Author: Kimsmithdesigns

Documentary filmmaker, photographer, landscape designer, author, and illustrator. "Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly" currently airing on PBS. Current film projects include Piping Plovers, Gloucester's Feast of St. Joseph, and Saint Peter's Fiesta. Visit my websites for more information about film and design projects at kimsmithdesigns.com, monarchbutterflyfilm.com, and pipingploverproject.org. Author/illustrator "Oh Garden of Fresh Possibilities! Notes from a Gloucester Garden."

MONARCHS AND PAINTED LADIES STILL ON THE WING AND WHY YOU SHOULD BE LAZY AND NOT TIDY UP YOUR GARDEN!

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Monarchs, Painted Ladies, American Ladies, and Yellow Sulphurs are still migrating through Cape Ann–Massachusetts, New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and all along the East Coast for that matter. There isn’t much in the way of nectar plants available at this time of year. If you have anything at all blooming in your garden, even a Dandelion, it will help butterflies and bees on the wing.

This newly emerged Painted Lady was scrounging around at all the dandelions in and around Eastern Point. You can see why if the deadly herbicide Roundup had been applied to this lawn, there would be nothing for the butterflies.

The above Monarch butterfly was drinking nectar from what appeared to be a dried out stalk of Seaside Goldenrod. Although it may seem of no use to you and I, the Monarch was probing deeply into the florets and finding sustenance.

If you have to tidy up your garden, wait until after Thanksgiving, and go cautiously. Bees burrow into dried flower stalks, songbirds find nutrition in the seed heads, and the caterpillars of many species of butterflies, such as those of the Great Spangled Fritillary, winter over in leaf litter at the base of plants.

It is not beneficial to pollinators to invite them to your garden, and then decimate the over wintering species with zealous tidying-up. Take a break, be lazy for the sake of the pollinators 🙂

Monarch dispute over a Dandelion

JESSE COOK “FOLLOW THE ROAD” LIVE AT THE SHALIN LIU

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Transcendent, gorgeous music, with inspiration found throughout the world, Jesse Cook and company gave a fabulous performance last night at Rockport’s Shalin Liu. Often described as new flamenco, Jesse’s music blends rhumba rhythms, jazz, Arabic music, traditional flamenco, and much, much more.

Currently touring with Jesse are Fethi Nadjem on violin, Matt Sellick on guitar, Matias Recharte on drums, and Dan Minchom on bass.

We met BJ in the lobby. He operated the cameras for the concert film that chronicles the “Beyond Borders” tour, currently playing on PBS. I asked BJ what was the process. He shares that nine cameras were set up nightly during the 31 day coast to coast tour of Canada. In addition, he used a hand held camera to maneuver around the stage. A different song was recorded each night in each different city. By the end of the tour, they had generated 50 TBs of footage. Jesse edited the film and it is beyond beautiful!

It would be tremendous if when Jesse returns to Cape Ann, he can play several nights. The concert at the Shalin Liu quickly sold out and it would be great if more people, especially young people, had the opportunity to hear his music.

We also had the pleasure of meeting Marcy and Christopher Plante, who were sitting next to us with their friends. Chris Plante built the Shalin Liu and Marcy’s friend was wearing a pair of butterfly earrings 🙂

#GLOUCESTERMA RANKS NO. 2 IN THE TWENTY BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS!!

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See what Money Inc has to say about Gloucester!

The Twenty Best Places to Live in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is one of the most remarkable states in America. It’s the place where many believe this country originated, being home to the historic city of Plymouth. The first European settlement was established there in the year 1620. What began as a farming and fishing community has grown and evolved into a highly industrialized center of activity in the country. Massachusetts has been listed as one of the best states to raise a family, and here are the 20 best places to live in Massachusetts, based upon safety, good school ratings, employment, amenities and reasonable cost of living.

THANK YOU MIKE MACK AND THE NORTH SHORE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY!

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Many thanks to Mike Mack and the North Shore Horticultural Society for the invitation to present “The Hummingbird Garden.” We had a great talk and I really want to thank everyone who volunteered what Ruby-throated Hummingbirds like to forage on in their gardens. Hummingbirds are opportunistic feeders and it was so interesting to learn the plants that support RTHummingbirds in other’s gardens. Although Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the most widely distributed Hummingbird in North America many aspects of its migration, breeding, and ecology remain poorly understood. In addition to what was presented, local gardeners added Cuphea, Penstemon ‘Husker Red,’ Rose of Sharon (all shades), Agastache, and a flowering quince in a rich shade of fuchsia.

Special thanks to the lady who brought a hummingbird nest and shared it with the attendees.

A reader inquired about a photo that I had posted with the announcement of the lecture. The photo is of a Rivoli’s Hummingbird and was taken in Macheros, Estado de México. We were staying in a tiny cottage on the banks of a forested mountain stream. The banks were abundant with blooming Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) and both the gently flowing stream and flowering sage were Mecca for all the hummingbirds in the neighborhood. Every morning we awoke to the chattering of dozens of hummingbirds, mostly Rivoli’s and White-eared Hummingbirds, bathing in the stream and drinking nectar from the sage.

A note about Rivoli’s Hummingbirds. They were originally called Rivoli’s, then the name was changed to Magnificent Hummingbird, but it’s name has since reverted back to Rivoli’s Hummingbird.

Rivoli’s Hummingbird and Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans)

NILES POND SONGSTER

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The melodious notes of the Song Sparrow are heard from sunup ’til sundown, spring, summer, and fall. Their beautiful song is most welcome, especially at this time of year when there are fewer songbirds on our shores and many that remain through the winter months don’t sing during the non-breeding season.

Song Sparrows have adapted to a wide variety of habitats. Despite the narrowness of the strip of land that separates freshwater Niles Pond from salty Brace Cove, Song Sparrows find plenty to forage on and excellent cover in the shrubby undergrowth found there.

Follow this link to hear the Song Sparrow’s song

 

TREMENDOUS MARKDOWNS – DONNA FROM THE WONDERFUL DIVA JEWELRY SHOP IS CLOSING HER DOORS

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Congratulations to Donna on her retirement. Her shop of treasures will be surely missed by we who love vintage jewelry ❤
Retiring after 50 years and closing award-winning jewelry store!

Selling entire shop contents all together or in parcels, including cases, props, lighting, etc. DIVA (Donna’s infinite Variety of Adornments) in Gloucester, MA, has been awarded as “Best” by the Boston Globe and with countless “Reader’s Choice” awards.

Donna Soodalter-Toman, the owner, has been a maker, designer, collector, buyer and seller for 50 years! She is also an appraiser and licensed auctioneer. This inventory is unmatched in terms of originality and saleability. Priced at keystone and slightly above, retail prices start at $10 and scale up to $30,000.

This unmatched inventory includes thousands and thousands of pieces from the late 1700’s to today in every metal, color and stone/gemstone, and for all genders.

Costume jewelry, for example, includes antique, vintage and contemporary pieces from names like; Chanel, Barkley, McClelland Barkley, Florenza, Lisner, YSL, Carnegie, Haskell, Hagler, Boucher, Roberta, Jomaz, Mazer, Trifari, Eisenberg, Schiaparelli, Bittar, Renoir, Matisse, KJL, DeLaRenta, Monies, Bonaz, Bengel, Diamonbar, Galiano, Lagerfeld, Prada, etc., plus countless collectible pieces in paste, Galalith, Bakelite, Lucite, celluloid, etc.

The collection of sterling silver is unmatched in size and piece. Antique, vintage and contemporary (mostly one-of-a-kind) pieces include makers like; NE From, David Anderson, Hull, Jensen, Hans Hansen, Coro, Trifari, DeTaxco, Aguilar, Kerr, Tiffany, Peruzzi, Coppini, Cini, Levin, Wiener, Shiebler, Robert Lee Morris, John Iverson, Linda Tesh, Betsy Fuller, Jayne Redman, Roberta and David Williamson, Bezak. Rebecca, F. Kite, Joseph Downs, Collen Denton, Romanik, Von Musulin, Judith Jack, John Hardy, Vitresse, David Yurman, Gabriella Kiss, DVA, Elyn Blake, Anne Besse Shepard, Wolf Doesch, Margaret Thurman (Echo of the Dreamer and Mars/Valentine), Eileen Sutton, Amy Kahn Russell, Tabra, Todd Reed, Linda Kindler Priest, Goudji, Lori Leonard, Sydney Lynch, Mar, Carol Webb, Carolyn Morris-Bach, Deborah Armstrong, Ford/Forlano, Nancy Kennedy, Biba Shutz, Elizabeth Garvin, Patty Walton, Urso, Naftali, Ray Tracey, Cavender, Girardi, Kristi Anderson, Kirstin Lora, Kristin Holeman, Judith Ripka, Magik-Fusager, Lagos, Rebecca Collins, Joan Dulles, Kiestlestein-Cord, Sebagg, Daus, Bigazzi, Messenger, Bayanihan, Sam Shaw, Terri Logan, Flying Anvil, Kabana, Hermes, etc., and a huge array of additional US, Scandanavian, Mexican, Italian, Other European and Native American pieces.

Antique, vintage and contemporary gold and platinum pieces, which cover Victorian, Georgian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Mid-Century Modern and contemporary time periods, are signed by makers like, DVA, Reinstein-Ross, Menagatti, Tiffany, Kabana, Chris Ploof, Esti’ Frederica, Konstantino, Andy Cooperman, Ripka, Yossi Harari, Charriol, Roberto Coin, George Sawyer, Paul Lantuch, Ross Coppleman, Homero, Sevan, Yvan Wolf, Asch-Grossbert, SOHO, La Novelle Baque, Gurhan, Rob Green, Todd Reed, Morelli, Marraccini, Omega, Concord, Hamilton, Gubelin, Tourneau, Chambers, etc. Many more are unsigned or signed by names unknown to Donna.

Would like to have contents sold by end of January, if possible, as the store will close at that time and everything remaining will be packed to move.

Please contact Donna with questions, requests for appointments, request for pictures, etc. She can be reached at 617-447-7527 or donnastoman@rcn.com. While merely representing a mere dent, a number of her pieces can be viewed on Facebook (DIVA), Instagram (Adornmentdiva) and on her website (AdornmentDIVA.com).

SHOUT OUT TO GLOUCESTER’S DPW FOR THE AMAZING DOWNED TREES STORM CLEAN-UP!!

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THANKS SO MUCH TO MIKE HALE AND GLOUCESTER’S SUPER HARDWORKING DPW FOR THE OUTSTANDING JOB CLEANING UP AFTER THE BOMB CYCLONE NOR’EASTER.  

With tremendous speed and efficiency, they have done a stellar job cleaning up the streets of downed trees and branches.

Stumps are painted orange to help prevent people from tripping.

Our own beautiful plum tree did not survive this last storm. It had been severely damaged several years ago when struck by lightening. The flowering plum (Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’) was planted in the sidewalk in front of our home, providing us with years of joy and beauty. Baltimore Orioles, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Chickadees, Gold Finches and House Finches were just some of the birds that called ‘Thundercloud’ home.

The DPW came within one day of calling to report the damage. My husband was home at the time and he said that within fifteen minutes after arriving, the crew had cut down the tree, chipped all the wood, and painted the stump.

Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’

RIP sweet plum tree, we are surely going to miss you. Even more so, will all the wildlife sustained by your nectar-rich flowers, fruits, and sheltering branches.

KIM SMITH PRESENTS “THE HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN” FOR THE NORTH SHORE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY THURSDAY OCTOBER 24TH

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THE HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN

OCTOBER 24TH AT 7:30PM

SACRED HEART CHURCH PARISH HALL

62 SCHOOL STREET

MANCHESTER, MA

Please join me Thursday evening at the Sacred Heart Church in Manchester where I will be giving my presentation “The Hummingbird Garden” for The North Shore Horticultural Society. It has been a phenomenal year for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds on Cape Ann and I am looking forward to sharing information on how you, too, can create a hummingbird haven. I hope to see you there!

“The Hummingbird Garden” is free for members and five dollars for guests.

THE HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only species of hummingbird that nests in Massachusetts. Learn what to plant to help sustain this elusive beauty while it is breeding in our region and during its annual spring and fall migrations. Through photographs and discussion we’ll learn about the life cycle of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the best plants to attract this tiniest of breeding birds to your garden.

SWANS!!!!

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Four exclamation points for four beautiful Mute Swans. They arrived yesterday afternoon. Thank you to my dear swan-loving friend Lyn Fonzo for the alert ❤

There don’t appear to be any brownish-gray adolescent feathers leading us to believe they are at least two years old. Young Mute Swans often join a flock, remaining until they are of breeding age, typically at about four years old.

I don’t think our visitors are familiar with people. A gentleman came to the water’s edge with a bucket of food for the ducks. The Swans showed no interest in the food and kept their distance.

All four Swans have black eyes. Mr. Swan, who is blue-eyed, has not been seen at all his usual haunts for many months. He was at least twenty-nine years old when last seen, which is a very, very, ripe old age for a Mute Swan not kept in captivity. Most wild Mute Swans only live ten to twelve years.

One of the Swans was super bossy, giving another of the Swans several nips.

Two appeared rather enamored of each other ❤

HAMLET OPENS IN GLOUCESTER

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Shakespeare’s

HAMLET

SET TO OPEN AT GLOUCESTER STAGE

Acclaimed Boston Actress Gigi Watson Makes GSC Debut as HAMLET

Gloucester Stage Company wraps up its 40th Anniversary Season of professional theater with William Shakespeare’s  Hamlet from October 25 through November 17 at Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA.. Hamlet’s story begins when she meets her father’s ghost, revealing that her uncle, Claudius, has murdered him and taken Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, for his queen. Hamlet then begins her journey of revenge while struggling with self-doubt and facing challenges from all sides. Hamlet features Artistic Director of Actors’ Shakespeare Project Christopher V. Edwards in his GSC directing debut and a cast headlined by acclaimed Boston actress Gigi Watson making her GSC debut in the title role of Hamlet. The cast also includes GSC newcomers Shawn K. Jain as Claudius, Charlotte Kinder as Ophelia, Olivia Miller as Gertude, Zachary Zamsky as Laertes,  and a returning GSC favorite from 2017’s SRO production of To Kill A Mockingbird, Thomas Grenon as Polonius.

Director Christopher V. Edwards comments on staging Shakespeare’s enduring classic in 2019, “Hamlet is a show about where we live with our personal moral compass. It lends itself to various types of people, ages of people, genders of people, races and cultures of people to look at the play through their own lens. In the GSC production we will be looking at Hamlet as a woman and we’re looking at how that changes the dynamics of the relationships between people. It’ll be a same sex relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia, and there’s generational conflict inherent in the play. We’re also interested in how young people today are dealing with this issue of feeling disenfranchised and not quite sure how they want to define themselves and how they want the world to define them and whether they want to be defined.”

Director Christopher V. Edwards’ Boston credits include Pride and Prejudice, Equivocation (Elliot Norton Nomination for Best Play), and Much Ado About Nothing, all with Actors’ Shakespeare Project. Some of his favorite shows include: Othello, Romeo and Juliet, The Three Musketeers, Around the World in 80 Days,Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale, Water by the Spoonful, The Bomb-itty of Errors,How to Break, Venus in Fur, and  A Raisin in the Sun.  He has worked in London’s West End, Off-Broadway, The National Theatre of Oslo in Norway, The Helix in Ireland, The Fringe in Edinburgh, John Houseman’s The Acting Company, HERE Arts Center, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Penumbra Theatre, The Flea Theater, Cleveland Playhouse, Hip-Hop Theatre Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, SOHO Rep, the Guthrie Theatre, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and Dorset Theater Festival among others.  Mr. Edwards received an M.F.A. from the U. of MN in Association with the Guthrie Theatre. Prior to becoming the Artistic Director of Actors’ Shakespeare Project, he spent three years at Nevada Conservatory Theatre as the Artistic Director and on the faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and fourteen years with the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in Garrison, NY as the Associate Artistic Director, the Director of Education and Apprentice Training.

Gigi Watson makes her GSC debut as Hamlet. Her regional credits include Rhinoceros, and Lenin’s Embalmersat Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater; Small Mouth Sounds and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime at SpeakEasy Stage; Brawler at Boston Playwrights Theatre; Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, andMacbeth with Brown Box Theatre Project; Billy Elliot with Wheelock Family Theatre; Finish Line with Boston Theater Company; and Café Variations with ArtsEmerson/SITI Company. Ms. Watson holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Emerson College. She coaches acting and audition prep with My College Audition. This winter, Ms Watson will play Portia in The Merchant of Venice with Actors Shakespeare Project. 

Thomas Grenon returns to GSC to play Polonius after previously appearing in GSC’s critically-acclaimed 2017 production of To Kill A Mockingbird directed by Judy Braha. A Boston based actor; Mr. Grenon received an IRNE award nomination last season for Best Actor in a Fringe Play for Delicate Particle Logic with Flat Earth Theatre Company. He has worked with many Boston area theater companies including Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Bridge Repertory Company, Apollinaire Theatre Company, Zeitgeist Stage Company, Hub Theatre Company, Arts After Hours, 7 Stages Shakespeare Company and The Bay Colony Shakespeare Company. Mr. Grenon produced and directed 8 The Play, the fight for Marriage Equality for Broadway Impact. He attended the National Shakespeare Conservatory in NYC.

Shawn K. Jain is making his GSC debut as Claudius. Originally from Northern California, Mr. Jain is an actor and communications professional based in New York City. His previous stage credits include New Repertory Theatre (Heartland), Merrimack Repertory Theater (Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley), American Repertory Theater (Charlotte’s Web, Assistance, Our Town), Moscow Art Theater (Fear and Misery in the Third Reich), Constellation Theatre (The Fire and The Rain), Prince George’s County Shakespeare (Twelfth Night). Mr. Jain’s upcoming Film/TV performances include Thespian, Season 2 on Amazon, A Ring for Christmas, and Extra Room. He trained at the A.R.T. Institute at Harvard University/Moscow Art Theater School.

Charlotte Kinder is  making her GSC debut as Ophelia. Her recent credits include Twelfth Night (Viola) andShipwrecked! (Ensemble) with Moonbox Productions; Red Velvet (Ellen Tree) with O.W.I. Bureau of Theatre;Julius Caesar (Portia) with the Actors’ Shakespeare Project; King Lear, Romeo & Juliet (Juliet-CSC2),and Twelfth Night with the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company; Everyman (Sister/Fellowship) andGreenland (Tanya) with the Apollinaire Theatre Company; Northanger Abbey (Catherine) at the Wickham Theatre in Bristol, England; and Frankenstein (Elizabeth) at the Bristol Festival of Ideas. Ms. Kinder holds a Masters in acting from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Olivia Miller is making her GSC debut as Gertrude.  Her New York stage credits include Cherry Lane Theater and Culture Project and on film, Lolita Express.  Ms. Miller’s local credits include Trinity Repertory Company, OBERON, Wilbury Theatre Group, and Greater Boston Stage.  Her recent roles include Audrey in Little Shop ofHorrors at Trinity Rep; Greta Garbo in Coming Attraction with Wilbury Theatre Group; Susan intick…tick…BOOM and Viola in Twelfth Night with Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company.  Her solo show, Bloody Mary: LIVE!,” which imagines Queen Mary I as a standup comic, had it’s Boston premiere at the American Repertory Theater’s OBERON in August 2019.  She earned her BA from Harvard College and her MFA from Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company.

Recent Boston University graduate Zachary Zamsky is making his GSC debut as Laertes. After graduating last spring from Boston University, Mr. Zamsky headed home to New York, where starred onstage in Morning by Simon Stephens, and in a television pilot where he played a variety of roles that ranged from a Renaissance bad boy to mime to a hit man. He recently appeared in the short film, Union County.

 

HAMLET PERFORMANCE DATES & TIMES:

OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 17

Public performances are limited to weekends with student matinees weekdays.

OCTOBER 25-OCTOBER 27

Fridays & Saturday: 7:30 pm;

Saturday & Sunday: 2:00 pm

NOVEMBER 2-NOVEMBER 17

Saturday: 7:30 pm

Sunday: 2:00 pm

Student Matinees October 29 – November 15

Tuesdays – Fridays: 10:00am

PLACE:

Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA 01930

 

SINGLE TICKET PRICES: Single Ticket prices are $15 to $48 with discounts available for Preview Performances, Senior Citizens, Military Families, and College Students and those under 18 years of age. For detailed ticket information visit www.gloucesterstage.com

PAY WHAT YOU WISH: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2 PM: Gloucester Stage is committed to inclusion and diversity, including socio-economic status. Pay What You Wish performances are the first Saturday Matinee (2pm) of each production, allowing access to the arts for all. No one is turned away for lack of funds and donations can be made before or after the show.

CAPE ANN NIGHTS: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 7:30 PM; SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2 PM & 7:30 PM; Enriching our local community is key to our mission impact. Residents of Cape Ann can purchase $25 tickets at Preview Performances and every Wednesday of each production. Limit of 2 (two) per household. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office 978.281.4433, with a valid address.

POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS: SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 3 & NOVEMBER 10: Following the 2 pm performances on Sunday, NOVEMBER 3 and Sunday, NOVEMBER 10, audiences are invited to free post-show discussions with the artists from Hamlet.

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Gloucester Stage is a professional non-profit theater providing a unique, intimate experience as audiences are never more than five rows from the stage. Located in a century-old repurposed brick warehouse on the waterfront of Cape Ann, the organization is led by Artistic Director Robert Walsh and Managing Director Christopher Griffith. Now in the Company’s 40th Season, GSC benefits from a loyal audience searching for intellectually stimulating and socially relevant stories.

For further information, call the Gloucester Stage Box Office at 978-281-4433

or visit GLOUCESTERSTAGE.CO

Cape Ann Symphony Launches Second Season of Popular Musicians Unleashed Concert Series 

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Cape Ann Symphony Launches Second Season of Popular Musicians Unleashed Concert Series 
Series of Concerts in Intimate Settings 
FIRST CONCERT is OCTOBER 27 at First Church of Ipswich 
After the incredibly successful introduction of three musical events featuring Cape Ann Symphony musicians in three different intimate settings during the winter of 2019, Cape Ann Symphony is bringing MUSICIANS UNLEASHED back  as a FOUR concert series during the 2019–2020 season.
 Musicians Unleashed 2019/20 is a program of 4 concerts to be performed in small venues.  The concerts will feature CAS musicians.  These concerts are fund raisers and musicians are volunteering their time to perform.  According to CAS President Fran White. “We launched this concert series in January, 2019. This is something very different for the CAS and we happily received such positive feedback from our audiences that Musicians Unleashed is  returning for a second season.  Audiences loved the variety of interesting venues, many of which do not host music events on a regular basis, and the opportunity to see CAS musicians play in small groups.”
The following is the schedule for 2019/20:
Sunday, October  27, 2019  2:00 PM

WARM AUTUMN COLORS  with FREE CIDER & DONUTS 

                                                                                                   at First Church of Ipswich, Ipswich, MA

Be embraced by the warmth of music on an autumn afternoon! Program includes: BORODIN String Quartet; DVORAK Terzetto for 2 Violins and Viola; and

LIGETI Sonata for Solo Cello and TCHAIKOVSKY Quartet No. 1. Musicians scheduled to appear include: Susanne Powers, violin; Oksana Gorokhovskiy, violin; Anna Stromer, viola and Dorothy Braker, cello. The perfect fall treats, Donuts and Cider, FREE for all audiences members.


Sunday, January 19, 2020, 2:00 PM      HIDDEN TREASURES           St. Paul Lutheran Church – Gloucester

Sunday, February 16, 2020, 2:00 PM   SERIOUSLY GORGEOUS      Shalin Liu Performance Center – Rockport

Sunday, April 26, 2020, 2:00 PM         FLOWERS IN THE RAIN       Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church – Gloucester

Ticket prices for each concert in the Musicians Unleashed Series:  $35 for adults and $15 for Youth.
Call CAS at 978-281-0543 or go to www.capeannsymphony.org for tickets.

THE HISTORIC BUTTERFLY MIGRATION OF 2019 CONTINUES MOVING THROUGH CAPE ANN

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Another banner weekend for butterflies on Cape Ann with Yellow Sulphurs, Painted Ladies, and American Ladies joining the streams of Monarchs migrating along our shores.

Butterflies struggle at this time of year to find sources of nectar. Whatever you do, please do not cut back your garden until mid-November or so. Best NOT to cut back at all and to leave the drying seed heads for the songbirds and leaf litter and plant stalks for hibernating bees and caterpillars, but if one really must cut back, wait as long as possible.

If you click on the photos in the gallery, each picture is labeled with the name of the butterfly and the names of the late-blooming plants on which they are drinking nectar and building their fat reserves for the journey ahead . Butterflies will even fight over a Dandelion to try to get nectar when nothing much else is available (the best reason of all not to use Roundup on the Dandelions in a lawn).

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B32T2FDn9wu/

ONLY A FEW SEATS LEFT FOR THE JESSE COOK CONCERT AT THE SHALIN LIU

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PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

My husband and I are huge fans of Jesse Cook and with gorgeous music and extraordinary musicianship, his concerts are not to be missed. Tom introduced me to his work several years ago when I was looking for a uniquely beautiful sound to score a short film for the Berkshire Museum, about butterflies in flight, for which Jesse graciously and generously permitted. More about Jesse and Monarchs when my forthcoming documentary is released.

Jesse Cook travels the world with his fingers. Through his globe-spanning and genre-bending compositions, the nimble-fingered guitarist has taken nouveau flamenco to places it has never been, creating new fascinating hybrids.  As one of the most celebrated instrumentalists on the planet, Cook is forever restless, constantly searching for new sounds, rhythms and textures to explore.

Born in Paris and raised in Toronto, Cook studied classical and jazz guitar, and as a child was always intrigued by the highly rhythmic rumba flamenco style. Following up on that curiosity, Cook dove headfirst into the gypsy musical tradition as he began to find his own musical voice. After a show-stopping performance at the 1995 Catalina Jazz Festival, Cook’s little-heard debut, Tempest, suddenly took off in the U.S., landing at # 14 on the Billboard Charts. Cook’s career has seen steady growth in the years that followed, his multi-cultural take on rumba flamenco striking a nerve with listeners. One of the hallmarks of his sound and aesthetic is to travel the world, meeting and collaborating with artists and incorporating the results into his music. In addition to headlining concerts and festivals, he has opened for such legends as B.B. King, Ray Charles, The Chieftains and Diana Krall.

In 1998, Cook was nominated for a Juno Award as Instrumental Artist of the Year. In 2001, he received a Juno Nomination for Best Male Artist, as well as winning in the Best Instrumental Album category for Free Fall. In 2009, he was Acoustic Guitar’s Player’s Choice Award silver winner in the Flamenco category. He is a three-time winner of the Canadian Smooth Jazz award for Guitarist of the Year and numerous other awards.  Over twenty years into his career, Cook is now forging more than just musical traditions of the world. With his 2015’s One World, he is now forging the ancient with the modern, infusing contemporary sounds of the electronic digital age into his timeless rumba flamenco rhythms.

“…lightning fast and bright flamenco guitarist…Jesse Cook…is about as seductive, percussive and danceable as this kind of music gets…also a powerful pop songwriter, with each melody standing out above the weaving rhythms sung by his intoxicating strings.” Jazziz

GOOD MORNING GLOUCESTER BROUGHT TO YOU BY TODAY’S PAINT BOX SUNDAY GOOD HARBOR BEACH SUNRISE

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GOOD MORNING GLOUCESTER!

COAST GUARD AND HARBORMASTER ASSISTING BOAT IN DISTRESS #GLOUCESTERMA HARBOR

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The Coast Guard and Harbormaster assisting boat Message She Gave off Niles Beach Saturday afternoon.

 

KIM SMITH PRESENTS “THE HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN” FOR THE NORTH SHORE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY THURSDAY OCTOBER 24TH

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THE HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN

OCTOBER 24TH AT 7:30PM

SACRED HEART CHURCH PARISH HALL

62 SCHOOL STREET

MANCHESTER, MA

Please join me Thursday evening at the Sacred Heart Church in Manchester where I will be giving my presentation “The Hummingbird Garden” for The North Shore Horticultural Society. It has been a phenomenal year for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds on Cape Ann and I am looking forward to sharing information on how you, too, can create a hummingbird haven. I hope to see you there!

“The Hummingbird Garden” is free for members and five dollars for guests.

THE HUMMINGBIRD GARDEN

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only species of hummingbird that nests in Massachusetts. Learn what to plant to help sustain this elusive beauty while it is breeding in our region and during its annual spring and fall migrations. Through photographs and discussion we’ll learn about the life cycle of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and the best plants to attract this tiniest of breeding birds to your garden.

RECORD BREAKING OCTOBER BOMB CYCLONE STORM HITS #GLOUCESTERMA LEAVING IN ITS WAKE UPROOTED TREES, GROUNDED BOATS, ROUGH SEAS OVER DOGBAR, TWIN LIGHTS, BACKSHORE, INNER HARBOR

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

The definition of a ‘bomb cyclone’ is one that drops in pressure by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours or less. As this storm intensified, the central pressure dropped to a new record for lowest pressure during October in our area.

VIDEO: SAILBOAT ANEJO #GLOUCESTERMA #BOMBCYCLONE AFTERMATH WONSONS COVE

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

See Joey’s post of Anejo rescue here.