Lighthouses and nautical objects at Think Long Island First

Since the first lighthouse was erected in 1796 at Montauk Point, many more were built along both coasts of Long Island. Suffolk County has the largest number of lighthouses per county in US, Southold Township the largest among townships. Though some lighthouses were lost due to fire, storm, neglect, or economy, many are still standing and some are still in operation. Long Island Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society lists them all including the defunct ones.

Long Island Lighthouses 2012 calendar by Ralph J. Pugliese Jr

We carry a book 'New York State Lighthouses' by Robert G. Miller, where the archival photos of Long Island lighthouses have a sizable presence.

The light keeper's life was hard, the responsibility enormous, the isolation difficult to bear. Architecturally, lighthouses were simple structures, sparsely adorned. Their most important construction feature was the ability to withstand the constant beating of the ocean.

What is there in us that makes us want to go to the lighthouse and to immortalize the moment in art?

Lighthouses feature prominently in the local photography, with the Montauk and Fire Island lighthouses leading the way. Ralph J. Puglise Jr, (Cutchogue) has done a whole series of them. In addition to the matted photos and note cards we carry his 'Long Island Lighthouses' calendar for 2012. We also have lighthouse photographs by Scott Cushing (East Meadow), Christina Kneer (Massapequa), Paul Macri (Oyster Bay), Gerry Corrigan (Wantagh), and Jacques Dumont (East Norwich).

Stainless steel sailboats
by Len Mulqueen

Let us also mention some unusual nautical objects we have at the store. Metal and wood artist Len Mulqueen (Bethpage) creates sailboats / wind chimes from reclaimed stainless steel. Attached screw, moving in the wind like a pendulum, produces quite a realistic sound of metal hitting a mast.

Paul Guzzo (Oak Beach) brought us a real propeller with a scrimshaw of fish. We also have a candle holder with a lighthouse design by Claudia Peglow (Franklin Square).

Scrimshaw propeller
by Paul Guzzo

Candle holder
by Claudia Peglow

Painter Susie Gach Peelle (Locust Valley) provided the cover illustration for an interesting book about 144 women who held official light keeper positions around US - 'Mind the Light, Katie' by Mary Louise Clifford and J. Candance Clifford.

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Mary Burke, knitter from Bethpage

Mary Burke
Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

Bethpage knitter Mary Burke was born and raised on a family farm in Kenmare county Kerry in Ireland, one of the westernmost places in Ireland, 'next stop Boston'. Her father was a deep sea fisherman in the scallop and lobster seasons and carpenter when not at sea. In the true spirit of self-reliance, the family made most of the things right on the farm. One of seven siblings, Mary remembers fondly some of her tasks - making butter and cheese, collecting and washing eggs for the market, even making fishing nets.

Baby sweater by Mary Burke
Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

Mary was six years old when her grandmother plucked two quills from a turkey, stripped them of feather, and gave the quill needles to Mary to start knitting; there was only one pair of metal knitting needles in the house and grandma was not willing to part with it. Also, grandma was dubious that Mary, who was left-handed, could master the craft. Just to prove her wrong Mary learned to knit, right-handed, and continues knitting to this day.

Shawl by Mary Burke
Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

Since commercial patterns were beyond her means, Mary relied on the word of mouth and on her observation and common sense to pick up stitches and patterns. It worked quite well for her. She learned from her family, friends, and colleagues. She returned her accumulated knowledge in equal measure to countless novice and experienced knitters.

At Think Long Island First we carry her baby sweaters, baby hats and headbands, and scarves for adults - a very small sample of the vast number of items she had made since the first sweaters she knitted to supplement her modest school wardrobe. She knitted out of necessity, out of curiosity, and out of the generosity of spirit.

Baby knits by Mary Burke Photo by Ewa Rumprecht

Far removed from her first turkey quill needles, Mary now prefers bamboo needles - they are noiseless and more calming. She likes working with wool as it has a natural stretch to it. She finds cotton too rigid and does not use it at all.

Mary favors knitting over crocheting and other fiber arts, because, as she jokingly puts it: 'I can look at other things and gossip'. She exercises this merry employment every Monday when she joins a group of senior knitters at her clubhouse; 14 ladies get together to make clothes for premature babies from underprivileged families, clothes are distributed to local hospitals - a wonderful way to give back.

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