Some Memorable Fall Days....

My Dad and Me    Montauk, NY    Sept. 2010

Saturday was a fantastic day. The sky was a perfect blue, the wispy clouds were out of a storybook, and there was a crispness in the air that put a little pep in your step. I had the great pleasure of teaching a Landscape Photography class @ Quail Hill Farm sponsored by Peconic Land Trust. I had four wonderful students in my class; they were all girls, ranging from about 9 to 15. They were smart, interested and eager to learn. A perfect size group with the curiosity level that makes teaching the exciting and satisfying job it was meant to be.

We wandered through the fields and orchard, walked up the renowned sledding hill (of course, there was no snow yesterday, just an awesome view across the farm. We could see almost to the ocean) and ended up @ the chicken coop. The girls (the chickens, that is, not the students) were clucking around, digging holes in the ground so they could take naps in the cool dirt. As we wound up the class, we came upon a film crew wrapping up a shoot with Alec Baldwin. He very graciously chatted with the girls and posed for a photo with them (you can see that photo here). What a great surprise! I will say that Mr. Baldwin was polite, gracious and very friendly. Thank you Mr. Baldwin; you sure made the day for all of us!

Dad called after that. He was already in East Hampton and hungry. Ned and I went down the road to Balsam Farm to buy produce and then met Dad for lunch. There he was, 75 years old, getting out of his car, all the way from Illinois. The man loves to drive. He likes to be in the car, listening to music and visiting with people along the way. It is so awesome that he is still doing that. I will say something that I said a while ago: I miss my family. I am one of those people who have family scattered across the country. I wish it weren't that way.

On Sunday, Ned, Dad and I went to Montauk for the day. It was beautiful. We went to a gallery, stopped in @ Theodore Roosevelt County Park and walked up the hill to the lone tree (Ned took the above photo of us). We went to Ditch Plains, got enormous milk shakes @ John's Drive-In and headed back home. And today, I spent the entire day with Dad. He drove and I did loads of errands: the cable store for a new modem, the vet for cat food, the post office, LVIS to look @ the used books. Lots of mundane stops that were more fun to do with him. And we chatted and listened to music the entire time. Tonight, on the way home, we drove down to Louse Point. The sun was setting and the moon was up. The sky was incredible; all pink and orange and salmon colored. Jet trails lit up by the sun, a very bright star in the west. Simon and Garfunkel playing on the cd, all three of us knew the words to the songs. I just got all welled up. I wanted to cry and I am not really sure why. Except that I was with my dad, who I don't often see. We have had 3 nice days together. We have really come to love each other and to talk about our lives in an intimate, respectful, loving way. I am so grateful to have this relationship with him. I am so grateful that both of my parents are still here. Sometimes, the best things in life fill me up so much that the only thing to do is cry and say "thank you".

Expect good things....