beauty in Early Spring FlowersApril 7, 1983 - The Suffolk Times See Beauty in Early Spring Flowers By PAULSTOUTENBURGH Easter with all its meaning and tradition has passed and as I sit looking at our big picture window the flowers that the family brought sit on the table beside me. Like so many traditions, flowers at Easter carry a special meaning of renewal. They signify probably better than anything else that life has started anew. From the majestic tall Easter lily with its heavy laden scent, to the small pot of dwarf daffodils, they tell the Easter story. It's a poor man indeed that can't appreciate a flower. One of the rewarding signs that gives me hope that our world is slowly awakening to the natural world about us is the increase in farmstands selling flowers. Years ago, only one or two stands carried them. I know Mrs. Doroski and Mrs. Stankewicz always seemed to have them out in front, but now almost every stand worth its salt carries cut flowers. To me it's a sign that man has turned just a little off his hurried path to stop for a moment and appreciate the wonders of a bloom and the significance it carries. These are encouraging signs. Be it flowers, books, music or art, none of these things are acquired without some help along the way. And even then, forget it if your belly's empty. First things first. Man must first have food and shelter before he reaches for the stars. Reading a book is a start. Picking a flower makes you bend down and look. I have difficulty putting up with those who can see only a straight line with their own selfish interests at the end. My appreciation of the world of flowers probably came from my father. He was a good gardener and one who used to tell me of the great endless waves of colorful wild flowers out on the Hempstead plains some 40 or 50 years ago. He always found U@(,Pn� caw uflaUTg the first wild arbutus or May pinks and brought them home to my mother to sniff their fragrance. My first real shock of how man was turning his earth under came when as a young man I attended the Ag school in Farmingdale. I was interested in Ag Engineering and one of our field trips took us out to the Hempstead plains, where Levittown was being built. Almost as far as the eye could see, man had rooted up the earth and built his houses, row upon row. Gone were the wildflowers, the open space and the birds that lived there. Today there is only one small remnant left of that once magnificent plains area. It was the farthest east the great plains of the west were to be found and now are gone forever. Perhaps it was from then on that I cared more about the natural world being consumed. I started to take heed of flowers more, and with a new job that took me throughout the island and my increased interest in photography I got closer and closer to wildflowers. Even today when I go for a walk I am always on the lookout for that bit of color that nature has popped open that day. Sometimes you have to look real close to see the tiny spot of white here and there that comes from the draba now growing on the hill side of our pasture. It's so small, you literally have to get down on * ** NOTICE *** LOST OUR LEASE EVERYTHING at our Riverhead location onIyMUS7 BE SOLD by May 1st C RE ELR TT .1V E CABINET CORP. OF RMERICR 110 E. Main St., Riverhead 727_5642 • KITCHEN CABINETS • COUNTER TOPS • VANITIES • APPLIANCES • SINKS & FAUCETS • TABLES • MEDICINE CABINETS • many other items 344 Cty. Rd. 39A, SOUTHAMPTON 283 -6221 430 Main St., C. MOR ICHES 878 -4140 420 N.Y. Avenue, HUNTINGTON 673 -0182 2384 Rte. 25, CENTEREACH 588 -3010 your hands and knees to see it. A tiny stem holds this delicate little white flower that hopefully waits for an insect to pollinate it. But being such an early bloomer it cannot always rely on insects for pollinization and so has created its own system of self pollinization. Look for this tiny, low, insignificant flower along the roadsides or weedy spots. It will surely be there along with the dandelions that have just started their endless show of yellow. From here on, the parade of color the flowers bring will only get better. Spring truly is an exciting time to be alive, particularly if you are outdoors. Rake your lawn, trim your trees, mulch your plants, water and fertilize, but most of all plant some flowers so that their color and brightness will bring joy to your table and the tables of others. Learning to appreciate this basic beauty is what it's all about. Page 19 DRABA OR WHITLOW GRASS- - This tiny white blossom somehow survives the cold, windy days of March and gives joy to those who know it. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh ANNOUNCING THE SOFT - WA'T'ER OFFER THAT'S HARD REFUSE ■ FREE WATER TEST.. . ■ FREE INSTALLATION.. . ■ 2 MONTHS' FREE RENTAL Put your hard water to the low lu test. A free water test from IPI Agway Petroleum. And get two months' free rental on any Agway water conditioner, too. Renting a water conditioner saves you money on maintenance. And it lets you avoid spending a large sum on the unit itself. An Agway water- conditioning systems • Saves energy • Prevents energy- robbing buildup of mineral deposits • Helps detergents work harder • Makes food taste better $17.50 a month is all it costs. And during this special offer, you'll save $35 right from the start with an Agway - installed and - maintained water conditioner that's just right for your needs. The days of buying a water conditioner can be over. Contact your nearby Agway Petroleum Plant today and ask about the water- conditioner offer. With a free water test and two months' free rental, it's a hard offer to beat. AGWAY PETROLEUM FUELS • SERVICE • EQUIPMENT AGWAY AGWAY PETROLEUM P.O. Box 705 Pulaski St., Riverhead 11901 727 -3012 April 7,19.83. The News- Review. . Page 13 k, CA See Beauty in Early Spring Flowers By PAULSTOUTENBURGH Easter with all its meaning and tradition has passed and as I sit looking at our big picture window the flowers that the family brought sit on the table beside me. Like so many traditions, flowers at Easter carry a special meaning of renewal. They signify probably better than anything else that life has started anew. From the majestic tall Easter lily with its heavy laden scent, to the small pot of dwarf daffodils, they tell the Easter story. It's a poor man indeed that can't appreciate a flower. One of the rewarding signs that gives me hope that our world is slowly awakening to the natural world about us is the increase in farmstands selling flowers. Years ago, only one or two stands carried them. I know Mrs. Doroski and Mrs. Stankewicz always seemed to have them out in front, but now almost every stand worth its salt carries cut flowers. To me it's a sign that man has turned just a little off his hurried path to stop for a moment and appreciate the wonders of a bloom and the significance it carries. These are encouraging signs. Be it flowers, books, music or art, none of these things are acquired without some help along the way. And even then, forget it if your belly's empty. First things first. Man must first have food and shelter before he reaches for the stars. Reading a book is a start. Picking a flower makes you bend down and look. I have difficulty putting up with those who can see only a straight line with their own selfish interests at the end. My appreciation of the world of flowers probably came from my father. He was a good gardener and one who used to tell me of the great endless waves of colorful wild flowers out on the Hempstead plains some 40 or 50 years ago. He always found the first wild arbutus or May pinks and brought them home to my mother to sniff their fragrance. My first real shock of how man was turning his earth under came when as a young man I attended the Ag school in Farmingdale. I was interested in Ag Engineering and one of our field trips took us out to the Hempstead plains, where Levittown was being built. Almost as far as the eye could see, man had rooted up the earth and built his houses, row upon row. Gone were the wildflowers, the open space and the birds that lived there. Today there is only one small remnant left of that once magnificent plains area. It was the farthest east the great plains of the west were to be found and now are gone forever. Perhaps it was from then on that I cared more about the natural world being consumed. I started to take heed of flowers more, and with a new job that took me throughout the island and my increased interest in photography I got closer and closer to wildflowers. Even today when I go for a walk I am always on the lookout for that bit of color that nature has popped open that day. Sometimes you have to look real close to see the tiny spot of white here and there that comes from the draba now growing on the hill side of our pasture. It's so small, you literally have to get down on * ** NOTICE * ** LOST OUR LEASE EVERYTHING at our Riverhead location onIyMUST BE SOLD by May 1st RERTIVE CABINET CORP. OF RMERICR 110 E. Main St. , Riverhead 727_5642 • KITCHEN CABINETS • COUNTER TOPS • VANITIES • APPLIANCES • SINKS & FAUCETS • TABLES • MEDICINE CABINETS • many other items 344 Cty. Rd. 39A, SOUTHAMPTON 283 -6221 430 Main St., C. MORICHES 878 -4140 420 N.Y. Avenue, HUNTINGTON 673 -0182 2384 Rte. 25, CENTEREACH 588 -3010 your hands and knees to see it. A tiny stem holds this delicate little white flower that hopefully waits for an insect to pollinate it. But being such an early bloomer it cannot always rely on insects for pollinization and so has created its own system of self pollinization. Look for this tiny, low, insignificant flower along the roadsides or weedy spots. It will surely be there along with the dandelions that have just started their endless show of yellow. From here on, the parade of color the flowers bring will only get better. Spring truly is an exciting time to be alive, particularly if you are outdoors. Rake your lawn, trim your trees, mulch your plants, water and fertilize, but most of all plant some flowers so that their color and brightness will bring joy to your table and the tables of others. Learning to appreciate this basic beauty is what it's all about. DRABA OR WHITLOW GRASS- - This tiny white blossom somehow survives the cold, windy days of March and gives joy to those who know it. Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh ANNOUNCING THE SOFT -WRYER OFFER THAT'S HARDTO REFUSE! ■ FREE WATER TEST.. . ■ FREE INSTALLATION.. . ■ 2 MONTHS' FREE RENTAL Put your hard water to the low III test. A free water test from Agway Petroleum. And get two months' free rental on any Agway water conditioner, too. Renting a water conditioner saves you money on maintenance. And it lets you avoid spending a large sum on the unit itself. An Agway water- conditioning system: • Saves energy • Prevents energy- robbing buildup of mineral deposits • Helps detergents work harder • Makes food taste better $17.50 a month is all it costs. And during this special offer, you'll save $35 right from the start with an Agway - installed and - maintained water conditioner that's just right for your needs. The days of buying a water conditioner can be over. Contact your nearby Agway Petroleum Plant today and ask about the water- conditioner offer. With a free water test and two months' free rental, it's a hard offer to beat. AGWAY PETROLEUM FUELS *SERVICE* EQUIPMENT AGWAY m AGWAY PETROLEUM P.O. Box 705 Pulaski St., Riverhead 11901 727 -3012