George Burke and Carl Rutberg waiting for the press conference to begin.  Who wouldn't want to kick back in this gorgeous vignette that George Burke has created on the property?

Yesterday we held a press conference at The Seguine to announce our publishing deal with Rizzoli.  We celebrated with a champagne toast.

Lunch was served from the elegant dining room.

A glimpse of The Seguine's 2013 White Party, from the upper verandah.  Guests, dressed in white, celebrated summer Sunday, June 23, with food and drink on the grounds, in the shade, with a breeze off the bay.

We also lost the fine old oak, shown here to the left of the house behind the raised flowerbed.  It provided shade for a sitting area used by visitors and far out across the lawn.  All that remains is a stump.  This was most likely planted by Seguine on the advice of Frederick Law Olmsted.

The magnificent Norway spruce on the left, probably planted by Joseph H. Seguine's friend and advisor, Frederick Law Olmsted, did not survive Sandy.  Olmsted worked out many of the ideas he would later apply to his great works, including Manhattan's Central Park, during his time on Staten Island.

Every ship that enters or leaves New York Harbor passes The Seguine.   This departing ship's name is LR2 POSEIDON.   This view is from the upper verandah from which you can almost wave to the crew.

Mid-summer at Seguine is lush with flowers.  This is a view from a chair on the lower verandah.

Team member, Dana Whitford, caught this proud peacock up close and personal.  This psychologically revealing portrait shows why peacocks make great "watchdogs."  This one is ready to take on all comers.  George Burke loves his 20-odd birds, which roam the grounds at will, even though they often play havoc with his flower beds.