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A scene from the NSGC's 2019 Flower Show. Photo from Leighton Coleman III
A scene from the NSGC's 2019 Flower Show. Photo from Leighton Coleman III
A scene from the NSGC's 2019 Flower Show. Photo from Leighton Coleman III
A scene from the NSGC's 2019 Flower Show. Photo from Leighton Coleman III
A scene from the NSGC's 2019 Flower Show. Photo from Leighton Coleman III

By Tara Mae

The allure of foliage and other flora is an alchemy of fanciful imagination, artistic interpretation, and scientific intuition. Such traditions, planted a century ago, will bloom with a renewed vision at the North Suffolk Garden Club’s (NSGC) annual garden show, “Sands of Time,” at Deepwells Mansion, 2 Taylor Street in St. James on Wednesday, June 7, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., and Thursday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Members of the NSGC will be joined by different garden clubs from Long Island and around the country, including the Kettle Moraine Garden Club, whose members primarily hail from Waukesha County, Wisconsin. 

Generally affiliated with the umbrella organization, Garden Club of America (GCA), all participating garden clubs will showcase their horticultural aptitude with a variety of individual and collaborative creations. As a juried show, entrees will be assessed by a panel of three GCA approved judges. 

Featuring between 30 and 50 horticulture exhibits (plants and cuttings), approximately 12 floral exhibits, and a miniatures exhibit (tiny floral arrangement done in diminutive dimensions), “Sands of Time” is a testament to the NSGC’s robust history of industry and ingenuity.  

“We are celebrating our 100th year with this centennial flower show as a way to display our abilities in horticulture, floral design, and photography,” flower show committee co-chair Deanna Muro said. “Our show is based on the history of our club…We picked a historic venue, Deepwells, to set a really nice stage for all our different displays relating to the history of the club and this area.” 

With four distinct categories, Floral Design, Horticulture, Photography, and Education, the display explores how NSGC’s growth and development is reflected in the evolution of its surroundings. Every category has different classes that are a tribute and testament to the nature of life and budding environmental awareness in the 1920s.

“Each flower show must include an educational component. ‘Sands of Time’ focuses on 100 years of conservation, which has always been the root of the garden club. In the 1920s or 1930s, women of the NSGC, carrying their parasols and dressed in their finery, sailed down the Nissequogue River to draw attention to runoff and other water pollution. One of the classes is a floral homage to those parasols,” NSGC president Leighton Coleman III said. 

From its inception, conservation was a primary concern of NSGC. Established at the onset of widespread automotive culture, the club quickly recognized its environmental hazards: air pollution, littering, disruption of natural plant and animal habitats, etc. 

Thus, over the years NSGC has addressed issues both aesthetic and atmospheric, like  battling to ban roadside billboards; preserving scenic views and open spaces; promoting the plight of endangered waterways as it seeks to preserve them; highlighting the vulnerabilities of wildlife dependent on native plants; and creating community gardens.  

Hosting this year’s event at Deepwells is itself an homage to this fertile history. It was the summer home of William Jay Gaynor, mayor of New York City from 1910-1913, and his wife Augusta Cole Mayer Gaynor, an avid gardener whose scrapbooks and other belongings will be present in the exhibition. 

Intricately intertwined with the local cultural, climate, and communal past, NSGC was founded in 1923 by Smithtown residents. Accepted as an official member of the GCA in 1931, NSGC gained further prominence shortly after World War II when the club’s successful victory gardens and canning kitchens earned it government recognition. 

Cited then as a club that others should emulate, NSGC’s membership base continues to strive for such excellence. Over the decades, through education and community outreach, it supported the successful effort to save the 500-acre Blydenburgh Park and amplified the importance of the Pine Barrens legislation in the 1980s. More recently, NSGC collaborated with the Stony Brook Yacht Club to restore the Stony Brook Harbor oyster beds.  

Gardeners of NSGC are devoted to furthering its efforts in ecology and conservationism with the varied crop of projects it nurtures throughout the year. “Sands of Time” is just one element of the group’s ongoing effort to advance its original mission of conservationism as it engages the public in ecological and environmental awareness. 

“We want to get people interested in gardening, conservation, and things associated with that, like indigenous plants, including pollinators,” Coleman said. “Our history of being involved in ecology dates back to the beginning of the club, starting with the development of auto culture in the 1920s, then expanding in the 1960s with revved up interest in ecology, dealing with pesticides, urban sprawl and development, and promoting habitat for endangered animals and parks.” 

NSGC strives to promulgate such interests through its community outreach endeavors including maintaining the Long Island Museum’s herb garden and championing conservation and environmental endeavors on the local as well as national level. 

“We are looking forward to letting the public know what we do and giving an idea of the importance of garden clubs…the flower show basically gives you an introduction of what the garden club does and a sense of community,” Rockwell-Gifford said. 

The club currently consists of approximately 55 individuals, including retirees and professionals, many of whom are second or third generation members.  

“I love all of the friendships I have made joining the garden club…Members are a dynamic mosaic — a real kaleidoscope of personalities. We welcome new people to join us,” Coleman III said. 

“Sands of Time” is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.northsuffolkgardenclub.org. 

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Pixabay photo

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Our assumptions about alcohol and health are complicated and often wrong. Many of you may have heard that Europeans who drink wine regularly live longer because of this. Or that only heavy drinkers need to be concerned about long-term health impacts. Would it surprise you to hear that both assumptions have been studied extensively?

Alcohol is one of the most widely used over-the-counter drugs, and yet there is still confusion over whether it benefits or harms to your health. The short answer: it depends on your circumstances, including your family history and consideration of diseases you are at high risk of developing, including cancers, heart disease and stroke.

Alcohol and cancer risk

The National Cancer Institute notes that alcohol is listed as a known carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services (1). Among the research it details, it lists head and neck, esophageal, breast, liver and colorectal cancers as key cancer risks that are increased by alcohol consumption. Of these, esophageal and breast cancer risks are increased with even light drinking. Let’s look more closely at some of the research on breast cancer risk that supports this.

A meta-analysis of 113 studies found there was an increased risk of breast cancer with daily alcohol consumption (2). The increase was a modest, but statistically significant, four percent, and the effect was seen at one drink or fewer a day. The authors warned that women who are at high risk of breast cancer should not drink alcohol or should drink it only occasionally.

It was also shown in the Nurses’ Health Study that drinking three to six glasses a week increased the risk of breast cancer modestly over a 28-year period (3). This study involved over 100,000 women. Even a half-glass of alcohol was associated with a 15 percent elevated risk of invasive breast cancer. The risk was dose-dependent, meaning the more participants drank in a day, the greater their risk increase. In this study, there was no difference in risk by type of alcohol consumed, whether wine, beer or liquor.

Based on what we think we know, if you are going to drink, a drink a few times a week may have the least impact on breast cancer. According to an accompanying editorial, alcohol may work by increasing the levels of sex hormones, including estrogen, and we don’t know if stopping diminishes this effect (4).

Alcohol and stroke risk

On the positive side, the Nurses’ Health Study demonstrated a decrease in the risk of both ischemic (caused by clots) and hemorrhagic (caused by bleeding) strokes with low to moderate amounts of alcohol (5). This analysis involved over 83,000 women. Those who drank less than a half-glass of alcohol daily were 17 percent less likely than nondrinkers to experience a stroke. Those who consumed one-half to one-and-a-half glasses a day had a 23 percent decreased risk of stroke, compared to nondrinkers. 

However, women who consumed more experienced a decline in benefits, and drinking three or more glasses daily resulted in a non-significant increased risk of stroke. The reasons for alcohol’s benefits in stroke have been postulated to involve an anti-platelet effect (preventing clots) and increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Patients should not drink alcohol solely to get stroke protection benefits.

If you’re looking for another option to achieve the same benefits, an analysis of the Nurses’ Health Study recently showed that those who consumed more citrus fruits had approximately a 19 percent reduction in stroke risk (6). The citrus fruits used most often in this study were oranges and grapefruits. Note that grapefruit may interfere with medications such as Plavix (clopidogrel), a commonly used antiplatelet medication used to prevent strokes (7).

Alcohol and heart attack risk

In the Health Professionals follow-up study, there was a substantial decrease in the risk of death after a heart attack from any cause, including heart disease, in men who drank moderate amounts of alcohol compared to those who drank more and those who were non-drinkers (8). Those who drank less than one glass daily experienced a 22 percent risk reduction, while those who drank one-to-two glasses saw a 34 percent risk reduction. The authors mention that binge drinking negates any benefits.

What’s the conclusion?

Moderation is the key. It is important to remember that alcohol is a drug, and it does have side effects, including insomnia. The American Heart Association recommends that women drink up to one glass a day of alcohol. I would say that less is more. To achieve the stroke benefits and avoid increased breast cancer risk, half a glass of alcohol per day may work for women. For men, up to two glasses daily counts as moderate, though one glass showed significant general health benefits. 

If you choose to forgo alcohol, the good news is that there is a growing variety of non-alcoholic beverages entering the market and increasing in popularity.

References:

(1) cancer.gov. (2) Alc and Alcoholism. 2012;47(3)3:204–212. (3) JAMA. 2011;306:1884-1890. (4) JAMA. 2011;306(17):1920-1921. (5) Stroke. 2012;43:939–945. (6) Stroke. 2012;43:946–951. (7) Medscape.com. (8) Eur Heart J. Published online March 28, 2012.

Dr. David 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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Halle Bailey stars as 'The Little Mermaid'. Photo courtesy of Disney

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

Live-action adaptations of Disney cartoons have become commonplace. Cinderella, Aladdin, Dumbo, Mulan, Peter Pan and Wendy, and The Lion King have been reviewed in this paper. Unfortunately, the results have been predominantly tepid. 

The Little Mermaid (1989) remains the gold standard for the cartoon musicals of Disney’s animated renaissance. Written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the film was funny, imaginative, and beautifully designed. The Alan Menken – Howard Ashman songs remain the strongest in the Disney canon, and the film received two Academy Awards: Best Original Score and Best Original Song (“Under the Sea”). The first-rate voice talent included Jodi Benson (Ariel), Christopher Daniel Barnes (Prince Eric), Pat Carroll (Ursula), Kenneth Mars (King Triton), and Samuel E. Wright (Sebastian, the crab). The film became the first animated feature to earn over $100 million.

The 2008 Broadway musical, with a book by Douglas Wright, limped through a year-and-a-half run but found more success in regional, community, and school productions. In 2019, The Wonderful World of Disney broadcast The Little Mermaid Live, an interesting hybrid, where the film was projected and interwoven with live musical performances.

The source for the various Mermaids is Hans Christian Andersen’s 1836 Danish fairy tale. No incarnation considers the tale’s more serious elements, which focus on the nature of the soul building to a moral of redemption. Andersen’s tale ends with the mermaid’s death and ultimate spiritual transcendence, reflecting a more religious denouement. The Disney interpretation is far more prosaic, focusing on earthly love based on (mostly) physical attraction, and struggles to find a message of empowerment. The narrative is one of sacrificing everything—including your voice—for the love of a man you do not know.

Now Broadway director-choreographer Rob Marshall (who helmed the first-rate Chicago film) directs David Magee’s live-action adaptation, a revision of the Clements-Musker screenplay, swollen to 135 minutes, a full 52 minutes over the 1998 running time. The extended length is the major cavil in an otherwise effective film.

Javier Bardem as King Triton. Photo courtesy of Disney

Once again, Ariel is one of the seven daughters of Triton, ruler of the sea. She is fascinated by the world above: “I wanna be where the people are,” sings Ariel in the anthem “Part of Your World.” She becomes entranced by Prince Eric, who she sees onboard a ship that runs afoul of a storm. She saves him, falling in love with the handsome young man. When her father learns of her feelings, his rage drives him to destroy her collection of human artifacts. Distraught, Ariel makes a deal with Ursula, the sea witch. In exchange for her voice, Ariel will be given legs and three days to make Eric fall in love and kiss her. If she fails, she becomes a prize addition to the sea witch’s nightmarish garden.

The story follows the earlier version, with additional background and minor adjustments. It is twenty-one years since the royal family rescued Eric from a shipwreck. Unlike his late adopted father, the king, Eric wants to be a ruler for and among the people and venture beyond the island. In addition, there is a clear suspicion between the land and sea dwellers. The queen is vocal in her distrust of the “sea gods.” Both communities blame the other for the damage of shipwrecks. The political overtones resulting from this friction is  lost for most of the film, only to return at the end. 

A scene from ‘The Little Mermaid’. Photo courtesy of Disney

A scene in the marketplace demonstrates the joy of legs/feet/dancing (and an opportunity for a cameo by original Ariel Benson). Additionally, Ursula is Triton’s younger sister, upping the revenge quotient. One major—and welcomed change: as part of the spell, Ariel forgets that she must kiss Eric. This enables a more organic growth of their love. 

Most of the new Mermaid follows the original, often shot-for-shot, and here it succeeds best. The shortcomings are few: Truncating both “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and “Kiss the Girl” is disappointing, and the few new songs (written with Lin-Manuel Miranda) add little. The creation of Ariel’s crab, bird, and fish cohorts have an odd flatness, but eventually one gets used to them.

Marshall makes the musical highlight, “Under the Sea,” less whimsical but joyous in a new way. The director utilized Alvin Ailey dancers as templates for creating this photoreal experience. (Much of the film hovers between Jacques Cousteau and CGI.)

Scuttle (voiced by Awkafina), Flounder (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) and Ariel (Halle Bailey), in a scene from the film. Photo courtesy of Disney

Halle Bailey is a luminous Ariel. With a beautiful voice and a knowing presence, she elevates and dimensionalizes the mermaid. Whether singing or just communicating with her eyes, each moment and every gesture ring true. She is a worthy addition to the pantheon of princesses. Jonah Hauer-King makes for a pleasant, if mild, Prince Eric. Given the strength of Bailey’s Ariel, this seems intentional. Melissa McCarthy, channeling Pat Carroll, is a triumph, perfectly balancing traditional Disney villainy with contemporary side comments. Javier Bardem appropriately broods as Ariel’s frustrated father, lending a Tevye quality to his Triton. 

Noma Dumezweni, as the newly introduced Queen Selina, seems like a benign refugee from Bridgerton; however, Dumezweni is a strong actor and brings warmth and strength to her limited role. Art Malik humanizes Grimsby, Eric’s keeper and confidant. Daveed Diggs’ delightful Sebastian offers a less neurotic but highly entertaining crab. Awkwafina finds a new and fun approach to the chatterbox Scuttle, no longer a seagull but a diving bird. Special mention goes to Jessica Alexander, whose brief appearance as Vanessa, Ursula’s human alter ego, easily shifts from charming to maniacal. 

From the pastoral underwater opening to the Clash of the Titans climax, The Little Mermaid does what few Disney remakes have done: it rightfully earns a place next to its dazzling original. Rated PG, the film is now playing in local theaters.

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Over the last ten years, NVIDIA’s shares have risen more than ten thousand percent, the best performance of any company in the S & P 500 over that period.

By Michael E. Russell

Michael E. Russell

As we start off summer with a beautiful Memorial Day weekend I think back to the many sacrifices of the men and women who served in our Armed Forces. They fought to defend our freedom and defeat tyranny all over the globe.  I especially think about my father-in-law, Dr. Sherman Mills, who served in Europe during WWII.  

Dr. Mills was a D-Day surgeon who survived Normandy and the march into Germany. Upon discharge he came home to Long Island and worked as a physician in Port Jefferson, attending to patients in his office, at their homes and at St. Charles and J.T. Mather Memorial Hospital; a man of the greatest generation. Papa, you are missed. 

Well, how is your money doing? For those of you who have followed my articles over the past year, I repeatedly spoke of the company NVIDIA. Ring a bell? NVIDIA invents the GPU and advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI), HPC, gaming, creative design, autonomous vehicles and robotics.  Their stock was trading at $122 on October 14, 2022. It closed this past Friday at $389.46.  This past Wednesday the stock surged by $81, an increase of 29% in one day.

NVIDIA’s remarkable increase in value represents the emergence of a new American corporate giant. Its market value is now more than $1 trillion. It now joins the likes of Apple, Microsoft and Amazon. Over the last ten years, NVIDIA’s shares have risen more than ten thousand percent, the best performance of any company in the S & P 500 over that period. Incredible numbers, but here are some other numbers to look at.

Tesla, at its peak in November 2021, was up 19,000 percent over the prior 10 years.  However, ten thousand percentage points of that gain have disappeared as reality has hit home. NVIDIA, as well as other semi-conductor companies, are in a remarkably lucrative spot in our technology ecosystem.  Their silicon chips are in high demand, whether it be cloud-computing, crypto, or, God help us, AI.  

Is the horse out of the barn or is it still a place to invest? Just remember, pigs get slaughtered. For those of you who own this stock, it may be wise to take some money off the table or put in some stop–losses.  

As I write this it appears that house speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden may have a debt ceiling deal after we had to worry about a potential U.S. Treasury default for the first time in history. McCarthy still has to convince the hard-liners in his caucus that this is a viable budget. We will know by June 5th. The American people have been tolerant of the shenanigans of our elected officials in Washington, but a default would be political suicide for many of these clowns!

Back to AI:  the more I learn, the more concern I have. Two weeks ago, Sam Altman, the chief executive of the San Francisco startup OpenAI, testified before members of a Senate sub-committee and spoke to the need for regulating the increasingly powerful AI technology being created by others like Google and Microsoft. In addition, Geoffrey Hinton, who is considered the Artificial Intelligence pioneer, spoke to the inherent dangers of AI. He made many bold statements, including his regrets for his life’s work. Wow! Major concerns include generative AI, which is already a tool for misinformation. He also considers AI a potential risk to all mankind. Stay tuned.  

On a positive note, it appears that the banking fiasco has abated for now. The major money center banks have stabilized the markets by buying up assets of smaller banks. In the meantime, Janet Yellen and Jerome Powell appear to be lost in the forest without a compass.  

Once again readers, if you are looking for stability, Treasury yields on the 2-year bill are approaching 5%. With inflation slowing somewhat, not a bad place to put some money. Until next time.

Michael E. Russell retired after 40 years working for various Wall Street firms. All recommendations being made here are not guaranteed and may incur a loss of principal. The opinions and investment recommendations expressed in the column are the author’s own. TBR News Media does not endorse any specific investment advice and urges investors to consult with their financial advisor. 

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A CELEBRATION OF INVENTION The 6th annual Makers Faire Long Island heads to Port Jefferson on June 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. File photo by Kyle Barr/TBR News Media
Thursday June 1

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will host Scott Chaskey, poet-farmer and pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for a presentation of his latest memoir, Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life at 7 p.m. Chaskey will share a life in verse, agriculture, and ecology. Tickets are $10, free for members at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.     

Friday June 2

First Friday at the Heckscher

The Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington continues its First Friday series tonight from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Explore the exhibitions during extended viewing hours and enjoy a special performance by Gail Storm at 7 p.m. Free admission.  631-380-3230

Saturday June 3

Super Cruisers Car Show

Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, 430 Sheep Pasture Rd., Port Jefferson will host the 2nd annual AHEPA Chapter 319 Port Jefferson Car Show with the Super Cruisers Nostalgia Car Club from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast and lunch available. Free admission for spectators. 516-885-7445. 

Community Yard & Craft Sale

Rescheduled from May 20. St. Cuthbert’s Episcopal Church, 18 Magnolia Place, Selden presents its first Community Yard & Craft Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with antiques, clothing, crafts of all kinds, crystals, jewelry, home decor, yard sale items, Mary Kay and more. 631-732-8773.

Community Yard/Vendor Sale

Time to shop! Setauket United Methodist Church, 160 Main St., Setauket hosts a Community Yard and Vendor Sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come shop for unique treasures and new merchandise. 631-751-7375.

Scientists in the Community

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum‘s Reichert Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Rd, Centerport will host a Scientists in the Community event from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Join scientists from Brookhaven Lab as they discuss the wonders of the universe at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Take a turn with hands-on experiences that show the different weights in different planetary gravities, explore craters of the moon, and more! Free. To reserve your spot, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Art in the Park

After a three-year hiatus, the Art League of Long Island’s Art in the Park returns to Huntington’s Heckscher Park, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington today and June 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with fine arts, crafts, vendors, music, food and art demonstrations. Free admission. 631-462-5400 

Maker Faire Long Island

Long Island Explorium hosts its 6th annual Maker Faire Long Island at Harborfront Park, 101 E. Broadway,  Port Jefferson from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A celebration of creativity and innovation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math, the event will feature over 100 makers with exciting exhibits and performances, including a demonstration of blacksmithing techniques, Ray’s Robots and the return of the popular Saber Guild Endor temple. Tickets are available in advance at www.longisland.makerfaire.com or at the door. 631-331-3277

Spring Street Fair

Farmingdale Fire Department will host a Spring Street Fair along Main Street from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with vendors, bonsai exhibit, fire department open house, medieval times demonstration and more. Rain date June 10. 516-249-3710.

PUBlic Art Crawl

Huntington Chamber of Commerce presents the 3rd annual Huntington PUlic Art Crawl from noon to 5 p.m. Featuring live mural painting, live music, Art Fair and the launch of a summer music series, Summer in the Streets. Plus, specials and discounts at the best eateries and pubs in town. 631-423-6100

Library Summer Kickoff

Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a Summer Kickoff from 2 to 4 p.m.  Enjoy, crafts, farm animals, a mobile makerspace demo, and much more! No registration necessary. 631-928-1212

Whales Ales & Salty Tales

The Whaling Museum, 301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor hosts its annual Whales, Ales & Salty Tales fundraiser from 2 to 5 p.m. The indoor/outdoor event features craft brew tastings from local breweries, scrimshaw crafts, museum tours, whaleboat chats, Ales Tales in the workshop and live music. Tickets are $40, $15 designated driver at the door or at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. 631-367-3418

Second Saturdays concert

All Souls Church, 61 Main Street, Stony Brook continues its Saturdays at Six concert series with a performance by classical guitarist Francisco Roldán at 6 p.m. Program will include music from Argentina (Morel, Piazzolla), Cuba (Brouwer), Colombia (Roldán), The Dominican Republic (Landestoy), Paraguay (Barrios), Puerto Rico (Cordero) and Venezuela (Figueredo, Montes). Free. 631-655-7798

A Psychic Evening

Celebrate St. James hosts an evening with Jason Donegan, The Psychic Godfather, at the St. James Calderone Theater, 176 Second St., St. James at 7 p.m. Each guest will be addressed individually and when a question is asked, will receive a Spirit message. Tickets are $45, $40 members and seniors. To order, visit www.celebratestjames.org. 631-984-0201.

Sunday June 4

Art in the Park

See June 3 listing.

St. James Car Show

Long Island Cars will host a “Super Swap Sunday” Car Show at Flowerfield Fairgrounds, Route 25A, St. James from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring street rods, classics, muscle cars, antiques, imports and cars of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s along with vendors, food and entertainment. Admission is $10, free for ages 11 and under. Rain date is June 11. 631-567-5898, www.longislandcars.com

Smithtown Festival Day

The Greater Smithtown Chamber of Commerce presents Smithtown Festival Day along Main Street in Smithtown from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy craft and business vendors, music, face painting, karate demonstrations and live performances. Free admission 631-979-8069, www.smithtownchamber.com

Thai Fair

Vajiradhammapadip Buddhist Temple, 110 Rustic Road, Centereach hosts a Thai Fair from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. with crafts and food. Thai music and dance show starts at 12;30 p.m. $5 admission fee, children 12 and under free. 631-471-8006.

Spring Festival of Gardens Tour

The Huntington Historical Society presents the Spring Festival of Gardens Tour from noon to 4 p.m. Come spend a day enjoying some of Huntington’s gorgeous gardens during this self-guided tour to delight and inspire you. And don’t miss refreshments and the Society’s popular plant sale at the historical Kissam property, 434 Park Avenue, Huntington. Tickets are $50 per person, $40 for members, $55 day of the event, if available. 631-427-7045, www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org

Tribute to Jean Sorbera

Theatre Three , 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Throwing You a Kiss: Remembering Jean, a tribute to the extraordinary life and legacy of Jean Sorbera, resident choreographer for over two decades, on the Mainstage at 7:30 p.m. Jean’s work spanned hundreds of productions in theatres and schools across Long Island. The evening will celebrate her exceptional work and a heart that touched literally thousands of lives. The event is free and will also be streamed live. 631-928-9100

Monday June 5

No events listed for this day.

Tuesday June 6

No events listed for this day.

Wednesday June 7

Centennial Flower Show

Deepwells Mansion, 2 Taylor Lane, St. James hosts a Centenial Flower show, “Sands of Time,” by the North Suffolk Garden Club today from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and June 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local members as well as members from sister GCA Garden Clubs will be displaying their talents in horticulture, flower arrangement and photography in this juried show. Free admission. www.northsuffolkgardenclub.org. See story on page B15.

Shibori Dyeing Workshop

Huntington Historical Society hosts a Shibori Dyeing Workshop at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Shibori dying is a thousand-year-old process from Japan that is the combination of origami and tie dye. Learn different folding and indigo dying techniques like kanoko, miura and kumo to create stunning pieces. Participants will be given four squares of fabric to practice and will have  a choice of using a light cotton scarf or pillow for their project. $55 per person, $50 members. Register at www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org. 631-427-7045, ext. 401

Thursday June 8

Centennial Flower Show

See June 7 listing.

Whaling Museum lecture

Join the Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor for a virtual lecture titled Gender at Sea at 7 p.m. Explore the intricacies of gender among the crews of whaling and sailing ships. Discover hidden stories and historical photos of women secretly dressed as male mariners, as well as surprising tales of sailors who posed as gals for lighthearted entertainment for their crewmembers. Suggested donation $10. Register at www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.                        

Film

‘Her’

As part of its Science on Screen® series, the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington presents From ‘Her’ to Here: ChatGPT & the New Age of AI Companionship on June 3 at 7 p.m. The event will feature a screening of Her starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson (rated R) followed by a lecture and Q&A with Anthony Zador, MD, PhD, and Kyle Daruwalla of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Tickets are $15, $10 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Theater

‘The Sound of Music’

The John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is The Sound of Music from May 18 to July 2. The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. 

‘Something Rotten!’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage productions with Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24.  Living in the shadow of Renaissance rock star The Bard, two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being to thine own self be true—and all that jazz! Contains adult humor and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. 

‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’

The Carriage House Players continue their 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Two Gentlemen of Verona from June 4 to 30. Young Valentine travels to Milan to find his fortune, but instead falls for the fair Silvia, daughter of the Duke. His world is turned upside down when his best friend, Proteus, abandons his love, Julia, in Verona to woo Silvia for himself. With a pair of bumbling servants and a dog, it’s a lively Shakespearean comedy about the complexities of love, lust, and friendship. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 E. Main St., Port Jefferson presents (Mostly) True Things, a game wrapped in a storytelling show that features true stories with a twist on the theme Out Loud in honor of Pride month, on June 10 at 7 p.m. This show features 4 true stories but 3 of them include subtle little lies. In the second act, the audience questions the storytellers, then votes for the person they think told it straight. Winners get a tote bag, and the whole truth about each story is shared before the end of the evening. Storytellers will include Jude Treder-Wolff, Calvin Cato, Jamie Brickhouse, Rosemary Flanagan and Rev. Yunus Coldman. Tickets are $20 online at Eventbrite or $25 at the door (cash only). Visit www.mostlytruethings.com for more info.

‘Princess Ida’

Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St. Smithtown hosts a performance of Princess Ida, the classic comic opera by Gilbert & Sullivan, on June 17 at 8 p.m. Presented in an all-new production by the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island, the opera follows Princess Ida who has fled an arranged marriage to the son of King Hildebrand and instead sets up a college for women, where she teaches the then-unthinkable principles of women’s rights and equality for all, regardless of rank, gender, wealth or nationality. Featuring a 23-piece orchestra.  June 17 at 8 p.m.  $30, seniors and students $25.  Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 East Main Street, (516) 619-7415; www.gaslocoli.org.

Class Reunions

•Hauppauge High School Class of 1978 will hold its 45th reunion on July 22, 2023 with a reunion party on July 21 and a reunion picnic on July 23. For details, email [email protected].

•Ward Melville High School Class of 1973 will hold its 50th reunion at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket on Sept. 9, 2023 from 6 to 11 p.m. For ticket information, contact Tibo Dioguardi at [email protected].

•Save the date! Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17, 2024. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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Nathan Lane and Robin Williams in a scene from 'The Birdcage'

By Tara Mae

Time to fly the coop and settle in at Theatre Three’s Second Stage for St. George Living History Productions’ next interactive talk, “The Making of The Birdcage.”  

On Tuesday, May 30, at 12:30 p.m., award-winning playwright and lecturer Sal St. George will guide the audience on a behind-the-scenes tour of the 1996 modern classic, with anecdotes, trivia, insights, and movie clips making cameo appearances. 

Featuring complimentary refreshments, cookies, and other treats as well as a Q&A session, “The Making of The Birdcage” invites its patrons to enjoy the presentation as an immersive experience. 

“It is LecturTainment at its best. It’s a combination lecture and entertainment package. My goal is to help you learn while you laugh, that is the magic I try to create,” said St. George.  

Starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane, The Birdcage is an acclaimed American remake of La Cages aux Folles (1978). Directed by Mike Nichols, the film chronicles the comedic calamities that befall a gay cabaret owner and his drag queen partner as they try to impress the ultra conservative parents of their son’s fiancée. 

It launched the film career of Lane, renowned for his theater work, and solidified Williams’ chameleon-like ability to embody a variety of characters. Further spotlighted by its stacked roster of supporting actors, this film was a box office smash hit and remains a crowd-pleaser today.

“This was Nathan Lane’s first film. He and Robin Williams bonded immediately…This [cast] is a winning combination of talent,” said Sal St. George. “The Birdcage is a modern day classic that will be enjoyed 20 years, 50 years, and 100 years from now simply because it boasts a brilliant script, superb direction, and memorable performances.” 

Highlighting, exploring, and understanding such talent is a founding tenet of St. George Living History Productions, which provides a sort of showbiz curriculum about Hollywood of yore and yesterday, including lectures, events, and virtual tours of entertainment museums. 

“During our programs we never talk down to audiences; we are informative, educational and entertaining. I think that is what is appealing to them,” added St. George, who runs St. George Living History Productions with his wife Mary, son Darren and daughter-in-law Cassandra.

Such care and consideration is in part what inspired the collaboration between the production company and Theatre Three, which was conceptualized when Darren reached out to Executive Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel. 

“Sal’s events are so incredibly well-curated. His translation of detailed research into engaging entertainment is unique. He has a way of finding new takes on any topic he selects,” Sanzel said. “We hope this is the first of many events like this with St. George Productions.”

Although this latest installment of St. George’s lecture series is the first partnership with Theatre Three, St. George and Sanzel have previously collaborated on other projects, including earlier incarnations of Port Jefferson’s annual Charles Dickens Festival. 

“I have lectured from Long Island to San Diego; it was time to bring my programs to the patrons of Theatre Three and the Port Jefferson community,” said St. George.

Theatre Three is located at 412 Main St., Port Jefferson. Tickets for “The Making of Birdcage” are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors and veterans, and $20 for groups of eight or more people. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. Group sales may be made by emailing [email protected]. 

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ETFs can diversify your portfolio.

By Michael Christodoulou

Michael Christodoulou

Mutual funds offer investors a chance to own shares in dozens of companies, as well as bonds, government securities and other investments. But you might be able to broaden your portfolio further by owning another type of fund — an exchange-traded fund (ETF).

An ETF, like a mutual fund, can own an array of investments, including stocks, bonds and other securities. Many ETFs are passively managed in that they track the performance of a specific index, such as the S&P 500. In this respect, they differ from most mutual funds, which tend to be actively managed — that is, the fund managers are free to buy and sell individual securities within the fund.

Another difference between ETFs and mutual funds is that ETFs are traded like stocks, so shares are bought and sold throughout the day based on the current market price, whereas mutual funds are traded just once a day, at a price calculated at the end of the trading day. Whether this ability to make intra-day trades is meaningful to you will likely depend on how active you are in managing your own investments.

For some people, the main attraction of ETFs is their tax advantages. Because many ETFs are index funds, they generally do much less buying and selling than actively managed funds — and fewer sales mean fewer taxable capital gains. These ETFs are somewhat similar to index mutual funds, which are also considered to be tax-efficient, as opposed to actively managed funds, which constantly buy and sell investments, passing on taxable capital gains to you throughout the life of the fund. 

Keep in mind, though, that mutual funds that trade frequently may still be appropriate for your financial strategy. While taxes are one element to consider when evaluating mutual funds, or any investment, other factors, such as growth potential and ability to diversify your portfolio, are also important.

ETFs typically also have lower operating costs than mutual funds, resulting in lower overall fees. Part of the reason for these lower costs is that actively managed mutual funds, by definition, usually have larger management teams devoted to researching, buying and selling securities. By contrast, passively managed ETFs may have leaner, less-costly management structures.

But while most ETFs may share the same basic operating model, many types are available. You can invest in equity ETFs, which may track stocks in a particular industry or an index of equities (S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and so on), or you can purchase fixed-income ETFs, which invest in bonds. ETFs are also available for currencies and commodities.

Of course, as with all investments, ETF investing does involve risk. Your principal and investment return will fluctuate in value, so when you redeem your ETF, it may be worth more or less than the original investment. Also, liquidity may be an issue. Some ETFs may be more difficult to sell than other investments, which could be a problem if you need the money quickly. And because it’s so easy to move in and out of ETFs, you might be tempted to “overtrade” rather than following an appropriate long-term investment strategy.

A financial professional can evaluate your situation and help you determine whether ETFs are suitable for your needs. At a minimum, they represent another investment opportunity that may prove useful as you work toward your financial goals.

Michael Christodoulou, ChFC®, AAMS®, CRPC®, CRPS® is a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones in Stony Brook. Member SIPC.

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TIME TO GET CREATIVE The annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival returns to downtown Riverhead this Sunday.
Thursday May 25

Native American drumming

All Souls Church Parish House, 10 Mill Pond Road, Stony Brook hosts an evening of Native American Drumming from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Led by elder drummer, Ric Statler, drumming meditation seeks to integrate the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual parts of the human self, creating a state of well-being. Call 655-7798.

Friday May 26

Goat and Alpaca Yoga

Smithtown Historical Society 239 E. Main St, Smithtown invites the community for an evening of Goat and Alpaca Yoga at 5:30 p.m. and again at 6:45 p.m. Your yoga instructor will lead you through a 45 minute practice of yoga with friendly, interactive goats. Goats generously provided by Steppin’ Out Ponies and Petting Zoo. Tickets are $30 per person and all levels of yoga are welcome. Please bring a mat & towel. Registration is required. Sessions are open to child participants ages 7-17 accompanied by a parent or guardian. Tickets available at Eventbrite. Call 265-6768 for more info.

Huntington YMCA Carnival

The Huntington YMCA, 60 Main St., Huntington will host its annual Memorial Day Weekend Carnival tonight from 6 to 10:30 p.m., May 27 and May 28 from 1 to 10:30 p.m., and May 29 from 1 to 6 p.m. featuring carnival rides, entertainment, food, games, and much more. Visit ymcali.org/carnival for more information.

Friday Night Face-Off

Friday Night Face Off, Long Island’s longest running Improv Comedy Show, returns to Theatre Three’s Second Stage, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson tonight at 10:30 p.m. Using audience suggestions, FNFO pits two teams of improvisers against each other in an all-out championship! Recommended for ages 16 and up, due to adult content. Tickets are $15 at the door – cash only. Call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Saturday May 27

Huntington YMCA Carnival

See May 26 listing.

Community Quilt Show

Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, 233 North Country Road, Mount Sinai hosts a Community Quilt Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come view beautiful quilts and take a chance on a raffle to win a quilt. Free admission. Quilts will be for sale next door at the Red Barn. Call 473-1582.

Civil War Encampment

Smithtown Historical Society, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown hosts a Civil War Encampment from noon to 4 p.m. Join them on the open fields for Civil War-era military camps, historical reenactors, musket demonstrations, battlefield doctor, music and vendors. $5 per person. Parking is at 222 Middle Country Road, Smithtown. Call 265-6768.

Steeple Showcase Concert

Mt. Sinai Congregational Church, 233 North Country Road, Mount Sinai invites the community to a Steeple Showcase concert from 4 to 6 p.m. The outdoor event will feature pop/rock and roll/ country music by Ed Melendez and Bob Sinclair with raffles and a hot dog truck. Bring seating. Questions? Call 331-2535.

Sunday May 28

Huntington YMCA Carnival

See May 26 listing.

Street Painting Festival

East End Arts, 133 E. Main St., Riverhead will host the 26th annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival in Downtown Riverhead and in front of East End Arts from noon to 5 p.m. Featuring street painting for all ages and skill levels, live music, interactive art, a kids zone, craft and artisan Vendors, food trucks , fine arts sale, drum circle and dance and theatre performances. Free admission. Call 727-0900.

Ronkonkoma Street Fair

The Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce will host the 2023 Ronkonkoma Street Fair along Hawkins Avenue in Ronkonkoma on from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring over 200 vendors with live entertainment, merchandise, food, children’s rides, arts and crafts and lots of fun for fall. Call 963-2796 for more info.

Monday May 29

Huntington YMCA Carnival

See May 26 listing.

Tuesday May 30

NSJC Social Club event

North Shore Jewish Center Social Club, 385 Old Town Road, Port Jefferson Station invites the community to a presentation titled “The Older, Wiser Driver,” practical information we all can comprehend, presented by AAA in the Social Hall at 11 a.m. Bagels, cream cheese and coffee among other refreshments will be served. $5 per person, $3 members. Call 928-3737 for more information.

An evening of Swing Dance

Swing Dance Long Island, a non-profit social dance club, holds weekly dances every Tuesday evening at the  Huntington Moose Lodge, 631 Pulaski Rd. Greenlawn with beginner swing lessons at 7:30 p.m. and dancing from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Singles and beginners are welcome.  No partner necessary. Admission is $15 on DJ night,  $20 on band night on the third Tuesday of the month. Call 516-521-1410.

Wednesday May 31

Community Job Fair

Sachem Public Library, 150 Holbrook Road, Holbrook hosts a Community Job Fair from 10 a.m. to noon. Sponsored by the Suffolk County One Stop Employment Center. Bring your resume and dress to impress. No registration necessary. Call 588-5024 for further information.

Thursday June 1

Vanderbilt lecture

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will host Scott Chaskey, poet-farmer and pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for a presentation of his latest memoir, Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life at 7 p.m. Chaskey will share a life in verse, agriculture, and ecology. Tickets are $10, free for members at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.                                                       

Film

‘Moonstruck’

Join the Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington for a screening of Moonstruck on May 26 at 9:30 p.m. One of the most enchanting romantic comedies of all time assembles a flawless ensemble cast for a ferociously funny look at a multigenerational Italian American family in Brooklyn. Starring Cher as Loretta, a widow in her thirties whose feelings about her engagement to her casual beau Johnny (Danny Aiello) are thrown into question after she meets his hot-blooded brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage) — and one night at the opera changes everything. Rated PG. Tickets are $15, $10 members at www.cinemaartscentre.org.

Theater

‘Complete Works of William Shakespeare’

The Carriage House Players kick off the 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) on May 26 at 8 p.m. Three Shakespeare enthusiasts attempt to do the impossible: Act their way through all of The Bard’s 37 plays in one night. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘The Sound of Music’

Up next for the John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport is The Sound of Music from May 18 to July 2. The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” “Do Re Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and the title number, The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Tickets range from $80 to $85. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. See review on page B23.

‘Something Rotten!’

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson continues its Mainstage productions with Something Rotten! from May 20 to June 24.  Living in the shadow of Renaissance rock star The Bard, two brothers set out to write the world’s first musical in this hilarious mash-up of sixteenth-century Shakespeare and twenty-first-century Broadway. But amidst the scandalous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being to thine own self be true—and all that jazz! Contains adult humor and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and up. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com. See review on page B17.

‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’

The Carriage House Players continue their 34th annual Summer Shakespeare Festival in the mansion courtyard of the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with The Two Gentlemen of Verona from June 4 to 30. Young Valentine travels to Milan to find his fortune, but instead falls for the fair Silvia, daughter of the Duke. His world is turned upside down when his best friend, Proteus, abandons his love, Julia, in Verona to woo Silvia for himself. With a pair of bumbling servants and a dog, it’s a lively Shakespearean comedy about the complexities of love, lust, and friendship. Tickets are $20, $15 children under 12. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

‘(Mostly) True Things’

The Performing Arts Studio, 224 E. Main St., Port Jefferson presents (Mostly) True Things, a game wrapped in a storytelling show that features true stories with a twist on the theme Out Loud in honor of Pride month, on June 10 at 7 p.m. This show features 4 true stories but 3 of them include subtle little lies. In the second act, the audience questions the storytellers, then votes for the person they think told it straight. Winners get a tote bag, and the whole truth about each story is shared before the end of the evening. Storytellers will include Jude Treder-Wolff, Calvin Cato, Jamie Brickhouse, Rosemary Flanagan and Rev. Yunus Coldman. Tickets are $20 online at Eventbrite or $25 at the door (cash only). Visit www.mostlytruethings.com for more info.

Class Reunions

•Hauppauge High School Class of 1978 will hold its 45th reunion on July 22, 2023 with a prunion party on July 21 and a reunion picnic on July 23. For details, email [email protected].

•Ward Melville High School Class of 1973 will hold its 50th reunion at the Setauket Neighborhood House, 95 Main St., Setauket on Sept. 9, 2023 from 6 to 11 p.m. For ticket information, contact Tibo Dioguardi at [email protected].

•Save the date! Port Jefferson High School Class of 1964 will hold its 60th reunion at the Meadow Club, 1147 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 17, 2024. For more information, email Mike Whelen at [email protected].

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A view of Owl Pond in Flanders. Photo by John Turner
A Pine Barrens trail in Flanders. Photo by John Turner
A trail in the pine barrens. Photo by John Turner
A trail in the Pine Barrens. Photo by John Turner
A pink lady slipper orchid growing in the Pine Barrens. Photo by John Turner
A view of Sears Pond in the Pine Barrens. Photo by John Turner
A trail in the Pine Barrens. Photo by John Turner
A trail in the Pine Barrens. Photo by John Turner
Atlantic White Cedar in the Pine Barrens. Photo by John Turner

By John L. Turner

John Turner

It’s a warm Spring day and I’m relaxing on a bench on the edge of Swezey’s Pond within Cranberry Bog County Nature Preserve. Situated in western Southampton Town, about three quarters of a mile south of the Riverhead traffic circle, the preserve contains the remains of one of the larger commercial cranberry bogs that once prospered on Long Island.

The light is bright and the warmth most inviting, both for me and the eight painted turtles of various sizes that have scrambled up on two nearby logs. At first the water appears to be still but looking a little more closely I can see a current moving from right to left or from south to north. This water drains from Wildwood Lake about a mile to the south providing the base flow to the Little River, one of the four tributaries to the Peconic River. 

At the far end of the pond a ghost white American Egret stalks the shallows and to its right, much closer to me, I hear the “phoe-be” call of a spring migrant Eastern Phoebe flitting around the spindly-spiraled top of an Atlantic White Cedar.    

I am in the middle of the Pine Barrens, the largest intact forest remaining on Long Island, protected by state law after a long and intense legal battle that Newsday called the “War in the Woods.” It was a battle well worth fighting as the protection of the tens of thousands of contiguous pine-clad acres adds immeasurably to the quality of life of Long Islanders. 

From a pragmatic point of view the Pine Barrens sits over the largest and cleanest groundwater supplies on Long Island with an estimated five trillion gallons of water contained in the saturated sands beneath the barrens. Also, the Pine Barrens is ecologically significant as it provides habitat to many hundreds  of species of plants and animals, some with novel adaptations that enable them to survive wildfire and other harsh conditions of the ecosystem. 

And like Manhattan’s Central Park, a destination for  countless visitors and city dwellers, the Pine Barrens, Long Island’s Central Park, will, through time, become the same. Already used by many Long Islanders to hike, camp, bird, and canoe, the Pine Barrens will undoubtedly  be visited by many more as it becomes better known.   

Pitch Pine is the dominant plant of the Pine Barrens and provides half of the epithet — the Pine Barrens (the other half relates to the sandy, porous, and nutrient-poor soils that underlie the area). In many places, typically areas that have burned more frequently,  it is the only tree found; in other areas of the Pine Barrens it shares the canopy with various oak species such as scarlet, white, and black oak. 

Beneath the canopy, in the shrub layer, two dwarf oaks — bear oak and dwarf chestnut oak — form extensive thickets. These oaks are genetically dwarfed and even if their acorns are planted in soils rich in nutrients, the species will never obtain the height of our native tree oaks. Intermingled in these shrubby thickets are the heath species, such as black huckleberry, and early and late lowbush blueberries. On the forest floor where there’s ample sunlight you can find both common and striped wintergreen and the beautiful trailing arbutus. 

In the wetlands a host of other plant species abound — water lilies in the open water of ponds and lakes to a number of rare plants growing in the shallow water near shorelines and along the sandy shorelines themselves — including several carnivorous plant species as bladderworts and sundews. Highbush blueberry rings many wetlands and fills small bogs. These wetlands provide habitat to  turtles, frogs, toads, and salamanders while ovenbirds, scarlet tanagers, whip-poor-wills, pine warblers, and may other songbirds fill the forests and wetlands with song.  

Fire has long played a dominating role in shaping the character of these pine dominated forests, having swept through the barrens for thousands of years. Many of the plants and animals have adapted to fire with pitch pine having thick bark; in the unique and globally rare dwarf pine plains the dwarf pines depend upon fire to open their cones which remain resolutely closed in fire’s absence.   

It’s no accident that nearly one hundred square miles of the Pine Barrens has been permanently preserved. Were it not for the direct and intensive intervention of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, both in the courts and in the court of public opinion, the Pine Barrens would, no doubt, have succumbed to development. But in a classic David (the Society, other conservation organizations) vs. Goliath (municipalities and wealthy, well-heeled developers) contest, the environmental community won with the passage of the 1993 Pine Barrens Protection Act that established the 105,000 acre Central Pine Barrens including the 55,000 acre Core Preservation Area in which development is not allowed.  

All Long Islanders will long be the beneficiaries of the Pine Barrens being preserved and this preservation effort has a unique aspect to it: it ensures in a bi-county region, cheek-to-jowl with one housing subdivision after another, surrounding industrial parks, strip shopping centers and large malls, where 2.7 million Long Islanders work, live, and play, there will always be wildness available — a wild character where if you’re positioned in the hollow of the morainal hills in Manorville you will hear no human sounds, where at night the pin prick light of stars shine amidst the inky blackness and from which the rhythmic calls of the whip-poor-will or deep hoots of the great horned owl can still be heard. It is a landscape where, in so many places you can hike on meandering trails for many miles and see no one, or evidence of anyone save the footprints of fellow hikers seeking the same solitude. 

A resident of Setauket, John Turner is conservation chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, author of “Exploring the Other Island: A Seasonal Nature Guide to Long Island” and president of Alula Birding & Natural History Tours.

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METRO photo
Chest pain is only one of many possible symptoms.

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Each year, 805,000 people in the U.S. have heart attacks, or myocardial infarctions —about one every 40 seconds (1). These statistics traverse race and gender lines, even though symptoms may be experienced differently. Outcomes for those having a heart attack are significantly better if they receive immediate medical attention. First, however, you need to recognize the symptoms.

What are symptoms of a heart attack?

The most recognizable symptom is chest pain. However, there are a number of other, more subtle, symptoms such as discomfort or pain in the jaw, neck, back, arms and epigastric, or upper abdominal areas. Others include nausea, shortness of breath, sweating, light-headedness and tachycardia (racing heart rate).

Unfortunately, less than one-third of people know these symptoms (2). About 10 percent of patients present with atypical symptoms — without chest pain — according to one study (3).

It is not only difficult for the patient but also for the medical community, especially the emergency room, to determine who is having a heart attack. Fortunately, approximately 80 to 85 percent of chest pain sufferers are not having a heart attack. More likely, they have indigestion, reflux or other non-life-threatening ailments. However, don’t hesitate to seek immediate medical attention; it’s better to have a medical professional rule out a heart attack than to ignore one.

Are heart attack symptoms different for men and women?

There has been much discussion about whether men and women have different symptoms when it comes to heart attacks. Several studies speak to this topic.

There is data showing that, although men have heart attacks more commonly, women are more likely to die from a heart attack (4). In a Swedish study, after having a heart attack, a significantly greater number of women died in the hospital or near-term when compared to men. The women received reperfusion therapy, artery opening treatment that consisted of medications or invasive procedures, less often than the men.

However, recurrent heart attacks occurred at the same rate, regardless of sex. Both men and women had similar findings on an electrocardiogram. This was a study involving approximately 54,000 heart attack patients, with one-third being women.

One theory about why women receive less aggressive treatment when first presenting in the ER is that they have different and more subtle symptoms — even chest pain symptoms may be different. But, is this true? Not according to several studies.

In one observational study of 2,500 patients with chest pain, results showed that, though there were some subtle differences, when men and women presented with this main symptom, it was of a similar nature (5). There were 34 chest pain characteristic questions used to determine if a difference existed. These included location, quality or type of pain and duration. Of these, there was some small amount of divergence: the duration was shorter for a man (2 to 30 minutes), and pain subsided more for men than for women. The authors concluded that determination of heart attacks with chest pain symptoms should not factor in the sex of patients.

This trial involved an older population; patients were a median age of 70 for women and 59 for men, with more men having had a prior heart attack. The population difference was a conspicuous weakness of an otherwise solid study, since age and previous heart attack history are important factors.

In the GENESIS-PRAXY study, another observational study, the median age of both men and women was 49. Results showed that chest pain remained the most prevalent presenting symptom in both men and women (6). However, of the patients who presented without distinct chest pain and with less specific EKG findings, significantly more were women than men.

Those who did not have chest pain symptoms may have experienced back discomfort, weakness, discomfort or pain in the throat, neck, right arm and/or shoulder, flushing, nausea, vomiting and headache. If the patients did not have chest pain, regardless of sex, the symptoms were diffuse and nonspecific. 

Some studies imply that as much as 35 percent of patients do not present with chest pain as their primary complaint (7).

What should you do if someone is having a heart attack?

Call 911 immediately, and have the patient chew an adult aspirin (325 mg) or four baby aspirins, provided they do not have a condition that precludes taking aspirin. The purpose of aspirin is to thin the blood quickly, but not if the person might have a ruptured blood vessel. The 911 operator or emergency medical technician who responds can help you determine whether aspirin is appropriate.

What are the most frequently occurring heart attack symptoms to watch for?

Most patients have chest pain, and both men and women have similar types of chest pain. However, this is where the simplicity stops and the complexity begins. The percentage of patients who present without chest pain seems to vary significantly depending on which study you review — ranging from less than 10 percent to 35 percent.

Non-chest pain heart attacks have a bevy of diffuse symptoms, including obscure pain, nausea, shortness of breath and light-headedness. This is seen in both men and women, although it occurs more often in women. It’s important to recognize heart attack symptoms, since quick action can save your life or that of a loved one.

References:

(1) Circulation. 2022;145(8):e153–e639. (2) MMWR. 2008;57:175–179. (3) Chest. 2004;126:461-469. (4) Int J Cardiol. 2013;168:1041-1047. (5) JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Feb. 1;174:241-249. (6) JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173:1863-1871. (7) JAMA. 2012;307:813-822.

Dr. David 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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