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October 30, 1997 - Scenes from a Southern SojournGletober 30„ 1997 A The. Suffolk Times • SA Scenes from a Southern Sojourn A call about sickness in the family had us packing the camper and heading south the very next day. Seeing we couldn't take any of the parkways with our camper, we had to travel the commercial route off Long Island and into New Jersey. We snaked our way through New York along with the vast Focus truck fleet of 18- wheelers that act as on a lifeline to the city's daily needs. Nature Bugs of all sorts by Paul splashed on our windshield, show- Stoutenburgh ing us that freezing weather had not yet doomed their fate. I think it might be good for some enter- prising company to try to duplicate the tenacity of the bug juice that adheres to a windshield. A super glue could be de- veloped from this, as I can vouch for when I tried to remove it with one of those plastic scrubbers you find at every gas station. The thing most noticeable through New Jersey and Pennsylvania was the large number of deer killed along the highway. As at home on our North and South forks, deer have multiplied in man's rural and urban environment, even to a point that today there are probably more deer on our East End than during colonial times. Remember, deer thrive in open brushy countryside where new growth and ten- der browsing makes good deer country. Of course, that includes the favorite plantings around your home and the farmers' produce that is irresistible. Add all these environmental factors, along with the lack of predators, and you come up with just too many deer crossing man's busy roads. This is especially true of roads we were traveling where there's traffic 24 hours a day. Colorful Roadside Plantings It was in Maryland we caught our first sight of the roadside plantings of flowers. Great swaths of pink and red cosmos greeted us. Even farther along in other states more flower beds were being planted and prepared for next year's blossoming. I'm sure in today's world of tight budgets, these flower plantings have already been evaluated against the cost of ttie machinery and labor required to cut the roadside grasses and the result was, the flower beds won out. It remind- ed me of how our town, a few years ago, planted colorful flowers on onz of its large compost mounds just as you entered the landfill. Wouldr't it be nice to see that started again. Our first night. was spent at the "Battle of Cedar Creek" Camp- ground in Virginia. It was a short way off Route 81 and it was hard to imag- ine a step back in time when the North fought the South in those rolling hills. The only thing that probably hasn't changed was the cheerful sound of a Carolina wren off in a distance. Sol- diers surely knew that song well then as we know it now. The most com- mon bird we saw on our entire trip down was, you guessed it, the starling. Usually we'd see flocks flying across the road just as we see them at home. For a relative newcomer to the North American continent, this bird has found a home in every state of the union. It's an aggressive little bully that takes on all comers when it comes to shar- ing food. I'm sure many of you can vouch for its aggressiveness at your feeders where he not only takes over but is a real pig, devouring just about anything there is to eat. moves in, and of course, backyard bird- houses fall to his takeover as does just about any other suitable nesting site. Yet there is a candle light of brightness in the starling's dark history and that is in his ferocious eating habits. Since he eats just about anything, many unwanted bugs such as the grub of the Japanese beetle are consumed, so he's not all bad. Our second day out was again spent on kidding aside, it gives you a weird feeling seeing it taking over everything. Again, another example of an introduced species without a control, in an ideal environment. The second night was spent in a nice lit- tle campground called Pine Cone Campground off Route 81 in South Carolina; we were gradually moving south. Day three found us leaving that state and crossing the big state of Georgia. This was peach, pecan and cotton country. Some of the cotton fields had not yet been picked and they gave you the impression of an early snow, the sight you would see as the snow becomes part- ly melted on the ground. We knew that the cotton gins had been busy for all along the high- way the wind had blown tufts of cot- ton to the roadside that had fallen from the trucks carrying it to be processed. I always said when traveling you could tell what was pro- duced in the area by looking closely at the roadside. In coal country you can find pieces of coal scattered along the road edge. In timber country it's bark you'll find, in Florida it's oranges and yes, pota- toes along our own roadsides when they are dug and trucked to storage or the grad- ing houses. We came too late for Georgia peaches, but I'm sure there'd be a few of them along the roads if we had come at their prime time. We found a great little state park in the top of Florida for our third -night stop. It was at the Stephen Foster State Folk Culture Center. It was the first night we couldn't hear the sound of cars and trucks off in the distance. How wonderful silence is. The next morning we explored the beautiful grounds and museum that depict Stephen Foster's songs in exquisite diora- mas. The whole area with its live oaks and long drooping Spanish moss gave the feeling of a gracious plantation setting. The famous Carillon Tower is now chim- ing 10, lock and it's time to leave — a spot well remember should we pass by here another day. Suffolk Times Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh GREAT EGRET —Birds familiar to us on the North Fork are seen as well in the marshes near the highways as you travel south. Starling Not All Bad The starling's greatest fault is his taking over of native birds' nesting sites. Woodpeckers, beware; your days of labor cutting out a nesting cavity in that old dead tree are in vain when that invader Let's Look Back 75 Years Ago Oct. 27, 1922 Advertisement: Dort — Quality goes clear through. To town, to church, to the neighbors and back without mind- ing the weather, with the assurance of having a fine car with a seasoned chassis of known dependability f and economy — all �. ®��•''� these closed -car ad- L vantages you may !. enjoy at moderate open -car cost. See the Dort Yale sedan, $1,095; the coupe, $1,045. Six models from $885 to $1,385; light delivery car, $825. Harry H. Wilsen, Main Street, Greenport. 50 Years Ago Oct. 24, 1947 Kind Words: Enclosed in an order for a new subscrip- tion to The Suffolk Times was a note from Glenn Merry of New York City, who is indeed a booster for Greenport. Mr. Merry writes, "For nearly 10 years my wife and I have spent weeks in the grand place called Greenport. We must have the Times. You have the grandest place to live in the summer in Eastern United States. My wife and I enjoy such grand peo- ple as we know so well, S.T. Preston and Co., White's Hardware Store, White's Bait Shop, Mills' Sail Loft, Mr. the road heading south. It was an un- eventful day with the exception of seeing miles and miles of an invading plant called kudzu that covered the landscape like some creature from outer space. It was originally imported from Japan to prevent soil erosion. Imagine the ground covered with large green leaves, the size of the palm of your hand. They not only cover the ground but flow over fences, up trees and smother whatever is in their way. It's like a thick green cover molding everything into its blanket of greenery. A science fiction writer could write a wonderful horror story about this green invader from another planet that was creep- ing over the landscape covering houses, cars and yards and then, even people. All Carlson at the Gulf dock, the Esso and Shell stations for auto gas, Greenport Electronics, and so many others in Greenport. But only the Times can make Greenport — more power to you." Advertisement: Your fur coat, bought now and here — it's a fine investment! Genuine Laskin mouton lamb, $120, including tax. A deposit will reserve your choice. H. Katz & Son Ladies' Fashion Center, 37 Front St., Greenport. 25 Years Ago Nov. 2, 1972 Track Meet a `Runaway' Success: More than 150 boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 competed in Southold Town's first Track and Field Event last Saturday morning. Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Marian Council of Cutchogue, 17 events were held on the track at Mattituck High School. Greg Rhinow was awarded -a trophy as Best Overall Athlete of Southold "for his accomplishments as well as good sportsmanship." Greg came in first in the 880 -yard dash and the 440 -yard dash, and in the one -mile run. The girls put on a good showing. Competing with the boys in the 440 -yard relay, the team of Lori Taplin, Amy McVicar, Debbie Scheiner and Darcy Cochran came in third. The Track and Field Event was considered so successful that, according to Dr. Joseph Lizewski, chairman, plans are being made to hold the meet again next year. AIDS Hotline A 24 -hour AIDS hotline is offered by the Long Island Association for AIDS Care, which provides preven- tion education and advocacy for those affected by HIV /AIDS. Hotline counselors are available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday at 385 -AIDS (2437) to provide screened referrals and help callers access the LIAAC's many services. Informational tapes are accessible through the hotline 24 hours a day. The hotline is TTY accessible for people who are hearing or speech - impaired, and Spanish- speaking counselors are available during nor- mal business hours.