We try not to lose sight of the caterpillars as they are unintentionally brought into the house. You find them when your hand grazes one, and its “horns” erupt. If you see the bright orange prongs and lean closer to sniff the caterpillar, as a real predator might, you’ll be hit by a strange little smell. If you were that predator, and the horns didn’t scare you, maybe this offensive scent would. To the modern human, the caterpillar does have a funk, but it’s so distinctive that you’re likely to sniff harder. What the insect emits is complex and sudden, ...
1 Dec 2022 by Marilee Foster
Suffolk County is nuclear-free — none of the seven to 11 nuclear power plants proposed for the county became a reality — after decades of intense grassroots and governmental opposition. A key element was Suffolk County and New York State determining, after an extensive study, that a successful evacuation would be impossible in the event of a major nuclear power plant accident at the first nuclear plant built here, at Shoreham. Thus, Suffolk County and state governments refused to draw up and agree to implement a federally required evacuation plan. The Shoreham plant was scuttled. But now the U.S. Nuclear ...
by Karl Grossman
As I approached my 80th birthday earlier this year, I found myself facing a reality I had never expected. Longevity among male members of my family was far from a given; my own father passed away at the age of 53, shortly after my 8th birthday. In addition, I knew, from a quick study many years ago of life expectancy charts in the World Almanac, that a white American male born in 1942 had a decent chance of making it to 72 and a half, with anything beyond that a gift, pure and simple. My first thought, as my family ...
by George Motz
It’s December 1. We can talk about the holidays. Finally. As if my Instagram feed hasn’t been advertising Advent calendars since Halloween. As if my satellite radio didn’t start playing holiday music on November 1. As if I didn’t shop at a pre-pre-pre-Black Friday sale in September. I’m Jewish, so, of course, my favorite holiday is Christmas. I love the lights, the trees, the carols. I wrote a column about my love of carols. Read it on the 27east.com archive. I’m sure you’re not too busy getting ready for Christmas. You’ve got 24 whole days! For me, the best thing ...
by Tracy Grathwohl
There is no easy way to dig dahlia bulbs out of Sagaponack’s heavy dirt. To date, the best tools are a four-wheel-drive tractor with the “mulch lifter.” The finish work is done with a potato fork — and a person younger than myself. For all their show above the ground, the dahlia is doubly busy beneath the earth. One tuber, planted in May, weighed a couple of ounces; what we dig in November weighs nearly 15 pounds. My co-worker staggers backward as he begins to stand. Bent over, he has finally freed the intact clump by hand, and because he ...
21 Nov 2022 by Marilee Foster
By Michael Daly Thanks to the many East End community members who voted yes to form the Community Housing Fund in the towns of Southold, Shelter Island, East Hampton and Southampton — all four towns that had it on the ballot on November 8. That demonstrates that voters clearly see the need for community housing to help protect our fragile infrastructure. Even if you didn’t vote for it, you’ll benefit from it. That’s democracy. We recognize that good schools rely on teachers. Sound first responder organizations rely on firefighters and EMTs. Hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices rely on health care ...
by Michael Daly
By Edward Adler The Hamptons has become a movie desert. And the drought seems to be spreading. Going out to dinner and seeing a movie was a way to socialize and bond with family and friends. Seeing a film in a theater was the perfect date. Now, instead of coming out together, people are watching films at home, and the experience of sharing with others has narrowed. Sadly, the communal experience of going to the movies has almost been lost. And our local theaters are disappearing. The rickety old theater in Westhampton has been closed a long time and is ...
18 Nov 2022 by Edward Adler
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Staff Writer on Dec 1, 2014