home.social

#spring-lake — Public Fediverse posts

Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #spring-lake, aggregated by home.social.

fetched live
  1. Beachy keen by day, carousel by night, and the Judy Blume rest stop!

    Posing with my turtle sand sculpture! He’s awkward, but cute!

    Hello little guy!

    Judy Blume rest stop

    The rest stops on the Garden State Parkway are named after prominent people who lived in New Jersey. Yesterday was the first time we visited the Judy Blume one. Earlier this year I was on a Judy Blume kick, re-reading her books I loved as a kid. I was ecstatic to be here. Back in March I covered a book talk by Mark Oppenheimer at Word Bookstore in Maplewood. He penned a bio on Judy Blume called “A Life.” You can read more here: https://essexnewsdaily.com/arts/author-of-judy-blume-book-gives-talk-at-bookstore-in-maplewood/

    Judy Blume was known for her realism in writing for young adults. And as a young adult in the 1970s, and as much as I loved her books, I must say I also loved horror books like “Carrie” and science fiction like “Planet of the Apes” (the book takes place in France, unlike the USA as the movie does) and “Planet of the Blind” and many comic books.

    Blume’s books were controversial at the time, talking to kids about hard-ons and menstruation. But these were the things we wanted to hear. Some things just couldn’t be discussed with parents. My mom told me about menstruation two years before I got my period. Like “Margaret” in Blume’s book, “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret?” I couldn’t wait! It meant I was growing up.

    As for hard-ons, I remember asking my mom, “What does it mean when a guy’s dick goes up?”

    Her answer, “That’s called a hard on. Stay away from him and don’t let him touch your titties.”

    See what I mean? Ask a grown up a simple question and that’s the answer you get. Judy Blume gave kids answers via her fictional stories.

    Judy Blume = a Jersey girl!

    A beautiful restored carousel, in the Carousel Museum in Seaside Heights

    This is something to be seen! Even the tickets were everything. I’d say this carousel is the heart and soul of Seaside Heights.

    I found this fascinating blog about it: https://visitingamuseum.com/2024/07/23/seaside-heights-historical-society-1400-boardwalk-seaside-heights-nj-08751/

    62 and a half, and still a kid!

    My husband horsing around!

    And now for a self-care week ahead — therapy, acupuncture, a much needed haircut, and regular dental cleaning so I can keep smiling.

    #beach #beautifulLifeOver60 #birds #books #carousel #carouselMuseumInSeasideHeights #fiction #happiness #inspiration #jerseyShore #judyBlume #judyBlumeRestStop #lifeOver60 #maryanneChristianoMistretta #movitation #NewJersey #reading #seasideHeights #shore #springLake #writing
  2. Gadwall (Mareca strepera) at Abbott Marshland

    Sunday 12 January 2025 I spotted this pair of Gadwall ducks (Mareca strepera) gliding through the icy water, unfazed by the cold. The male, with his subtle grey plumage and black bill, swam alongside the mottled brown female, both moving effortlessly between frozen patches of and open water. They weren’t in a hurry—just drifting, occasionally dipping their heads beneath the surface in search of food. Gadwalls aren’t flashy like Wood Ducks or Mallards, but I found their understated […]

    islandinthenet.com/gadwall-mar

  3. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) at Abbott Marshlands

    Sunday 12 January 2025 I was just about ready to pack up and head home when I noticed a group of Northern Pintails (Anas acuta), along with some Gadwalls and Mallards, gathered on the frozen wetland. Of course, that meant I wasn’t leaving just yet. In the first shot, a male Northern Pintail stands on the ice, his sleek form and striking plumage catching the light. That rich chocolate-brown head, crisp white neck, and sharp black accents make him look almost regal. The frozen marsh, with […]

    islandinthenet.com/northern-pi

  4. White-throated Sparrow at Abbott Marshlands

    While walking toward the area east of Spring Lake toward the Abbott Brook and Watson Woods Trails I heard and saw multiple calls from White-throated Sparrow. I stopped and waited a few minutes. It was not long before a White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) perched on a thin branch among a tangle of bare twigs and brambles. The bird’s puffed-up plumage, white throat patch, and distinctive black-and-yellow striped head stand out. In the second image, the sparrow faces forward, […]

    islandinthenet.com/white-throa

  5. Winter Waterfowl at Abbott Marshlands

    Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca), American Black Duck, Gadwall, and Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) on a partially frozen marsh.

    islandinthenet.com/waterfowl-a

  6. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) at Abbott Marshlands

    Saturday 11 January 2025 I was just about ready to pack up after photographing a Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) and Gadwall at Abbott Marshlands. The crisp January air had that unmistakable stillness—the kind that settles in just before you decide to call it a day. I slung my camera over my shoulder, took one last look around, and that’s when a Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) flew right over my head. If you’ve spent time birding, you know these moments are fleeting. There’s […]

    islandinthenet.com/rusty-black

  7. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) at Abbott Marshlands

    Saturday 11 January 2025 I was just about ready to pack up after photographing a Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) and Gadwall at Abbott Marshlands. The crisp January air had that unmistakable stillness—the kind that settles in just before you decide to call it a day. I slung my camera over my shoulder, took one last look around, and that’s when a Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) flew right over my head. If you’ve spent time birding, you know these moments are fleeting. There’s […]

    islandinthenet.com/rusty-black

  8. Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) at Abbott Marshlands

    Saturday 11 January 2025 I was just about ready to pack up after photographing a Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) and Gadwall at Abbott Marshlands. The crisp January air had that unmistakable stillness—the kind that settles in just before you decide to call it a day. I slung my camera over my shoulder, took one last look around, and that’s when a Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) flew right over my head. If you’ve spent time birding, you know these moments are fleeting. There’s […]

    islandinthenet.com/rusty-black

  9. Gadwall (Mareca strepera) at Abbott Marshlands

    Saturday, 11 January 2025 After I had already spent some time photographing Green-winged Teal I turned my attention to the group of Gadwall (Mareca strepera) lingering near the same icy shoreline. One particular duck calmly stood on the frozen lake. Gadwalls are often overshadowed by their more flamboyant relatives, like the Mallard. But the patterns on their feathers reveal a complexity that only becomes more apparent the closer you look. Unlike other dabbling ducks, Gadwalls tend to be […]

    islandinthenet.com/gadwall-mar