Day: March 23, 2020

RED FOX MOLTING, HUNTING, AND POOPING!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Charlotte and I caught a glimpse of a wonderfully energetic Red Fox this morning. It was all over the field vigorously digging in the ground for mice and voles, running in a sort of leaping and prancing manner, rolling around in the grass, and then just before heading into the wooded edge, it took a long pause to poop.

I at first did not understand what was going on with its fur. You can see a funny looking fluff of white remains on the tail and parts of it coat are still thick with winter fur whereas the fur was very short in other areas. I didn’t think it was mange because he appeared full of vim and vigor.

Both Red and Gray Fox begin to moult (or shed) their fur in spring. The shorter and cooler summer coat grows in while the long shaggy coat falls out, still clinging in some areas.  Perhaps the Fox was rolling in the grass to help rid itself of the old coat.

Rolling in the grass

Pausing to poop

At Sherry’s Corner Cafe, cute Easter gifts

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Sherry’s Corner Cafe

978-525-2177

Tired of buying the same old boring Easter chocolate from the supermarket? Maybe this year you don’t want to or can’t make it to the market! Spice up your Easter basket this year with our personalized chocolate eggs made in store by own our Kristen!!

They can be made with either milk or white chocolate and can be personalized with a name.

The best part is everything is edible, including the grass, so Peter Cotton Tail approves!

Each is $14 and we will be taking orders until April 9th, 2020!🐣🐰

Leave a message here, direct message me or come to the cafe’ and see our take-out window to place your order!

I can take Venmo and we can deliver!!

SHORT AND MAIN CONTINUING TO SERVE TAKE-OUT!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Dear Short & Main Customers,

First we want to thank everyone for their generosity over the past week.  As the ground shifted beneath our feet last week we had to lay-off 90% of our beloved staff and move to a new business model of curbside pickup.  It’s been tough obviously but the number of well wishes and takeout orders have helped raise our spirits.

With continued optimism, we hope to stay open and serve our community in these surreal times. When we get through it we hope to hire everyone back and probably have a really, really big party.

Until this is over the staff that have been let go could use some assistance.  We’ve set up a relief fund for our affected employees located on our website.  If any of our customers are able to contribute it would mean a great deal at this time.

We’re excited to offer our monthly burger special this Wednesday the 25th.  We expect to run out and would like to give all of you the option to reserve one online before Wednesday. If you’re worried about not getting one please go to our websitewhere we’ll explain how it works.

The following Wednesday, April 1st, We’ll be offering our monthly fried chicken special and give you the same reservation option we’re using for Burger Wednesday.
Starting Thursday March 6th we’ll bring back non-pizza entrees for all our GF friends, starting with Massachusetts raised beef short rib and then moving to a delicious roast chicken from Green Circle Farm the following week.

We’ll post our menu to the website every time it changes but we’re trying to keep things a bit simpler for the time being.

-sincerely Short & Main

WEDNESDAY  MARCH 25    BURGER NIGHT  fresh-ground grass-fed beef from jordan farms
WEDNESDAY  APRIL 1     FRIED CHICKEN  chicken from green circle farms

BULK ORDERS FROM APRILLA FARM!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Bulk Order
Pick up Saturday March 28, at Alprilla Farm 10-1pm. Order by Wednesday midnight.

Hello Friends of Cedar Rock Gardens,

We wanted to reach out with an opportunity to get delicious local produce, from us here at Cedar Rock Gardens and from our friends over at Alprilla Farm in Essex, along with a few other awesome local producers in bulk quantities at wholesale prices.

We Hope you are all keeping your head up in this time of uncertainty. Our friends Noah and Sophie Courser-Kellerman over at Alprilla Farm in Essex grow vegetables that are distributed in the fall and winter. They have had a terrific season this year and have enough food to be able to team up with us to bring you a vast selection of goods for a bulk order pick up. We have added our selections of fresh greens to their delicious roots, produce, wheat and beef options to give you the best local choice for all your eating needs.

Alprilla Farm is hosting the bulk pick up at their farm in Essex and all orders will be done through their new website (see link below). You will find a message from Sophie below detailing the pick up and how to order. We hope you enjoy the holiday season and we look forward to seeing you next spring!

Thanks,

Your farmers,
Elise and Tucker Smith
Cedar Rock Gardens

From Alprilla Farmers Noah and Sophie

I trust this newsletter finds you and all your loved ones safe and healthy. We are having one more bulk order to finish out the season.

  • Order here.
  • Deadline for ordering is Wednesday midnight.
  • Pick up is Saturday March 28th, 10-1 pm at Alprilla farm.
  • A very simple pick-up of your boxed order with minimal interaction.
  • And we’re hosting lots of other vendors on our platform!

We don’t usually plan for selling food in March, but we are hearing an immense call for good food to stock up on. We still have some vegetables and grains from our winter stores plus some fresh greens coming in the greenhouse and it feels important to get them out and feeding people in these uncertain times. We also have a number of friends with considerable inventory on their farms. The bulk order platform we’ve been using since October is in many ways well suited to the situation: you can stock up on pantry staples and good fresh food alike with minimal exposure by ordering ahead. We’ll set it up so you can just pull in the driveway, grab your box and leave payment.

You’ll find greens, carrots, cabbage, radish and celeriac aplenty from us and Cedar Rock Gardens. There are mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm! Both aged and fresh goat cheeses from Valley View. Eggs from Grant Family Farm. Maple syrup from Iron Ox Farm. Sauerkraut from Pigeon Cove Ferments. Fresh milled grains and a fresh batch of tortillas from Alprilla and delicious beans from our friends at Baer’s Best in Berwick Maine.

On our ordering site, we had to do a little work around to enable pay and pick up in person:

  • Fill your cart with what you like.
  • Check out.
  • You have to enter your shipping info though we are not shipping anything to you.
  • You don’t pay anything when you order, so skip through this section online and pay in cash or check when you pick up.
  • Your should get a confirmation email and your total is the subtotal listed.

Any trouble, feel free to email me. Ordering is open to everyone. Feel free to spread the word and share the link with friends!

It’s a virtual Monday night jam tonight! Online with Dennis and Joe 8pm 3.23.2020 Let’s see how it goes!

Posted on by Joanne

Joe & Dennis are excited to host their first “virtual jam”, and they’d love for you to join them! Please make sure you’re following our FB page, where we will be hosting a “Watch Party” for our participating players! If you’re interested in playing a set (20-30mins depending on how many sign up), please direct message me Dennis Monagle  through our FB page ( https://www.facebook.com/dmonagle9 ) , and we will find you a spot! Our dear friends, Marina Evans & Bernardo Baglioni – Berna will be kicking it off at 8pm tonight!
We are so grateful and feeling fortunate to be able to connect this way, and we look forward to watching it all grow!

The Jam: Mondays at Minglewood Tavern with Dennis and Joe for info and to sign up!
We’ll have a “tip jar” if you’re feeling so inclined! Joe & I could use any help to ensure the Jam continues!
Much gratitude!
Venmo @Dennis-Monagle

FIVE COVID-19 CASES IN GLOUCESTER – UPDATE FROM FROM THE GLOUCESTER DAILY TIMES

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Thank you to the Gloucester Daily Times who are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing. My family does because we value or local paper greatly 🙂

Gloucester Daily Times

By Taylor Ann Bradford  Staff Writer

There are five confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the city of Gloucester.

City officials expect this number, announced Sunday, to increase as testing becomes more widely available.

On Saturday, Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken issued an emergency order for all personal care businesses in the city to close at noon Sunday, March 22. Personal care businesses include, but are not limited to hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, day spas, massage and body work establishments, tattoo piercing and body art establishments, aesthetics establishments, tanning salons, and gyms and fitness centers.

The move came after the three cases were reported to the city on Saturday. On Sunday, two more cases were announced as being confirmed.

“We’ve seen a spike in cases in Massachusetts and a cross the nation. The Gloucester Board of Health and the City of Gloucester have been preparing for the last several weeks for the arrival of COVID-19 in our community,” the city’s Public Health Director Karin Carroll said. “The city’s been at the forefront on planning for this outbreak and has taken appropriate steps to adapt to the situation.”

Once notified of the confirmed cases, the city’s Health Department began its investigation which included tracing back these individuals’ recent contracts.

The three individuals are recovering at home and following the recommended isolation protocols.

Thank you to the Gloucester Daily Times who  is making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing. My family does because we value or local paper greatly 🙂

READ MORE HERE

Two Eagles and a Seal

Posted on by Pat D

I have been missing seeing eagles, so off we went to Deer Island near Amesbury. No crowds made it very easy to keep our distance. I went looking for eagles and we saw two adults in flight. Also saw some Goldeneyes; I am not very versatile in “duck”…I got the hint from a bird watcher (more than 6 feet away).  I was surprised to see the seal swimming up the river but it was a nice distraction while we waited for the eagles to show up. Watching nature unfold is a great reminder that we are not alone in this world; that we share it with other creatures.