My View of Life on the Dock
I get that ducks “stay warm” in the winter thanks to all sorts of design features such as waterproof outer feathers, a down layer, and even some cool heat exchange deal in their legs but, you’ll never convince me not to be sad when I see them in the ice cold water. And, yes, I realize they’d get out of the water if they were truly miserable………
We met friends for lunch at Kalamata on Main Street yesterday. This little place is a definite win-win. We had a lovely atmosphere in which to catch up unhurriedly as well as delicious food and friendly service. Rose and GMG Jim had the chicken gyro sandwich, Rick had the pork gyro sandwich and I had the chicken gyro salad. The salad is FULL of chicken, fresh veggies and feta with plenty enough to take home. It’s a favorite lunch when I am at the shop, but even better when we can meet friends and chat. Try their soups!
What did the greater Gloucester community read in 2025? According to annual circulation data from the Sawyer Free Library, readers once again gravitated toward powerful storytelling, beloved series, and nationally celebrated bestsellers – across all ages and formats.
Topping the adult fiction list for the second year in a row is Kristin Hannah’s deeply moving novel The Women, which continues to resonate strongly with Sawyer Free Library patrons. Readers also followed national reading trends, checking out popular titles such as We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes and Three Days in June by Anne Tyler.
As in years past, graphic novels and favorite series dominated youth reading. Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dav Pilkey’s Dog Man titles once again proved wildly popular with younger readers, alongside cherished picture books by Mo Willems.
“The books our community borrowed in 2025 reflect a shared curiosity and a love of reading that spans generations,” said Sawyer Free Library Director Jenny Benedict. “With the exciting opening of our newly reimagined library, we’re seeing renewed energy and engagement from readers of all ages, as people return to discover new stories, connect with one another, and make the Library a part of their everyday lives.”
Sawyer Free Library’s Most Checked-Out Books of 2025
Top 5 Adult Fiction
Top 5 Adult Nonfiction
Top Teen Fiction
Top 5 Children’s Books
While top checkouts offer a snapshot of reading trends, they represent only a small portion of the wide range of materials borrowed by the community in 2025. Sawyer Free Library offers thousands of books, e-books, and audiobooks; materials in many world languages; and accessible formats – ensuring there is something for everyone.
With approximately 14,000 cardholders, Sawyer Free Library continues to serve as a cornerstone for education, connection, and cultural enrichment in Gloucester. Residents and students can obtain a Sawyer Free Library card by applying in person, or apply online for a NOBLE eCard, which provides access to Libby, Hoopla, and other digital resources from home, as well as the ability to place holds on print materials.
Readers are invited to explore these popular titles – and discover countless others – by visiting the Library’s newly renovated, modernized and expanded spaces at 2 Dale Avenue in Gloucester, or online at sawyerfreelibrary.org, where librarians are always ready to help patrons find their next great read.
The snow on Monday made for a special morning. The snow always is so pretty with the clouds and how the trees look.
Wintercolor…
Heidi Dallin with the news from Cape Ann Symphony, a great theme from Musicians Unleashed for their next program.
“Cape Ann Symphony continues the Musicians Unleashed Concert Series with Moods of the Sea Concert, on Sunday, February 8, 2026 at 3:00 PM at The St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington Street, Gloucester. The ticket price for Moods of the Sea Concert is $40. Call CAS at 978-281-0543 or go to www.capeannsymphony.org to purchase tickets.
Premiering in 2019, The Cape Ann Symphony’s Musicians Unleashed Concert Series are small intimate chamber concerts performed by members of the Cape Ann Symphony and guest artists at unique performance venues on Cape Ann. The Musicians Unleashed Concerts have become a wonderfully popular series with an overwhelmingly enthusiastic audience response.
The Moods of The Sea Concert combines music, literature and poetry performed by five string players and 2 vocalists. The program ranges from English poet John Masefield’s Sea Fever about longing for the freedom of life on the open sea set to music by John Ireland to Anton Dvořak’s String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 77, 2nd Movement written for the unusual combination of string quartet and double bass and in the lively joyful style of folk dance.
Moods of the Sea captures the stylistic choices of these works, with undercurrents and rippling chords. The program brings together motifs from folk traditions that expand to create full movements of beautiful sounds.
The concert program includes:
Salina Fisher’s Mata Au; Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Op. 37; Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite, Op. 29; Sea Fever, Music by John Ireland, Lyrics by John Masefield; and Anton Dvořak’s String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 77, 2nd Movement.
“Audiences can expect an eclectic afternoon of music, ” says Barbara Cox, Director of Marketing on the CAS Board, ” from beautiful vocals to soaring strings to joyful folk dances! We are excited to spotlight not only our CAS String players but also CAS Chorus member and Gloucester resident baritone John Fortado! Veteran Boston Mezzo soprano Alexandra Dietrich and cellist Taylor Stobinski make their Musicians Unleashed debut in Moods of the Sea. “
The musicians of Moods of the Sea are Cape Ann Symphony Principal Bass Richey Tally, a position he has held since 2009; CAS Violinists Margaret Cerjan and Oliver Klein, CAS Violist Brandon White and Greater Boston based teacher, recording artist and Cellist Taylor Stobinski.
Vocalists performing in Moods of the Sea are CAS Chorus member Gloucester’s John Fortado and mezzo soprano Alexandra Dietrich. A lifelong resident of Gloucester, MA, John Fortado has been singing as a tenor/baritone soloist and in multiple choirs, among them Chorus North Shore, Share the Music, and Cape Ann Symphony Chorus. He studies with Rockport’s Wendy Betts. He is an active soloist at the Orthodox Congregational Church in Lanesville as well as other churches and venues on the North Shore. Alexandra Dietrich, a Puerto Rican American originally from Freeport, Maine, has performed with opera companies and orchestras including the Boston Pops, Odyssey Opera, Juventas New Music Ensemble, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, the Charlemagne Orchestra of Belgium, the Longy Chamber Orchestra, and MassOpera. “
The Musicians Unleashed Concert, Moods of the Sea is Sunday, February 8 at 3:00 PM at The St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington Street, Gloucester. The ticket price for Moods of the Sea is$40. Call Cape Ann Symphony at 978-281-0543 or go to www.capeannsymphony.org for tickets.
OPEN ON A SUNDAY?!?! Your shake and tea dreams just came true, this weekend we’re getting salty and opening on Sunday too!! Come out and support your favorite local businesses downtown!! You don’t want to miss our special ice sculpture
Thursday to Sunday. 12pm to 4:30pm.
Delivery available. order at www.bexsushi.com
Here’s this week’s live music schedule at the Rhumb Line. See you there!
We often travel north looking for wildlife and birds so we travel through Rowley regularly. But we haven’t recently stopped at the Three Sweet Peas Bakery on Main St in Rowley until recently. As usual, we were greeted in a very friendly manner. The cases were FULL of ready to eat treats and prepared foods. We got ourselves a sweet treat and some chicken parm with garlic breadsticks for a future meal. Gotta love it when you don’t have to think too hard about dinner. When you’re up that way, it’s well worth stopping in.
The Sawyer Free Library is pleased to welcome Kory Curcuru of 1623 Studios for a screening of his latest Timeline: Cape Ann The Blizzard of 78′ on Friday, January 23 from 3:00 to 4:00pm in the Community Room.
The Blizzard of 1978 was a catastrophic nor’easter that swept across New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the New York metropolitan area. Forming on February 5 and lasting until February 7, this historic storm brought record-breaking snowfall, fierce winds, and widespread devastation. Massachusetts was hit especially hard, with snow piling up for over two days. The blizzard remains one of the most infamous winter storms in U.S. history.
Take a look back at this unforgettable event and its lasting impact on Cape Ann with Kory Curcuru of 1623 Studios. Register at sawyerfreelibrary.org.
This annual event brings over 2,000 people to the downtown area each January to shop at local stores, enjoy family friendly activities, visit the Museum Courtyard, and find each of the ice sculptures sponsored by local cultural institutions and businesses.
Gloucester’s So Salty will take place on Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25, 2026 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm!
Activities and Performances
Ice Sculptures, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
While the downtown Museum is temporarily closed for renovations, we welcome you to visit us at the CAM Tent in the Museum’s Courtyard to grab a Brochure map of the weekend’s activities and find all the ice sculptures downtown (Hint, three are right by the tent in the Courtyard!).
Sea Shanties, Saturday, January 24, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Sea Shanties performed by Three Sheets to the Wind. Free and open to the public. Unitarian Universalist Church of Gloucester, Middle Street, Gloucester.
Sawyer Free Library, Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Meet Mayor Lundberg who will be reading Katy and the Big Snow, by Virginia Lee Burton, at 1:00 p.m. and enjoy free children’s activities and crafts on Saturday with Open Door and Pathways of Gloucester. Free and Open to the Public.
Sawyer Free Library: All events are open to all ages, families and community members!
Businesses Downtown
Check individual locations for days and times including listings for Special Offers as well as Family Friendly Activities!
Pre-Salty! GLO-ARTs – Make Your Own Ice Sculpture, A Children’s Program
Join Sawyer Free Library and Gloucester Center for the Arts (GloArts) to make a collaborative ice sculpture for the 5th Annual Gloucester So Salty Festival! We’ll be making elements for the collaborative ice sculpture using food coloring, natural plants, and more. We’ll also talk about how to assemble our final sculpture. Once the elements freeze, you’re invited to come back on Friday, January 23 from 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. to help put out our ice sculpture art installation outside the library! Patrons ages 11-19 (grades 6-12) are welcome to participate in this event. Space is limited, so registration is required.
Saturday, January 17, 1:30—3:30 p.m.
Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Avenue, Gloucester
Even with the dreary skies, this cute seal was very happy on the rocks. This seal was far out, but it looked like this cutie was looking right at me.
Powdered…
Good Morning Gloucester 