Day: January 24, 2012

It was the summer of 63 In Gloucester- Cousin Elisa In Detroit explains

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

The Christmas before last was the last one we had my Dad with us for the holiday.  With his Alzheimer disease he had been slipping pretty badly but could carry on a conversation to a degree.  it was just before that Christmas that a box arrived from Detroit with my father Libby Ciaramitaro’s Navy Uniform in it.

You may recall this post from back then if you’ve been with the blog-

My Dad’s Navy Uniform 50 Years Later Shipped From Detroit

Posted on December 26, 2010 by Joey C

About three months ago I got a phone call from my dad’s first cousin Joe from Detroit (yet another Joe Ciaramitaro).  Joe follows the blog daily and tells me he knows more about what is going on in Gloucester due to GMG than he does in his own town in Michigan.  This is something that I hear from Friends of the Blog all over the country.  Joe tells me he feels as if he could walk down the street and know everyone in town.

Anyway, cousin Joe’s mom, my dad’s aunt had his Navy uniform hanging in her closet for almost 50 years. I’m not sure how the uniform found it’s way to Michigan, perhap[s cousin Joe will write in the comment section and explain the story better than I can.

My dad was stationed in Key West- tough gig, huh?  He was aboard the USS Saufley and from what he tells me part of his tour included circling Cuba during The bay of Pigs aboard the Saufley.

Well Joe shipped a box with his Navy uniform and sailors cap directly to my house where we stashed it away so we could wrap it and have my dad open it for Christmas.

The uniform wouldn’t have even fit me but nephew BJ tried it on while everyone sat around stunned.

It was a great surprise and made this Christmas super special.

Thanks Cousin Joe.

I got an email today from my Dad’s first Cousin Elisa explaining how my Dad’s Navy Uniform ended up in Detroit and about how she spent her days in Gloucester back in the summer of 1963.

Elisa writes-

I am elisa. My mother angela {angelina} was your grandfather (captain joe’s) sister. Your dad is my 1st cousin. I spent a whole summer in gloucester one year when cousin angie ciaramitaro and nick taormina were getting married. Summer of 1963.

I left michigan when school let out in the middle of may and didn’t return home till the 2nd week of september. I spent a lot of time with aunt felicia your grandmother and uncle joe (Captain Joe). I remember packing yarn and needles and walking to cressey’s beach to meet up with her sister anne and other ladies and they would knit sweaters,hats,and booties for who ever was having a baby.

At lunch time we would walk up the hill home and make lunch and drive it to the dock so your father, uncle charlie and grandfather could eat.

It was that summer your dad gave me his navy uniforms. One white and one blue. I have 2 younger brothers ~ joe and carlo. Joe would wear your dad’s unifom and go dressed as a real sailor on halloween.  My mom passed dec of 09 and going through the closets we found what I thought was my dad’s navy uniform and when joe looked inside it had your dads name on it.  Hope you got it ok.  Maybe it might spark a memory for your dad. 

My brothers and I were born in san pedro california (1947~1952) . In the late summer of 52 we moved cross country to gloucester where my mom had her brother joe and a sister mary.  My dad had his brother captain carlo and his sister rose. My mom and dad are both ciaramitaro’s cousins. My mothers parents as you know are carlo ciaramitaro and gerolama brancelone.  My dad’s parents were giuseppe ciaramitaro and elisa tocco.  Carlo and elisa are buried at mt olivet cemetary in detroit.  Gerolema is burried there in gloucester the same one your grandfather is at. I visit the site every time I come to gloucester.     

Me I am totally computer challenged.  I don’t own a computer but I got a smart phone for xmas and am hand pecking on that. I’m loving the goodmorning gloucester web site.  You and your crew are doing a remarkable job for your community.  When I finally semi retire I’ll come down with cousin agostina (she was born there moved here with her mom~mary when her dad died in 1957). We talk about it all the time.  Give my love to everyone especially your mom, dad if he is in a memory mode and angela. 
            Cousin elisa

Thank you for this cousin Elisa.  Dad doesn’t have memory mode moments enough to take this in but I’ll go see him and tell him anyway at the nursing home. 

New Birding Strategy: One Bird at aTime

Posted on by paultmorrison

Last week I was all pumped about my new strategy for learning the birds of Cape Ann. I would keep track of all the birds I could see sitting in one spot on Andrews Point for a year. Epic fail, at least for now. As Greg Bover pointed out to me Sunday over breakfast, there are more birds on Cape Ann in the winter than in the summer. And the fact these little feathered dip-shits change plumage if they are juvenile, one year, two year, adult, mating, molting, dating but not mating and it seemed hopeless. Just my one tiny viewing spot and the common eider, harlequin duck, scoters, maybe buffleheads got me so confused the one female mallard was throwing me off. I might get them straight for ten minutes then forget who was who the next day without my Sibley bird guide in hand.

So, new strategy: One bird at a time until I can identify and relate to that species with my eyes closed. This favors my scientist, beat the small OCD details to death, approach. (Joey calls this my inability to respond to a simple question with a simple answer.) Since I don’t have a long camera lens I can also rely on the kindness of strangers who have good bird blogs.  First up, Harlequin Duck, the premier, cute, winter resident common enough so that all ages of bird can be seen at the same time and the confusion between the juveniles, the one year olds and the female can be sorted out.  I will also stick in “fun facts” that might not be common knowledge but stuff that helps me remember who is who.

Harlequin Duck. Hilke Breder writes a great bird blog One Jackdaw Birding and by clicking the name you go to the post of her Friday the 13th visit this month to Andrews Point. She shot plenty of great photos of the harlequin:

Three males and is that a female or a juvenile male? Answer that in the comments. The one trick to at least keeping scoters, buffleheads and some others that are mingling in out of the picture is that the harlequin always has that one circular dab of white paint behind the eye and the bill stays small.

I sat there for a half hour trying to keep track of a small group of four females and six males. To me it looked like they were very interested in mating. One male would bug the hell out of one female, chasing it relentlessly. But then after giving up, she would follow him! Reading about them, these birds are just being very social (teases) on the winter feeding grounds this time of year. It looked like I was viewing an elementary school playground with hormones on simmer.  Some groping but second base was off limits. (Only over the sweater.)

Fun Facts: Some harlequins have been known to live for 17 years. These data seem very haphazard so the lifespan could be longer for a healthy adult who knows to exit stage right if an eagle shows up. (Eagles eat them, nom nom, crunchy duck.)

Genus Species name: Histrionicus histrionicus  The harlequin common name comes from the Italian jester whose face was painted black and white. After watching them for a while I can see how they were given these weird names. They seem to be goofing on each other with great histrionics.

Mostly monogamous and while they might not go for open marriage like Newt they do seem to follow the “love the one your with” if the old man doesn’t make it back to the same Canadian stream to mate in the summer.

What are they doing on Cape Ann? Harlequins are benthic divers. They dive down using their feet as propulsion and wings out to turn. On Cape Ann they are probably mostly diving down for small mussels but small crabs also get nailed. A scientist with a stopwatch: On average they dive for 26 seconds then pop to the surface for 15 seconds, rinse and repeat. (No, I did not time them, I read it at Cornell’s great website about North American birds.) One last fun fact: Harlequin Duck fossils have been found to be 4.8 million years old. These funny ducks have been here a lot longer than we have.

Check them out now before they all fly to Canada for mating in April. On the other end of Cape Ann right in front of the Gloucester Elks Lodge on the back shore you’ll find some pods along with quite a few other species to confuse you. But you’ll assuredly find a birder out there who will point them out to you. Serious birders are there to spot the elusive King Eider. Approach with caution. Birders also can be full of histrionics. Do you have that memorized yet? You’re welcome.

Capt.John A. Dahlmer 124′ dragger Superior

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hey, Joey,
This may be of interest to some of your older readers and to all my Cape Ann Dahlmer relatives.
The picture if of my grandfather’s (Capt.John A. Dahlmer) 124′ dragger Superior at the Gloucester Machine shop pier off Duncan Street ready for her first trip after 3 years Naval Service in 1945.  The other picture is grandfather on the deck of the Superior in 1932 after her launching as she was being fitted out in Glouceser.
Launched by Arthur D Story in 1932, The US Navy requisitioned her a few months after WWII in 1942.  She was attached to the North Atlantic Sea Defense Command and spent a year on anti-submarine patrol.  Then, she was used by the Navy to deliver gasoline, food and other supplies to allied weather stations on the coasts of Newfoundland and Greenland.  She did her war duty without payment and was returned to grandfather with a certificate of meritorious service during the war.  It’s taken me two years to pry the picture loose from the Navy and I’m still searching for a copy of the certificate.
Regards,
Bill Hubbard
—
Visit my artists website and Blog at:
http://bill-hubbard.artistwebsites.com

Capt.John A. Dahlmer on SuperiorSuperior,19450002

Help local musician, Brad Byrd, enjoy his success

Posted on by Vickie & Peter

012412
Rockport’s Brad Byrd has successfully convinced ABC TV to put his songs on their hit comedy Happy Endings, but he can’t DVR the show.  So if he is not home on Wednesday at 9:30pm he misses it.  Watch the video to see how you can help!

Plenty of good music tonight, check it out here.

Chow Down at Stone’s Pub Thursday January 26th to Support the Dog Park

Posted on by Alicia Pensarosa

Stone's pub

This Thursday,  January 26, 2012, Stones Pub will donate a portion of all food sales to the Gloucester Dog Park.

Have a great meal and help out the Gloucester Dog Park.

Stones Pub
242 Main Street
www.stonespub.com

 

Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland

Posted on by dawntheresa
Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland
Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland
Bruce Herman buoy honoring Joe Garland

Today’s buoy is a very special one painted by Gloucester painter Bruce Herman in honor of Joe Garland. Not much else to say about it other than thank you to Bruce for this beautiful piece of artwork!

This is the fifth in a series of buoys that are being auctioned off to benefit Art Haven. All the buoys from this year’s lobster trap tree will be auctioned off next Friday, the 27th at Cruiseport Gloucester, including the ones featured here. But you can put your bids in now to get your name in the hat. Again, the details:

-If you like a buoy you see, bidding starts at $20, and you can just bid in the comments section below the post, HOWEVER

-Your bid doesn’t become official until you send Art Haven an email (arthaveninfo@gmail.com) saying you’re serious and letting us know how to get in contact with you.

-Finally, if you’re the highest bidder on the blog, that makes your bid the starting bid at the auction. We’ll be in touch about your max bid if you can’t make it to the auction.

If you’ve got any questions, leave ’em in the comments section. Also, check out the artist buoys on Art Haven’s Facebook page and tell us if there are particular buoys you’d like to see go up here. And remember, your money is helping more kids on Cape Ann have access to crazy fun art activities 🙂  Happy bidding!

Tuesdays at Jalapenos

Posted on by Joanne

Hola everyone!
News flash… filling in tonight for J.B. (who was filling in for Dan King): FLY AMERO

This week’s line-up:
Fly Amero, Wolf Ginandes, David Brown & Dave Mattacks
The music, as always, promises be as hot as the Tamales… and as cool as the Margaritas!

WITH DEEPEST REGRETS:
Due to a prior engagement, Sewell Hayes will unfortunately be unable to attend.

Tuesday, January 24… 7 to 9pm
Jalapenos
86 Main Street
Gloucester, MA  01930-5710
978-283-8228

Specials At Espresso Today!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Espresso is FOB Kurt and Dani Lubber’s Favorite Gloucester joint to eat.

Dani gave me crap because she says I don’t give them enough love so here you go!

Speaking with Annette when I just picked up my lunch she told me that Thursday night they are doing a fresh lobster casserole with dessert for $15 which people have been raving about.

GMG Inside The Numbers For Monday January 23, 2012- 36,159 Views

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

GMG Inside The Numbers For Monday January 23, 2012- 36,159 Views

If we are getting these kinds of numbers now in the dead of winter I project ridiculous numbers for when things heat up around here in June.

For comparison’s sake last year January 25th 2011 we had 15,374 our growth has more than doubled!

January 29th, 2010 6,233

January 16,2009 2,041

Like I said, you either embrace this fun thing we have going or get run over by it’s momentum.   You can’t stop the fun positive GMG momentum baby, we’re comin’ straight up in your grillmix.

Boom!

Here were the top 20 posts from yesterday-

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Total views from inception-

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Total views 14,532,848.  I remember back in January of 2008 when we hit our first 100 viewers and I was ecstatic, lol.  then I remember thinking 10,000 would be incredible if we could get to a total of 10,000 people seeing GMG, then 100,000 and then a million and so on, now we do about a million views a month.  That doesn’t suck my friends.

Reach?  You Wanna Talk About Reach?  There are under 29,000 residents of Gloucester MA.  Then when you account for those residents that are children that don’t use computers or old folks that don’t use computers, there’s no denying the reach is far greater than just a local readership.

These stars represent the locations where we got hits from around the world today January 24th up until 11:06AM.

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Honey Badger don’t give a Crap!

Posted on by capeannpainter

From the USCG;

http://coastguardnews.com/

 

PAMLICO SOUND, N.C. — A Coast Guard helicopter crew hoisted three people from the water after their sailboat ran aground near Rawls Island, Saturday.

Members aboard the 26-foot sailboat Honey Badger made a mayday call via VHF-FM channel 16, notifying Coast Guard watchstanders that their boat was on a shoal near Rawls Island.

Watchstanders dispatched a crew aboard a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet along with an aircrew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City.

The MLB and Jayhawk crews arrived on scene at approximately 2:45 p.m. The MLB crew was unable to reach the sailboat due to shallow water.

The Jayhawk crew then hoisted the three people aboard the aircraft and transported them to Air Station Elizabeth City where they were met by awaiting medical personnel.

so much bullshit but we won’t give in.

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Read about how this Boston lesbian had had enough and just flat out pops some dude that had been making degrading remarks toward her.

so much bullshit but we won’t give in..

Hey, an attractive woman is an attractive woman but I’ll never understand men who feel the need to make remarks toward women they don’t even know on the street.

I’ll say this though, if you think it’s bad here in the US you should hear the way men make catcalls toward women in Spain.  The men in Spain have ZERO filter in the presence of an attractive woman.

Maybe it’s a whole different psyche over there in Europe but in my experience pre-marriage, catcalling some girl you were interested in was about the worst thing you could ever do if you were trying to pick her up.

Truth.

As a Boob Guy and A Man In The Seafood Business I’ve Never Been So Turned Off By Women’s Undergarments In My Entire Life

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

image

Rachelauren Somers forwards this photo spread from Juxtapoz Art and Culture Magazine–

UNDER THE C-CUP
Monday January 23, 2012

In response to the over-arching presence of porn-industry aesthetics and plastic surgery perfection in today’s culture of beauty, Laura Jacobs has created a collection of awesomely outlandish nautical-themed bras, exotic aquatic shrines to the power of breasts. Equal parts silly and sexy, these bras directly reflect the duality and often circus-like nature of society’s perceptions and treatment of female sexuality.

Blah blah blah blah blah, to see the other pictures of sea life undergarments at Juxtapoz click here

They call it “Erotica Under the Cup”.

I’ll tell you one thing, some broad whips off her top to expose a lobster/crab claw bra covering up her naughty bits and I’m heading for the hills.