Safety With Design

Some property owners put tape on their windows to reduce the spread of possible broken glass.

The blue tape installed on this home's windows showed exceptional style. With some of the windows and doors having a leaded glass effect.

Greeting Tree

How nice to turn into your driveway and be greeted by this fantastic weeping beech tree. With or without leaves this tree is a delight to view in any season. The placement is clearly premeditated.

Tucked in a Quiet Spot

This fantastic gate is the entry to a fine home in the village estate area. Set near the end of a quiet dead end street I expect this handsome gate get less attention than it deserves.

Dressed For the Occasion

This summer I have found the collision of reds at this intersection of entertaining. It is rare to see such a full range of reds juxtaposed in the same area. I had no idea of the care and attention given to getting this red runner bean up the pole of the stop sign.

I Can See You There

I went out with my camera to take some pre Irene pictures along Gin Lane. I liked the way they covered the windows on this ocean front home. The plywood pannels they made have a small round hole cut in them to let in a little light or provide a peak out durring the storm.

Big Art, Big Space

Work by the artist BANKSY is on view at 200 North Sea Road in Southampton Village. BANKSY is an artist with an international reputation. Who BANKSY is, is a bit of a mystery. Seeing this art work in this intimate loft space is a rare opportunity for our area.

Topped Out

The frame of the house is now complete. Layers of siding, doors and widows will be added to these ribs to complete the skin of the house. The pine branch is a tradition added to the top ridge of the house when the frame is completed. Metal strapping can also be seen applied to the wood frame. This new strapping code is intended to make the structure stronger in a wind storm.

Yesterday and Today's

Great Sunset over Robins Island and the Peconic Bay

The rafters are all cut and lined up for setting to the ridge board. The framing for the roof should all get set today.

Kiss the Sky

I am told this home on Elm Street has the nick named The Hershey Kiss House. The name comes from  the shaped roof cap on the corner tower. The day after a good rain can leave the air scrubbed clean making for an exceptional blue sky as seen here.

Like Fireworks

WoW what an explosion of color. I think this vivid tone of Crepe Myrtle might be a newer addition to the color range. I have not seen many large or older plants in the colorway.

Rough Opening

When a house is framed the openings for doors and windows are slightly larger than needed. This is called a rough opening and allows for adjusting the placement of a door or window when it is installed.

All Most Tropical

This sunset over the Great Peconic Bay could be in many famous settings. Hard to imagin thissetting is less than two hours from New York City.

and UP IT GOES

The next day all the parts fit together and they got the first floor up.

Quiet Side Street

This bank of dramatic hydrangea tucked up Wall St. frame a nice walkway just a half block off busy Main St.

Pre Cut

Here the framers have cut most of the wood parts to set up the walls for the first floor. The carpenters work with care off the architects plans so all the parts can go together in precise form. Then the doors and windows will fit as planned. Pre-cutting the parts makes it all go up much smoother.

Intersecting Reds

Red runner beans climbing up a stop sign post under a canopy of red crepe myrtle.

Beach Ball 2011

Last night I decorated a beach club in Bridgehampton for the annual Animal Rescue Fund Beach Ball. The theme this year was the full moon that fell on the night of the event. We went with a theme of navy, black & silver with gyrating chromed constellations on the table centers.

Modern Floor Joists

New construction may have engineered lumber like these. These floor joists are based on the idea of steel I-beams. Floor beams like this can cross a wider span, are lighter to work with and make for a very quiet stable floor when finished.  

Formal Decore

This bright red frame of wax begonia form a fine mini hedge around the Southampton Village flag pole base.

They Don't Build Them Like They Used To

Years ago the wood frame of a house was just stacked on the foundation. Then they added pins so the house frame would not slip off it's foundation. Now he frame is bolted down to the foundation to prevent the home being blown away in a storm. New homes also have a strip of insulation (green) and a layer of metal foil (copper) under the first layer of wood. The foil is to block bugs and pests from entering the wood.

No Bare Feet Allowed

This always seems strange to me, but there are indigenous cactus growing in the sands of Eastern Long Island

Worth a LQQK

The Southampton Historical Museum is a good visit. Located at 17 Meeting House Lane with a foot path entry off Main Street the museum includes a lovely old home and many outbuildings.

Turks Cap

When I was a young boy visiting my Grandmother in the Berkshires, Tiger Lilies like these grew as wildflowers on the roadside. They are not a common roadside bloom and spotting them was always an excitement. If you are careful, you can find bulbs for these lilies at the local garden center, not to be confused with the stiffer-formed mid-century lilies whose flowers face up without the nice graceful dangle.

Glamping

This weekend there was a large concert event on the grounds of the Shinnecock Nation. Attendants at the event had the option of 'Glamping'. A luxury version of camping making use of these hi-tech teepee's brought in for the event.

Paint It Red

This road side meadow planting is a mixture of garden perennials and wild flowers. As the summer turned to August this native indian paintbrush stands out most with it's rich red tone.

White Peaks

No that is not the Denver Airport it is the tent complex to house the benefit party for Southampton Hospital. This is one of the key parties of the summer.

The Great Peconic

I was in Shinnecock at a home on the edge of The Great Peconic Bay this evening. We got treated to a very fine sunset.

Sag Harbor NY

I was driving along Howard Street and took a photo of this home once owned by good friends of mine. I think the house next door has grown since they sold their house.

Dark Plants

This common weed is the deadly nightshade, it is said to be very toxic. It is in the same plant family as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes. Some people are hesitant to eat these plants referring to them as nightshades.

Classic Colors

There is a black-green paint color that you see on house trim; window frames, shutters and exterior doors. The version I like to use is called Essex Green. The color is curious as it dose not show in a B. Moore paint along set with the other green tones, instead it is tucked in the back with some other very custom colors.