Subject: "Transfer of fund $16.8M USD to your account"

I LOVE the email that popped into my Pound Ridge Past inbox today.  And I quote ...

"My Dear beloved Friend,
Good day to you, I have a very good deal which I needed your help. I know that my message will come to you as a surprise, but never mind, I am Mr. Simon Moses Goodluck A Manager in Bank of Africa (BOA) in BOA Bank of Africa here in my country Lome Togo west Africa, In my Department here in the bank I discover an abandon sum of $16.8 Million United States Dollars, that belown to one of our biggest customer here in this bank,who died years ago in a plane crash with his famiily. I contacted you so that you will help me see that the total sum of $16.8Million United State Dollars will be transfer into your account in your country.

"Upon receipt of your replay and indication of your capability, i will give you full details on how the business will be executed and also note that you will have 45% of the above mentioned sum if you agree to hand this business with me while 50% will be for me and 5% for any expenses that may arise on the process, Because I don't want anyone here in our bank to know my involvement untilyou confirm this fund into your account and ask me to come over for the sharing as i indicated. Kindly contact me through this my official via (simonmosesgoodluck0017@gmail.com) my telephone via +228 93 19 96 34.

"Thanks and have a nice day.

From Mr. Simon Moses Goodluck"


Firstly, Mr. Simon Moses Goodluck needs to read my blog on Huffington Post, "National Punctuation Day: Make a Dash For It!" and learn about the use of commas, and secondly ... would he accept my credit card and just transfer the money directly into my account?

I-95 Near New Haven

And yes ... this was taken from the passenger seat.

Martha's Vineyard: Skunk Box and Other Stuff

Here is today's travelogue from the island of Martha's Vineyard. 

Let's go for a stroll in Edgartown, the Vineyard's first colonial settlement and the county seat since 1642. 

Along with beautiful Greek Revival houses built by whaling captains ...

below are a few other views.

On the Harborside Inn property, I found the Captain Prada House. (Could not find the House of Chanel.)

"They" say that salt air makes hydrangea turn a raspberry hue.

It is hard to tell whether this is a front or back door.

 Warning: Do Not Touch. (Go on to the next image.)

Dock Street Coffee Shop serves great scrambled eggs. 

Gates off Main Street.

Nor'easter on Martha's Vineyard

It has been raining non-stop from morning, to afternoon, night and now morning again (since it's after midnight and it's officially "the next day.")

Here are a few shots from today's travelogue:

 There is nothing I love more than eating chocolate on a rainy day.

 The expanse of Menemsha Beach after the summer rush.

Orange door on a fishing hut.

Three pilings in an empty harbor.

The last bloom of a Beach Plum blossom on a rainy September day.

Huffington Post -- "NATIONAL PUNCTUATION DAY: Make a Dash For It!"

"___: ___, _-_. ... '____([-]) _,'""?!?

Without punctuation, days would run into nights into months into years into centuries into millennia. It would be like having streets and avenues with no traffic lights. 

Click here  for my new Huffington Post, "National Punctuation Day: Make a Dash For It!"

Period.

The End.

1. 
   

Tomorrow is ...

Hint:

"'___,'?!?"

Stay tuned!

In My Dreams: "The Roosevelts"

Are you watching Ken Burns's PBS documentary, "The Roosevelts"?

Husband-o'mine told me this morning that last night in my sleep I said, "That's a good publicity shot of the Roosevelts."

I must have been thinking about how the media made him appear physically strong even though he was felled by polio. Would this same barrier of respect take place now with our 24/7/365 news cycle?

I grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey in an area that was a former Roosevelt estate. At the bottom of our road were stone pillars to the manse. We lived on Curtiss Place, and nearby streets were named after the Roosevelt children. There was Durand Road, Kermit Place, Hickory Drive and Quentin Court, as well as Roosevelt and Sagamore Roads.

"The Roosevelts" is rivetting and revealing of nuances that read between the lines. The PBS series is truly a masterful presentation of American history. I watch it and, later, even dream about it.

Vimeo: Tubes in Motion

Click here for a vimeo of Tubular Floating, a mesmerizing hybrid of Monet and Mattel.

How to Harvest Hydrangeas

My hydrangeas are billowous with bloom and ready to harvest. Late summer to October is the optimum time.

For beautiful arrangements that last practically forever, here are a few tips for drying hydrangeas:

1.  Choose flowers that are completely opened. If the bloom is a little wimpy, come back in a few days and see if it has matured.

2.  Pick them when the flowers begin to lose color but are still lushy.  Be sure to pick them before a big rain storm, otherwise they will go from peak to brown quickly and you may have missed the boat for prime harvesting.

3.  With sharp pruning shears, cut the stems on the diagonal (either direction,  / or \ , is fine.)

4.  Remove the leaves. Arrange the stems in your favorite vase without water.

July Blooms

5.  Let the blooms dry. (Weak stems can be hung upside down, but the fuller blooms will hold their form longer.)

October Blooms Plump for Harvest

6. Spray the blooms with a mixture of glycerin (you can get it at CVS) and water to help keep them supple. Spray the blooms with hairspray to help them retain their color.

7. Enjoy the bountiful beauty of this glorious flowering bush.

A Sizzling Sunset

"They" say you can hear a sizzle sound the second the sun touches the sea. I hear it every time. 

You have to listen hard.

Last Licks

Don't give in to September too quickly. Hold onto another cone and savor your summer memories.

Summer 2014: Floating with Friends

Summer 2014 was sublime. Thank you to all who joined me for The Big Float. Your wit and conversation added to the June, July and August moments that will be cherished forever. I will surely hit "recall" when the next Polar Vortex rolls in.

Here's to a sensational September.