SUNRISE SPECTACULAR ON THIS LAST DAY OF 2018 (HARBOR SEALS AND AMERICAN WIGEONS, TOO)!

The last morning of 2018 began with a gorgeously hued sunrise, and then, as so often happens on the wild and wonderful shores of Cape Ann, there were several chance and up close encounters with our local creatures. Nearly everyday I am reminded of the astonishing beauty that surrounds, from my East Gloucester neighborhood, to the natural habitats all around Cape Ann and Massachusetts. What a magnificent Planet we share!

Happy New Year and wishing you much love, joy, and beauty in the coming year.


Buffy gold juvenile Harbor Seal in the golden light of sunrise -an amazingly relaxed, young Harbor Seal was close to shore this morning, sleeping, stretching, yawning, and scratching. More photos tomorrow when I have time to sort through all.

And a duo of American Wigeons (both male) were foraging on the sea lettuce floating around the rocky coast. More about them, too. 🙂 Notice their electric green eye patches and baby blue bills.

Alicia Unleashed- Let’s get loud!

Episode 88

(won’t need the volume up too high for this)

is Alicia engaged? She clarifies?

RIP Penny Marshall

GMG BBQ recap
Shout out to our a Secret Listener Aurelia!

We talk about our favorite guests of 2018 and the analytics.

2019 Guest Goals
BBQit-Craig Kimberly
Ipswich Bay Cornhole
Jessica G-911 dispatcher
Desmond
Spirit Animals
Pier Ave
Call of Booty
Positive Side Effects
Hat Ladys of Fiesta

We talk about the actual Hiatus and what happened.

Like our Facebook page!

We love you!

#podcast #newyearseve #manifest #aliciaunleashed #gmg

Pete Frates Polar Plunge Drone Video At Good Harbor From Evan Patten @drones.up

Much Thanks to the GHS Fishermen!

The days that the Gloucester High School Fishermen come to lend some hands (and feet)  at Cape Ann Youth Hockey’s Learn-to-Skate program are always so special for the beginning skaters!   I don’t have a high school skater yet….and my boys have long since graduated from Learn-to-Skate, but I can remember fondly how special they thought it was when they got to skate with the “big kids.”   I also remember them grinning ear to ear upon seeing those same big kids working at Talbot Rink’s Open Skate hours.  Wicked hero worship.  The day one of those High School skaters remembered Thatcher’s name (that happened to be taped across the top of his helmet, but I’ll never tell) was probably a pivotal day in his young skating career.  I am very certain there are plenty of parents in the Cape Ann program who fee the same way.

So, this past weekend a new group of High School skaters came to the rink to have some fun with Cape Ann’s newest skaters….and the smiles tell you all you need to know!

Huge thanks to the Fishermen for creating new memories and being such great role models!

These great photos are from Kimberlee Bertolino

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GloucesterCast 314 With Paula Ryan OBrien, Chris McCarthy, The Rabbit, Jim and Pat Dalpiaz, Kim Smith and Joey Ciaramitaro Taped 12/30/18

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GloucesterCast 314 With Paula Ryan OBrien, Chris McCarthy, The Rabbit, Jim and Pat Dalpiaz, Kim Smith and Joey Ciaramitaro Taped 12/30/18

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Topics Include:

GMG is officially 11 years old

Pat Jimmy and Paula brought mimosas this morning

Polar Plunge At Oakes Cove Beach New Year’s Day at Noon

Pledge To Plunge Sheet

Call In from Ralph DiGiorgio

Smoking Ban

Causeway restaurant eggplant parm 

Duckworth’s Closing Jan 1 Reopening January 31st

Feather and Wedge New Year’s Eve

Elks

The Elks game name is a mystery to us

Rockport New Year’s Eve Schedule

 

 

 

 

OUR SNOWY OWL HEDWIG FROM ROCKPORT ARTIST DEB SCHRADIECK

While chatting with Cape Ann artist Deb Schradieck and her husband Peter last night at the Good Morning Gloucester holiday bash and amazing bbq, held at Cape Ann Giclee, Deb mentioned she had done a painting of our Snowy Owl Hedwig. The painting is of Hedwig dozing off, nestled under a rocky alcove on Atlantic Road. We would often see her resting, especially during the middle of the day, in between meals. Beautiful capture Deb!

Hedwig has not yet come back to the hotels on Atlantic Road. Folks ask me about this often, whether or not she will return to the same location. Snowy Owls wander widely in their generally north-south migrations. Even if she did return, I think it safe to say, she would look different after another year molting. We would possibly be able to recognize her by habit, but then again she would be a year older, and may have developed different habits. Hedwig is mighty strong, and appears healthy, and as female Snowies are dominant over the males in staking out territory, perhaps as a more mature owl she is spending the winter closer to her breeding grounds. That is my hope for her at least, and that she has many years ahead of making many little Snowy Owlets!

Thanks again to Deb Schradieck for sharing her lovely painting of Hedwig. To see more of Deb’s work, visit her gallery on Rocky Neck and check out her website here: Deb’s Art Gallery.

 

Making Sense of the Census

I saw this ad in the Gloucester Daily Times and thought it was worth sharing. The 2020 Census will be held soon and I understand these jobs are interesting and challenging. As you may know, the US Constitution provides for census taking; its main purpose being to determine Congressional representation. The federal census is taken every 10 years and the details become available 72 years later.

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The most current census available is from 1940. This screenshot is shows residents of Fort Square and includes many familiar area family names such as Frontiero, Favazza, and Parisi. If you are curious, the 1940 census records are available for free at Family Search, Ancestry and the National Archives. They are very interesting!

Frontiero Fort Square Gloucester 1940

View from Fort Square 2018, perhaps not much changed from 1940.

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