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TBR Staff

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TBR News Media covers everything happening on the North Shore of Suffolk County from Cold Spring Harbor to Wading River.

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Pixabay photo

By Martina Matkovic

The Three Village Garden Club welcomes you as their guest on Friday, September 17th, when members will have an opportunity to display their creative talents in floral design and horticulture. Many hours of careful preparation and planning will culminate in a Small Standard Flower Show at the Neighborhood House, 95 Main Street, Setauket. No charge to the public, doors will be open from 2 to 6 p.m.

The following quotation from Sandra H. Robinson, past President of the National Garden Club, eloquently states the purpose of executing a flower show: 

An award winning design from the TVGC’s June 2017 flower show. Photo by Karin Steil

“One of the basic urges of mankind is the desire to create. Creative flower arranging is an art form in which the artist’s vision is expressed through the use of plant materials. Using the elements and principles of design, the artist strives to achieve the following attributes- beauty, harmony, distinction and expression. Flower shows provide a unique opportunity for floral designers, horticulturists, judges and the viewing public to become an integral part of the creative process.”

The show, titled “See You in September,” promises to be a spectacular visual experience. It is an opportunity to  find out about the club’s contributions to the community, with its emphasis on the importance of the use of native plantings and gardening techniques that help to protect the environment. Guests are encouraged to take a short walk to Frank Melville  Memorial Park where they may access the Arboretum, acquired by  the garden club in 1985 and maintained for the past 36 years. A map of the Arboretum will be available.

As guests arrive they will receive a printed guide to help navigate through the three parts of the juried show. Division 1, Horticulture,  will display cut specimens from the garden, fruits and vegetables, cut specimens from fruiting or flowering trees and shrubs, and container plants. Come see what a Blue Ribbon cucumber looks like!

An award winning design from the TVGC’s June 2017 flower show. Photo from Karin Steil

Division ll, comprised of four classes, will highlight members’ creative talents in floral design. Class 2 of this division, aptly named “Reflections and Inspirations,” will challenge those members who choose to enter by  creating a floral design that interprets the subject of a painting. The actual paintings will be hung nearby the corresponding design, inviting the viewer to observe. The artists who have loaned their works for this class are Patty Yantz, “The Sentinel”; Renee Caine, “Approaching Storm”; Eleanor Meier, “Winter Pears and Kimono”; and Robert Roehrig, “Dock Reflections.” 

Finally, but certainly not least, in Division lll guests will enjoy an exhibit that displays the club’s many contributions to the community with an emphasis on education and respect for our environment. This section also includes invitational exhibits solicited from florists and businesses in the community.  

Members who decide to participate will be judged for their entries, receive points and be awarded ribbons according to the National Garden Club System of Awarding.  The judging will be done in advance of the opening to the public and ribbons will be on display.

Please come and enjoy the beauty of the show, see what your neighbors and friends in the garden club are doing , and perhaps be inspired to join us. Our membership is open to all. For further information, please call 631 751-2743.

Author Martina Matkovic is a member of the Three Village Garden Club.

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Photo from Statepoint

September, which is World Alzheimer’s Month, is an excellent reminder to keep your mind and body healthy through the years. Experts say that doing so can reduce your risk for cognitive decline. Try taking on these new hobbies to keep your mind sharp as you age:

• Cooking: Not only can the development of a new complicated skill such as cooking improve cognitive functions like problem-solving and concentration, but having the ability to create your own nutritious meals at home has the added benefit of being good for brain health. From TikTok tutorials to online classes taught by master chefs, today, there are more avenues for picking up culinary know-how than ever before.

• Music: Learning to play a musical instrument has countless benefits for brain health, helping improve memory, hand-eye coordination and more. It’s also a mood booster, which is important, as depression is considered a risk factor for dementia. Check out instruments designed to build skills quickly. Whether you’re a total novice or taking up the piano after a long hiatus, Casiotone Keyboards, for example, are portable, easy to use and connect to an app that features lessons and more.

• Exercise: The mind-body connection is strong. For ultimate brain health, stay physically active; and if you can do so outdoors, all the better. Research suggests that connecting with nature is good for one’s mental well-being, reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Support your journey with tools that track your activity and inspire you to delve further into adventures, whether that be hiking, fishing or rock climbing. The watches in the Pro Trek line feature Quad Sensor technology to provide you with temperature and barometric pressure so you can keep your eye on the weather conditions while out and about, as well as sunrise and sunset times, an app for anglers and much more.

• Camaraderie: Having an active social life can improve brain function. Unfortunately, if you aren’t proactive about it, there are not always that many opportunities to make new friends in adulthood. Whether it’s a sewing circle or a bowling league, consider joining a club or team for camaraderie and fun.

• Fast fingers: Did you know that you can use your calculator to keep your mind engaged when there’s downtime or you’re on-the-go? Calculator games can build math skills, improve memory and keep your mind nimble.

Just as it is important to maintain physical fitness as you age, it’s also critical to exercise your mind. Stay mentally active by trying new hobbies, building new skills and seeking out new experiences.

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Dreamy Chocolate Mousse
A Memory-Making Mousse

Some of the best memories throughout life stick with you forever as you play them over and over in your head and smile, thinking fondly of those times.

A lot of these good memories are centered around laughs, great conversation and irresistible, mouthwatering food. Family events such as wedding showers or Mother’s Day, or the first day of spring after a bitter winter, can be reasons to celebrate and indulge in something out of the ordinary.

This Dreamy Chocolate Mousse can make those special memories just a little bit sweeter. It’s rich, decadent and full of scrumptious chocolate flavor. Topped with whipped cream and shaved chocolate, it’s the perfect addition to almost any special occasion.

It works as a dessert after a meal or just a special treat. It can be served at a big event or simply a Sunday afternoon at home.

Find more sweet treat recipes at Culinary.net.

Dreamy Chocolate Mousse

YIELD: Serves: 4 to 8

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus chocolate shavings (optional)

40 large marshmallows

2 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided

DIRECTION:

In large bowl, combine chopped chocolate, marshmallows and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Microwave 2 minutes on high, or until marshmallows are melted. Let mixture cool 1 hour.

Using mixer, whip 1 3/4 cups heavy cream until soft peaks form. Reserve and refrigerate 1/2 cup whipped cream for topping.

In cooled chocolate mixture, fold in 2 cups whipped cream until combined. Add remaining whipped cream and mix until combined.

Spoon mousse into ramekins. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

To serve, top with 1/2 cup reserved whipped cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate, if desired.

See video of recipe here.

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Cars try to navigate through flooding on Reynolds Street in Huntington Station. Photo from Town of Huntington

When the remnants of Hurricane Ida made her way last Wednesday to the North Shore of Long Island, residents weren’t prepared for what was coming. 

Two weeks ago, meteorologists got everyone ready for Henri. Gas stations were empty, the supermarket lines went out the door and stores in villages on the water boarded up their windows. 

But nothing happened. It was ultimately a light rain. 

So, when Ida made her way up the coast, we all thought nothing of it. Boy, we were wrong. 

There was flooding all across the North Shore, and people didn’t think to prepare the same way they were going to be for the previous storm.

Port Jefferson village was a muddy mess. Northport was practically under water. Stony Brook University had students sleeping inside the Student Activities Center because dorms became pools. 

According to the United Nations’ latest climate report published recently in The Washington Post, warming from fossil fuels is most likely behind the increase in the number of high intensity hurricanes over the last 40 years. 

Long Island has seen quite a few of those storms, including Sandy, Irene and Isaias. According to the Post, five more tropical systems are currently sweeping over the Atlantic so the hurricane season has only just begun. Will they be just as bad?

What will happen if we keep making poor choices when it comes to the environment? If burning fossil fuels is one of the biggest influencers in climate change, then what can we do to alleviate that stress? We need to collectively do better to eliminate waste and save energy. Consider an eco-friendly vehicle, energy-saving lightbulbs and using more sustainable household products.

But it isn’t just the increases in sustainable living that are important. 

Long Islanders need to ask their elected officials for help. For communities across the North Shore, we need to invest in ways to prevent damage to homes and businesses that sit by the water.

We need to ask PSEG Long Island to consider and create ways to move power lines underground, so when high winds attack we won’t lose power for days.

These are tall orders, but while the rest of us work toward doing better on a smaller level, we hope that Ida showed us all that we need to treat Mother Earth the way she should be treated — if we don’t, the flooding on Main Street will be the new normal.

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Pixabay photo

It’s been a difficult 18 months, especially when we think back to the early days of the pandemic as we watched businesses across our communities adjust to state mandates after COVID-19 raged through our area. From limiting capacity to some businesses not being able to operate at all, many owners had difficulty adjusting.

Despite the lifting of state mandates a few months ago, many are still suffering.

As we look around more and more, places are closing or are in jeopardy of shutting down. In the last two weeks, we have heard the news of the Book Revue in Huntington set to close by Sept. 30. After 44 years of business, the village staple is in a financial hole.

The store had been shut down for three months during the pandemic. Once it was reopen, the business struggled to get back on its feet, and the owner fell behind on the rent.

To the east, Smithtown Performing Arts Center is having trouble holding on to its lease of the old theater. The nonprofit is also behind in its rent and has been unable to make a deal with the landlord, which led him to put the theater up for sale two weeks ago.

Both businesses received assistance during the pandemic. The Book Revue, like many others, was fortunate to receive loans through the federal Paycheck Protection Program to pay employees’ salaries and keep the lights on. For SPAC, the nonprofit received a Shuttered Venue Operators Grant but needs to have a full account of debts to be able to reconcile grant monies.

With the pandemic lingering, what many people are discovering is that the assistance just artificially propped them up for a short while. Now more than ever, local businesses and nonprofits need the help of community members to enter their storefronts and buy their products. When a consumer chooses between shopping or eating locally instead of online or going to a big chain, it makes a difference.

If one looks for a silver lining in all this, it may be that many business owners have come up with innovative ways to stay open, while others have embraced curbside pickup and created websites and social media accounts that will be an asset in the future.

And while it’s sad to see so many favorite businesses closing their doors, it also paves the way for new stores with fresh ideas to come in with items such as different types of ice cream or creative giftware or clothing.

Many of our main streets need revitalization and the arrival of new businesses or current ones reinventing themselves can be just what our communities need to reimagine themselves — and not only survive but thrive in the future.

We can all help small local businesses stay afloat, whether it’s an old staple or a new place. Because at the end of the day, if a store or restaurant has been empty and the cash register reflects that, we’ll see more and more empty storefronts in our future.

Spend your money wisely — shop and eat locally.

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METRO photo

By Rabbi Aaron Benson

Rabbi Aaron Benson

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.  We all know the saying and it does seem to be true. It also captures nicely the spirit of the Jewish New Year season which starts Monday night, Sept 6th, with the beginning of Rosh Hashanah. What do I mean?

In synagogues around the world, we read the Torah, the Five Books of Moses, the first five books of the Bible, on a yearly cycle reading a portion every week. As the New Year holidays begin, we find ourselves coming to the end of the annual cycle with the reading of the Book of Deuteronomy.  That book is read over the course of 11 weeks, about a fifth of the year. And for those not familiar with its subject matter, Deuteronomy is primarily a review of the events of the previous four books.  

We spend a fifth of the year, and a fifth of the Torah, doing review. This is intentional because our New Year season is meant to be one of review and reflection.  We consider our shortcomings, failures, and misdeeds of the past year, actively seek to mend hurt and broken relationships, and plan for how to do better in the year ahead.  

That is a lot to do! If you hadn’t started yet, you’d have a lot to accomplish between now and Monday! Judaism is an optimistic faith. We do not believe anyone is condemned to be bad with no hope of changing. Every year at this time, we celebrate the idea that people can change. But our tradition, as reflected in our liturgical calendar, also understands it is a lot of work to change what’s wrong in our lives.  

Using the annual reading cycle as a guide, we probably should be spending a lot more of our time reflecting on what we do so that we can learn from our mistakes and try again — try again carefully and with the wisdom of experience to guide us.

If you will be celebrating Rosh Hashanah, I wish you a sweet and happy new year. And to everyone, I strongly recommend a life with ample time carved out for reviewing who you are, who you want to be, how to become that person, and never giving up on that process. A lifetime dedicated to such a process will be one well lived.

The author is the rabbi of  North Shore Jewish Center in Port Jefferson Station.

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Tart Lime Smoothie

A Luscious Lime Smoothie for Hot Summer Days

(Culinary.net) During summer months, it’s common for many people to want to spend as much time outside enjoying the weather as possible. From the minute they wake up to when the sun goes down (and beyond), nearly everyone wants to take advantage of the warm summer heat. Especially kids, who often want to enjoy their break from school for the year.

From beach towels and sunglasses to swimsuits and flip flops, almost everything you need to enjoy some fun in the sun is likely already on-hand. However, summer can be so much sweeter with a fresh and fruity drink in your hand. Made with fresh ingredients, this drink is a perfect addition to any poolside party.

Next time you are looking to relax outdoors all day, try this Tart Lime Smoothie, which is filled with fresh fruit and cool enough to wash away that summer warmth. This chilled, tart drink will have everyone in the family ready to go for round two down the water slide.

Light, fresh and a little bit frothy, this smoothie has a unique texture that may leave you wishing for a second cup the moment you take your first sip. Find more fun summer recipes at Culinary.net.

If you made this recipe at home, use #MyCulinaryConnection on your favorite social network to share your work.

Tart Lime Smoothie

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

2 kiwis, peeled and halved

2 ripe bananas

3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

2 limes, juice only

1 cup orange juice

2 cups ice, crushed

Directions:

In blender, blend kiwis, bananas, mint, lime juice, orange juice and ice until smooth.

Pour into glasses to serve.

 

See video of recipe here.

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A Fruity, Frosted Dessert

(Culinary.net) If you need a recipe idea for your ripened bananas, try this Frosted Banana Cake recipe. A moist but not overly sweet cake bursting with banana flavor paired with a cream cheese frosting may be your new favorite. Find more dessert recipes at Culinary.net.

Frosted Banana Cake

INGREDIENTS:

2  medium ripe bananas

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1  cup sour cream

1/4  teaspoon vanilla extract

2  cups flour

1  teaspoon baking soda

1/4  teaspoon salt

Nonstick cooking spray

Frosting:

1  package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2  cup butter, softened

2  teaspoons vanilla extract

3  cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 F.

Peel, slice and mash ripened bananas; set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; blend well. Gradually add in flour. Stir in bananas. Add baking soda and salt; mix well.

Prepare 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into baking pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cool.

To make frosting: In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix until well combined.

Frost cake. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

See video here.

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Photo by Tom Caruso

SPLISH-SPLASH

Tom Caruso of Smithtown captured this scene at Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket on Aug. 7. He writes, ‘I was walking around the Setauket Millpond when I heard a lot of splashing. I found several Canada Geese flapping their wings on the water and caught this one spraying water everywhere. It was quite a sight.

Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected]

 

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