My View of Life on the Dock
34th Annual Open Studio Tours
Visit Backyard Growers website and learn all about their adorable baby chicks fundraiser, upcoming events, programs, and how to get involved.
Hi Kim,
I thought you might like to see this and pass it on for the Cape Ann rowers. I don’t know if any entries came from here.
It’s a slideshow of the Edward B. Snow, Hull Lifesaving Museum rowing race that was held this past weekend in Hull. It sure doesn’t look like spring, does it.
During this year’s round of filming for Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Community Film Project, I had the wonderful good fortune to stop at Caffe Sicilia just as Maria Cracchiolo was about to decorate her signature Cassata Siciliana.
It was the morning of Saint Joseph Day and as you can imagine, Caffe Sicilia was bustling to fill the day’s special orders of delicious Sicilian pastries and altar breads. Nevertheless, I asked Maria if she would mind if I filmed her while she decorated the cake. No, not all, she graciously allowed. Maria is so deft at cake making that it took her only minutes to create this masterpiece. It’s all been captured for our film project! The Vine below gives a tiny glimpse of Maria’s artistry.
Cassata Siciliana is also traditionally served at Easter time. What a gorgeous gift Caffe Sicilia’s cassata would make to share at your family’s Easter celebration, which as you may know is coming up very soon, in less than two weeks, on Sunday, April 5th. Believe me when I write, Maria’s Cassata Siciliaina tastes as good as it looks–divine, actually! A partial list of the ingredients includes sponge cake, ricotta, liquor, marzipan, royal icing, and candied fruit.
Special orders may be placed by calling Caffe Sicilia at 978-283-7345.
Last night Jim Dowd led a fascinating discussion on Neal Stephenson’s book Snow Crash, considered to be one of the best in the cyberpunk subgenre of science fiction writing.
Lawrence Penson, editor of Nova Express describes cyberpunk, “Classic cyberpunk characters were marginalized, alienated loners who lived on the edge of society in generally dystopic futures where daily life was impacted by rapid technological change, an ubiquitous datasphere of computerized information, and invasive modification of the human body.”
Stevens Brosnihan explains how to use Oculus Rift, a virtual reality head-mounted display, on loan from Ocean’s Alliance. Read more about Oculus Rift at The Gloucester Clam here.
Eastern Point Lit House Co-founders Chris Anderson and Jenn Monroe
KT Toomey and Michelle Anderson
Snowy morning scenes from the boulevard and Eastern Point Lighthouse.
Bluets, also known by the charming name Quaker Ladies
The first day of spring! It’s official although, with temperatures hovering in the twenties, its hard to believe. Close your eyes and imagine along with me pink and orange tulips, spring dresses, (stick with me here–just don’t look out your window at the still high drifts of snow) fields of bluets, sailboats in the harbor, windows open, the music of buzzing bees, shoots of new green grass, blue skies, robin bird songs, the smell of freshly tilled earth, fog horns in the distance, baby birds, misty warm April showers, the sweet scent of jonquils, bird’s nests along the meadow’s edge, the song of the Baltimore orioles returning, walking along the beach (without bundling up), friendly Red Admiral butterflies, lilacs, plum blossoms, magnolias in bloom, dogwoods in bloom, orange poppies, sweet pea tendrils, and sweet alyssum (see there, its not that hard).
Hurry Up Spring!
Tulips at The Mary Prentiss Inn
Cornus florida rubra
Blue Lilac ‘President Grevy’
Rosa rugosa and Bee
Lilacs flower in an array of beautiful hues
The winter has been hard on our fair city. Gloucester’s DPW is going to have its hand’s full in the coming months.
Groppo Feast of Saint Joseph ~ Viva San Giuseppe!
Sigrid Olsen is partnering with Home Shopping Network! Her debut dates are as follows: First preview on The List, April 16th, and then for 4 hours on April 21st. The collection will be available online at Home Shopping Network around the 1st of April. Read the Women’s Wear Daily article here: Sigrid Olsen Teams with HSN
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Sigrid writes about her new location for Sigrid Olsen Art, “This is for all of my customers who have walked up and down Pineapple Ave in Sarasota looking for my shop, and those who, in the future, will be pondering my absence on Rocky Neck. I am sorry. I miss my little retail snapshots of both communities but am enjoying a new chapter. I have collected all my belongings, my artwork and set up a studio and office in my new home on Siesta Key in Sarasota, Florida.” Read more on her Facebook Page here.
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
The Four Leaf Clover by Winslow Homer
Thanks to my friend Cathy who shared this beautiful Celtic blessing yesterday in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day.
Image courtesy wikicommons media.
Applauding Ringling Bros. decision to retire its circus elephants. The 13 traveling Asian elephants will be sent to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation in central Florida.
With a total of 108.6 inches, last night at 7pm 2014-2015 became Boston’s snowiest winter since snowfall records started being kept in 1872.
Gloucester smashed her record awhile back. I think we are currently at around 125 to 126 inches. Does anyone know Gloucester’s official total?
https://instagram.com/p/0QRXJQjymV/
Read more about record snowfall in today’s Globe.
Image courtesy Boston Globe
GMG FOB Dan Connell forwards the following photo and meesage:
This came to me from a former student [Beth] at Simons College who works for the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative in Cambridge:
Just wanted to let you know it seems that Cape Ann is recruiting globally. I met this guy in the village of Soloti in northern Uganda a few days ago. 🙂
GMG FOB Tom Philbrook submits ~ ZIP-A-DEE-DOO-DAH — Spring — at long last !!! The Vernal Equinox finally takes place on Friday, March 20th at 6:45 pm. Wishing you all a warm, sweet, colorful and joy-packed Spring. We sure deserve it.
Message from Scott Memhard at Cape Pond Ice:
WANTED – will exchange for new – your well worn Cape Pond Ice Navy crew neck (no hood) sweatshirts, size Medium and size Large, with our “New Style” logo – ie. the small “Cape Pond Ice – Gloucester MA – Pure Yankee Cold” on front left chest.
Folks visiting from Hollywood have a certain need – contact Scott or Larry at: coolestguys@capepondice.com if you can help – your old sweatshirt may be famous!
Good Morning Gloucester 