Back off...This Is MY Day!

Yay!!! It's my birthday and I am happy to announce to the world that I am now 56...or am I 57...can't remember, oh well..that's part of the getting older thing, right?

I used to look like this........my Dad nicknamed me Peachy because it looked like I had peach pits in my cheeks.

Then I looked like this.....no not the white beauty, that would be my maternal Lebanese grandmother Nanny. Those are my two adorable little guys..Billy and Sean.

and now thanks to the wonders of Photoshopping....I can pretend to look like THIS!!!!!

So Happy Birthday to me and thank you to my sweet man who after being married to me for over 35 years, got me the perfect gift.

He bought me a beautiful ruby red Hummingbird feeder (does he know me or what?)..I'm a happy gal!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

How Does Your Garden Grow? and 'The End' Part 2

Hello friends....thanks for coming back for part 2 of my mini holiday in Montauk.  The Montauk lighthouse was authorized in 1792 by Pres. George Washington. It is the fourth oldest lighthouse in the United States and stands 110 feet tall. Its light can be seen 19 nautical miles out to see. I have walked the 137 steps to the top...phew!

 Lots of cliffs and moors along the coast.

 Remember I had asked you if you knew what a Hoodoo was? Well this is a Hoodoo...erosion has caused these formations in the rock and dirt along the rugged shore near the point of Camp Hero.

 The native indians believed evil spirits lived in the crevices of these formations. I thought they were fabulous!

 All along the hiking trail we found signs that warned us about getting too close to the edge as these formations were undermined. They could give way at any time. I used my zoom to get these shots..didn't want to get too close .

 Sorry honey...had to post this one. Read the warning sign and then notice where hubby is standing. But he is a secret agent and I bet the Hoodoo does not even know he is there. He is that stealth...he..he.

I think this is my favorite pic of the whole trip...men...you gotta love them!

 We took a little drive up Montauk Highway to East Hampton..playground to the super rich. You name it..they live or lived here...Spielburg, Billy Joel, Martha Stewart, P.Diddy, Jackson Pollack, Jerry Seinfeld...etc...etc. I wonder who lives n this sea side beauty.

 All the beautiful mansions are screened by very tall and lush boxwood hedges and flowers...lots of flowers! This hedge was lovely..a mix of hydrangeas and dinner plate hibiscus...beautiful. These homes put many landscapers to work I'm sure.

After four wonderful days we said good-bye to Montauk and headed back to upstate New York.

My brother-in-law (Mr. Beach House) has a beautiful farm in Hopewell Junction, NY. He worked on the Knapp farm when he was a young boy and really bonded with Mr. Knapp. He was determined to own this farm someday and guess what...he does! In honor of his friend, he kept the Knapp name on the farm. I love that!

 See that huge tent way up on the hill?  That's were the big birthday party is going to be. My great nephew Jack, turns 1 year old.

 I love silos and this one is so pretty. This particular morning the sky was so blue and the clouds were little wisps of cotton. Red, white and blue...so Americana.

 So this is the 'little' garden. The pumpkin patch is taking over the front yard. The fence line is actually way back by the sunflowers.

 I should have put my hand on this beauty to show the size...it is huge and still growing. 

 In fact they were all huge! My brother-in-law throws a big harvest party in October and the children really get a kick out of the giant pumpkins.

 Swiss Chard is one of the most beautiful leafy vegetables . Just look at that ruby color..Mother nature rocks!

 Squash is coming along nicely.

 Juicy cantalopes

 Of course tomatoes...what's left that the deer have not gotten to.

 Brussel Sprouts

 More gorgeous hues on Mother Natures pallette...cabbage

 Abundant bunches of parsley

 Lovely hanging eggplant flowers...I'm imagining Eggplant Parmesan..Yum!

 

 You will find some of the most pampered cows anywhere here on this farm. Super clean barns and stalls. These are very spoiled milkers....that did not come out right .. I am not inferring that their milk is spoiled, but that they are spoiled...ok Metzger, shut up before you get yourself in trouble. This farm produces 'Super Milk" so named because of it's super cleanliness and farming habits and dedicated farmers.

 Here is a beauty being milked by a milking machine...she even gets to have a companion to chat with while she's milked ( black cow )

 These girls just come and go as they please.

Stay with me...just a few more photos......

 I am always amazed at the fabulous Sunflowers they grow in their garden each year. 

 They reseed themselves every summer

 Some are just coming out of the budding stage..isn't this perfection?

 Some are perky and happy

And a few for some reason are droopy and look so sad. Maybe they know summer is almost over and they will soon be birdseed.

So as the sun sets over the Knapp Farm I will say good-bye until we visit again.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

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PS...I am busy in the studio working on many cool creations which I will post about very soon and I am also trying to plan a very cool Giveaway that you won't want to miss.

Have You Been to 'The End' ? Part 1

Hello friends...yes, 'The End' is a real place and I got there and back. 

Montauk is a little fishing village at the farthest tip of Long Island, NY. The locals have nicknamed it 'The End'

While home in NY for a family wedding we were offered the use of a lovely one room cottage on my brother-in-law's beach front property. It's great having well to do relatives!

Isn't this a cute little place.

Once we arrived we got a phone call from my brother-in-law telling us the main house had become available. So we got to spent 4 days here............

YES!!!! This wonderful beach house has a fabulous view of .......

This!

This is exactly how crowded it was the whole time we were there. Incredible! Still peak season, but because the hotels are down the road, everyone stays on those beaches. No one wants to drag their beach stuff all the way to our spot...I loved it!

Directly across from the house is this little hidden path. I loved walking through this green arbor of vines, it was like entering a secret garden ....

that brings you out to the dunes....

It is hard to see, but the dunes are all blooming with gorgeous Montauk roses

Very thorny and will sprout fabulously huge rose hips. The aroma is divine. They thrive all over the dunes.

a sandy path leads you to the beach.

Where we spent many hours standing and gazing in complete awe.  I kept imagining my many European blog friends at the other end of this beautiful body of water. We could be wading through the same salty sea.

I snapped a nice wave coming in.

That's as close as you are going to get to my man..he is a secret agent after all ...He..he...

 Something so hypnotic about crashing waves....

I could watch them for hours.....and I did!

The sand was the exact consistency of light brown sugar without the stickiness. 

 We loved going to the fishing docks each evening to see what the boats brought in. 

A 'Deadliest Catch' crew perhaps??? 

 Look at the teeth on this shark...yikes, brings back memories of 'JAWS' the movie. His lungs (to the left) were huge,

 This Montauk beauty was putting on a show for the tourists..she could filet a fluke in about 4 seconds flat. Montauk Fluke is delicious and served in most local eateries. 

 Pretty Coast Guard headquarters being guarded by a feathered friend.

 This was a scalloper heading out to sea for a 10 day voyage. 

These guys are all waiting for the fisherman's scraps to be tossed. When they are, all you know what ensues. Mass feeding frenzy! 

So that is my first installment of my Montauk holiday. I hope you were entertained enough to come back for Part 2. I have many more cool photos...ever hear of a Hoodoo?

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.