The beauty of nature lies in the details

“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Turkey feathers fanning male Tom Turkey Kim Smith 2016Tom turkey tail feathers

GLORIOUS SPRING!

Daffodils Kim Smith 2016I dared not meet the daffodils,
For fear their yellow gown
Would pierce me with a fashion
So foreign to my own.

                                        -Emily Dickinson

Daffodils American Robin Kim Smith 2016

BREAKING TREMENDOUS NEWS: THE BACKSHORE IS SAVED!!!

BREAKING FANTASTIC NEWS: THE BACKSHORE IS SAVED!!!

11:59 SUNDAY APRIL 10TH $101,006.00 OF 100K REACHED, WITH TWO DONATIONS COMING IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES OF $4,000.00 AND $1,000.00.

 

Congratulations and thank you to our community for a job well done!

OMG SAVE OUR SHORES COUNTDOWN!!!

SOS UPDATE: As of tonight at 6:10pm

$93,221 of $100k

 

Please donate whatever you can, no donation is too small and every cent is appreciated. Thank you!

HERE IS THE LINK: SOS GO FUND ME

 

Slide 1

OUT BY THE OLD WOOD PILE

Spring beauty Scilla siberica Kim SmithSpring Beauty (Scilla siberica ‘Blue’)

A sea of blue by the old wood pile ~ A lovely surprise to come upon this sweet patch of Siberian squill near to the place where I was photographing the sky over the harbor in yesterday’s fast moving storm. Squill is a carefree, pest-free plant, whether lighting up a woodland edge, carpeting a lawn, scampering through a rock garden, or carpeting the forest floor. Its one growing requirement: plant in well draining soil; squill does not like wet feet. They are small, so you will need to plant lots to make an impact, but squill will naturize over time and in a few short years, you’ll soon be digging up clumps to share with friends.

In mid-fall, plant the rounded end of the bulb down, pointed end up, about 3 to 5 inches deep and about 15 per square foot

Nicknamed Siberian Squill not because it is from Siberia, but because it is hardy through zone 2.

GOOD HARBOR BEACH AFTER THE STORM

Good Harbor as the storm was departing yesterday afternoon. There is often a moment or two when a storm is ending when the colors of the landscape take on brilliant hues.Good Harbor beach Kim Smith

SAVE OUR SHORES UPDATE – ONLY $8,000.00 MORE TO GO!!!

SAVE OUR SHORES IS ONLY $8,000.00 WAY FROM THE GOAL OF $100,000.00

If you haven’t made a donation yet– absentmindedness, procrastination, or for whatever reason–now is the time to do so. Every single donation helps, small or large. THANK YOU!

The donations continue to arrive, and we are within shouting distance of our goal!

But now our deadline is approaching; in order to close this purchase by April 19th, we need to have the funds in hand by April 12th. So this is our last big push to get us over the top. Any excess funds raised will be used to protect more of Gloucester’s undeveloped coastline.

Save Our Shores Gloucester would like to thank all of our generous donors for their support. And special thanks goes to Lindsay Maver, who raised more than $1,500 from her customers at the Plant Shack in Gloucester last weekend!

Please share this one last time, and thank you again!

Slide 1

LIVE FROM THE MAGNOLIA ART IN THE SCHOOL HOUSE!

Congratulations to Donna, Joey, Bridgette, James, Tom, Deborah, E.J., Audi, and all our Good Morning Gloucester friends for a terrific show! Open until 9pm tonight and Saturday and Sunday.

IMG_7718Audi and Zinnia

IMG_7755 (1)Donna, Tom, and James

IMG_7732A.J., Anna, and Mayor Sefatia

Cape Ann TV’s Lunch & Learn Series: Lighting for Interviews with Ted Reed

On Wednesday, April 27th from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Cape Ann TV will be hosting a demonstration by professional video producer, Ted Reed, on how to properly light an interview. Ted will go over fundamental practices for lighting an interview to help you gain creative control over your lighting setups.

Ted will be conducting his demonstration using Cape Ann TV’s BRAND NEWlighting equipment.  Cape Ann TV recently invested in a Fillex field lighting kit with three mini-fresnel LED lights, 3 C-stands, and flag kit. “This additional lighting equipment perfectly compliments our existing equipment. Now our members will have total control over their lighting setups,” said Cape Ann TV Executive Director Erich Archer

Ted Reed Bio: Ted Reed has been writing, producing, shooting, directing, editing, (and eating, drinking  and sleeping) television and independent documentary production for decades. A longtime resident of Cape Ann, and winner of thirteen Emmy awards, Ted also taught filmmaking workshops at Tufts University, Boston University, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Endicott College, and the Boston Film and Video Foundation. He has worked nationally and internationally on news specials, magazine shows, documentaries, webcasts and corporate films as well as hundreds of TV commercials.  “One thing I’d like to see is everyone who wants to find their inner filmmaker to go ahead and make their movie,” he says. “You can make a commercial or a feature film with your phone, so why not?” His most recent work can be seen on his website, www.tedreed.tv.

We hope you can join us on Wednesday April 27th at noon for some lunch and learning!  Space is limited for this event; please RSVP to rtober@capeanntv.org to reserve your spot!

Lighting Set up

STRUTTIN’ HIS STUFF!

A face only a Mother could love ~Wild Turkey male close up wattle, caruncle, snood Kim Smith 2016

Male turkey’s faces are brilliantly colored red, white, and blue and change color depending on what mood. A solid white head indicates the most excited.

Wild Turkey male Courtship display Kim Smith 2016

There were three males courting in this group, with one being the dominant Tom. To attract the females, the males were spreading their tail feathers (called strutting) and spitting. Group courtship like this usually takes place after the winter months in March and April, when they are still flocked together.

Wild Turkey male female Tom pea Courtship display Kim Smith 2016Tom and Hen Eastern Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey male female Tom pea Courtship display -2 Kim Smith 2016

Anatomy_of_turkey_headAnatomy of a Turkey Head

1) Caruncles

2) Snood

3) Wattle (dewlap)

4) Major caruncle

5) Beard

Notice the small light tan colored holes to the right of the eye in both the above photo and the top photo. That is the Tom’s ears with which he can hear quite well.

The photo below is not tack sharp so I almost didn’t post however, it demonstrates that this turkey is comparatively more excited as his face is more white and blue than the turkey in the first photo. And you can see the ear quite clearly in this photo, too.

Wild Turkey male close up wattle, ear, snood, caruncle Kim Smith 2016

Domestic turkey photo courtesy wiki.

BREAKING NEWS: SAVE OUR SHORES HAS RAISED $84,000.00!!! ONLY 16,000. TO GO

BREAKING NEWS: SAVE OUR SHORES HAS RAISED $84,000.00!!!

To our devoted supporters:

Just $16,000 more needed!!

We are excited to be so near our goal of $100,000 needed to purchase four parcels of land on Atlantic Road, and pay for legal and closing costs.

As of today, we estimate our total donations and pledges at $84,000.

A short time ago, one of the most beautiful places in New England was threatened with massive construction and irretrievable damage. We’re just as amazed as each of you that this prized land and viewscape will belong to all of us.  Without the support of each and every one of our more than 400 donors, this would not be possible.

Thank you for your continued support and for showing up at all of those meetings.

Save Our Shores Gloucester (SOSG)

Roger Armstrong

Hazel Hewitt

Marty Del Vecchio

Dave Manley

Mark and Pam Poulin

Barbara Silberman

Slide 1

 

SNEAK PEAK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AT BEEMAN!

8480_ BelleGastonHighResBelle: Ella Anderson Gaston: Jason Earl 

Beauty and the Beast at Beeman School April 12, April 13  and April 14

The Beeman Elementary School Chorus presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast on Tuesday, April 12, Wednesday, April 13 and Thursday, April 14, 2016 at 7:00PM at Beeman School, 138 Cherry Street, Gloucester. All tickets for the production are $5.00 each and will be sold at the door the night of the performance.

The production features 30 fourth and fifth grade Beeman students directed by Gloucester Stage Youth Acting Workshop director and actress Heidi Dallin with musical direction by Beeman Music teacher Beth Goldberg. Dallin was brought into the elementary school by the Gloucester Education Foundation initiative to support and enhance elementary school theatre by partnering teachers with theatre professionals.
7660Coggsworth highresCoggsworth: Declan Lessor
8310_ LumiereHighResLumiere: Marissa Numerosi
8150_LumiereBeastBelleHighResLumiere: Marissa Numerosi; Beast: Justin Lark; Belle: Ella Anderson
8610_gastonSilly girls HighresGaston and the Silly Girls
8670_Beautyand Beast cast memberCast members from Beauty and the Beast

PHOTOS BY DAVID LUFKIN

SCENES FROM AROUND CAPE ANN’S BEAUTIFUL MARSHES

Cape Ann marshes are coming to life, in spite of the snowy days and unseasonably cold temperatures. Choristers make themselves readily known with their mating songs and with still bare tree limbs, they are fairly easy to spot.

Red-winged Blackbird male Rockport MA Kim Smith 2016

Sing, sing, sing!

Cardinal Female Kim Smith 2016Mrs. Cardinal

Mouring Dove pair Kim Smith 2016Camouflaged! No eggs yet at the Mouring Dove nest.

Swan male rockport MA Kim SmithMr. Swan looking good.

cat in nine tails Kim SmithDissipating cattail seed heads make for terrific songbird nesting material.

Turn up your volume and listen for the male Red-winged Blackbird song in the instagram below, just audible enough through the noisy Mallards quacking.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1jo7pjypZ/

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO BACKYARD GROWERS!!

MAYOR RECOGNITION DAY BACKYARD GROWERS MAYOR ROMEO THEKEN LARA LEPOINKA -5 Kim Smith 2016. JPGIn honor of Mayor Recognition Day, today at City Hall Megan Stratton, Marina Lavender, and Courtland Kelly were recognized for their service at Backyard Growers. On behalf of the City of Gloucester, Mayor Romeo Theken gave commendations to Megan, Backyard Growers Food Corps service member, and to Courtland and Marina, who are both Americorps service members. On behalf of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, all three women were recognized by Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante for their service to Gloucester.MAYOR RECOGNITION DAY BACKYARD GROWERS MAYOR ROMEO THEKEN LARA LEPOINKA -3 Kim Smith 2016. JPG

https://www.instagram.com/p/BD0uyo4Dykp/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BD0wdZCjyoV/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1MuqhDyhR/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BD1NBtJjyiH/

MAYOR RECOGNITION DAY BACKYARD GROWERS MAYOR ROMEO THEKEN LARA LEPOINKA -4 Kim Smith 2016. JPG

MAYOR RECOGNITION DAY BACKYARD GROWERS MAYOR ROMEO THEKEN LARA LEPOINKA Kim smith 2016

 

DON’T MISS THE TEMPEST TONIGHT AT EAST GLOUCESTER ELEMENTARY!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDvhCl5jyo1/

Director Dawn Sarrouf shares that fifth grade student Erin McCarthy is singing an original rap created by third grade student Seamus Swift, with words by William Shakespeare.

 

GLOUCESTER HARBOR SNOWY DAY

Gloucester Harbor snowy day -3 Kim Smith 2016. JPGLooking out my office window its hard to believe this is an afternoon in April, not mid-February. The following is a quote friend Jamy left on my Facebook page today, “Spring, she could not help herself, she fell back into Winter’s cold embrace.”

Gloucester Harbor snowy day -2 Kim Smith 2016. JPG

Man at the Wheel Gloucester snowy day Kim Smith 2016. JPG copy

Gloucester harbor Greasy pole snowy day Kim Smith

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDx_IT4jysU/

THE TEMPEST FINAL SHOW POSTPONED UNTIL TUESDAY, APRIL 5TH

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