Date Archives: March 2022

March 30 is Take a Walk in the Park Day, and with winter's ice grip finally beginning to loosen, our REALTORS® are excited to do just that. Luckily, we have a lot of great places to go for a hike here on Long Island. 

Walk in the Park in Nassau County

Located just a short drive from New York City, Nassau County offers some lovely parks and trails on western Long Island. These great hiking spots are also convenient to many Nassau County homes for sale.

• Hempstead Harbor Shoreline Park - Port Washington, New York
  Overlooking the southwest side of Hempstead Harbor, Hempstead Harbor Shoreline Park is a great place for a hike on a crisp spring day. The park features a 2-mile trail with easy terrain and great views of the water, with benches and gazebos along the way where you can stop and enjoy the scenery. It's just minutes from these Port Washington homes for sale. 
  
  
• Manhasset Valley Park - 461 Maple St., Manhasset, NY 11030
  A picturesque park that spans the valley separating the Great Neck and Cow Neck peninsulas, Manhasset Valley Park is a beautiful green space within walking distance of many Manhasset homes for sale. The park spans 26 acres and includes well-manicured walking paths that wind among woods, meadows, ponds, and streams. 
  
  
• Hempstead Lake State Park - Eagle Avenue, West Hempstead, NY 11552
  Hempstead Lake State Park is one of the largest parks in Nassau County and a hub for all kinds of outdoor recreation. This 737-acre park includes 8 miles of hiking trails, including a picturesque 3-mile path that encircles Hempstead Lake. The park is also popular for fishing, kayaking, and horseback riding and is only a short drive from these Rockville Centre homes for sale. 

Walk in the Park in Suffolk County

Suffolk County encompasses the eastern two-thirds of Long Island. In addition to these lovely Suffolk County homes for sale, you'll find some truly perfect places for a leisurely stroll or an energetic hike in Suffolk County. 

• Blydenburgh County Park - Veteran's Memorial Highway, Smithtown, NY 11788
  Encompassing 627 acres of wooded hills and valleys surrounding Stump Pond, Blydenburgh County Park is one of Long Island's best-kept secrets. A 5.7-mile loop trail traverses the pond's shoreline, and the Long Island Greenbelt Trail Conference often offers guided hikes. The park is just minutes from numerous Smithtown homes for sale and also offers camping from April through November. 
  
  
• West Meadow Wetlands Reserve - 44 W. Meadow Ln., Stony Brook, NY 11790
  Featuring a mile-long beach and 88 acres of tidal marshes, wetlands, and maritime forests, West Meadow Wetlands Reserve is a perfect place to enjoy the scenery overlooking Long Island Sound. The reserve is walkable from many of these Stony Brook homes for sale and is a great place to spot dozens of native shorebird and songbird species that frequent the area. 
  
  
• West Hills County Park - Sweet Hollow Road, Huntington Station, NY 11747
  West Hills County Park is a beautiful park spanning 800-plus acres, with well-groomed hiking trails that meander among dense woodlands. It's one of the best places on Long Island to immerse yourself in nature, despite being near many Huntington Station homes for sale. A highlight of the Park is the Walk Whitman Trail, which crosses the highest point on the island. 

Contact us today to learn more about life in Nassau and Suffolk counties. When you're ready to find your dream home on Long Island, our agents are here to help every step of the way. 

Getting a new puppy is exciting for everyone in the family, but it's also a big responsibility everyone needs to tackle. To celebrate National Puppy Day on March 23rd, let's talk about how to puppy-proof your house from your newest addition to the family! Here are a few tips from our REALTORS® for keeping your puppy safe and your home chaos-free.

• Keep your trash secured. Trash is one of the number one puppy magnets in your house. Not only does it smell good (to your pup), but it's like a huge toy box full of things to explore and smell and eat! Trash cans that tuck away into drawers are popular in Nassau County homes for sale, but if you don't have one, you can invest in a heavy-duty trash can with a lid. Smaller trash cans with lids and foot pedals can also be purchased for bathrooms and bedrooms.
  
  
• Tape up or cover up your cords. Cords are perfect for chewing, or at least so thinks a teething puppy! You can prevent your pup from a dangerous situation by making electrical cords inaccessible. While it's not possible to put most cords out of your puppy's reach, you can cover them with heavy-duty cord protectors or tape them to the baseboards.
  
  
• Store drugs and chemicals out of reach. Unless you have small children (the two-legged variety) and still have child locks installed on the cupboard doors, your best bet for keeping your pup safe is to store medications and dangerous chemicals up high. Utilize upper cupboards and medicine cabinets, even if it's something you'd normally keep under the sink. Don't keep hazardous drugs and chemicals on top of countertops, even if that seems high enough to keep out of the puppy's reach, as bottles can get knocked over and roll onto the floor where the puppy would have access.
  
  
• Keep things off the floor and out of reach. It's time to start training everyone in the house not to keep anything on the floor, as anything within the puppy's reach could quickly be carried off or chewed up. This includes shoes, laundry, and even kids' toys. Many Suffolk County homes for sale have plenty of cupboards and closet space for organizing things that shouldn't be on the floor, but be sure to discuss with your children how important it is to put things away properly after using them.
  
  
• Use baby gates to limit movement. It's difficult to puppy-proof the entire house, but fortunately, you can utilize baby gates to keep the pup confined to a safe area when you're too busy or distracted to supervise. For instance, if the kids' bedrooms aren't puppy-proofed, a baby gate on the stairs can keep pup downstairs with you during the day. A puppy playpen is also great for keeping the pup on hard floor for easy cleanup or to keep him away from hazards elsewhere in the room.
  
  
• Provide plenty of toys. Puppies have a legitimate need to chew as their adult teeth come in, so providing dedicated dog toys can protect your possessions from damage by giving your pup something he's allowed to chew. If you catch him chewing something he shouldn't be, firmly tell him "no," and then give him one of his own toys to chew on instead.

Like with raising kids, puppies need lots of space to burn off excess energy. Has your little family outgrown your current home? Contact us today to start searching for your (and your pup's) dream home.

Pi Day is observed on March 14, but instead of trying to remember exactly what pi stands for, it's a great excuse to stop by a local bakery for some pie. The Long Island area is home to many bakeries worth visiting on Pi Day or any other.

Our REALTORS® suggest taking a tasty trip to one of the bakeries around Long Island to enjoy pie on Pi Day.

Nassau County

• Buttercooky Bakery - 217 Jericho Turnpike, Floral Park, NY 11001
  Buttercooky Bakery, located near Floral Park homes for sale, is a third-generation family business that's served up delicious sweets for over 50 years. This location is the bakery's original flagship store, and its success has allowed the family to add two more locations. Whether you want a small pie all to yourself or a larger one to share, you'll be able to choose from 4-, 8-, and 10-inch pies. Available flavors include pecan, lemon meringue, brownie, and several apple, cherry, and blueberry variations.
  
  
• SugarBerry Bakery - 312 Sunrise Hwy., Rockville Centre, NY 11570
  With the goal of being an ambassador of the European art of baking, SugarBerry Bakery uses the highest quality ingredients to create its pies and other sweets. The bakery, located just around the corner from Rockville Centre homes for sale, is a cozy space where you can select desserts directly from a beautiful gallery. Pie flavors include apple, blueberry, cherry, coconut, custard, and chocolate mud.
  
  
• Whistle Stop Desserts - 3424 Lawson Blvd., Oceanside, NY 11572
  Whistle Stop Desserts has made treats in Nassau County for over 40 years. The bakery got its start with cheesecake and has since expanded to pies and other sweets, with fine-tuned family recipes forming the basis for most of its offerings. Choose from a selection of coconut custard, pecan, chocolate pecan, and fruit pies, including key lime and banana caramel creme, made with no added sugar.

Suffolk County

• Torte Jeff Pie Co. - 218 E. Main St., Port Jefferson, NY 11777
  Not surprisingly, pies take center stage at Torte Jeff Pie Co., located near Port Jefferson homes for sale. Choose from apple crumb, toasted coconut, pecan, lemon meringue, key lime, and chocolate cream, as well as vegan options like apple, blueberry, and strawberry rhubarb. You'll also find savory pies like chicken and brisket pot pie.
  
  
• Kerber's Farm - 309 W. Pulaski Rd., Huntington, NY 11743
  Kerber's Farm has the distinction of being one of the last remaining working farms in Huntington. It's also the site of a shop that sells pies, among other things, and the business has been featured in national publications, including Oprah magazine and The New York Times. You'll find its shop near Huntington homes for sale and can order a small or large apple, apple crumb, strawberry rhubarb, banana cream, s'mores, and more. 
  
  
• Copenhagen Bakery & Cafe - 75 Woodbine Ave. A, Northport, NY 11768
  Copenhagen Bakery & Cafe uses no preservatives or fillers in its pies and other offerings, and some ingredients are even imported from Denmark to provide an authentic flavor. Located near Northport homes for sale, the friendly bakery has tables inside and outside by the water where you can relax and chat. Customer favorite pies include raspberry peach, coconut custard, and blueberry crumb.

Contact us to see Nassau County homes for sale or Suffolk County homes for sale. We've served Long Island's real estate needs for 65 years, earning a reputation for experience, finesse, and a deep commitment to our agents, community, and people who are drawn to live on Long Island. 

Planting a butterfly garden has many rewards. Chief among them, of course, are visitations by these extravagantly beautiful fluttering insects that all of us, from children and upwards, delight in. But there's also the enjoyment you'll feel at creating an attractively landscaped garden with interesting plants and eye-catching colors and foliage.

Perhaps the biggest reward, however, is that you'll be helping butterflies in the area of Nassau county homes for sale and Suffolk County homes for sale by way of countering some of the hardships that are besetting these fascinating insects nationwide: principally, loss of habitat.

What to Plant in Your Butterfly Garden

Before launching your butterfly garden, visit some local nurseries and talk to a staff member knowledgeable in local butterflies and their needs. You might also go to a local public butterfly garden such as Floral Park Centennial Garden, where an expert can advise you on local plants for your garden.

When you visit a nursery, you'll see a wide variety of plants labeled "butterfly attractor" or "butterfly plant." Many of these plants, such as members of the Buddleia genus, are great butterfly-attracting plants. The problem with some of them is that they are non-native and have become invasive since being introduced to the United States. So if at all possible, concentrate on acquiring native plants. These are plants that butterflies from this region evolved with and find most nourishing.

Then, there's the matter of choosing pollen-bearing plants for energy and planting other species for caterpillar food. Flowers are, of course, the main source of nectar, which helps migratory butterflies such as monarchs make their way to warmer climates in the winter. But the flowering nectar plants will be different from the plants you plant for caterpillar food. The latter are plants that will attract the butterfly when seeking to lay eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars eat the leaves, then turn into a chrysalis and, eventually, a butterfly. Both types of plants are recommended for creating a well-balanced butterfly garden.

Of course, the plants you choose will also depend on the conditions in your yard. Choose a sunny, open spot (dappled shade in part of the garden is OK) for best results. Among the plants you might try:

• Sweet Pepperbush (also called Summersweet, or Clethra alnifolia)
• Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
• Buttonbush (Cephalanthis occidentalis)
• New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
• Blazing Star (Liatris)
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Giant Hyssop (Agastache)
• Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium)
• Milkweed (Asclepias)

A word about milkweed: there are several milkweed species, but it's best if you plant those native to our area. Milkweed is an important plant for migratory monarch butterflies in particular, whose decline has been partially attributed to destruction of milkweed in fields and due to development.

Some non-native plants that are butterfly attractors and do well in our area are alyssum, lantana, petunias, and zinnias.

You can plant such herbs as parsley and dill and fennel and sage for caterpillar food.

Vary your plantings, including annuals and perennials, as well as bushes, shrubs, and vines. Butterflies and caterpillars need protection from predators, such as birds. Yes, we love birds, but they do eat insects, so give your butterflies a break by planting your garden near a bush or tree where they can shelter. A shallow pan with damp gravel or rocks will be helpful to provide moisture and minerals. 

Need tips on what sells when improving your property? Our REALTORS® can help. Contact us today.