Friday, July 24, 2009

Random act


Yesterday morning at the MacDonald's on Rte. 347 in Stony Brook a random act of kindness occurred.

While I was giving my order to the drive-in's metal box a small gray car swooped around me and pulled up to the paying window.

When I got to that window and was about to hand over my $3.26 to the lady she said, "There's no charge. The lady in front of you paid for you."

WHAAAAAT?!

Amazed, I asked her to repeat that.
"The lady ahead of you paid for you," she said. "Do you know her?"

"No," I said. And she didn't know me either,
as she'd just swooped in out of the blue
to pay for the breakfast of a stranger.

Remembering a recent TV report about a place in the midwest where this kind of thing has turned into a months-long chain, I said, "Then I'll pay for the person behind me" (Uh-oh, I just heard his bill, nine something). But she said, "No, you can't do that."

So I drove off and was so wrapped in amazement that I forgot to pick up my egg thingies at the next window and had to back up a long way for them. Guess I had some idea of chasing the gray car. (Who was that masked man?)

World take note! This sort of thing could subvert our whole system of material goods and human values. And what a high one must get being the giver!

Thank you, stranger!!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Small public garden

Or rather, the entrance to one in busy lower Port Jefferson

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Road project

The northbound lanes of Nicholls Road underwent resurfacing in July, a big project on a heavily travelled highway (ARRA funds?) but well organised, and now the road is oh-so-smooth and looks great. I kept meaning to take more pix of the work in progress, but ...

modesty forbids. I do think the guys deserve a lot of praise.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Rose hips


At Westmeadow Beach yesterday

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Ho-hum, traffic as usual on 25A




Food and money, how could we forget?

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

On reflection

Verticals and horizontals

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Fourth of July Parade in Port Jefferson

Waiting for the parade to begin, people enjoying the empty street.


What's that I see? Heap big parade coming down Main Street!


Must have been a thousand people of all ages taking part in the parade and hundreds of spectators. Weather was perfect (We deserve it).




Fire equipment came from Port Jefferson, Terryville, Setauket, Stony Brook, Mt. Sinai, Miller Place, Rocky Point, Selden, Centereach, Ronkonkoma, Brentwood, and maybe a few more places. Veterans of all the services marched. What a show!


Bagpipes


Two nice clowns gave out flags and flag stickers






The Mayor and Trustees


The older fire equipment had character


Another bagpipe band


A monster truck or two


Old cars showed up, including a herd of Mustangs and Shelbies.


Dancing actors from Theatre Three

And why not tractors?


There was even a group of marchers from Ansonia, CT, who know's why, but my camera's batteries were kaput by then. Quite a parade!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mystery wildflower from today's hike in Avalon Preserve



Less than one foot high, no leaf, dark stem, white flower as a clump of little bells, looks almost like clover but isn't.
Possibilities: Bristly sarsaparilla, White clintonia (speckled wood lily), Wild leek, Whorled milkweed.
Hmmmmm.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Lacecap hydrangea

My favorite kind of hydrangea


beside a tasteful white picket fence



along Main Street in old Stony Brook--
one of my favorite places to walk