







My View of Life on the Dock








Last week we loaded 5,000+ issues of newspaper published on Cape Ann btwn 1827-1900 into a truck. The Gloucester Telegraph, Cape Ann Advertiser, and many more will be microfilmed, digitized, and then returned. Soon, they will be available online with open access for us all to search and explore…just in time for the 400th!

Emma, Ben, and Lily – note that the snow is nearly as high as is the Duckworth’s sign – Snowmageddon 2015
On Sunday’s podcast we asked our guest, Chris Spittle, the Cape Ann weatherman to predict whether 2018-2019 would be a snowy winter, or not. Judging by the snowstorms of the past that have brought the greatest amounts of snowfall, it is likely that we may very well have a snowy winter and here’s why Chris suggests yes.
Historically, the greatest amounts of snowfall occur when North America’s trade winds are transitioning (Neutral state) from La Niña to El Niño. During the transition, and at the beginning (weakest) state of the transition to El Niño we are most likely to experience the greatest amounts of snowfall. Currently, La Niña (east to west trade winds) is oscillating to El Niño (west to east).
Chris shared the graphic below classifying the ten worst snowstorms of the past two centuries.
On the plus side, El Niño summers are generally warmer 🙂
El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of a natural climate pattern across the tropical Pacific Ocean that swings back and forth every 3-7 years on average. Together, they are called ENSO (pronounced “en-so”), which is short for El Niño-Southern Oscillation.
The ENSO pattern in the tropical Pacific can be in one of three states: El Niño, Neutral, or La Niña. El Niño (the warm phase) and La Niña (the cool phase) lead to significant differences from the average ocean temperatures, winds, surface pressure, and rainfall across parts of the tropical Pacific. Neutral indicates that conditions are near their long-term average.
Our front dooryard, in 2015, between blizzards.
Pirate’s Lane East Gloucester 2015
We even had visit from a Snow Goose during the winter of 2015! He mixed with a flock of Canada Geese, staying for about a week, foraging on sea grass at Good Harbor Beach.
This time of the year I am totally obsessed with sunsets.

Tomorrow’s Nia class at MAGMA on Thursday December 13 at 10:15 am will be your last chance for your 70’s fix. Next week, holiday music! Not just ordinary holiday music, but some unusual pieces including a Klezmer version of Joy to the World or Oy to the World, and the Christmas Can Can.
Schedule changes for the next few weeks:
MAGMA Building Access:
You may find MAGMA by either entering the building on the Pleasant St. side or via the Main St. entrance. The…
View original post 189 more words

Dinner Specials Each Week!
Wednesday, December 12 – 7pm
My Musical Guest: QUENTIN CALLEWAERT!

Kid Dynamite returns! The fantastic Quentin Callewaert lights
up the Rhumb Line stage this week with his fiery youthful
spirit, unlimited energy and oh-so snappy fingerpickin’! No one
ever wants to miss one of his nights with us. We hit at 7! ~ Fly
Dinner with great music!
*Each week features a special, invited musical guest
The Rhumb Line Kitchen……features Morgan Forsythe! Dishes are better than ever before!
Plus a fine, affordable wine menu!
Next week…
12/19 – Amero Family Christmas
Visit: http://www.therhumbline.com/
Looking forward……to seeing you there 🙂

Agape Brewing Community
![]()
Who remembers the original Romper Room? Notice the date, February 1959, I was 5 1/2 .. not such a good school, they spelled my name wrong. What is scary my mother had us on Rex Trailer’s Boomtown and Bozo.

Ever changing and always magnificent….two very different photos of the same view across the mouth of the Annisquam River. Thank you to Paul Horovitz for sharing these with us.


We came across two swans trying to make their way across ice recently at Parker River Refuge. They tread oh-so-carefully across the ice, testing their weight and slipping across the expanse until they eventually plopped through a thinner layer.

Maybe it will work better if I sit on the ice.

They seem to be discussing the issue as they form that irresistible heart shape together.

One down!

See what you’ve gotten us into?

Peace restored.

View original post 83 more words