My View of Life on the Dock
The last census lists Gloucester as having 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Only 1970 more viewers and we will be having as many daily viewers as there are man women and children in the City of Gloucester!
Of course our reach is world wide but that census number is something I’ve had my eye on for a long while as a milestone I’m dying for us to achieve.
here’s a map of where people have logged onto GMG from today, June 7th as of 3;30PM-
Hi Joey,
Took this Friday night while out for a stroll by the boat ramp. Thought you might like to add it to your page. Keep up the good work. PS could you give us a plug for our Wednesday evening show at the "Annie" we’re just trying to get started and any help would be appreciated thanks.
Tony Hilliard aka the "Singin Sarge"
St. Ann School of Gloucester representin’
Marigolds
Twine planting grid
Tomato towers
The Open Class race was one for the ages as all 4 teams finished within 2 seconds of each other! Shortly after the start, strong winds out of the Northerly pushed the tandems of Erik Dombrowski / Glenn Harrington and Len Robertson and Ray D’Amico slightly off their course and that may have cost them the race as the boatspeed was there. In lanes 3 and 4 was in out-and-out war! Tom Jarvis and Jim Tarantino were neck and neck with defending champs Mark Duval and Joe "International Sex Symbol" Sanfilippo all the way to the turning flag. A smooth turn got Tarantino/Jarvis a small lead, which varied from a half a boat to a boat all the way home. But it was the superior athleticism and dedicated in-the-boat training that paid off for Duval and Sanfilippo at the finish, as they put on a huge push and ended up winning by an eighth of a second!!!
In the Master’s Division a perfect course by Mike Harmon, driven by the phenomenal strength of John Scola, secured an easy victory for the defending champs, even though they faced the skilled pair of newcomer Chris Ferrante and Bill Edmonds.
Unopposed representatives for the U.S. will be:
Juniors: LJ Robertson and Randy Parisi
Women’s: Christine Carpenter and Amy Robertson
Mixed: Jeff Muise and Christine Carpenter
Congratulations to all the rowers!
International Dory Races will be on Saturday, June 18th at the State Fish Pier in Gloucester, beginning with a Pancake Breakfast at 8 a.m.
Dear Gardening Friends,
Come join me this Tuesday, June 7th at Willowdale Estate, from 4:00 to 6:00, for a house and garden tour of this beautiful, and beautifully restored, historic Arts and Crafts manse. Members of the Willowdale staff will be giving guided tours of the house and I will be available to talk about the garden, including how the Arts and Crafts movement influenced our horticultural decisions. Admission is free and the event is open to the public.
Thank you for the all the thoughtful comments and praise for last week’s column “The most highly scented lilacs…” Additionally, you will always find more photos posted on the blog. I cannot email too many photos in one newsletter because many of my reader’s email accounts have MB limits. Recently, several readers mentioned they keep a separate file for my columns on their desktop or in their email accounts, however, just to let you know, all columns and newsletters from the past year are archived on my blog. Columns prior to January 2010 are archived on my website.
Next week I will send you information on lilac culture as this is the ideal time of year to trim and shape your lilacs for maximum blooms next year.
Reader Irma wrote the following: I picked my lilacs at their height. In water, in the vase they lasted 2 days and drooped! Last year the same. I couldn’t believe it. Do you know why?
Hi Irma, Lilacs have woody stems and do not easily absorb water in the vase. Depending on whatever tool is handy, I do one of two things. With a hammer, crush the stems, at least six inches along the length, and immediately place in a vase filled with tepid or warm water. Over the years I have also discovered that peeling the stems with a vegetable peeler is just as effective, and less messy. Peel away the woody outer layer, all around the stem, again at least six inches up the stalk (peel down to green). Still, even with treating the stems, the arrangement will be fleeting and only look beautiful for several days. The scent of the lilacs permeating throughout your home is worth the extra effort!
Click to view more on Kim’s Blog here
Look for our 2011 Fiesta Preview with Fiesta Committee Member Anthony Saputo tonight at 6PM
Video Taken By Ed Collard
I have no idea how they call it a reconstruction as it seems like they are building an entirely new boat. The Bluenose II was an incredibly beautiful boat but according to The Queens new Life in Canada blog, it’s keel was warped and they totally deconstructed it.
So they built this enormous structure to rebuild build another Bluenose II.
Click the thumbnail to go to The Queens New Life In Canada for fantastic photos of the construction process
Here are some of my pictures of The Bluenose II when she was in Gloucester August 31, 2008-
You can tell a lot about a community by the doors on its buildings. The door on Alma McLaughlin
McLaughlin’s Gallery is one that holds many parallels with the city we love, Gloucester.
It’s both worn and beautiful with many layers of paint much like the layers of character that is the fabric of our city. This is no pre-molded factory produced door which adorn the bedroom communities grotesque subdivisions. This is a door that has seen it all and still beams bright and beautiful.
Welcome.
For the rest of the Gloucester Door Series click here
Terry writes-
The video below shows a Gloucester turkey on a morning stroll. Although you can’t tell from this video, the turkey’s head was a beautiful blue color.
The quahog??? Seriously????? How bout the steamer clam? Ever hear of of the Fried steamer clam joints all over the Massachusetts coast? I never once heard of a whole slew of restaurants dedicated to selling quahogs? Uhm, The Clam Shack, Woodmans, Essex Seafood, the list goes on and on all based on the steamer clam. For Christ’s sake, the lobster has more place as an official shellfish than the freaking quahog. Lets see how much revenue is generated by each shellfish before we go handing out that designation to a third tier shellfish. HELLOOOOOOOO!!!!!
What a crock of shit! This bill must be sponsored by some South Shore hack. Where’s our Goddamn representation???? North Shore Represent!!!!!!
Read The Story At The Boston Globe-
June 5, 2011
BOSTON—The lowly quahog will be the official shellfish of Massachusetts if a bill making its way through the Statehouse becomes law.
The hard-shelled clam has helped feed generations of New Englanders and served as a form of currency for Native American tribes. The word "quahog" is a shortened version of the name given the clam by Narragansett Indians.
The bill that establishes the designation is scheduled for a public hearing Monday at the Statehouse before the Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.
Here’s a little hard data to consider-
J Souza Writes-
Hi Joey.
I have been a random contributor of things I might think were of interest. Appreciate all that have you have done – and how you have remarkably brought this community together… I must say I am PASSIONATE about the UU Gloucester Church online auction (biddingforgood.com/uu auction). An amazing of not only cool people but a collection of goods and services that are relevant to today’s economy and also very indicative to the community we live in. This is a historic institution that needs to be maintained….the barest necessities.
Give it a look. I am a member of the church…but am also incredibly impressed by the selection of talent and and a critic that is amazingly impressed. Appreciate it if you could pass the info along as the auction only has 9 days left…and it’s awesome! I’m a tough judge, so I do not say these things casually. It is an incredible church with a national history that makes Gloucester proud..appreciate all you might do to illuminate this incredible institution.
The Closing the Gap is now open! Let’s bid! The auction will run from 8:00 a.m. June 1, 2011 to 9:00 p.m. June 15, 2011, with proceeds to benefit the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church.
We have a wide array of unique and utilitarian items, with something for everyone. Think Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries. Think weddings! Auction items range from dog toys to doggy acupuncture, oil changes to heating oil, glorious meals, cakes and chocolates, vacation homes and overnight stays. Have your guitar tuned, your tires rotated and your novel edited before going on a wildflower tour or Dogtown trip. Then browse an amazing collection of important Cape Ann art. Check in everyday for new surprises!
Share the joy! Forward this link to everyone you know who loves supporting a good cause while they shop for things they use everyday, or refer your friends using the ‘refer a friend’ button, so that we have the largest bidding pool possible. Start browsing and start bidding.
Got something special yourself? Show your support by clicking on the "Donate Items" button. Got cash? You may donate that by using the "Donate Cash" button to the left and below.
Gloucester UU Church Online Auction
Gloucester’s Unitarian Universalist Church is holding an online auction now through June 15 to raise funds for the church’s religious education programs. On the block are artwork, jewelry, furniture, collectibles, services, and unique experiences as well as gift certificates from local restaurants and businesses. Many items are nautical or Cape Ann–related: bidders can choose a locally made lamp or necklace, enjoy a guided hike and picnic in Dogtown, or vie for a piano lesson from Willie “Loco” Alexander. Also up for bid are works by Cape Ann artists Joy Dai Buell, Alan Crane, Gordon Grant, Leonard Craske, Ruth C. Hagstrom, Brenda Malloy, Charles Movalli, and Len Wickens. Other desirable items include a spa vacation in Puerto Vallarte and a rare poster for the film “The Tree of Life” signed by actor Brad Pitt and director Terrence Malick. Support your downtown neighbors while buying art and other one-of-a-kind items for yourself or as a gift. New items will be added throughout the two-week period. Bidding closes at 8 p.m. on the 15th. To browse, bid, donate an item, or make a cash donation to the church, go to www.biddingforgood.com/UUauction.
Love how they toast the buns at Leonardos. the subs hold up so much better.
look for our coming video interview
Tonight!
Ocean currents, navigation routes, intersection of land, sea, and sky, and the imagining of what exists in the unspecified depths of water are all sources for the paintings and works on paper by Kathy Soles. They suggest the mystery of what exists below the surface, sometimes turbulent and at other times quietly serene. Learn more about Soles’ work at an introductory lecture on Monday, June 6, 7pm at the Rocky Neck Gallery, 53 Rocky Neck Ave.
Soles holds a B.A. from Emmanuel College in Boston and an M.F.A. from American University in Washington, D.C. She studied printmaking and painting at Maryland Institute College of Art and Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. She has exhibited widely in both solo and group exhibitions. A professor of painting and drawing at Emmanuel College, she lives and maintains a studio in Milton, Massachusetts.
for more of her work-
Adam Bolonsky reports-
$60 a year gets you access to the racing dories docked seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at St. Peter’s Square. Join this great organization at internationaldories.com. After you build yourself seat and buy a pair of oars, you’re good to go!
Here’s a look at the club’s three newest dories, built by Geno Mondello at Harbor Loop:
I figure if these other jabronis can do it why can’t I?
I predict a 100% success rate on the accuracy of my forecast which you can listen to by clicking the arrow below-
(thanks for the inspiration Charlie)
Good Morning Gloucester 