My View of Life on the Dock
Mallard duckling families from around Niles Pond, Henry’s Pond, and Loblolly Cove
TheĀ ducklingsĀ appear so small and vulnerable when crossing the road
Ducklings hungrily foraging in the seaweed at dusk. The duckling with the darker feathers on top of its head has a gimpy leg yet despite that, sheĀ keeps up with herĀ sibling.
Mama Mallard with ducklings tucked under her breast and well camouflaged
There’s always one in every crowd
The bachelors
Kathy and Dominic Nicastro
| St. Peterās Fiesta 2016 |
Novena to St. Peter Monday, June 13 ā Tuesday, June 21 |
7:00ā10:00 p.m.Ā Musical Entertainmentā¦.St. Peterās Park:Ā Ā Ā
āBarry Mooney and The Sounds of Legends āĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā
Youth 3 on 3 Basketball TounamentĀ Ā Ā Ā Ā Time to be announced.
For further details, contact the Cape Ann YMCA.
6:30 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Fiesta 5K Road Race ā with Cape Ann YMCA ā
Starting location Stage Fort Park,
Finish line at St. Peterās Park.
For further details, contact the Cape Ann YMCA.
8:00ā11:00ā¦Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Entertainment, Dance and Music featuringā¦..
āWILD FIREā ā¦. St. Peterās Park
4:45 p.mā¦ā¦.Ā Ā Ā Greasy Pole Contestā¦andā¦WomenāsĀ Seine Boat Races
Pavilion Beach
6:30 p.mā¦ā¦.Ā Ā Ā Entertainmentā¦.Before Opening Ceremonies
7:30 p.m. ā¦…Ā Ā Ā Formal Opening ā¦.St. Peterās Square
Entertainment immediately following to 11:30 p.m….Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā featuringĀ Ā Elio Lorusso and SEABREEZE
9:30 a.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Family Activity Dayā¦.Newell Stadium
For further details, contact the Cape Ann YMCA.
10:00 a.m…ā¦.Ā Ā Ā Ā Pavilion Beachā¦Military Seine Boat Race:Ā ā
U.S. Coast Guard vs U.S. Navyā¦
Gloucester Fire Department vs Gloucester Police DepartmentĀ
3:00 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Childrenās Gamesā¦. Beach Court
4:45 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Sports Eventsā¦ Pavilion Beach
Seine Boat Races..&..Greasy Pole Contest
8:00ā11:30 pm. Musical Entertainmentā¦St. Peterās Squareā¦.
āGian Faraone and Ā Big Band Orchestraā
10:00 a.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Ā Celebration of MASS OF ST. PETERā¦.. at St. Peterās Park
10:00 a.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Celebration of MASS OF ST. PETERā¦.. at St. Peterās Park
Ā 12:00 noonā¦..Ā Ā Procession following the Celebration of Outdoor Mass
3:00 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Blessing of the Fleetā¦ Stacy Boulevard.
3:00 p.mā¦ ā¦Ā Ā Concertā¦.United States Navy Band Northeastā¦St. Peterās Park
4:45 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Sports Eventsā¦at Pavilion Beach ā
Seine Boat Races..&...Greasy Pole Contest
6:30 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā ChildrenāsĀ Pinata Contest āĀ Pascucci Court
6:30 -7:15 pmĀ Ā Ā Ā Musical entertainment.. St. Peterās Squareā¦ featuring Ā Jimmy Geany
7:15 p.mā¦….Ā Ā Ā Awards Ceremony ā Trophies awarded to winners of the Sports Events
8:30 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Ā Musical Entertainment āĀ St. Peterās Park featuringĀ Paul London
11:00 p.mā¦ā¦Ā Ā Raffle Drawings and Closing Procession
The 80s Greasy Pole ChampionsĀ with David Foote,Ā Steven LeBlanc Jr, Peter Frontiero,Ā Nico Brancaleone, Jim Silva, Paul Nicastro, andĀ Jake Wood
As the firstĀ stormĀ cell departs a second approaches. You can see the bands of rain on the far left, behind the streaks of sunlight.
Twin Lights Thacher Island
Our alphabet garden at the Children’s Campus at Phillips Andover is coming along beautifully. In its second year, I’ll post photos later in the season as the garden begins toĀ fill out and come into full bloom.
Thanks to Pam and her wonderful staffĀ at Wolf Hill for locating ourĀ letter Q Ā plant, the toweringĀ ‘Queen of the Prairie.’ She is a gorgeous beautyĀ for the back of the border, growingĀ 5 to 7Ā feet tall, with panicles of deep pink and purple streaked lacy foliage.Ā Can’t wait to see this native bee and butterfly attracting beauty in bloom!
P is for Peachleaf Bellflower
Live Theater Performances for Young Audience Members Age 3 and Older
Playtime Stories Company member Ella de Gaspe Beaubien shows off the paper bag puppet she made during a puppet making workshop following the performance
Gloucester Stage Company proudly launches the 2016 season ofĀ Playtime Stories, an engaging combination of childrenās stories and live performances for ages 3 and older, on Saturday, June 18 at 10 am at Gloucester Stage, 267, East Main Street, Gloucester. Playtime Stories offers young children the unique opportunity to experience the fun and magic of live theater as they watch their favorite books come to life onstage. Following the performance audience members will be invited to join the Playtime Stories Company in fun and interactive workshops relating to the story. Each Saturday the Playtime Stories Company, consisting of members of Gloucester Stageās apprentice company, veteran Youth Acting Workshop students and special guest narrators will perform a childrenās story against the backdrop of the storyās illustrations as well as create a dynamic weekly series of interactive events related to the story. According Youth Acting Workshop Director and Teacher Heidi Dallin, āWe had a great response to the Playtime Stories program last summer. It is a terrific way for YAW to reach out to younger audiences to spark their excitement in live performance. Many of the veteran YAW students in the Playtime Stories Company have been involved in the YAW program since they were 5 years old and now they will inspire the next generation of YAW students!ā Each weekPlaytime Stories explores different stories ranging from classic fairy tales to new stories to works by local authors. The books for June 18 are the classicThomas The Tank Engine and Friends: Thomas Goes Fishing, Based onThe Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry and The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch. Upcoming books to be read and performed by the Playtime Stories Company include The Three Little Pigs and The Little Red Hen onJune 25; Curious George and Little Bunny Foo Foo on July 9. Other Stories planned for July include Virginia Lee Burtonās Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Rumpelstiltskin, and the Dr. Seuss classics, The Lorax and What Pet Should I Get?Ā All Playtime Story performances are held at 10 am at Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Admission is $5. For more information, call the Gloucester Stage Box Office at 978-281-4433 or visitwww.gloucesterstage.com
Stopped at Good Harbor to check on the Piping Plovers onĀ my way into work this morning. No babies yet.Ā I spotted three adults, feeding in the tidalĀ flats, grooming, and giving every bird of another species besides their own the business, in no uncertain terms. Big raindrops began to fall, I don’t trust the manufacturer’s claim that my cameras are waterproof, and work wasĀ waiting. FirstĀ light at Good Harbor isĀ always different, depending on what is happening in the sky above, and it is always beautiful.
Bath time
Itās not often that a wild bird permits such a close encounter. The Snowy EgretĀ was drinking, feeding, and bathing at the pond edge. At one point a noisy family appeared and began throwing stones into the water. All the Mallards swam toward the far end of the pondĀ and the egret retreated up into the trees. As soon as the family departed, the ducks and Snowy returned to the beach, resuming business as usual.
Snowy Egrets forage on mostly aquatic animals including frogs, fish, crustaceans, worms, and insects. The vivid yellow feet are often used to probe in the mud for prey.
Running back and forth along the shoreline while hunting, several times plunging in and becoming completely submerged.
During breeding season the Snowy Egret develops beautiful wispy curving plumes on its head and back. A great deal of time was spent smoothing and arranging its feathers.
Slender and elegant, the Snowy appeared smaller than a duck when its neck was tucked in.
Spiraling to dry its feathers.
Dominic NestaĀ and hisĀ unmistakeable fishing boat ‘Tide Skipper’ coming home Friday night,Ā with the Fort in the background. I think the pilot house on theĀ smallĀ book gives it a very interesting,Ā unique look,Ā making it always easy to identify whenever seen in the Harbor.
Unexpectedly I encountered a stunningĀ bird that let me stand within only a few feetĀ while photographing and filming,Ā for quite a good long length ofĀ time.Ā I hope to post tomorrow afterĀ I have time to look atĀ the photos but in the mean time, love the feet! In one piece of literature that I read, the feet were described as golden slippers. With those corn on the cob toes and black claw-like toe-tips,Ā I wouldn’t exactly describe them as such!
The corncoblike serrations on the toes are used to remove mud and fish slime during grooming. Strong, unwebbed feet allow the bird to walk and run great distances while foraging.Ā
Amy and Daughter Dylan Kerr
A wonderful turnout for Amy Kerr’s exhibit at the Paint Factory!Ā HerĀ beautifulĀ works are on displayĀ through this Sunday only.
Last night’s sunset over the Fort from the Paint Factory patio
Len Burgess writes, “YOU WANT TO BE IN THIS CHALLENGE! It is this JUNE 6TH, 5:30 TO 8PM. Sign up atĀ www.essexshipbuildingmuseum.org, or call Marcia at (978) 375-3337 today! Tickets are selling fast and theĀ weather is predicted to be 75 degrees, partly sunny – perfect sailing weather.”
https://vimeo.com/169423749
JOIN THE 4th ANNUAL SCHOONER CHALLENGE! Monday, June 6th, 6 to 8 pm. The Schooners Adventure, Lannon, and Adelle join forces to help us to protect and preserve the Schooner Evelina M. Goulart here at the shipbuilding museum. Schooners sail from The Maritime Gloucester dock on Harbor Loop. More fun than you can imagine. Sign up atĀ www.essexshipbuildingmuseum.org, or call Marcia atĀ (978) 375-3337Ā today! Tickets will sell fast!
Video by Barry O’Brien, with footage lent by Marty Luster
Time for a bathroom break. Love this video being shared by Facebook friends! “JustĀ PEE” penned by Cindi Lauper and performed by the Broadway cast of the hit musicalĀ Kinky Boots.
Continuing in the City’s tradition of supporting diversity, liberty, and freedom for all, Gloucester is celebrating Pride Month throughout June, beginning with today’s flag raising ceremony. Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken was joined by House Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante, Senator Bruce Tarr, City Councilors Melissa Cox and Sean Nolan, a representative from Representative Seth Moulton’s office, and many people from the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community.
The flag was donated by Gloucester resident Alasandra McClellan.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGMwJUiDyo-/
Not really gross, but actually quite beneficial!
Through my camera’s lens, I thought this sweet little Song Sparrow was hopping around with a breakfast of leaves until downloading the photos. Rather, his mouth is stuffed withĀ whatĀ appears to beĀ the larvae ofĀ theĀ Winter Moth, thoseĀ annoying little green caterpillars that dangle from trees, whichĀ pupate into the dreaded adult Winter Moths, whichĀ are destroying trees and shrubs throughout the region. So, thank you Song Sparrow!
The Song Sparrow was most likely bringingĀ the caterpillars to its nestlings. Although adult Song Sparrows prefer seeds, toĀ a newly hatched bird a plump juicy green caterpillar is easy to digest and rich in nutrients. As a matter of fact, most songbirds rear their young on insects. The Song Sparrow photo illustrates yet another reason why it is so important not to spray trees with pesticides and herbicides. When a landscape is pesticide free, a natural balance returns. Insects are bird food!
Landscape design work is keeping me away from beloved film projects (although I do love my work no doubts). I did mange this morning to go to Good Harbor Beach to check on the Piping Plovers, to Henry’s to see Mr. Swan, and to the marsh for the ducklings. There were two plovers awakening in the little GHB cordoned off sanctuary, feeding and chasing away intruders. Mr. Swan was chilling at Henry’s, and the three sweet duckling families I have been filming don’t appear to have lost any additional members.
Spending time at Good Harbor Beach filming the plovers before the beach has been cleaned has certainly been an eye opener. Although not even officially summer yet, every morning at daybreak I find the beach littered with an astonishing amount of plastic bottles, trash, food, and plastic bags. According to Rose Piccolo at the DPW, the cleanup crew arrives around 7am and typically has the beaches cleaned by 8:30am. They do a really truly phenomenal job of making our beaches look pristine and attractive before the 9am opening.
A most sincere thank you to Joe Lucido and the Gloucester DPW for a job well done.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGKMouyDynW/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGKHcb1DypO/
Playing with triadic color–the planters at the Mary Prentiss Inn are a great example of a classic triad. Triadic color schemes use colors that are evenly spaced around the color wheel. When successful, they are really quite vibrant and seem toĀ sing. In these arrangements, theĀ orange color dominates whileĀ the shades ofĀ purplesĀ and greens are the accents.
Vibrant orange Iceland Poppies steal the show!
The Womenās Guild of Holy Family Parish is having a Strawberry Festival and Plant Sale this weekend, Saturday, June 4th from 9am-2pm at St. Ann Church.
They will also be featuring their super special 2nd Annual Mug Up Fundraiser, which includes a donated local artisan pottery mug, bottomless cup of coffee, and a homemade biscotti or muffin, all for only $15.00!!
The handmade mugs were donated by Marty Morgan, Deb Carlson, Jenny Rangan, Jean Dugan, Nina Goodick, and Judy Bidwell.
Strawberry images courtesy Wiki Commons Media search
Thursday, September 29, 7:00 p.m.
Architect Eleanor Raymond: A Pioneer in the Field
The life and accomplishments of Eleanor Raymond (1887-1989), a pioneering woman in the field of architecture during the mid-20th century, will be the subject of a talk presented by documentary film maker Lyda Kuth. A graduate of the Cambridge School of Art and Landscape Architecture for Women, Eleanor Raymond was a noted innovator partnering with solar energy researcher Dr. MĆ”ria Telkes to design one of the first successful solar-heated buildings in the Northeast. On Cape Ann, Raymond designed homes for artist Natalie Hays Hammond, anthropologist Carlton S. Coon and a summer cottage for herself overlooking Gloucesterās outer harbor. Lyda Kuth is an independent filmmaker and Executive Director of the LEF Foundation, which supports New England independent documentary filmmakers. She has been recognized by the Massachusetts Cultural Council with the prestigious Commonwealth Award and honored by Women in Film and Video New England with an Image Award.
EZRA L. PHILLIPS, Block for Howard Blackburn, Esq. Main Street, GloucesterāMain Street Elevation and East Elevation 1900, Scale: Ā¼ā = 1 foot, ink on linen.
READ MORE HERE Continue reading “SAVE THE DATE: MY FRIEND LYDA KUTH LECTURE AT THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM SEPTEMBER 29TH”
Good Morning Gloucester 