Deep Discounts at Bayport Flower Houses

Everyone loves a sale! Starting tomorrow - Saturday, September 19th to Monday, September 28th at Bayport Flower Houses it's their Tent Sale. Sometimes when you go to a sale, it's really not that good. But trust me - this is one sale you do not want to miss.

All the items in the tent are truly "On Sale" for 75% to 90% off - plants, pottery, giftware, garden art, tools and more. A few years back I purchased wooden window boxes that were originally $75 each for $20 each. I also got a huge, beautiful wicker hanging basket for $3. Bargains, Bargains, Bargains!

Bayport Flower Houses has been in Bayport for over 75 years and is really a family run business. Even if you don't buy anything, they do not mind you wandering around their grounds and greenhouses to get inspiration.

Bring the kids too, they will have fun because Bayport Flowers is very kid friendly. On their grounds next to the Annual House, is a wooden playhouse that your kids love to play in. Your children will also enjoy looking at the flowers and throwing coins into their many fountains, to make a wish. The Flower Houses even hold classes for children called - Saturday for Super Kids.

All of the staff at Bayport Flowers are friendly and helpful. When you are there sign up for their newsletter , which is also online. In it are coupons, class schedules and all sort of other helpful tips. They accept their coupons if you print them from their online newsletter. Bayport Flower Houses is a beautiful place.

Bayport Flower Houses

940 Montauk Highway

Bayport, NY 11705

631-472-0014

BayportFlowers.Com

Go High In Sayville And Fly A Kite

Have you always planned on taking your children out on a windy day to fly a kite, but never did? Here's your chance. On Saturday, September 19th from 10am-4pm, it's the 2nd Annual Kite Festival at the Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville. Kids age 5 and under are free, for everyone else admission is $2. That's a deal!

We went last year and it is truly a very nice event. The kids talked about it all year long and are very excited to go again. You must, must, must buy the kite making kit when you first get there. The kite kits are $5 each. As cheap and cheesy as these kites look - buy one for each kid. They are really plastic garbage bags made into a kite, but they fly like no other. These kites also are long lasting because we still have ours. The kids get to decorate their kite with magic markers and the big decision is what color to make their kite tail. If you already have a kite, you can bring it too.

Then take your kite out onto the humongous, tree free and windy lawn at The Long Island Maritime Museum right on The Great South Bay and fly! Your children will have a blast flying their own kite that they just made. Plan on staying for awhile because the kids will not get bored. Last year there was a DJ playing kite flying music, there was a snack stand with picnic tables and you can also wander through the museum exhibitions. Professional kite flyers were on hand too and danced their huge colorful kites in the wind. All these things will be at this year's festival too.

Some suggestions - bring a blanket or beach chair to be comfortable watching the kites, pack a snack and drinks (if you do not want to spend extra money at the snack stand) and take your camera. Let's go fly a kite!

Long Island Maritime Museum, 84 West Avenue, West Sayville, NY 11796, 631-HISTORY LIMaritime.Org

It's Grandparent's Day In The Bayport Bubble!

Grandparent's Day - who invented that holiday? Actually it was not The Hallmark Card Company, although they probably profit from it. It was Marian McQuade and she wanted to a way to remember the elderly in nursing homes. In 1978 President Jimmy Carter proclaimed the first Sunday after Labor Day would be Grandparent's Day. This year it is celebrated on Sunday, September 13th.

You do not have spend a fortune on Grandparent's Day. What do all Grandparents want? They want to spend time with their Grandkids - that will make them the happiest. And with all these other holidays that we go overboard on, keeping this one low key will make it extra special.

Long distance Grandparents would love a phone call or an email note to say hi. Why not post on your Grandpa's Facebook page "I Love You!". Send a card - homemade cards are extra special. For young kids just take a piece of paper out of the printer, give them a crayon and make a card. Grandparents will treasure this.

For Grandparents that live around the corner - go by with bagels and homemade cards. Go for walk by The Bay with them. Invite them over for dinner. Just spend some extra special time with them, they will cherish it.

If you or your children no longer have Grandparents, you can still celebrate the day. Do something nice for an older neighbor - bake cookies and pick her some flowers. Or spend some time remembering a Grandparent that has passed away by bringing out the family photo album. Children love looking at old pictures and hearing old family stories. It's a nice way to remember them.

We celebrate Grandparents Day in our house by inviting all Grandparents and Great Grandparents over for an early dinner. Our traditional Grandparent's Day dinner is pesto - it is a simple and delicious meal. Pesto is great this time of year. Right now on Long Island everyone's basil and parsley plants are huge. Then the kids help make some cookies for dessert and along with their homemade cards - it is a great afternoon that will make Grandparents feel terrific!

Pesto Recipe

* 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves, no stems, washed and dried

* Small handful parsley leaves

* 2 cloves chopped garlic

* 2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional because they are expensive)

* 1/4 cup olive oil

* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Combine basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and 1/4 cup olive oil in food processor. Pulse and add more oil if mixture seems dry. Add grated cheese and mix with freshly cook pasta. Makes about 1 cup of pasta.

Who's Your Teacher?

Breaking news from Bayport. If you have been hunting your mailperson down this week to find out what teacher your child has - wait no more. The school district's mail machine is broken, so there will be no letters sent out. Just call your school and the main office will tell you the teacher and what room number to report to next week.