Super Storm Sandy

Downtown Port Jefferson, NY  Monday October 29, 2012 - photo by Erica Jackofsky

Now they are calling it Super Storm Sandy, and things got worse before they started to get better. I spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday cutting up and clearing away downed trees. Power was on and off all week. We just got internet back this afternoon. Most traffic lights were down and local businesses were closed for a couple days. Up here on the north shore we had mostly wind damage, which is getting fixed relatively quickly. The big thing now is no gasoline. We had to cancel our show in River Vale, NJ scheduled for this Sunday because we didn't think we would have enough fuel to get back home. On the south shore a lot of the damage was caused by flooding and fire. That will take much longer to get back to normal. At one point over 90% of the three million people here on Long Island were without power. LIPA (Long Island Power Authority) is estimating that 100,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged to the point where power cannot be safely returned. I think there are still about a million people in Nassau and Suffolk counties without power and it is getting pretty cold. Many on Staten Island and the south shores of Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties are are in dire straits due to the severe damage to the infrastructure. Disasters like this bring out the best and the worst in people. We are hearing stories of looting and fights breaking out between people waiting on gas lines. So far I haven't witnessed any looting or people fighting for resources, only people helping each other get through a difficult time.

Sandy Made a Mess on Long Island

Sandy has come and gone. While we personally got off pretty easy, Long Island overall is a disaster area. We had a couple big trees come down but neither hit the house or our cars. Many of our neighbors weren't so lucky. We took a bike tour around town this morning and saw lots of trees down on houses and cars, blocking roads, and hanging on power lines as well as heavy erosion to beach front property. Our lights were out for about 4 hours, but we are among the few families on LI that have power. 90% of the island is still in the dark and will be for a week or more. Lives were lost, homes were lost, and the flooding on the south shore and in NYC was catastrophic. I expect recovery will be a long time coming. Our prayers go out to all the people up and down the coast who suffered and are still suffering from Sandy's dreadful wind and rain.

Sandy's Knocking on Our Door

11:30 AM October 29, 2012

It is getting real windy here, not much rain yet, but according to the weather service the wind and rain are going to get pretty intense during the next 36 hours or so. They are calling it Frankenstorm, a mega storm, a hybrid storm, the Perfect Storm . . . one meteorologist said it was "part nor' easter, part hurricane, all trouble." Whatever it is, Sandy looks like it will create a dangerous situation for a large part of the eastern U.S. Though we live within two hundred yards of the Long Island Sound, which is expected to experience a 12 - 14 foot storm surge, we are up on a hill and don't expect to be effected by tidal flooding. Our property is heavily wooded with some big trees close to the house, so that is our biggest concern. Yesterday we received an automated phone message from the local power company (LIPA) telling us to expect outages that could last up to ten days. We are pretty well prepared for anything, well anything but a tree coming through the roof. I hope all our friends, up and down the east coast, have taken precautions to stay safe and don't experience too much damage from Sandy's devastating left hook.

Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Friends of the Arts Concert

On Sunday October 21, 2012 at 2:00 pm The Mastic-Moriches-Shirley Friends of the Arts will be presenting a concert by The Homegrown String Band in the MMSCL auditorium.

Photo by Charlie Bevington

Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library

407 William Floyd Parkway

Shirley, NY 11967

Octoberfest! Rocky Point, NY - Sunday, October 7, 2012

Octoberfest at The Rocky Point Farmers Market

Pig Roast by Naturally Grass Fed Meats

Octoberfest Beer by Rocky Point Artisian Brewers

&

Music by The Homegrown String Band

www.rockypointfarmersmarket.org

2012 Hudson Valley Garlic Festival - September 29 & 30

If you've never been at the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival get ready for a real treat. Located in the town of Saugerties, NY at the foot of the beautiful Catskill mountains on the Hudson River. Prepare to have a wonderful time! 10 musical acts on 5 stages.

The Homegrown String Band on the West Market Stage

Saturday and Sunday - 3 sets each day!

Click Here For Directions to the HVGF

Nickels and Dimes

In these hard times, a lot of hard working people are struggling to get by while a few are doing very well.

I wrote this song over the, just past, Labor Day weekend for the people who whose sweat and hard work have helped to make America great. I Hope you like it and will share it with others.

Thanks,

Rick