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May 12, 2005 - Coming home to springServing Long Island's North Fork since 1857 Coming home to spring Focus on Nature By Paul Stoutenburgh We were awake at 6 a.m. and there was still some last- minute packing to be done. Our new neighbor Jim was to pick us up at 7:30 and take us to the airport. As I lay there in the bed trying to squeeze out the last of those most wonderful moments before you have to get up, it started to rain. It was a soft rain, with its gentle pitter- patter on the metal roof above. It reminded me of when we used to go camping with the kids; the raindrops on the tent made a wonderful sound but also foretold of what was ahead on a rainy day in the tent with the kids. We'd usually resort to cold cereals, reading, games and, most probably, a walk in the rain. The future of all blossoming trees, such as apples, cherries, peaches, etc., depends on pollination by bees and other insects. The cold weather we are having hinders this important process of pollination and that could mean a poor crop for the farmer. Photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh Each kid had their own duffle bag that held their worldly possessions, which, of course, meant a raincoat and some sort of wet - weather foot gear. If the walk was along a beach, we'd all go bare - footed. A call from Barbara jolted me out of my dream world, and soon last- minute items of toothbrushes, cameras and reading material were pressed into our carry-on bags so that we were ready when Jim arrived. It was good Jim knew the way, for it's so easy to take the wrong turn and find yourself on a thruway with people all rushing to work and caring little about your predicament. Once years ago we took a wrong turn on the New York Thruway and couldn't correct our mistake for 15 miles; then it was back to base one and starting over. Those can be trying moments. An hour and 15 minutes after Jim picked us up we arrived at the airport, where we checked out our airline tickets and, believe it or not, everything had worked out fine. We looked for a comfortable spot to relax and have a bite to eat before our flight back home. Soon it was boarding time, and we were off. We flew above the clouds, so there was little to see. Somewhere along the New Jersey coast we dropped down, so we could see the coast clearly to our west. Our pilot kept us informed as we passed Atlantic City, then it was Sandy Hook below. My thoughts slipped back to that dark period of World War II when for six months I was stationed there at the tip of Sandy Hook. Out of boot camp this was my first duty assignment, and what a way to start. I was assigned to an 83 -foot, fast anti - submarine boat that went out for three days and in for two. Our duty was to listen for enemy submarines and drop depth charges should we find one. This patrol was done no matter what the weather. I remember one time it was so rough and the seas so high that everyone aboard got seasick — but that's another story. The Suffolk Times I Coming home to spring Back on board Flight 1304, the wind was from the south, so our pilot had to go to the north and swing around to face into the wind for a perfect landing; 21/2 hours after leaving Florida we were home again on Long Island. The world was once again green; trees were budding, spring was desperately trying to break away from the chill of winter — and from what I was told it was having a tough time doing it. We had been used to the warmth of Florida. The typical day in Florida was 80 degrees, so the cold winds combined with 40 to 50 degree temperatures had us shaking. I had worn only a light summer shirt and soon changed to layering undershirt, shirt, sweater and, yes, my old standby winter work jacket. Nevertheless was glad to be home. We were able to see the last of the magnolia blossoms falling. Our three cows were finally content, munching on their new green pasture. They, by the way, enjoyed the magnolia blossoms and ate them as they fell. We had put some pansies in a big, low container just before we left, and their bright yellow faces greeted us as we stepped up on the patio. And talk about bright color — our daffodils along the pathway through the woods seemed to beckon us on to inspect the spring that was all about us. The big cherry tree down by the pond was out in all its glory, as were the apple and peach trees. I think they had held on to their blossoms until we got back. Now they can drift down like a spring snowfall. One of the big lower limbs of the cherry tree had broken and fallen to the ground but was still attached to the tree. I had left it there hanging because I knew the lows used it to rub on. I couldn't believe how this broken limb had out -shown all the rest for blossoms on the tree. It almost seemed as if it were trying to prove it wasn't going to give up just because it was disabled. Those of you who have traveled south at this time of the year probably remember seeing the lovely magenta blossoms of the redbud tree. Well, some 30 years ago Mr. Dart, who had been my chemistry and physics teacher at Southold High School, gave me a small sapling of the redbud he had started. Today it's 20 feet tall and just coming into bud. Its kind of nice to have trees and bushes around the place that you can relate to. Friends gave us a bush when Barbara's sister died, and the kids planted a flowering tree after her brother passed away. Our good neighbor gave us slips of this and that, which always remind us of her ... the list goes on and on. Right now the holly tree from my dad's place is blossoming so profusely that from a distance the tree actually takes on a creamy glow. My hope is that we'll have some warm weather so the bees and other insects that come to get their share of the nectar in the tiny flowers will pollinate the flowers. Without that magic, there'll be no red berries for the mockingbirds, catbirds, robins and others that rely on that food supply later on. Our forsythia is doing its best at the end of the garden fence. I say doing its best, for the cows can reach halfway to it, so one side is missing its yellow flowers. The five rose bushes 1 put in before we left haven't added much growth. I'm sure its the miserable weather. I put a five-foot fence around them in hopes I can deter the deer, as they have decimated just about everything In the garden. We'll just have to wait and see. Its remarkable what a few warm days will do for your spirit and, of course, what it will do for our trees, bushes and plants. Keep your fingers crossed and maybe your toes as well ... spring will get here eventually. © 2005 Times - Review Newspapers Terms of Service - Privacy Policy Page 2 of 2 a http: / /wwvv2. timesreview. com /ST/stories/309133878529883.php 5/12/2005 The Suffolk Times • May 12, 2005 Coming ome WE WERE AWAKE AT 6 a.m. and there was still some last- minute packing to be done. Our new neigh- bor Jim was to pick us up at 7:30 and take us to the airport. As I lay there in the bed trying to squeeze out the last of those most wonderful moments before you have to get up, it started to rain. It was a soft rain, with its gentle Focus pitter - patter on the metal ON roof above. It reminded me of NATURE when we used b Paul to go camping Y with the kids; Stoutenburgh the raindrops or the tent made a wonderful sound but also foretold of what was ahead on a rainy day in the tent with the kids. We'd usually resort to cold cereals, reading, games and, most probably, a walk in the rain. Each kid had their�own duffle bag that held their worldly possessions, which, of course, meant a raincoat and some sort of wet - weather foot gear. If the walk was along a beach, we'd all go bare - footed. A call from Barbara jolted me out of my dream world, and soon last - minute items of toothbrushes, camer- as and reading material were pressed into our carry-on bags so that we were ready when Jim arrived. It was good Jim knew the way, for it's so easv to take the wrong turn to SP ri ';V:. The future of all blossoming trees, such as apples, cherries, p arc Stoutenburgh eachs, etc., depends on pollination by bees and other insects. This cold eatherwe are having hinders this important process of pollination and that could mean a poor crop for the farmer. and find yourself on a thruway with people all rushing to work and caring little about your predicament: Once years ago we took a wrong turn on the New York Thruway and couldn't correct our mistake for 15 miles; then it was back to base one and starting over. Those can be trying moments. An hour and 15 minutes after Jim picked us up we arrived at the airport, where we checked out our_ airline tickets and, believe it or not, everything had worked out fine. We looked for a comfortable spot to re- lax and have a bite to eat before our flight back home. Soon it was board- ing time, and we were off. We flew above the clouds, so there was little to see. Somewhere along the New Jersey coast we dropped . down, so we could see the coast clearly to our west. Our pilot kept us informed as we passed Atlantic City, then it was Sandy Hook below. My thoughts slipped back to that dark period of World War II when for six months I- was stationed there at the tip of Sandy Hook. Out of boot camp this was my first duty assignment, and what a way to start. I was assigned to an 83 -foot, fast anti - submarine boat that went out for three days and in for two. Our duty was to listen for enemy submarines and drop depth charges should we find one. This patrol was done no matter what the weather. I remember one time it was so rough and the seas so high that everyone aboard got seasick — but that's another story. Back on board Flight 1304, the wind was from the south, so our pi- lot had to go to the north and swing around to face into the wind for a perfect landing; 21/2 hours after leaving Florida we were home again on Long Island. The world was once again green; trees were budding, spring was des- perately trying to break away from the chill of winter — and from what I was told it was having a tough time doing it. We had been used to the warmth of Florida. The typical day in Florida was 80 degrees, so the cold winds combined with 40 to 50 degree tem- peratures had us shaking: I had worn only a light summer shirt and soon changed to layering undershirt, shirt, sweater and, yes, my old standby winter work jacket. Nevertheless I was glad to be home. We were able The broken limb had out -shown all the rest for blossoms on the tree. to see the last of the magnolia blos- soms falling. Our three cows were finally content, munching on their new green pasture. They, by the way, enjoyed the magnolia blossoms and ate them as they fell. We had put some pansies in a big, low container just before we left, and their bright yellow faces greeted us as we stepped up on the patio. And talk about bright color — our daffodils along the pathway through the woods seemed to beckon us on to inspect the spring that was all about us. The. big cherry tree down by the pond was out in all its glory, as were the apple and peach trees. I think they had held on to their blossoms until we got back. Now they can drift down like a spring snowfall. One of the big lower limbs of the cherry tree lad broken and fallen to the ground gut was still attached to the tree. I iad left it there hanging because I cnew the cows used it to rub on. I ;ouldn't believe how this broken iinb had out -shown all the rest or blossoms an the tree. It almost eemed as if it were trying to prove it vasn't going to give up just because t was disabled. Those of you who have traveled south at this time of the year prob- ably remember seeing the lovely magenta blossoms of the redbud tree. Well, some 30 years ago Mr. Dart, who had been my chemistry and physics teacher at Southold Higl School, gave me a small sapling of the redbud he had started. Today it's 20 feet tall and just coming into bud. It's kind of nice to have trees and bushes around the place that you can relate to. Friends gave us a bush when Barbara's sister died, and the kids planted a flowering tree after her brother passed. away. Our good neighbor gave us slips of this and that, which always remind us of her ... the list goes on and on. Right now the holly tree from my dad's place is blossoming so profusely that from a distance the tree actually takes on a creamy glow. My hope is that we'll have some warm weather so the bees and o er insects that come to get their share of the nectar in the tiny flowers will pollinate the flowers. Without that magic, there'll be no red berries for the mockingbirds, catbirds, robins and others that rely on that food sup- ply later on. Our forsythia is doing its best at the end of the garden fence. I say do- ing its best, for the cows can reach halfway to it, so one side is miss- ing its yellow flowers. The five rose bushes I put in before we left haven't added much growth. I'm sure it's the miserable weather. I put a five -foot fence around them in hopes I can de- ter the deer, as they have decimated just about everything in the garden. We'll just have to wait and see. It's remarkable what a few warm days will do for your spirit and, of course, what it will do for our trees, bushes and plants. Keep your fingers crossed and maybe your toes as well ... spring will get here eventuallv.