Someone hand me a spoon

The sky tonight looked more like a tiramasu than a sky, layered in pink, blue, white and orange. Even though the setting sun never really showed its face, hiding behind a low ceiling of clouds, it threw its light to create this magic.

Shoeless in November

I never expected it to be so mild this evening when I went down to the beach to watch the sunset. I had to take my shoes off and wade out into the low tide. Then when I came back I

couldn't remember where I left my shoes. They blended in with the rocks and seaweed. Maybe it's early senility. I was sad to think that tomorrow the sun will be going down at 4:50 p.m.!!! I am going to protest this man-made ridiculous rule. I refuse to follow daylight savings times or whatever they call it. IT'S STUPID! I hate it! Who likes it getting dark at 4:50 p.m.??? Nobody, that's who. So on Monday I am showing up at work at my usual time. Rules be dammed.

The best things in life are...well you know.

The moon, stars, planets and tides gave up a treasure tonight--little tiny shells that I love to use in my sculptures. Hundreds of little jewels! Each a work of art in itself. Thank you, Smithtown Bay!! I'd rather be here than anywhere.

I'll take that to go

Today was one of the top 10 best days of the year. Since it was a Monday, some people may not have noticed. But I did. I had the day off. (I know. I look like a genius.) I took my kayak out and Smithtown Bay cooperated by being as still as a lake. The water is so clean that even when I was out quite far I could still see all the way to the bottom. I brought a thermos of tea with me and sat there drinking it, while I just let the tide take me where ever it decided. Not a bad day at the office.

The Stairway Down to Heaven

As I came down the stair case to the beach the other day at around 4 p.m., the light was extraordinary. It was low in the sky and filtering through the trees, but it was more than that. It seemed to be a pure, white light, the kind that the gurus tell you to imagine coming out of the top of your head when you are meditating. All the vegetation around me seemed to be alive and breathing. It was as if I had been given the ability to really feel the life all around me. I stopped in my tracks and just took it all in. It was ethereal and I almost felt as if I had stumbled into a tear in the fabric of the universe. No light could be this pure. No leaf could look so green. Well, unless you are tripping on acid, but you know what I mean. So I guess in the end, if God wants to lure me into that white light, he will

just make it look like a staircase down to the beach, because for me, that would be heaven. "No need to push! I'm going. I'm going."

Submerged

The only place to be this week is submerged in the water like a frog, with just the tip of your head poking up. The water is just perfect right now-refreshing,clean and sparkly! I am filled with gratitude that I live here and can just impulsively jump in the water whenever I feel like it. Last night my friends and I created this Beach Lady, made from all natural ingredients.

Seaweed invasion imprisons horseshoe crabs

Today there was an invasion of seaweed the likes that I have never seen. TONS of it was deposited onto the shore and it was inches deep. Bad timing for my friends the horseshoe crabs who just made their debut today! The ones that got caught when the tide went out were trapped under several pounds of seaweed. Beach Lady to the rescue. I had to look for their tails waving in the air and then I uncovered them. I tossed them back into the water so they can do what horseshoe crabs do this time of year. I hope I made a slight difference by saving 10 of them.

I am supervising the bay and the installation of a new roof

The Beach Lady (me) has been very quiet lately, not because she has lost interest in the beach (Never!) but she has just been in a quiet, reflective mood. That’s what winter and a cold spring can do, but she is awake now and enjoying the sprouting of spring blossoms and bulbs. Here is what’s new in Smithtown Bay: Do you know what Brant Geese are? They are smaller than Canada Geese. They don’t “honk” like those other pain-in-the-ass geese, but make a low, guttural, croaking which is actaully kind of cool. They stay all winter and they are still here—and why not? Who would want to move when you can live in Smithtown Bay? I like to watch how they live side by side with the gulls, although they sure do have a very different temperament. When they see a person or hear a slight noise, OFF they go all flapping and excited. Maybe that’s where the expression “Silly Goose” comes from. The gulls just continue eating and doing what gulls do. The There was one lone fisherman out yesterday evening, the first I have seen since last year. I have seen only a small number of boats out so far--one sail, one Jet Ski, one motor and one kayak (me). I am very confident that this year the dolphins will make an appearance. I don’t know why I feel this way, but I just do. It’s been a few years since they visited us here in Smithtown Bay, so we are due. Last time they were here I was jumping up and down like a crazy person on the beach yelling to everyone, “Do you see the dolphins!” like I was their press agent or something. The Village of Old Field is having some work done on the lighthouse keeper’s dwelling, a 1-1/2 story, five-room house that is made of the same beautiful stones as our light house. The dwelling is located on the eastside of the lighthouse. The little house is getting a whole new roof. Miss Nosy Lois Lane (me) went in to talk to the workers, who I am sure were very excited that some lady was bothering them while they were up on 50-foot ladders and scaffolding. I know I have stated before that I want to live in the lighthouse, but after checking out the small, sweet house, I decided I would be just as happy living there. I will be back tomorrow to finish supervising the remodeling. Aren’t they lucky?

When you meditate, this is where you try to go

I was too late getting home tonight to see the sunset, but I actually caught an even better show. The light and ethereal mood of Smithtown Bay hung in the air long after the sun disappeared to the right of the Northport LIPA plant. The water was as still as a lake tonight, a total 180 degree change from last night when it looked like the South Shore. I stood watching the sky, water and occasionally flying insect buzz by (that’s right…insects have hatched!) and a deer on the cliff behind me made his presence known. I stood perfectly still for 20 minutes just watching him, waiting to see what he did. I only moved my eye balls. He stomped his hoof on the ground as if to see if I would move, but I wouldn’t. Then he snorted. That’s when I started to laugh. It was standoff. A few ducks out in the bay fluttered their wings and I could hear it as clear as day 300 yards from shore. This is why I never gossip while on the beach. The fisherman can hear everything! The bay was like a holy place tonight—still, beautiful and glowing with the colors that I am sure can only be found here on this, my favorite planet.

My Moody Bay

I love my Smithtown Bay even when it’s feeling dull, rainy and lethargic, like today. There was not a sole on the beach today because let’s face-most people and critters and fair weather friends! I’m here. I still love you, Smithtown Bay! It was me and the ducks. I sat on a wet bench and had my moment of Zen, and enjoyed watching the drizzle on the flat, mirror-like surface of the water. That bay sure is a bi-polar presence. Last week that bay was so angry and churned up. Today…ah…just chillin’. I took some photos of the beautiful red sand that runs along the shore line. I just think this sand makes for a perfect backdrop for the shells and rocks. Who needs an art gallery?

Ice Breaker

It is a rare sight to see the Smithtown Bay frozen. But last night when I went down to see the water it was eerily quiet. The water was frozen as far as my eyes could see in the dark. I had to take my hood, hat and ear muffs off to make sure I could hear the water moving at all. The bay was in lock down. This morning, the water was freed from the ice, except for about 30 feet along the shoreline, where it had been transformed into a beautiful frozen pattern of ice. Little ice berg chunks were floating out in the water. All this means one thing—wow, it’s cold. These cold snaps can sometimes result in star fish washing up onto the beach and later today I will set out on an exploration to see if I can find any. Then it’s off to the south shore (Maybe Robert Moses) somewhere around 5 p.m. because I want to try and see the giant orange full moon that is supposed to rise this evening following the sunset. Why didn’t I become an astronomer?

Sunrise hour

The Smithtown Bay usually shines at sunset hour, but sunrise is also magical here. The light is pink and peachy. There seems to be a whole energy shift in the atmosphere at this hour and you can almost feel the Earth and sky waking up. Even the sound of the waves and the wind are different.

I think that even if I closed my eyes and you spun me around in a circle, I could still tell it was sunrise hour. Of course I want to get down the stairs first, before trying that experiment.

I want to live in a lighthouse

I took a bike ride today. It was the one I call the “Triple Crown

” because it takes me out and back from three scenic points along the North Shore-Crane Neck, Old Field and Strong Neck. (Gee, we have a lot of “necks” around here, don’t we? But they are all beautiful necks.) My favorite leg of the ride is the Old Field Point Lighthouse. I love this lighthouse and always imagine how happy I would be living there. Maybe I was born a few centuries too late because no one really lives in lighthouses anymore. It seems most of them are all automatic. But I think that we should bring back lighthouse keepers, and when I get old (or older I should say) instead of moving into assisted living, I’ll just go live in the Old Field Point Lighthouse. I have all the proper qualifications for being a lighthouse keeper. 1. I like being alone. Most lighthouse keepers went months without seeing another person, but of course, it’s not like the Old Field Lighthouse is on a tiny rock in the middle of the Sound. I can still have lots of company! Or not. 2. I would decorate the lighthouse with holiday lights every year and have a big party for everyone. The Montauk Point Lighthouse gets all lit up and I think we should follow suit. I will include hot chocolate. 3. I like looking at water. This quality is perfect for being a lighthouse keeper, isn’t it? I never get tired of looking out at the water, so I believe this should make me number one on the hiring list. 4. I would live there and do the job for nothing. Imagine having that perfect piece of waterfront property and no rent. 5. I would give free tours of the lighthouse to anyone who loves lighthouses and to school children. 6. I am a mom, so I think I would be very good at yelling things like “Watch out for that rock!” or “What are you doing out in this storm anyway? Come in here!” or “Didn’t you hear my foghorn? I didn’t blow that foghorn to amuse myself.” So I would like the Village of Old Field to think about my offer. Especially the part about the holiday lights! To read more about my…I mean, our Old Field Point Lighthouse, please see this very informative link:http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=745