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."

GLOUCESTER STAGE ANNOUNCES 2016 SEASON LINEUP

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Gloucester Stage Company: The 2016 Season

 One World Premiere, Two New England Premieres

A Tony Nominee & Elliot Norton Award Winners

Set For 37th Gloucester Stage Season

Gloucester Stage Company Artistic Director, Robert Walsh, recently announced the six-play lineup for Gloucester Stage’s 37th Season of professional theater in Gloucester, Massachusetts. “We are thrilled to announce our 2016 season: every story is a journey and in each of these six journeys you will find adventure, delight, surprise, intrigue and joy,” explains Walsh. The 2016 season features an Israel Horovitz world premiere, two New England premieres, the return of Academy Award-nominated actress, and Gloucester resident, Lindsay Crouse, Managing Director Jeff Zinn’s GSC directorial debut, the re-teaming of last season’s hit, Out of Sterno director Paula Plum and playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer, and the Gloucester Stage debut of Elliot Norton Award winner Benjamin Evett and Tony nominee Barbara Walsh.

Gloucester Stage kicks off the 37th season on May 19 with Gloucester Stage favorite Lindsay Crouse in Peter Shaffer’s, Lettice and Lovage, directed by Benny Sato Ambush; followed by Matthew Spangler and Benjamin Evett’s,Albatross, on June 16, featuring Benjamin Evett and directed by Rick Lombardo; Deborah Zoe Laufer’s, The Last Schwartz, directed by Paula Plum opens on July 7. Then Jason Robert Brown’s, Songs For A New World, opens on August 4, directed by GSC Artistic Director, Robert Walsh, and featuring Barbara Walsh in her Gloucester Stage debut; September 1st, Peter Sinn Nachtrieb’s The Totalitarians opens, directed by Managing Director Jeff Zinn, followed by the world premiere of Israel Horovitz’s newest work, Man In Snow, opening on September 29.

Special Note for Cape Ann Residents:

PAY WHAT YOU WISH: Pay What You Wish tickets are available for the second matinee of each production. Tickets can only be purchased day of show at the door.

CAPE ANN NIGHT: The reduced ticket price for the first Preview Performance of each production is $25 for residents of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester. Proof of residency required. Limit: 2 Cape Ann Night tickets per household per production. Limited amount of tickets available per performance.

Israel Horovitz, Playwright_ World Premiere_Man In Snow

READ THE COMPLETE LINEUP HERE

Continue reading “GLOUCESTER STAGE ANNOUNCES 2016 SEASON LINEUP” →

RECENT SUNRISE AND BIRD SCENES FROM ALONG THE BACK SHORE AND MY UPCOMING BIRD TALK

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Brace Cove winter sunrise www.kimsmithdesigns 2016Brace Cove at dawn, a great place for bird watching

Please join me Thursday night at the Rocky Neck Cultural Center where I will be presenting a brand new illustrated talk “Beautiful Birds of Cape Ann.” The program covers the gorgeous migrating and resident birds that we see in our neighborhoods, as seen through the seasons, and includes such beauties as the Snowy Owl, Brant Geese, Snow Goose, Redheads, a rarely-seen-in-our region White Pelican, egrets, herons, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, songbirds, and some life history of Cape Ann’s resident swan family. The program begins at 7pm and is part of the RNCC and Mass Audubon ongoing exhibit “For the Birds.” I hope to see you there!

Redhead Duck www. kim smith designsPair of Male Redheads, the Dynamic Duo

Common Eider Gloucester harbor www. kim smith designs

Common Eider Gloucester Harbor

Niles Pond winter sunrise www.kimsmithdesigns 2016

Niles Pond and Gloucester Harbor are both excellent for viewing water birds

Mallard Ducks Gloucester www.kimsmithdesigns 2016JPG

 

Also too, if any of our readers live in the Rye, New Hampshire area, I am giving my illustrated talk on the Monarch Butterfly tomorrow morning, Tuesday the 16th, at 10am. Please email me if you would like more information.

 

Kim Smith Talk

BEAUTIFUL LIGHT TODAY’S BACK SHORE DAYBREAK

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I love you Nancy www.kimsmithdesign.com 2016I Love You Nancy

Back Shore sunrise Gloucester Twin Lights Rockport www.kimsmithdesigns.com 2016Thacher Island Twin Lights

Back Shore sunrise Gloucester www.kimsmithdesigns.com 2016

Back Shore sunrise Gloucester www.kimsmithdesigns.com 2016 -2Silhouettes

GLOUCESTER TO BOSTON THREE VIEWS

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Gloucester to Boston skyline Niles Beach sunset www.kimsmithdesigns.com -3With the frigid front moving in, last night’s sunset from Niles Beach revealed a crystal clear view to the Boston skyline. The warm hues in the photo are deceptive; a biting wind was whipping about. Peach met violet in the low hanging clouds and I thought the whole scene looked like a modern impressionist’s painting. 

Gloucester to Boston skyline Niles Beach sunset www.kimsmithdesigns.com. -2JPG

Gloucester to Boston skyline Niles Beach sunset www.kimsmithdesigns.com.Boston Skyline from Niles Beach

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

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30Mute Swans and Cygnet, Henry’s Pond Rockport

Mute Swans typically bond for the life of both members of the pair. If one is killed or dies, the other will usually take a second mate. Mute Swans engage in an intimate courtship dance. The cob (male) will often begin by pulling up nearby twigs (perhaps to show he is a good nest-builder). The pair next bobs their heads together, stretching and intertwining their necks alongside and opposite to each other in a beautiful synchronized ballet.

QUESTION FOR OUR MARINE BIOLOGY EXPERTS

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Perhaps I am just imagining, but the seals that were at Brace Cove several mornings ago appear to have a much different pattern of spots on their coats than the Harbor Seals we typically see hauled out on the rocks. I know that Harp Seals are also seen in our area at this time of year and read that the juveniles molt in interesting patterns. The two pinnipeds on the far right have very large irregular patches and the seal on the left seemed half the size of the other three with an almost pointed snout. Is it a different species or a young seal I wonder? Looking at several sources to id and I am still puzzled. Would love to hear from our readers. Thank you so much!

Seals brace Cove Gloucester www.kimsmithdesigns.com

AMAZING RED-TAILED HAWK CAPTURE!

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This photo from Isabella and Stephen  Bates was submitted as possibly a Peregrine Falcon however, I think it is a Red-tailed Hawk. Please write if you can confirm or correct, much appreciated. Isabella and Stephen shared that the hawk was feeding on the suet when it picked up the feeder in its talons and carried it away!

IMG_0010Martin Ray sculpture in the background

CAKE ANN’S RECIPE 4 LOVE!

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A sampling of some of Cake Ann’s cupcakes that are available for your Valentine sweethearts.

Cherry cupcakes Cake Ann www.kimsmithdesigns.comCherry vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting

Cake Ann cupcakes www.kimsmithdesigns.comChocolate with salted caramel cupcakes

Cake Ann Carrot cupcakes www.kimsmithdesigns.comCarrot cake with cream cheese frosting

Cake Ann has extended their hours. They are open Valentine’s Day, and every Sunday, from 8am to 2pm. Cake Ann is located at 214 Eastern Avenue in Gloucester

Cake Ann www.kimsmithdesigns.comInga, Jeannine Daroga, and Karen Burbine

FOR YOUR VALENTINE SWEETHEARTS ~ WONDERFULLY FUN HANDMADE CARDS AND GIFTS AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD

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Block print card by Alexandra’s sister, Mary Rhinelander. Don’t you just love the mouse print fabric cushion?!?

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IMG_6282I like the cut of your jib

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IMG_6272Valentine message for your prickly friend

11 Year Old Brothers Charles and George King’s Efforts to Save Civil War Union Soldier Coat Featured in the Banner!

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Brothers Charles and George King write to GMG ~

“The Bay State Banner, a Boston newspaper, published an article about the Civil War coat after the Cape Ann Beacon article. We will pick up a copy of the Banner as soon as possible. In the meantime here is the link:

 Slave’s coat protected Union POW; now brothers strive to save the coat

Please share. Thank you to Yawu Miller, the Editor of the Banner and Jule Pattison-Gordon, the reporter. Jule, we think it’s fantastic! We think you did a great job of making it clear.

To learn more about the Banner and its 50 years of stories, see the documentary on their home page. We watched it after our interview with Jule. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhzopr0XhiY.  We’re so excited Gloucester is in the paper!”

Charles King and George King

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GLOUCESTER FISHERMEN’S MEMORIAL FUN FACT

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After posting the Fishermen’s Memorial with snow flurries video, Facebook friend Susan Rittgers shared that her Grampa, Daniel Edward Cleary, was one of the engravers who carved the lettering at the base of the Leonard Craske statue. From the Bible’s Psalm 107:23, which reads: “They That Go Down To The Sea In Ships 1623-1923.” Daniel Edward’s brother, Timothy, worked in the quarry from where the granite was mined.

Thanks so much to Susan for letting us know that!

Gloucester Fishermens Memoria www.kimsmithdesigns.com

SWEETS FOR YOUR SWEETHEARTS FROM NICHOLS CANDY HOUSE!

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Heart Boxes Nichols Candy House www.kimsmithdesignsDelectable chocolate dipped candies of every variety of nut, fruit, and creamy center, fudge (four kinds), freshly roasted in-house delicious nuts, and much, much more–Nichols has a sweet treat for all your Valentines!

Chocolate Basket filled with hearts Nichols Candy House www.kimsmithdesigns

Chocolate basket filled with chocolate hearts

Today when stopping by to pick up gifts for the family, Don Gibbons was making penuche fudge. As the penuche was heating and setting up in a great copper pot he was giving the batter a frequent stir and keeping a watchful eye. In case you are wondering, penuche (panucci in Italian) is chocolate-less fudge, made typically with brown sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. The brown sugar lends penuche its warm maple-butterscotch hues.

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Don Gibbons Nichols Candy House www.kimsmithdesignsDon Gibbons
Barbara Nichols Nichols Candy House www.kimsmithdesignsBarbara Nichols, Nichols Candy House Proprietor and truly lovely lady

how do i love you?

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Pocket-sized love poems for your Valentine, available to purchase from Eastern Point Lit House.

Pocket Poems www.kimsmithdesigns.com

NEW VIDEO FROM CAPE ANN TV: SEAFOOD THROWDOWN AT THE FARMER’S MARKET

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Featuring chefs Niaz Dorry from the Northwest Marine Alliance, Mark Delaney from Common Crow, and David Gauvin from Addison Gilbert hospital.

New Harbortown Arts Festival in the Works for Memorial Day Weekend

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Dear Partners and Supporters of Gloucester’s Harbortown Cultural District,

We have received a $4,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council which we are going to use to develop the “Harbortown Arts Festival” over Memorial Day Weekend – first of many, we hope!. We will be re-granting these funds to our members to help animate the Cultural District through creative placemaking projects and programs.
We will be asking local businesses, restaurants, coffee/tea houses, galleries and artist to hang new shows and open their studios on Saturday, May 28 so we can create a true downtown art-walk vibe the first night of the Festival.
For Saturday and Sunday, we will be opening the Call for Entries process where our downtown partners can apply for up to $500 to develop a creative placemaking project or program. These proposals must:
  • Happen on private, not public, property
  • Involve public engagement/participation in the planning or implementation of the project or program.
  • Partner with an artist – preference will be given to artists of Cape Ann.
  • Projects/programs must occur within the Cultural District boundaries and be completed by Monday May 30.
More information about these guidelines and how to apply will be available in early March; awards will be announced in April. The creative placemaking projects should be non permanent and they can be performance-based, multimedia, or digital. The creative placemaking programs can be hands-on activities, interpretive tours, presentations/lectures.  We really want to be as broad as possible so we can see what our amazing creative community comes up with to celebrate what makes Gloucester, Gloucester.
We hope you are excited as we are about this new festival, which will bring more visitors, families and people downtown over Memorial Day Weekend. We hope it will become an annual event and grows each year.
And, we’re going to need your help to do so! For now, please mark your calendars. When you get the email for the Call for Entries, please help spread the word about this great opportunity. When the Festival Program is finalized in April, please help promote it to everyone and all!
Stay tuned!

Watch for Gray Seal Pups on the Shoreline

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unnamed-6It’s Gray Seal Pupping Season

From December through February, gray seals give birth on islands and shoreline areas in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. It’s not uncommon to see a mother and pup or a lone pup on a beach. Gray seal pups are born with a white, fluffy coat, known as lanugo, and nurse from the mother for approximately 16 to 17 days.
“A mother seal may be off feeding when someone comes across a seal pup on the beach,” says Mendy Garron, marine mammal stranding program coordinator for NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region. “The best thing you can do is keep people and pets away from the seal pup, so the mother has a chance to return.”

Gray seal pups are very vocal, and can sound like a baby crying, but this is normal behavior and doesn’t necessarily mean that the pup is in distress. This vocalization helps the mother find the pup when she returns from foraging.
NOAA Fisheries reminds members of the public to respect wildlife by maintaining a safe distance of at least 150 feet from seals.
Seal pups are often higher up on the beach, near the high tide line or even in the dunes, for protection while the mother is away. Sometimes pups do wander far from the beach, ending up in unusual places. If you suspect an animal may be in trouble, please take the following actions:
  • Call your local Marine Mammal Stranding Network Member or the NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional 24-hour hotline 866-755-NOAA (6622).
  • Always maintain a safe distance, at least 150 feet, from the animal to avoid injury to yourself or to the animal.
  • Do not touch the seal! They are wild animals. They will bite, and can transmit disease.
  • Keep your pets on leashes, and remove them from the area. Pets can further stress seals, provoking defensive behaviors. Seals can attack pets if they feel threatened, and they can transmit diseases to pets.
  • Never feed seals. This can make the animal sick or dependent on people for food.
  • Do not move or push the animal back into the water. Seals need time to rest and regulate their body temperatures, which is why they “haul out” on land.
  • If you see someone harassing a marine mammal, please contact our Office of Law Enforcement at 800-853-1964.
NOAA Fisheries is the federal agency responsible for monitoring marine mammal populations in the United States. In this region, NOAA Fisheries relies on a team of dedicated, trained personnel from Maine to Virginia to assist the agency in carrying out its mission.Marine Mammal Stranding Network has been in existence for several decades and is comprised of organizations from the wildlife rescue community, academic institutions, zoo/aquarium facilities, and federal state or local government agencies. The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) was officially formalized in 1992 under the Marine Protection Act of 1972 after numerous mass strandings and unusual mortality events occurred around the country.
Get more information on NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region’s Stranding Program (covering the coastlines of Maine to Virginia).
Find out about our gray seal research on Muskeget and Monomoy Islands.

VALENTINE HEARTS GALORE AT TURTLE ALLEY!

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Looking for a super easy gluten-free dessert for a relative this afternoon, a quick stop at Turtle Alley was made. I was knocked out by Hallie Baker’s fabulous heart boxes, each filled with a different assortment of chocolates, and each clearly labeled–all ready to go for your Valentine sweetheart! FYI, Hallie informs that her chocolate truffles are definitely gluten-free.
Turlte Alley www.kimsmithdesigns

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