Today is the day...

After three and a half sensational years helping to maintain and improve Central Park today is the day I give notice that I am leaving the Central Park Conservancy and officially begin the career shift back to the eastern end of Long Island. Standing near the North Meadow Rec Center looking west as the sunrise begins to wash over the west side, it's going to be a heavy day for sure.

Krissy's new wheels

We realize moving back to the country that we are going to need a second car so my wife, proud daughter of a military man, was thrilled when we finally figured out her new set of wheels!

Every time we go east we pass this old M60 tank in Wainscott, NY, and after enough passes we knew we had to take a funny shot and see if we could get a chuckle out of Krissy's dad. Success.

lamb chops a la Richie

When my father asks if you want to come over for dinner, trust me, you say yes!

Eventually these would be broiled to perfection and served with a deliciously garlic-intensive broccoli rabe and baby Yukon Gold potatoes roasted with small white onions and herbs. ...and that was just the entree. ;-)

Harley dog!

We were east again and this time we got to see our friends who we hope might soon be our neighbors. Not to mention we got to see our favorite of the mini dogs, Harley.
Part wookie, part ewok, all fuzz, just hysterical.

subway evening sky

Ilex opaca in Central Park

Ilex opaca is commonly known as American holly. They have a large stature and presence in the landscape and as you can see here an impressively conical shape. Like most evergreen holly they are either male or female. In this case the male is on the right and pollinates the female on the left so you get this nice fruit set.

when one door closes, let's hope another one opens

This is the allee (should have an accent over the second e, pronounced "al-lay") of Cryptomeria, or Japanese cedar that you pass through when entering the Longhouse Reserve in East Hampton, a 16-acre garden and sculpture park founded by Jack Larson. As a lover of both public gardens and my home turf, the eastern end of Long Island, this place is truly one of a kind.