Black Fridays and Thursdays

Is it me? Am I missing something here? America's Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, not based in any religious tradition, no gifts to buy and celebrated universally by the populace. The whole idea is to express appreciation, give thanks, share the joy of family...Recently, it seems to me, that the uniqueness of Thanksgiving has given way to runaway consumerism as the day now marks the start of retail gift shopping for December's main event. Much more media coverage is devoted to the start of the "shopping season" than to the joy of expressing "Thanks". How very, very sad.

Bubble Time

Central park...Showtime at the fountain, always!  :-)

November In The Park

Central Park before the ice and snow set in... :-)

Only In New York

Central Park...Seriously? Hey, why not....  :-)

November Marsh

Gray skies, damp crisp air and the smell of fallen leaves, feels like autumn giving way to early winter.....November on Long Island.

Last Sail

November...time to pull the boat for the season! Boaters in the northeast are familiar with the routine. As the oak leaves begin to fall the sound of the marina's travel-lift increases. With ocean breezes feeling more like cold steel it's time to winterize and wrap things up until spring. There's always next season.. :-)

Up The Hudson

Looking up the Hudson river from New York Harbor and enjoying the vista! One of the world's most recognizable skylines continues to change overtime...

Union Veterans

Veterans Day...This monument marks the spot where the 124th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry re-grouped after crossing the "cornfield" at Antietam. History buffs are aware that this battle was the single bloodiest day in American history. On this Veterans day I honor my mother's great-grandfather who valiantly fought and survived the hellish conditions in the "cornfield" on September 17th of 1862.

Block Island Welcome

   

                                     

Heading in or heading out the old Coast Guard Station marks a gateway of sorts to Block Island's Great Salt Pond. After what can be a rough crossing from Montauk, this sight at the entrance to the safe and calm anchorage has produced many sighs of relief over the years.

Block Island View

Great Salt Pond...Keeping an eye on the neighbors! The anchorage at Block is always has a full crowd (until the cold starts!)

Great salt Pond

The anchorage at Block Island's Great Salt Pond is a very busy place from June to October. The mooring field consists mainly of town owned moorings. Overnight town moorings are very reasonably priced when compared to local marina transient boat slips which  can cost double (or more). The real show here is the early morning competition for an "open mooring". As boats depart other captains jockey, race and position themselves to snag a vacant mooring. During this ritual the worst of boating etiquette can be observed, obscene gestures and comments about one's mother can be heard above the din of seagulls and clanking halyards. Ahh..the reality behind the bucolic.

 

Bluffs Of Block Island

Southwest Bluffs...Ireland? No, this is the dramatic side of Block Island with cliffs that drop straight into Block Island sound (AKA the Atlantic). Vistas on a clear day are stunning here.

Block Island

Block island's Northeast Lighthouse...Located some 18 miles from Montauk Point and 13 miles from Rhode Island, Block Island is a major cursing destination for boaters from Long Island and New England. This, the Northeast light, is in stark contrast to the dramatic cliffs on the opposite side of Block. The beach access here makes for a popular summer spot!

Hunting Heron

A stealthy approach, keen eyesight and patience pay dividends for this tricolored heron. These birds are amazing to watch as they zero in on their prey...

Tricolored Heron

I just love these majestic birds, and it's always a thrill to get close! This tricolored heron allowed me to approach and he was very photogenic.

Original Snowbirds

Calendar says "November", thermometer says 48 degrees, sunset starts real early tomorrow....yikes!
Time to start thinking about following these guys south. Another month or so and the Sunshine State will look very inviting.

Halloween

Happy Halloween....from an old cemetery near you.

Harbor Patrol

New York's finest keeping things safe in the harbor. Increased police presence is city-wide, including all points of New York Harbor.

City Sailors....As my dad would have said, "they are really cutting the mustard"...! Day sailors zipping past the Brooklyn waterfront certainly have their sails adjusted properly. Another glorious day on the water.

Lifting Morning Fog

Hard to capture but...The late morning fog appears as smoke amongst the foliage as it slowly brings the Vermont mountains into view. Another part of nature's show that is easily missed as we hurry about our busy lives. Just another of those "stop and small the roses" moments.

Even after all these years there is still something a little mesmerizing about a waterfall. A crisp fall morning in Vermont when the only sound is the water's rush over the edge....love it!

Harbor Traffic

Making a constant course and never ending trips, the Staten Island Ferry is a navigational reality of New York Harbor. It behoves all boaters to constantly be aware of the ferry's compass heading. The bright orange colors are deliberate, passing astern is usually the most sensible option. :-)

Lady In The Harbor

The freedom of sailing...One icon that never fails to impress, The Statue Of Liberty is the real show in New York Harbor. The boat traffic in front of the island can be intense with numerous tourist boats and private craft getting as close as they can. If one is lucky enough, a quiet sail past Liberty Island can be most moving.

Fall Colors...Autumn in Coney Island. Umm, maybe the colors really don't change but the beach crowd sure does and the roar of the roller coaster gives way to the sound of the waves. Ahh, the change of seasons...

Wonder Wheel

Coney Island...After the post of Montauk point it's only fair to head all the way in the other direction! It always struck me as strange to have a vacation area/shore point in the same city where you live. Philly has the Jersey Shore, New York has Coney Island which is in New York? Guess my Philly roots are showing. Anyway...the "Wonder Wheel" can be seen from pretty far offshore, the empty beach is a sure sign of late fall.

Starring in Showtime's latest hit series,"The Affair"! Montauk takes center screen as the location for this tense drama involving "up-islanders" and locals. Long Islanders are abuzz as many iconic Montauk venues provide the sets for all the action.
If you live on Long Island you have been to Montauk more than once. For many years (perhaps until just recently) Montauk (AKA: "The End") has been the last "unHampton". Alas, our sleepy fishing village far from Manhattan has become a celebrity of national proportion.

Sally and Thomas

In a cemetery, in rural Vermont I came across one of those "you can't make this up" scenes. Here gravestones of husband and wife Thomas and Sally Canedy appear to lean affectionately toward one another. While Thomas' inscription is a bit faded, it would appear to indicate that these two died within months of each there in 1852. The metaphor of the position of the two markers just called out to be photographed.

The Pipeline

Snaking through the deep forest of Vermont a lifeline of a pipeline carries drinking water to state residents. Somehow this intrusion upon the natural landscape tends to blend in after awhile and takes on an art form of it's own. (Or maybe it's just a curvy pipe making it's way to the treatment plant).

Covered Bridge

Classic covered bridge...Picturesque for sure but also very functional, the covered bridge was a key to our agricultural and industrial past. I recently read that these iconic bridges met an immediate need in the 1800's. Timber was plentiful and waterways needed to be crossed for commerce. The mother of invention was at work and transportation flourished. These structures were covered to protect the wooden infrastructure from the elements.

Wet Road

Fall colors can turn a dirt road into a pretty picture! Time to appreciate those "backyard" spots that can be easily overlooked. Life is Good.

Iconic New England...Vermont is still home to a handful of scenic and classic covered bridges. Something about these bridges and yankee ingenuity, they always bring a smile to my face. I can imagine a hundred plus years of all sorts of wheeled transportation passing beneath this wooden roof.

Sunday Sailors

New York Harbor can become as busy with pleasure craft as it is with commercial traffic. Breezy warm fall afternoons can refresh the soul, but one must always keep a sharp eye out for other traffic!

October in the northeast features nature's most colorful show. This shot from southern Vermont was taken at the start of the show! As glorious as the colors are, they do not linger for long.

Sea Level Manhattan

From this angle it's easy to see why a storm like Sandy could wreck havoc on the island of Manhattan.

Windy Beach.....diehard beach goers are not deterred by Juno Beach's high surf. Easter week in the Sunshine State...!

Spring Training Final

The Mets head north…the final pre-season game of 2014 left the METS with a few unanswered questions! Let the games begin...

Egret

Egret, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Putting on a show for the camera!

Rookery

Rookery, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Anhinga, a florida version of cormorant type bird drying his feathers in the warm sunshine.

Rookies

Rookies, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Being invited to training camp really is a very big deal. Most "rookies" will leave camp one year closer to making the "Show". Very few ballplayers make it to the majors without putting time in at the minor league level. A very high percentage of hopefuls never get to break into the minors!

Bat Focus

Bat Focus, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.

Happy Wright

Happy Wright, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Spring Training is such an positive time of year. A whole season ahead, nobody is in last place and everyone's batting average is the same! As a fan, it's wonderful to get "up close and personal" with some of the players.

Waiting to Bat

Waiting to Bat, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
It must be THAT time again! The boys of summer have invaded the spring days of Florida. The New York Mets have settled in to Port St Lucie.

Beach Nights

Harbour Village Sunset, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Sometimes a picture still is worth a thousand words.....

Morning Light

Morning Light, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Florida Sunrise... Juno Beach on a warm peaceful morning.

Surfing Safari

Surfing Safari, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Windy and rough attracts a certain crowd. The Jupiter Beach surf has it's fans for sure...

Down The Inlet

Down The Inlet, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Still feeling a bit like an escapee…. on Long Island it's 17 degrees with more snow on the way!

Busy Inlet

Busy Inlet, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
February afternoon in Jupiter Inlet. Gloating is very bad form AND I hear it is about 65 degrees warmer here today than it is in Fire Island Inlet.

Pelican Watch

Pelican Watch, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Meanwhile, in Palm Beach County….Escaping winter always seems like a good idea to me AND this year avoiding the non-stop northeast snow looks like a stroke of genius. Long Island weather for the first week of February calls for two (with a chance of a third) major snow storms!

Market Jars

Market Jars, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
Choices….looking for specialties in edibles? Philly's Reading Market awaits you.

Reading Terminal Market

Reading Terminal Market, originally uploaded by Chris S Thorpe.
From Amish to Kosher...if it's delicious you will find it here! Stroll past the freshest of seafood and take in the aroma of just baked warm pies and breads amidst the aisles of produce, preserves and jams. Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market should be on every foodies' bucket list!