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Adam Gonzalez. Photo from SBU

By Daniel Dunaief

More than four days after lift off, pioneering astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had landed in the Sea of Tranquility on the surface of the moon. The NASA schedule, which included preparing the vehicle for an emergency abort of the mission in the event of a problem, called for a nap of four hours. Once they were there, however, Armstrong and Aldrin couldn’t imagine taking a four-hour respite.

“Both Armstrong and Aldrin were, understandably, excited about where they were and decided to forgo the sleeping and changed history,” Thomas Williams, element scientist in Human Factors and Behavioral Performance at NASA, described in an email.

A future trip to Mars, however, would involve considerably longer delayed gratification, with the round trip estimated to take over 400 days. The stresses and strains, the anxiety about an uncertain future and the increasing distance from family and friends, not to mention the smell of cut grass and the appearance of holiday decorations, could weigh on even the most eager of astronauts.

Determined to prepare for contingencies, NASA is funding research to understand ways to combat the mental health strains that might affect future astronauts who dare to go further than anyone has ever gone.

‘Being in long-duration space missions with other people, we expect the mental health risk will be much more elevated’. — Adam Gonzalez

Gonzalez, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Stony Brook University, received over $1 million in funding from NASA to explore ways to help these future astronauts who might be anxious or depressed when they’re on the way to the red planet.

In a highly competitive process, Gonzalez received the financial support to provide guidance on what NASA considers a low-probability, high-consequence mental health event, according to Williams.

Gonzalez “was funded because of the soundness of his research proposal and the clinical and technological expertise of the research team he assembled to help NASA address this research gap,” Williams explained.

Gonzalez started providing three different types of psychological assistance to 135 people in the middle of September. He is testing ways to provide mental health assistance with a delay that could require over 40 minutes to travel back and forth.

One group of test subjects will use a system called myCompass, which is a mental health self-help program. Another group will use myCompass coupled with a delayed text messaging response from a therapist, and a third will have a myCompass system along with delayed video messaging from a therapist.

“Being in long-duration space missions with other people — in this case, months and potentially years — stuck in extremely close quarters with others, we expect the mental health risk will be much more elevated relative to what they are going to have on the International Space Station,” Gonzalez said.

Williams said astronauts to date have not had any diagnosable disorders, but NASA has seen fluctuations in their mood, which appears linked to workload demands and the phase of the mission, Williams said. For astronauts, NASA does not want a continuing negative trend that, over a longer term, could turn into a problem.

“Part of what we hope to achieve with [Gonzalez’s] research is a validated approach to address any of these concerns,” Williams said, adding that astronauts typically understand that their contributions involve work in “high-demand, extreme environments,” Williams said.

Still, like explorers in earlier centuries, astronauts on a trip to Mars will journey farther and for a longer period of time than anyone up to that point. MyCompass is a “good, efficacious program” that takes a “trans-diagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy approach,” Gonzalez said. He suggested that the program is broad enough to help individuals manage their emotions more generally, as opposed to targeting specific types of health disorders.

Gonzalez emphasized that the choice of using myCompass as a part of this experiment was his and might not be NASA’s. The purpose of this study is to investigate different methods for communicating for mental health purposes when real-time communication isn’t possible.

William suggested that Gonzalez’s work, among others, could lead to individualized procedures for each astronaut. In addition to his work with NASA, Gonzalez also assists people at the front lines after man-made or natural disasters. He has worked with Benjamin Luft, the director of Stony Brook University’s WTC Wellness Program, on a program that offers assistance to first responders after the 9/11 attacks.

Gonzalez’s father, Peter, was a police officer who worked on the World Trade Center cleanup and recovery efforts. The elder Gonzalez has since had 9/11-related health conditions.

Gonzalez and associate professor Anka Vujanovic, the co-director of the Trauma and Anxiety Clinic at the University of Houston, are putting together a research project for the Houston area. Vujanovic did a mental health survey on Houston area firefighters earlier this year. They are inviting these firefighters to complete an online survey and telephone assessment to determine their mental health after Hurricane Harvey.

They are also conducting a three- to four-hour resilience training workshop for Houston area firefighters engaged in Harvey disaster relief efforts. “This resilience program, developed by [Gonzalez] and his colleagues, has shown promising results in reducing various mental health symptoms when tested among first responders in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy,” Vujanovic explained in an email.

Vujanovic has known Gonzalez for over 10 years and suggested his questions were focused on “how can we better serve others, how can we improve existing interventions and how can we develop culturally sensitive approaches for vulnerable, understudied populations.” Gonzalez, who grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and came to Stony Brook in 2012, said he was always interested in helping others.

Williams suggested that this kind of research can help people outside the space program. “We openly share and encourage the sharing of any of our relevant research findings to help address societal needs,” he added. Gonzalez’s research is “a great example of how a NASA focus on delivering personalized interventions in support of long-duration spaceflight could potentially be generalized to more rural settings where mental health providers may be scarce.”

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Lower triglycerides may reduce cardiovascular risk

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

The lipid, or cholesterol, profile is one of the most common batteries of blood tests. Why? Abnormal cholesterol levels may have an integral role in exacerbating a number of chronic diseases. These diseases are some of the most common, including atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) and vascular dementia. It’s even thought to be a component of age-related macular degeneration, the number one cause of vision loss in those who are at least age 60 in industrialized countries (1).

Let’s delve into the components that make up the cholesterol profile. The lipid panel is made up of several components. These include total cholesterol, HDL or “good cholesterol,” LDL or “bad cholesterol” and triglycerides. Many people focus more on total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL and less on triglycerides. We worry about whether the levels are high enough for HDL and are low enough for total cholesterol and LDL. Is this the proper focus? With total cholesterol and LDL, this seems to be appropriate.

However, with HDL it is becoming more complicated; it is less about how high the levels are and more about the functionality of HDL. There are drugs that increase HDL levels, such as niacin and the fibrates, without significantly reducing cardiovascular events. This was demonstrated in the AIM-HIGH trial (2). In this trial, niacin added to a statin drug increased HDL levels and decreased triglyceride levels without a change in the primary end point of cardiovascular outcomes. Thus, they were deemed less than satisfactory and the trial was abruptly ended. However, triglycerides get the short end of the stick. Just look at the lack of coverage in the mainstream media. In this article, we will explore the different components of the lipid panel and the supposed roles they play in our health. Let’s look at the research.

HDL — the good cholesterol that may not be so good

Eating one-and-a-half cups of oatmeal each day can lower your cholesterol by 5 to 8 percent.

For years, when patients were told their total cholesterol and LDL are high, they asked if their HDL levels compensated for this. Of course, we in the medical community are partially to blame for fueling this thinking. More and more studies point to the importance of HDL functionality rather than the level.

In a study investigating a specific gene variant, or mutation, those who had very high levels of HDL, a mean of 106 mg/dL, and two copies of a P376L mutation, had an increased risk of heart disease (3). In a population of 300 participants with this very high level of HDL, only one had this mutation.

When the investigators broadened the number to 1,282 participants, the results were the same. Results were consistent when they looked at a meta-analysis of 300,000 participants with high HDL.

Carriers of the gene mutation, meaning they had one copy instead of two, were at a 79 percent increased risk of heart disease. Those who had this gene mutation were mostly Ashkenazi Jews of European descent. The good news is that this gene mutation is rare. However, it does show that in certain circumstances, HDL is not always good.

Lest you become too relaxed about this study, since the occurrence was uncommon, another study’s results showed that there is a U-shaped curve when it comes to HDL levels (4). In other words, those on the lowest and the highest ends of HDL levels had higher risk of death from both cardiovascular and noncardiovascular death. There were associations among HDL and other factors, like vegetable and fruit consumption, high blood pressure, diabetes, age and sex. Thus, HDL may not by itself be an indicator of heart disease death risk as suggested by the investigators in the trial. This was a large population-based study with over 600,000 participants.

In a third study, results showed that functionality is more important than HDL level (5). What is called the cholesterol-efflux capacity may be central to HDL functionality. This technique calibrates the reverse transport of cholesterol. Cholesterol is removed from a type of white blood cell in the wall of the artery, put back into the bloodstream and removed by the liver. The importance of the functionality is that a higher cholesterol-efflux capacity results in a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. In other words, you may not be able to rely on HDL levels to determine cardioprotective effects.

Triglycerides should get their due

Triglycerides need their 15 minutes of fame, just like the rest of the cholesterol profile. Triglycerides may be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In a study, results showed that triglycerides are an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in those with heart disease (6). But even more interesting is that those with high normal levels, those between 100 and 150 mg/dL, have a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular death. In other words, those who are still within normal limits, but at the upper end, should consider reducing their levels.

The results also showed a dose-dependent curve; the higher the levels of triglycerides, the higher the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Measurements used included borderline high of 150-199 mg/dL, moderately high of 200-499 mg/dL and very high of >500 mg/dL. This was a secondary prevention trial, meaning the patients already had heart disease. Unfortunately, a disproportionate number of patients were men, 81 percent. However, this study had a strong duration of 22 years with data based on 15,000 patients. The weakness of this trial was its inability to control for confounders such as sickness, treatments and cause of death. Still, this signifies that triglycerides have an important role in our health.

Triglycerides are affected by diet. The elements in the diet that raise levels include sugars, grains — for some even whole grains — and starchy vegetables as well as saturated fats and trans fats.

What about whole eggs? Good, bad or neutral?

Today, the debates in the medical community over eggs’ merits, detriments or neutrality continue. In an observational trial from Finland, results show that one egg a day did not increase the risk of heart disease (7). Whew, now we can put that debate behind us and eat eggs, right? NOT SO FAST!

While the strength of the trial was its very impressive duration of 21 years, the weaknesses of the trial were huge. First, participants were asked for a four-day dietary history at the start of the trial and then never again. It was assumed that they were eating the same foods over this long time period. Second, there were no blood tests taken specifically for the study. In other words, there are no cholesterol levels for the trial. So we don’t know if one egg a day — and remember we’re making a gigantic assumption that they did eat one egg a day — had any negative impact on cholesterol levels. Third, this study population did not include women. There were 1,032 men involved. Having said all this, you could try an egg a day. However, I would highly recommend a physician’s supervision.

In my practice, I had several patients eat two eggs a day, and their total cholesterol levels went up by approximately 100 mg/dL in one month. But this is anecdotal data from my clinical experience.

In conclusion, don’t think you’re safe if you have a high HDL level. It is best to lower your triglycerides to below 100 mg/dL, and an effective way to do this is by reducing sugars, grains, starchy vegetables and saturated fat in your diet. However, there is subset data suggesting that the fibrate class of drugs may have benefit in those who have triglycerides of at least 500 mg/dL (6).

References: (1) www.nlm.nih.gov. (2) N Engl J Med 2011; 365:2255-2267. (3) Science 2016; 351:1166-1171. (4) AHA 2015 Scientific Sessions; Nov. 10, 2015. (5) N Engl J Med. 2014;371(25):2383-2393. (6) Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2016;9:100-108. (7) Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103(3):895-901.

Dr. Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com or consult your personal physician.

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Kenyer Natural Bakery will return to the event this year.

Save the date! The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Dan’s Papers, will host its 10th annual The Taste @ Port Jefferson at the Village Center, 101-A E. Broadway, Port Jefferson overlooking the Harborfront Park and harbor on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.

In celebrating this landmark anniversary, the chamber has reached out to the greater Port Jefferson restaurant community and will highlight over 30 restaurants and purveyors offering top-quality food tastings and desserts as well as samples of premium liquors, wines and beers. The event, for ages 21 and over, has been changed to a night venue, which creates new energy and features musical entertainment by the rock band New Life Crisis. In addition to the usual indoor setting, the event will spill outside under a 50- by 100-foot tent.

Try some delicious crepes from Crazy Crepe Café.

Participating food purveyors will include Amazing Olive, Bagel Express-Setauket, Bliss, Chick-fil-A at Port Jefferson, Crazy Crepe Café–Mount Sinai, Crazy Fish Bar & Gill, Curry Club, Danfords Wave Seafood Kitchen, Don Quijote, Dos Mexi Cuban Cantina, Kenyer Natural Bakery, Flying Pig Café, Land & Sea Seafood & Restaurant, Messina Market & Catering, Penntora Lao-Thai Catering, Port Jeff Lobster House, Slurp Ramen, Spiros Restaurant & Lounge, St. Charles Hospital, The Meadow Club and Tuscany of Miller Place.

Dessert samplings from A Cake in Time, East Main & Main, Kilwins of Port Jefferson and LaBonne Boulangerie Bakery will be offered along with beverage tastings from Starbucks, Port Jeff Brewing Company and Manhattan Beer.

Presenting sponsor this year will be New York Cancer & Blood Specialists, and chamber partner St. Charles Hospital will be highlighted as a silver sponsor. Other sponsors include BNB Bank, Farrell Storage and O’Brien Group, LLC, and the media sponsor is Dan’s Papers.

Tickets, which may be purchased online at www.tasteatportjeff.com, are $65 per person for general admission starting at 7 p.m. and $95 for VIP guests at 6 p.m., which includes early access by one hour, a special VIP lounge with tables and chairs, premium pours and desserts, VIP gift bag and special entertainment. For further details, call 631-473-1414.

Photos by Nicole Geddes

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A pet trust is effective immediately upon your death whereas a will can take months to execute.

By Linda Toga

Linda Toga, Esq.

THE FACTS: My mother has a dog, Fido, who means the world to her. When it comes to Fido, money is no object. She is very concerned about what will happen to Fido when she dies. Not only does she worry about who will care for Fido but also about who will pay for Fido’s care.

THE QUESTION: Should these issues be addressed in her will?

THE ANSWER: While the long-term care of Fido can be addressed in her will, your mother needs to make arrangements for Fido’s care for the period immediately following her death because the provisions of her will are not effective until the will is probated. That could take some time.

I always suggest that pet owners arrange in advance for someone to take care of their pet in the event they are unable to do so either because of disability or death. It is important that a caregiver is identified and is ready and willing to take the pet on relatively short notice. These temporary arrangements need not be in writing unless the owner feels that people are going to fight over who will care for the pet.

For example, if you and your siblings agree with your mother that Mary will take care of Fido, there is no need to put the arrangement in writing. However, if all of you want to take care of Fido, your mother should put her wishes in writing to avoid conflicts.

As for the long-term care of Fido after your mother’s passing and the cost of that care, I suggest that your mother include in her will a pet trust. When thinking about the provisions to include in the pet trust, your mother should not only consider who will care for Fido for the rest of his life but also whether the appointed caregiver has the resources to cover the costs associated with pet ownership.

Even if money is not an issue for the caregiver, your mother should confirm in advance that the caregiver’s living arrangements are suitable for Fido. Some apartment buildings and residential communities do not permit residents to own pets. If the caregiver of choice lives in such a community, or lives in a setting that is not large enough for Fido, your mother should consider naming someone else to adopt Fido after her death.

Once she has settled on a caregiver, your mother should think about the types of care she wants Fido to receive after she is gone. For example, does she want Fido groomed once a month or to have his teeth cleaned three times a year? Does she want Fido to be fed certain types of food? Does Fido suffer from any ailments that require medication or close monitoring? If so, these things should be addressed in the pet trust. If your mother has been using the same groomer and vet for years, she may want the caregiver to continue using the same providers. This is particularly important if Fido is receiving any specialized care or treatment. If this information is not included in the pet trust itself, your mother definitely should provide this information to the caregiver in a letter.

While the reason for including a pet trust in her will is to ensure that Fido will be cared for after she dies, it can also serve as a vehicle for providing the caregiver with instructions with respect to the handling of Fido’s remains after he dies. This information is important and useful to the caregiver who will certainly want to honor your mother’s wishes.

In addition to setting forth in the pet trust the name of the caregiver and the type of care she wants Fido to receive, both during his lifetime and upon death, your mother will need to allocate a certain amount of money to the trustee of the pet trust.

The job of the trustee is to distribute the funds in the trust to the caregiver as needed to be used for Fido’s benefit. The money will be used to pay for Fido’s food and care, but your mother can also allocate some of the money in the trust directly to the caregiver in recognition of the time, effort and responsibility he/she assumed by caring for Fido. If she wants, your mother can name the caregiver as trustee of the pet trust. She need not name two different people for these roles.

A final decision that your mother will have to make in connection with the pet trust is what happens to any of the funds left in the trust after Fido dies. Many people who have a pet trust direct that any money left in the trust after the death of their pet goes to the caregiver. Another popular arrangement is for the money to be donated to an organization that cares for abandoned and/or abused animals. Of course, your mother can also have the funds left in the pet trust divided between you and your siblings. Regardless of how she wants the funds distributed, it is important to include her wishes in the pet trust.

In light of the number of issues, your mother should discuss if she wants to create a pet trust, and the fact that it will be part of her will, with an experienced estate planning attorney. That is the best way to ensure that Fido will be cared for in accordance with her wishes.

Linda M. Toga, Esq. provides legal services in the areas of estate planning, probate, estate administration, litigation, wills, trusts, small business services and real estate from her East Setauket office.

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Reviewed by Rita J. Egan

When three cows embark on an adventure to the beach, things can get a bit tricky, but that doesn’t stop Ms. Brown Cow. Children will discover that when one is determined to achieve a goal, even when obstacles are present, one can accomplish almost anything in the delightful children’s book “How Now, Ms. Brown Cow?”

Peter Fowkes

Written and illustrated by Port Jefferson native and St. Anthony’s High School graduate Peter Fowkes, the self-published book features witty yet simple rhymes and vibrantly colored funny illustrations. The story is one that will surely provide little ones with plenty of giggles as Ms. Brown Cow finds a solution to any problem.

In addition to the “How Now, Ms. Brown Cow?” book, Fowkes, who is a producer and director living in Los Angeles with his wife Nancy and two children Benjamin and Charlotte, has also published “Rainbow Sheep” and “Elmer, The Pet Horse.” All three, recommended for ages 4 to 8, are part of the Beyond the Blue Barn book series.

Fowkes recently took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about “How Now, Ms. Brown Cow” via email.

Do you have a favorite memory from your childhood years?

I grew up in the Port Jefferson area, in the village of Belle Terre. I played village Little League coached by my dad, spent my teenage summers lifeguarding on the Suffolk County shoreline, graduated high school from St. Anthony’s in South Huntington, and even though I have since moved, my mother still lives in the family home that I grew up in on Crooked Oak Road. My most vivid childhood memory is going on a third-grade field trip with Scraggy Hill Elementary School and deciding to ignore my teacher’s warnings about not getting too close to the edge of the stream. I fell in. I was fine, but it was embarrassing to spend the rest of the field trip in my tighty-whitey underpants covered up by Mrs. Christman’s oversized jacket. My life has been very much that way ever since.

Tell me a bit about your career?

I have worked in the television industry for 20 years now. I gave the NBC tour as a page in Rockefeller Center after I graduated from Fordham University and continued on the TV path to work as a producer and TV director on comedy shows. I am proud to note, most of them are even funny, but not all of them. A few highlights would include a few years with the “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and a few years with “Impractical Jokers.” I mostly work freelance, which is fancy speak for stressful employment hunting, but it has given me the opportunity to have a very diversified career taking on many projects and some very rewarding experiences.

How did you get involved with writing children’s books?

For starters, I was terrible at math. My math notebooks would be filled with doodles and cartoon characters as I would spend the entire lesson drawing Batman and Charlie Brown instead of learning fractions. I was a bad math student, but I became a pretty good artist. A few times in my TV career I had the opportunity to do some animation, and I thought I came up with a pretty cool style. I would mix cartoon drawings with real photographs, the result was “a poor man’s Roger Rabbit.” I decided to translate that style to children’s books because I thought kids would love it. In TV, the experience of producing a show is very collaborative. That is all well and good, but I wanted to tell a few stories all on my own. I wanted to pair simple funny stories with silly beautiful illustrations, and I wanted my kids to like them.

How would you describe “How Now, Ms. Brown Cow?” to someone who hasn’t read it?

“How Now, Ms. Brown Cow?” is a simple story, with a simple message that isn’t too preachy, with lots of funny pictures. It is a book for kids that I promise parents will enjoy reading with them.

How did you come up with the idea of cows who are determined to make it to the beach?

I liked the idea of characters that did not know their “place” in society. Like, what could you achieve if you never were told, “You can’t do that”? What if you really believed that you could do anything you set your mind to? Well, these cows clearly do not think of themselves as “just farm animals.” They think they can do whatever they try to do and if that means ride a motorcycle, take a cab, fly an airplane or shoot themselves from a cannon to get to the beach, they’re going to get to that beach.

When did you start the Beyond the Blue Barn book series and why?

I purposely wanted to play around with the children’s book clichés of rhyming stories about farm animals at the old barn etc. I thought that would be a fun place to start the stories and then let the characters go nuts. All the Beyond the Blue Barn books start with a family photo of the old farmer and all of his animals.

I was looking at an old school class photo and was wondering whatever happen to this one, and where did that one wind up going and decided to take that approach with all of these farm animals as the books start with the farmer retiring to Fort Myers and the farm being sold.

Each book then follows a farm animal or group of animals on their adventures after they leave the Blue Barn to start their new lives. All of these animals are infected with a blissful sense of unawareness of what is expected of farm animals; therefore, they can do anything and try to do so. They feel no limitations. The cows may dream of being lifeguards, the sheep astronauts and rock stars, a turkey wants to be a professional tennis player. Why not? So, the goal is to keep it simple, silly and fun.

Do you have another children’s book planned or more adventures for Ms. Brown Cow?

Well, the Blue Barn opening page has plenty of animals in the picture and every one of them has a story. So far, we have followed three groups. “How Now, Ms. Brown Cow?” follows the three cows on a quest of determination to get to the beach. “Elmer, the Pet Horse” follows a horse in his new home where he does not see why he isn’t accepted into the family home like the dog or the cat. “Rainbow Sheep” is a battle for the affections of children at a petting zoo where the sheep continually top each other with more audacious acts thinking it will make them more liked. So, I do plan more adventures for the other animals formally of the Blue Barn.

Tell us about the illustrations.

I think they tell much more of the story than the words do in these books. My books are narrated by the farm animals and the pictures often don’t really match what the animals are saying because they do not know the full story. They are unreliable narrators. I mean in my book “Elmer, The Pet Horse,” before the horse is bought by a new family, he thinks he is getting a corporate job as a foreman at the glue factory. He even imagines himself at some giant corporate office wearing a hard hat being all important.

How do you find the time to write? Any advice for aspiring book writers?

Like everybody else in the world, I really don’t have time to write, but I forced myself. The one piece of advice I would have for aspiring writers is:  just sit down and start your book. I meet people all the time that tell me about an idea they have for a book, but it’s just an idea until you start it. For me it was important to break it down into parts. Doing a whole book is overwhelming, but just trying to finish a page here and a page there is easy and before you know it, it’s done.

For more information on Peter Fowkes and his Beyond the Barn book series, visit his author’s page on www.amazon.com.

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The informal gardens at Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm

By JoAnn Canino

Documenting your garden by keeping a garden journal not only creates a complete record but also allows you to make informed decisions to improve your garden from season to season. Now is a good time to start a garden journal. It is a way of extending the joy we get from our gardens well into the winter months.

Keeping a journal can be as simple as making notations in a notebook as you make your daily rounds in the garden. I use a lined composition notebook for observations and an unlined sketchbook to make drawings. To organize my notes, sketches and research I use a loose-leaf binder divided into sections. Setting up the binder, include a pocket to save plant tags, seed packets and receipts. Use graph paper for sketching layouts of each bed.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden

Vita Sackville-West, a noted garden writer, and her husband, Harold Nelson, diplomat and journalist, designed the Sissinghurst Castle Garden in Kent, England. They suggested careful planning should begin with a detailed architectural drawing that includes plans for color and seasonal changes.

Make lists of plants you would like to try. Keep plant profiles: date planted, care instructions, watering and fertilizing schedules. Include sketches and photos. For the kitchen garden, keep a plant and seed tracker. Include seed sources, date planted and germination date. Note success rate and expected harvest yield. Details can be recorded in your notebook then transferred to index cards for easy reference. Track the weather from season to season: Note dates of frost this year as compared to last year. How many inches of rain actually fell? How many days of sunshine? Remember to add photos to document the changes.

Monticello vegetable garden

Thomas Jefferson, president, architect, scientist and gardener, kept detailed notes of his observations and activities in his “Garden Kalender.” He noted dates seeds were planted, harvest schedules and when the beds were manuered at his plantation in Monticello. His notes were as simple as, “Peas killed by frost. Oct. 23, 1809.” But Jefferson’s vegetable garden was set up for experimentation. He imported squashes and broccoli from Italy, beans and salsify collected by the Lewis and Clark expedition, figs from France and peppers from Mexico. Jefferson’s intention was to eliminate “inferior” varieties. “I am curious to select one or two of the best species or variety of every garden vegetable and to reject others from the garden to avoid the dangers of mixing and degeneracy,” he wrote.

Recording your experiences and observations will allow you to develop a greater awareness of the changes that occur from day to day and from season to season. Be open to discovery, use your senses to look closely at nature in your own backyard. Listen to sounds and look for patterns. Create a habitat for wintering wildlife. Put up a birdbath or a small pond. Plant native plants, mulch leaves and add bird feeders.

The Mount garden

If you are exploring different garden themes, it is helpful to have a section in the binder for pictures of gardens that inspire you as well as articles and research on the typical needs of each design. For example, a formal garden with groomed hedges and a balanced symmetry would follow an Italianate design. Edith Wharton’s garden, The Mount, in Lenox, Massachusetts, follows this formal plan. Her gardens were a source of inspiration for her writing.

Beatrix Potter at Hill Top Farm in the Lake District, England, followed the philosophy of William Morris of the Arts and Crafts Movement, which celebrated fine craftsmanship. While she had a separate walled vegetable garden, her beds and borders were informal.

She mixed hardy flowers with bulbs and fruit shrubs. As an artist and naturalist, she made detailed studies of the plants and animals on her farm. Her much loved “Tales of Peter Rabbit” have entertained many readers. Illustrations for her books were painted in her garden.

Between 1883 and 1897, Potter studied and painted mushrooms and lichens. Her paper, “On the Germination of the Spores of Agaricinae,” was based on these studies. Consider how you are a part of the ecosystem and let your garden be your inspiration for writing, drawing and discovery.

Autumn tips for your garden

•Take time to observe where the sunlight falls now.

• Fill any gaps in borders with autumn flowering plants such as sedum, asters and chrysanthemums.

• Continue to feed and deadhead the hanging baskets to extend the color.

• As the weather cools, bring indoor plants back inside.

• Refresh the soil and repot to avoid bringing insects inside.

• Select flowering bulbs: tulips, narcissi, hyacinths, iris, allium and fritillaries to plant as temperatures cool.

• Cut hydrangea flowers for fall table designs and wreaths.

JoAnn Canino is an avid journal writer and gardener and a member of the Three Village Garden Club.

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New England Clam Chowder

By Barbara Beltrami

If you’re wondering what the difference is between soup and chowder, don’t ask me. I have no idea, nor can I find anyone who knows. I do know they both are chunky mixtures with some featured ingredient usually enhanced by potatoes, celery and onions, sometimes cream, sometimes broth, often bacon and a few other veggies or herbs.

Most chowders I’ve come across emanate from New England, feature clams or local fish and are thick and creamy … except for Rhode Island’s which has a relatively clear broth and is full of the above-mentioned seafood as well as lots of diced veggies. Moving down the eastern seaboard we come to New York and its Manhattan clam chowder (which appalls New Englanders, by the way), which features tomatoes as well as lots of the potatoes and celery and generous sprinklings of thyme.

Then there is Maryland and its crab chowder. All this is not to say that chowders are indigenous to the east coast and middle Atlantic states. Further south chowders feature shrimp and other local products and across the continent it is hardly surprising to find salmon chowder from Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

What this tells us is that the best food comes from the nearby land and sea and that what is available is the engine that drives local and regional recipes. In the interests of geographic diversity I offer you New England Clam Chowder and Manhattan Clam Chowder. And some other time we’ll go into all the vegetarian versions of chowder … corn, bean, veggie, tofu … all of which corroborate my opening question. Really, what is the difference between soup and chowder?

All this is not to say that chowders are indigenous to the east coast and middle Atlantic states. Further south chowders feature shrimp and other local products and across the continent it is hardly surprising to find salmon chowder from Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

What this tells us is that the best food comes from the nearby land and sea and that what is available is the engine that drives local and regional recipes. In the interests of geographic diversity I offer you New England Clam Chowder, Manhattan Clam Chowder and Pacific Salmon Chowder. And some other time we’ll go into all the vegetarian versions of chowder…corn, bean, veggie, tofu…all of which corroborate my opening question. Really what is the difference between soup and chowder?

New England Clam Chowder

New England Clam Chowder

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 slices thick bacon, cut into thin strips crosswise

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium onions, diced

3 celery ribs with leaves, diced

4 cups clam broth

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

One whole bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup half-and-half or light cream

2 cups chopped cooked clams, preferably fresh

DIRECTIONS: Place a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, add bacon and cook until golden and just crisp. Remove pan from heat, drain bacon fat from pan, but leave bacon. Add butter to pan. Melt over low heat, add onions and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the pieces are opaque and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the clam broth, potatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper; cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes; discard bay leaf. Scoop 1½ cups of solids and ½ cup of liquid out of pot and transfer to food processor. Puree until smooth, then return to pot. Add cream and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in clams and serve immediately with saltines, oyster crackers or pilot crackers.

Manhattan Clam Chowder

Manhattan Clam Chowder

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 dozen cherrystone clams

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2½ cups diced onions

2 cups diced celery

1 cup diced carrots

One large clove garlic, minced

3 cups diced tomatoes

2½ cups dry white wine

3 cups peeled diced potatoes

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Place 3 cups water and clams in a large shallow pan; cover and cook over medium heat until clams open, 5 or 6 minutes. With tongs remove clams from pan and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain liquid several times through fine mesh sieve; set liquid aside. Place oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic and cook a few minutes until vegetables are slightly softened. Add tomatoes, 2½ cups of the clam broth, the wine, 4 cups water, the potatoes and herbs and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile remove clams from shells, dice, add to pot and simmer 3 to 5 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with saltines, oyster crackers or garlic bread.

Pacific Salmon Chowder

Pacific Salmon Chowder

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices bacon

½ cup diced onion

2 cups very hot fish broth

1 cup diced potatoes

1 pound fresh salmon, skinned, boned and cubed

2 cups hot milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

DIRECTIONS: In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp. Remove and crumble; set aside. Saute onion until tender in remaining bacon fat. Gently and carefully pour in hot fish broth and potatoes and cook over low heat until potatoes are tender. Add salmon and cook until tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Add milk, reserved bacon, salt, pepper and herbs and gently reheat. Serve with buttered pumpernickel toast and cucumber salad.

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'Bones' by Rachel Goldsmith, Half Hollow Hills High School

Just in time for Halloween, the Huntington Arts Council will present its annual Nightmare on Main Street, a student art exhibit that opens Oct. 13 at the Main Street Gallery and runs through Nov. 4.

Long Island students in grades 6 to 12 were asked to submit artwork that was inspired by the story telling narrative of Halloween. Horror films, legends and comics surrounding Halloween allow people to embrace a side of themselves that is considered dark and strange.

‘Complexion’ by Jenna Hart, Harborfields High School

The exhibit was juried by Jason Stuart, whose work is mainly illustrations with india ink and brush, which he finds the perfect medium to translate his macabre ideas into reality. The owner of Poppycock Productions, which produces storybooks, Tarot cards and comic books, Stuart is currently showing at Ripe Art Gallery in Huntington.

“I found everything to be done with great spirit and effort on everyone’s part. I was looking for a combination of skill, imagination, originality and passion put into the work,” said Stuart of his selections for the exhibit.

Twenty-seven students were selected as finalists including Danielle Christian, Daniela Crimi, Julia Davi, Madeline Franz, Brandon Fuerstein, Luke Gelfman, Rachel Goldsmith, Alexandria Goodman, Olivia Greiss, Ilyssa Halbreich, Ashlin Hanley, Jenna Hart, Ben Herbert, Princeton Huang, Leilani Kaiser, Emily Kubrick, Carra Lanigan, Bryan Lee, Christopher McCartney, Meghan Monahan, Chiori Negishi, Kenya Pinos, Yusef Rahimzada, Mehr Sharma, Lily Shumsky, Katelynn Sinnott and Ashley Zhang.

Prizes are valued at $75 each and will be awarded in two categories: Senior Division (grades 9-12) and Junior Division (grades 6-8).

‘Hip Medusa’ by Madeline Franz, Stimson Middle School

“We are excited to once again present Nightmare on Main Street student art exhibit. This show is now in its 6th year and as popular as ever. The scope of talent is remarkable,” said Executive Director Marc Courtade.

In celebration of the exhibit, a costume party reception will be held at the gallery on Friday, Oct. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for best costume and refreshments will be served. This is a free event, and all are welcome to attend.

The Huntington Arts Council’s Main Street Gallery, 213 Main St., Huntington is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, call 631-271-8423 or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

All images courtesy of Huntington Arts Council

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Above, Cairo. There are an estimated 600 military dogs on active duty right now in Afghanistan and Iraq.

By Matthew Kearns, DVM

I recently watched the movie “Megan Leavey” and realized that although recent events have forced many Americans to take sides on loyalty to First Amendment rights versus loyalty to the flag (as it stands for the sacrifice the military, police and rescue services make on our behalf), one belief is united: Man’s best friend has always been there for us, especially in times of war.

A quick review of dogs in the military reveals that their use goes as far back as the Egyptians (as seen in ancient murals) for both offensive and defensive purposes. The ancient Greeks, Romans, Attila the Hun, Spanish conquistadors, Napoleon and Frederick the Great all used dogs during times of war. These war dogs were unleashed on their enemies, used to guard prisoners and even to carry packs with supplies and messages.

In World War I dogs were used by the Germans to help the wounded on the battlefield. The Sanitatshunde, or “sanitary dogs” would head out onto battlefields in search of wounded soldiers. These brave dogs not only carried water and medical supplies to the wounded but also returned and guided soldiers to their injured comrades. One of the most famous American dogs, Rin Tin Tin, was actually rescued from a German training kennel by an American soldier at the end of the war.

The United States started incorporating dogs into the military services beginning in World War II. In 1942, the American Kennel Club and private citizens (including breeders and trainers) established the Dogs for Defense (DFD) organization. Later that year, the DFD was taken over by the U.S. Army Quartermaster. The dogs in the DFD were initially used for domestic sentry duty, but their role was quickly expanded to search and rescue, hauling, scouting and carrying messages. By 1944, thousands of military service dogs were used in the islands of the South Pacific and across Europe to help turn the tide of the war.

During the Korean War military dogs and handlers would routinely lead patrols to alert the troops of the possible presence of the enemy. This was expanded during the Vietnam War into what were termed Combat Tracking Teams (CTT).

The CTT consisted of a military dog, handler, team leader, visual tracker and radio operator. The job of this special unit was to make contact with the enemy, as well as detect any recent enemy activity in the area. Around this time the military also realized the canine’s sensitive sense of smell could be used for more than detecting the enemy. In 1971, programs were developed to teach military dogs to detect both bomb materials and narcotics. After the war U.S. Customs found these drug-sniffing dogs invaluable.

As recently as 2011 a military dog named Cairo (in photo above) was used in the SEAL team Operation Neptune Spear (which was responsible for killing Osama bin Laden). Today, military dogs are used in all capacities previously described. There are an estimated 600 military dogs on active duty right now in Afghanistan and Iraq. So, let’s tip our hats to these true American heroes.

Dr. Kearns practices veterinary medicine from his Port Jefferson office and is pictured with his son Matthew and his dog Jasmine.

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