The Black Sand Beaches of Santorini

We've been to Santorini a few times, but we really enjoyed our trip to the beach there last summer.

Venice View

One of the lions of St. Marks.

Another View Of Venice

This one is a little bit moody.

Fond Travel Memories

Venice, August 2013.

Beautiful York, Pa Sunrise!

A visual treat as I left my hotel this morning!

Coomb's Steakhouse, York, PA

Another very popular York, PA restaurant is Coomb's, with good food at reasonable prices. They have plenty of seafood and pasta entrees for those who are not meat eaters.

Dan's Story Published!

Congratulations to my husband Dan upon the publication of his short story entitled "Harry at the Gates of Heaven." Dan's story appears in issue 05 of Jonathan: Gay Men's Fiction. The publisher is Sibling Rivalry Press siblingrivalrypress.com

At Starbucks York

Oatmeal with nuts and decaf.

Masa Japanese Restaurant, York PA

For some reason, "green mussels" is a popular small plate in the York, PA area. I've enjoyed them at two different restaurants here but I don't see them offered in Philadelphia at our usual dining venues. Masa Japanese restaurant has been a favorite of mine for years now since I've been attending the Train Collector's Association meets here in York. It's a BYOB with excellent food at very reasonable prices. Besides the green mussels and a seaweek salad, last evening for dinner I had two other small plates, the scallops casserole and the soft shell crab appetizer.

York, PA Road Trip

I'm in York, PA for the semi-annual Train Collector's Association meet. It's a brisk day with strong winds. The pre-show is held inside and outside but I'm spending most of my time indoors. I always look forward to lunch when I get out here. Masa Japanese restaurant is right near all of the action. My lunch today was vegan: spicy vegatable soup, edamame, and avocado salad.

Sunken Forest Walks

Spring is probably the best time to walk in the remarkable Sunken Forest on Fire Island, before the biting bugs arrive.

Country Gazette ~ Sweet Allis Chalmers

A poignant song that I first heard on Garrison Keilor's Prairie Home Companion way back in 1983 when I was alone having broken up with my first lover. Brings back bittersweet memories.

Another Favorite Pines House

We've always called this the "Blue Dot" house. It's located on the beach, and it has a well kept lawn where the owners sometimes can be seen playing croquet.

Ozone Walk Home

A favorite home in the Pines is this interesting looking beachfront structure.

Free Piano!

All you have to do is pick it up at Sail Walk in the Fire Island Pines.

Toasty On The Island

Loki loves the fireplace at the beach house, and so do I;

Chinatown

I ended up in Philadelphia's Chinatown after lunch yesterday.

Summer Whites

Warm weather fashions at Macy's Philadelphia.

Starbucks Sayville

A favorite place with good coffee for the road.

Fire Island: Sunken FOrest Overlook

The view shows the barren colors of winter. Green sprouts will not be far behind.

Sunken Forest Path Re-Opened

Hurricane Sandy destroyed a section of the path through the Sunken Forest. Over the winter a new boardwalk has been built and the western section of the path is now open once again.

New McMansion In The Fire Island Pines

This one is opposite the cranberry bog along Ocean Walk in the Pines. It's not so out of place there but this type of construction doesn't belong in Cherry Grove.

Lead The Way!

Bradley knows his way back to Cherry Grove through the meat rack.

Fire Island Man Of Steel

Seen along Ocean Walk today in the Pines.

Fire Island Fan

I'm not the only one happy to be back on Fire Island!

New Fire Island Helipad

Hurricane Sandy destroyed the previous helipad, but a new one is now ready. It is located near Sailor's Haven.

On The Island

Watching the triangle boat leave for the Pines.

Heading Over

On the way across the Great South Bay.

Fire Island Bound

Having lunch at Tai Sho in Oakdale. What a beautiful day to return to Fire Island after those five terrible winter months!

Building A New Steam Loco

From the UK, the first of a series of videos tracing progress in the building of a LNER P2 Class locomotive, Cock O' The North.

Old Penn Station New York City with aerial & skyline views of Manhattan ...

Great video with nice music.

There Was A Special Time...

...beginning a little over 40 years ago with the "Summer Of Love" in 1967, when many young people, including myself at age 18, were attracted to the gentleness, optimism, and the promise of peace and love that marked the late 1960s. However, not all of us so affected became "hippies," did "acid," or moved to San Francisco. I was busy trying to figure out what to do in college besides avoiding the draft. I had no money so the summer of 1967 was a working summer for me. I needed to make some money to cover expenses when I returned to school. In mid 1967 I was just becoming aware of the counter culture that was developing. A friend "turned me on" to the Beatles "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" album. Sometime that year or in early 1968, I discovered "The Marconi Experiment," a free form, progressive FM radio show hosted by "Herman" (Dave Herman) on WMMR in Philadelphia. This show was my connection to the "movement" of the late 60s. Contemporary music was so much a part of what was happening then in the country. Musicians and their songs were often unabashedly political. Country Joe And The Fish, Big Brother And The Holding Company With Janis Joplin, Donavan, The Jefferson Airplane, It's A Beautiful Day, Spanky And Our Gang, The Doors, Phil Ochs...these were just a few of the bands and performers that I was listening to during the 1967-1970 period. Songs like "White Bird," "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," "Small Circle Of Friends," and "Give A Damn," seem naively Utopian to us today, after the past 40 plus years that brought us the cynicism, greed, and war mongering of Nixon, Reagan, and the Bush father and son acts, interrupted only briefly by the mediocrity of Gerald Ford, the incompetence of Jimmy Carter, and the grave disappointment of the Clinton years. I would gladly return our country to the late 1960s promise of a decent, peaceful, love-filled society if I could. Since then we've gone awry as a nation with both domestic and foreign policies that are selfish, arrogant, and reactionary. Unfortunately, I don't see the possibility of this turning around anytime soon. I yearn for a return to the promise and hopefulness of the late 1960s even as I realize the improbability of it. It was a great time to be alive and young. My idealism, instilled in me then, still remains even if tarnished and buried under the weight of the decades that have passed since those special few years that came and went all too quickly.

"Hair" At Temple U

Fun performance featuring a high energy, talented cast.

Trolley Ride

Taking the streetcar in the direction of Temple University where I'll see a performance of "Hair" this afternoon.

At The Met In HD

Today's opera is Puccini's wonderful La Boheme...with friends Rick and Mark.

Evening Cocktails

With a lovely cat on your lap and the fireplace burning away the cold, damp spring.

Good News On The Equality Front

Two good news items today: 1. Medicare will now recognize same sex marriages for benefits eligibility, and 2. a federal judge announced that he will strike down Ohio's ban on recognizing out of state same sex marriages. Good stuff!

Septa Rt. 48

After lunch, riding the 48 from the Reading Terminal home...just about door to door service and free to seniors like me!