The Mineola Washingtons vs. the Brooklyn Excelsiors playing by the Rules of 1864 at "The Home of Vintage Baseball" in Old Bethpage. An actual functioning league, these players claim to play baseball the way it was meant to be played..."on real grass for the love of the game". (And without gloves!)
A wide exterior view of the Met's new home shows the architectural tip of the hat to Ebbets Field.
Very impressive and landing with pinpoint accuracy, the Golden Knights put on quite a show at Jones Beach.
Any parade in our local town always seems to feature every piece of firefighting equipment known to man. I suppose it's a form of community reassurance to make us all feel safer and more secure. At any rate, the antique equipment certainly has style and appeal.
We hear from one of the Rangers at Fire Island that the Fox family is indeed living living under the walkway at Tailsman beach. Recent sightings include four young fox ( called cubs or kits). It seems as though ducks have been added to their diet lately.
"And I'm proud to be an American,where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died,who gave that right to me".~Lee Greenwood
Thunderbird F-16s climb from the deck to over 12,000 feet in twenty seconds seemingly headed straight for the sun. Their flight patterns then head directly to each point of the compass and out of one's line of sight.
The Airforce Thunderbird F-16 high performance team are the headliners at the Jones Beach Airshow. I think that one pilot decided to get a better view of the beach in this pass! For me, the most impressive aspect of the Thunderbirds is their ability to catch the crowd off guard. Just as the masses are enthralled with a pass like this shot, a low flying single F-16 may come in over your shoulder from behind you. The real thrill is that you never heard it coming until it zooms past you and your feet have left the ground!
The F/A-18F Navy Super Hornet leaves an impression as it accelerates to super sonic speed just above the deck at Jones Beach. The humidity in the air causes the "cone" effect as the pilot puts the peddle to the medal. The roar of the engines is deafening and awe inspiring.
Today was "practice day" for the Memorial Day Airshow at Jones Beach. Not to be missed, this show is the ultimate in WOW!
Just how does Alida get those tack sharp close shots of shore birds? "Stay low and slow", she says. Somehow I think that 400mm zoom is helpful as well.
Just a lucky shot taken while walking through the stands at Citifield. ( Best in large view/click on the image)
Sometimes "fishing" is just a real good excuse to get out on the water and be appreciative....
Some things remain timeless. I was inspired by this scene which took me back to those early and innocent days when a young boy's dreams could make anything seem possible. The crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd will do that to you.
"Our" beach, only accessible by boat, remains undeveloped, unspoiled and uncrowded. Fire Island National Seashore has miles of beach without a single high rise condo or hotel in sight!
We made the trek into Queens to see the METS new digs at Citifield. A real showplace for MLB, every seat has a viewing angle of home plate ( no more neck strain when sitting down the foul lines!) and the playing surface is much closer to the stands than METS fans eveer experienced at Shea. Citifield is a destination all it's own with a myriad of dining options, fan oriented stores and a fan gaming center with activities for all ages including an outdoor whiffle ball field for small children.
May, and not a single other soul for several miles. A stroll on the beach just does not get any better, fresh salt air combined with the songs of shorebirds and the crash of the waves make it a very peaceful escape.
After our experience on Saturday with Mr./Mrs. Fox we took a chance that he/she might still be in the beach area today. What we discovered was evidence of a breeding den but no fox. We had just about given up our quest after a few hours of searching when the fox found Alida (seriously!). Wary but not shy our prey let us get in close for a few more photos!
Some days are just made for hanging out with friends, watching the world go by and enjoying the fresh air.
If everyone's Mom was like mine this would be a more peaceful world AND...all bedrooms would be clean and neat, the trash would always be out and everyone would be home in time for dinner. Happy Mother's Day! :-)
We sailed over to the beach with friends today to enjoy the respite from the rain. Much to our surprise this red fox was relaxing by the bay and did not seem to mind our attention or our cameras.
Abstract of duck...I was lingering over the paper and another cup of coffee on a very wet morning. Looking up in the sunroom I saw this visitor waddling away the morning. Interesting point of view for sure!
On the grounds of the former John E. Alfred Estate afternoon tea was a serious endeavor. The garden "Tea House" is complete with stained glass windows and an artistically designed copper 
The good news is that the lawn and the new plantings are getting a much needed head start with a good natural watering. The bad news is that this stalled rainy weather system will be with us for four more days creating cabin fever in May.
The entrance to the formal gardens at St. Josaphat's Monastery still maintains a regal elegance. Most of the garden work is now done by local volunteers as the cost of maintaining the manicured grounds has become prohibitive.
St. Josaphat's Monastery was our photo safari of the day and a rare opportunity to visit this very private enclave of the Greek Orthodox Church. Formerly the John E. Alfred Estate, the mansion was built in 1910 and was known as the "Ormston House". Located on long Island Sound in Glen Cove this 40 room relic of the Gold Coast is currently home to 13 monks. Entrance is strictly on an invitation only basis. Our photo club was granted a visit for 15 of us, while most of the building is cloistered we were given a tour of the main floor.
Early spring bulbs on Long Island are at their peak this past week as April turns the page.
