Tourist Guides and Maps
by chodearm
Theres not too much literature out there about the tourist attractions in Long Island unless its about the Hamptons. One source I find the most useful is these two maps put out by the long Island Business and commerce bureau. Heres a link. http://www.tmdesign.net/ezguide/scenic/scenic.html This is for scenic towns of LOng Island and then http://www.tmdesign.net/ezguide/arts/arts.html for Arts and Cultural institutions.
Cacti
by chodearm
Cacti and I have never really gotten along. I have had my run-in with the nastiest of the species. Sitting on my windowsill, so close to my toilet, were three representatives from this odd plantlife. They sat behind me, quietly, as I hung over the bowl, naked, throwing up the nights liquids. My hiney, mimicking the moon hung high above. I violently thrust out more liquid and the pullback backed me up a little too far. The beavertail looking cacti injected tons of little sharp hair follicles into my left cheek. Itchy painful, Yuki had a new job with a pair of tweezers.
So now to the trail a year or so later, I thought I wouldn't have to see these babies out in the NorthEast wild. I thought a trip to the desert was my only chance for another run in. But here, in Long Island blaring out of the dead winter underbrush lay this little bastard.
Seagulls
by chodearm
Never really think much about the various animals that roam free on Long lsland. Theres Raccoons, Deer, various waterfowl, Wild Turkeys, Red Fox, Seagulls, migratory birds, visiting Harbor seals, whales, eastern box turtles, snakes, thousands of underwater creatures, osprey, appossums and many others that would be redundent to list here. Please don't feed the wildlife, for they should lay reliant on the means for food that they were before humans interacted and encroached their lands.
Beach Sculptures
by chodearm
Close one eye. Leave the better of your two, the one closer to 20/20, open. Pan the beach around you. Its simple, theres all your elements, sand, water, sky, fragmite, dunes. Another prominent forieng object, the driftwood. Keep that eye closed if that isn't your creative eye, switch. Run over to the driftwood, accost it, watch for splinters, now drive it into the sand. You are POLEDIGGER. Bury a few feet into the earth. You penetrated MOTHER EARTH with your log. Find a few more pieces scattered about. Add to the single standing piece. You just made a sculpture, you are an artist, and earth artist, a nature artist, an Andy Goldsworthy of sorts.
Piping Plovers Nesting Areas
by chodearm
If you see the signs don't disrespect. These birds were on the endangered list and populations have been replenishing, due to cooperation of visitors to Fire Island. I know it sections off the beach a bit but we all gotta share this.