Joey–I am attaching a couple of pictures I thought you might find interesting. Several years ago, I bought this map at Dogtown Books and had it framed. My dad grew up on Haskell Street which is why I picked this map out of all he had to offer at the bookstore. These pictures are taken through the clear covering the framers used and therefore not as clear as they might be otherwise. Still, I thought you and others at GMG might like to see a little piece of East Gloucester, 1884! I think it’s pretty cool.
Side-by-side Comparison ~ Female Swan Back, Male Swan Front
Have you ever wondered whether you are looking at a male or female swan? I had often until I learned that the male’s black protuberance at the base of the bill swells during the breeding season. Very recently, I learned that the fleshy black knob has a name. So now rather than calling it a knob, nobble, thingamabob, or that black protuberance above the bill, I can say blackberry, and you can too. That really is an often used term in Europe, their native home. The blackberry is also unique to Mute Swans; no other species of swans has this feature.
I’ve posted this photo before however, it shows very well the different sizes of the male and female’s blackberries. Male, left; female, right.
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“Once in a blue moon someone comes along that you’ll never forget.” ~ Unknown
How true this is! Tonight truly marks something special and it is; the Blue Moon!
“One of the most special aspects of this moon is that we won’t have another blue moon month until 2018. For many of us, we will be receiving our last bits of a long awaited wake-up call that actually began back in 2012, far before most of us were aware of the changes that were developing.” for citation click here
After having a stressful month my good friend Heather Ann Northcott posted an article on my facebook status and it made so much sense. I absolutely believe things happen for a reason and they do so when stars are aligned.
Joe Geary, retired cardiologist from NY who summers here in Gloucester with his wife, lovingly tends these flowers at Hawthorne Point – so beautifully reflected in the puddle he creates when he waters them.
E.J. Lefavour
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The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck on Wonson Street is pleased to host the solo exhibition: Pieces of Gloucester: Recent Painting by Rokhaya Waring. The paintings in this exhibit allow the artist to share her passionate response to Gloucester’s ever-changing light, color, and mood. Waring focuses on land and seascapes of her hometown of Gloucester, presenting works from her studio as well as direct, plein-air paintings. During the course of her artistic career, Waring has often chosen the form of diptych, triptych, or other multiples; contrasts in time of day, weather, distance from a subject or placement of the horizon line to provide an endless number of compositions or “pieces” that can stand alone, or as a group, and emphasize the constant shift in our visual perception. Furthermore, Waring’s recurring motifs of city skyline, rooftops, and boats on the water convey the overarching theme of single and multiple, solitude and community.
Pieces of Gloucester is on view at The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester, July 30-August 23, 2015 during gallery hours Thursday-Sunday from 12-6 PM. The public is invited to the Opening Reception at the Cultural Center on Sunday, August 2, 5-7 PM. Light refreshments will be served.
ABOUT ROKHAYA WARING
“I paint the way I cook and the way I garden. Inspiration is an appetite; canvas and paint are the soil and seeds. The process is immediate and physical: I delve with my hands, things move and evolve. Through flavors, colors and textures, what I hope to convey is the feeling of being there; wind and sun, air and light, the power of nature—a transient beauty that is often bittersweet.”
Rokhaya Waring was born in 1966 in Santa Fe, NM. French by her mother and American by her father, her dual-nationality and bilingualism have had a profound influence on her work, as has her homeschooling. In 1972, Waring’s parents settled in Rockport, MA and founded La Petite Ecole out of their own home, now The Waring School. Her most lasting memories are of days at this school, the outdoors and the hand-made; camping across America, printing on an antique letterpress, milking goats and baking bread…and above all, sketching daily. The habit of visually recording her experiences and the natural world has not only helped keep memories alive, but become the foundation of her artistic technique and vision.
After graduating from Princeton with a BA in Art History/Visual Arts, Waring spent her first summer painting in the Provencal village of Forcalquier. Her principal home for most of the next twenty years, this cultivated yet rugged landscape perfectly suited her artistic vision, providing inexhaustible inspiration. Waring also spent time living and painting in various parts of New England, San Francisco and LA, Charleston, SC., Israel, Italy and the UK, the Caribbean, and Tahiti. In 2008 Waring moved to Gloucester.
The majority of Waring ‘s current work is inspired by this gritty, albeit picturesque New England town. Many aspects of Gloucester and Cape Ann recall la Haute Provence of her own formative years with one locale situated on the North Atlantic coast, the other in the lower Alps. The spirit of Impressionism and plein-air painting, with its constant change in light, color and mood, are a natural extension of her sensibilities and lend vibrancy to her work. Waring enjoys the advantages of painting directly from nature, and in her studio. It is in the quiet focus of this space that her vision is distilled and refined.
Waring has exhibited in dozens of solo and juried group shows in Boston, New York, San Diego, Paris, and Provence, including the Salon Des Artistes Français and the Salon d’Automne, and the Currier Museum of Art. Her paintings are held in hundreds of collections internationally. Notable collectors include Carl Crossman, art dealer and appraiser for Antiques Roadshow; U.S. CTO (2009-14) Todd Park; and actress Brooke Shields. Waring is featured in the book “100 Artists of New England” (Schiffer 2011) and in “The American Flag in Contemporary Art”, (Schiffer, 2015).
Perhaps it’s worth a trip to Beverly tomorrow to see how they do their Block Parties (info here). There are some differences between theirs and ours in Gloucester, notably that the entire area is fenced and you can walk down the street drinking a beer (or wine). Music is only on 2 stages and Gloucester’s own Henri Smith headlines the Beverly Bank Stage tomorrow, featuring Sean Jones (new, young chair of Berklee’s Brass Department) and Salem’s Henley Douglas, Jr.
Something new in Beverly for tomorrow is an AFTER PARTY at 9:30pm hosted by The Cabot featuring Beverly born comedian Dave Rattigan, an intimate New Orleans concert by Henri Smith New Orleans Friends & Flavours with Grammy-winner Amadee Castenell added to the bill along with other performers from the Block Party and a Taste of Beverly’s Best Late Night Snacks competition with food from Beverly Favorites: The Wild Horse, Gloria’s, The Indo, Freeda’s and Calibasil.
So check it all out, then come back here and tell us what you think . . .
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The pier of the Rockport Lobster Company collapsed yesterday at around 16:00 (4:00 PM). Luckily the owner was outside at the time when he heard the floor inside collapse with a roar. Approximately 10,000 ponds of Lobsters were lost, the family owned business has been operating since 1990.
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Ron and his lovely wife from Harrisburg Pennsylvania, stopped by to pick up 20 lobsters at Rockport Lobster Company, before heading back home. Ron recently visited Australia, and picked up a “CROCODILE GANDHI” hat made from Kangaroo hide.
During their stay in Gloucester they watched Captain Muniz from the F/V Lily off load a tuna yesterday, they were hoping to pick up the Tuna Head to take back home as well; however it was long gone.
A most enjoyable encounter with Ron and his wife.
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Promoting Optimal Wellness for Body, Mind & Spirit
August 4th. ‘Community Reiki Share’ to Benefit ‘Grace Center, Inc.’
‘Community Reiki Share.’5:15 pm – 8:15 pm at the Manchester Community Center. 40 Beach St. Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. On the MBTA Train line; wheelchair accessible. Reiki Sessions ‘By Donation.’ $20.00 suggested donation. ($10.00 for Seniors.) Make Checks Payable to ‘Grace Center, Inc.’
Gloucester’s Grace Center Inc. provides food, shelter, transportation, healthcare and more to those in need. To find out more about Grace Center, Inc. and how you can participate in their programs, volunteer, or donate – http//www.gracecenterinc.org
Each month a local charity is designated to receive a portion of the proceeds. Using ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ to select which charity to team with, the first step being – Basic Physiological Needs (Air, Water, Food, Shelter.) The steps to ‘Realizing One’s Full Potential’ –
Charities we have partnered with include – Open Door Food…
Sold Out Once Again- It was hilarious. People walking by and get a whiff of the mudiga steaks on the grill and it’s like they were led by their nose to her spot. If you’re cooking on nights like last night when you could go to The Cape Ann Farmer’s Market and get grub like this- You Crazy.
Note The Generous Amount Of Work Space The STOK Island Grill Affords Making It Perfect For The Farmer’s Market
Roasted Red Peppers, Sista Felicia’s “Best I Ever Had” Pesto, Italian Sliced Bread
STOK Grills With Their Stock Cast Iron Grates Make For Perfect Hash Marks Every Time!
The Boys Stopped By For Mudiga Steaks For HomieCast Dinner
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Roasted Red Peppers, Sista Felicia’s “Best I Ever Had” Pesto, Italian Sliced Bread
Good Morning Gloucester 