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."

Reminder: Ken Duckworth Hosts the Writer’s Book Club on Sunday November 17th

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Ken Duckworth ©Kim Smith 2013Ken Duckworth is not only preparing an array of seasonal appetizers, he is also leading the discussion!

Eastern Point Lit House Fall Book Club Calendar

November 17: Ken Duckworth leads a discussion of The Book by Alan Watts. SOLD OUT

Ken Duckworth is the award-winning executive chef of Duckworth’s Bistro, where he focuses on local, seasonal ingredients that supports local industry. Following his passion for all things food, he honed his culinary skills at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa and The Cloister in Georgia. He has been our gracious host for this series and we are so pleased to have him leading our last discussion of the year.

 

Bass Rocks Golf Club in the Lifting Fog

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Bass Rocks Golf Club ©Kim Smith 2013Shrouded in fog–

Bass Rocks Golf Club -1 ©Kim Smith 2013a few moments later–it didn’t take long for the fog to lift in the rising sun. Click image to view larger.

Bass Rocks Golf Club Cat-tails ©Kim Smith 2013. copyCat-tail

Bass Rocks Golf Club -2 ©Kim Smith 2013.

Thanks to Heidi Dallin for the tip to go see how pretty the Golf Course looked. I often see Heidi out running and exercising when filming at daybreak.

In searching for their website link, I learned that the Bass Rocks Golf Cub is the BONS (Best of North Shore) recipient of the 2013 award for the “Best Private Golf Course North Shore!”

Lecture Wednesday Night at the Pepperell Garden Club: The Pollinator Garden

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7- HW Summer ©Kim Smith 2012Gloucester HarborWalk

On Wednesday evening, November 13th, at 7 pm, I will be giving my program, “The Pollinator Garden,” for the Pepperell Garden Club. Following the rhythm of the seasons, I present a slide show and lecture demonstrating how to create a welcoming haven for bees, birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Native plants and examples of organic and architectural features will be discussed based on their value to particular vertebrates and invertebrates. I hope you will come join me!

6- HW Great Spangled Fritillary ©Kim Smith 2012 copyGreat Spangled Fritillary at the Gloucester HarborWalk

FREE Wine Tasting Event at Savour and Best Paper to Store Cheese

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formaticum-cheese-paper-6_grande I learned so much from Kathleen Erickson in her fantastic series “Become a Wine Expert,” not only about wine, but also about cheese as she paired fabulously delicious cheeses with each wine. I asked her to tell us more about the interesting paper that they use at Savour Wine and Cheese when cutting off a wedge and wrapping for their customers. Kathleen writes ~

“Kim Smith had asked about our special cheese paper known as “Formaticum.”  So here is a bit about it.

Their slogan is “Cheese is alive.  Store accordingly.” Although you do not see it often, any good cheese shop should present you with your cheese purchase carefully wrapped in Formaticum (which is the only company that makes cheese paper of this quality). ”

What make’s Formaticum so special? When you buy cheese wrapped in plastic or vacuum-sealed, it is suffocating and losing all its flavor and character. Formaticum is a special two-ply paper designed to allow the cheese to breathe, while also maintaining optimal humidity, which prevents the cheese from drying out. Formaticum is made of the same material that is used by the world’s finest cheese purveyors to wrap and store cheese and is manufactured in France.

Kathleen also writes, “Once you get your cheese home, store it in the Formaticum cheese paper.  You may wish to slip it into a loose baggie which allows some room for the cheese to breathe, if you are keeping it for a few weeks.”

Here is a link to their website and video on cheese-wrapping, which is an art in itself ~ Formaticum.”

Savour Wine and Cheese ©Kim Smith 2013

*

There are two special events taking place at Savour Wine and Cheese this coming week:

On Friday night from 7-9:30 pm is the Cape Ann Animal Shelter Fundraiser.

On Sunday afternoon from 1-4pm there is a COMPLIMENTARY Wine Tasting Event. Several of Savour’s excellent wine representatives from across the state will be pouring wines and answering question. Chef Matt Beach and Kathleen are creating appetizers to serve with the wines, which will also perfectly complement your Thanksgiving feast.

Visit their website for more information about both. events.

*

Rather than waiting until October 2014 and due to the popularity of our “How to Become a Wine Expert” series posted here on GMG, Kathleen is again teaching her series in April,  2014. People are already signing up, so sign up soon to get the early sign-up discount. This would make a great Christmas gift. And for couples, a great gift to each other. There were several couples in our class and the evening was their “date night!” To sign up for “Become a Wine Expert,” visit Savour’s Events page.

Renee Hansen Savour Wine and Cheese ©Kim Smith 2013

Renee Hansen and Geoff Rendall

Paint Factory Behind a Veil of Birch Leaves

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Veil of Birch Leaves Paint Factory ©Kim Smith 2013

I liked all the focal lengths and couldn’t decide which one to post–Paint Factory as muse.

Veil of Birch Leaves Paint Factory -2©Kim Smith 2013

Veil of Birch Leaves Paint Factory -3 ©Kim Smith 2013Veil of Birch Leaves and Paint Factory -4 ©Kim Smith 2013Paint Factory Rocky Neck Gloucester

Zombie Prom at Hamilton Wenham Regional High School

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Zombie Prom PhotoOn Friday, November 15th and Saturday, November 16th jump back to the nuclear ’50s in this high energy, feel-good musical! Join the students of Enrico Fermi High as they sing and dance their way towards the senior prom, while dealing with love and loss, a tyrannical principal, and an unstable power plant! Should zombies have rights? Should they be allowed in school? Come see what craziness ensues as the students go against the rules out of devotion to a former friend!
(There is no zombie gore in this show.)

Zombie Prom
Order your tickets here for the convenience of purchasing in advance via credit card. Tickets are also available at the door using cash or check.

All performances are held at the Ferrini Dramatics Center at Hamilton ~Wenham Regional High School. 775 Bay Road, S. Hamilton, MA 01982.

World’s Easiest Method on How to Grow Milkweed From Seed

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Milkweed Eastern PointCommon Milkweed Patch Eastern Point

Now is the perfect time of year to collect and to plant milkweed seeds, either from pods that are just splitting open or from pods that have already split and are showing their silky fluff.

There are several different methods of propagating milkweed and the following is by far the simplest. Gather milkweed seeds and store in a paper bag. At the location in your garden where you are planning a milkweed patch, lightly scratch the soil with a rake. Scatter the seeds over the soil. Sprinkle a thin layer of soil over the seeds, just enough to keep them from blowing away. That’s it! Next spring, by mid-May, you will have a patch of milkweed seedlings. This super simple method works for Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Marsh Milkweed (Asclpeias incarnata).

Note ~ when collecting seeds from wildflowers, never remove the plant from its location, and never take all the seeds.

If you’d like to learn more about this beautiful plant species, and how growing milkweed in your own garden directly benefits the Monarch Butterfly, there are over 25 posts covering milkweed on Good Morning Gloucester; too numerous to list here. Type milkweed in the search box in the upper right hand corner of the GMG home page to see all.

Monarch Butterfly Marsh Milkweed ©Kim Smith 2011

Cape Ann Milkweed Project

News Release: MONARCH WATCH ANNOUNCES ‘BRING BACK THE MONARCHS’ CAMPAIGN

How Exactly is Monsanto’s Roundup Ravaging the Monarch Butterfly Population?

Where Are All the Monarchs?

Monarch Caterpillars Feeding on Common Milkweed ©Kim Smith 2011

Monarch Butterfly Twins ©Kim smith 2011Two newly emerged Monarchs, with chyrsalides attached to the rib of Common Milkweed leaves

Anne Kennedy’s Easy Kitchen-to-Dinner Table Special

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IMG_1143-1Anne Kennedy’s “Simple Favorite and Healthy 20-Minute Dinner”

Thanks so much Anne for sharing. I love not only how simple and fresh this looks, but so nutritious, too. I think we’ll give it a go tonight!

Anne writes, “This is just homemade chicken stock (or buy if you don’t have any), to which we add Chinese Five Spice, soy sauce and a bit of brown sugar to taste.  Bring to a boil and toss in handfuls of whatever veggies you like.  After a few seconds, add either thinly sliced chicken, pork, shrimp, or fish, turn down the heat,  cover for a minute or so, then eat.  Make as thin or thick as you like.  Endless variations include adding curry, sliced figs, apples and other veggies.  Yum.”

Visit Anne’s fascinating blog Haddock and Dill about mid-20th century American and Japanese domestic life, inspired by a forty-year written correspondence between her mom and grandmother.

IMG_1140

What is your family’s tastiest and most favorite easy dinner, from kitchen to table (it can take a minute or two longer)? Send in your recipe and we will post here on GMG. No photos needed (but gladly accepted), just your family’s endorsement!

20-Minute Kitchen-to-Dinner Table Special

*Chinese Five Spice ~ If, like me, you did not know about Chinese Five Spice powder, wiki says, ” Five-spice powder is a mixture of five spices used primarily in Chinese cuisine  but also used in other Asian and Arabic cookery. While there are many variants, a common mix is: star anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon, and Sichuan pepper.”

Snapshots of Korea Today from Korean War Veteran Dave Moore

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3184061 Chinhae Cherry Blossom time the mountain overlooking the city quite a few steps up
Chinhae Cherry Blossom time the mountain overlooking the city quite a few steps up

Good Morning Gloucester FOB and Korean War veteran Dave Moore forwarded all these photos. Dave grew up in Lanesville and lives with his wife Kim at the Osan Air Base in South Korea.

Dave thought fellow Korean War veterans would be interested in snapshots of Korea today. I believe Dave was in the Air Force and perhaps he can tell us more about his service. Thanks Dave for sharing the photos.

Turtle Ship old with Rok Navy New In Background
Turtle Ship old with Rok Navy New In Background
I walk by this place in moutains on my hikes about 2 1-2 hours round trip
I walk by this place in moutains on my hikes about 2 1-2 hours round trip
Old Korean Won
Old Korean Won
Chinhae Admiral Yi Staute
Chinhae Admiral Yi Staute
Korean Security toward North border Paju Close to DMZ
Korean Security toward North border Paju Close to DMZ
Korea Times
Korea Times

Surf City USA ~ Gloucester, Massachusetts?

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Gloucester Surf City ©Kim Smith 2013Gloucester’s Good Harbor Beach Surfers at Daybreak in Autumn

Click images to view larger 

Gloucester Surf City -3©Kim Smith 2013.

I often see the surfers arriving en mass at daybreak and then departing around 8:30–I imagine heading off to work. What a terrific way to start the work day! For the daily New England surf forecast, visit New England Surf.

Gloucester Surf City -4 ©Kim Smith 2013.

Gloucester Surf City -2 ©Kim Smith 2013.Good Harbor Beach

 

Olive Kitteridge in Gloucester

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Olive Kitteridge Gloucester Harbor ©Kim Smith 2013Late afternoon view of Gloucester Harbor from Rogers Street, with I4-C2 jam packed with Olive Kitteridge production trucks. Click to view larger.

Earlier in the day ~

Olive Kitteridge Gloucester Harbor -2 ©Kim Smith 2013.

Olive Kitteridge Gloucester Harbor -1 ©Kim Smith 2013.Thanks Catherine!

20-Minute Kitchen-to-Dinner Table Special

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Honey Lemon Chcicken -3 ©Kim Smith 2013JPGMy sister and I were pregnant with our oldest children at the same time and we were both working full time; she, cooking at a restaurant in the San Francisco Bay area and I was designing clothing in Boston. She had a great idea for a cook book (that I imagine has been done many times by now!), where no dinner could take longer than twenty minutes to prepare and cook because most nights that is just abut all the time we had to get dinner on the table. We had lots of fun sharing recipes and every time I make my Honey Lemon Chicken, I think of her. My family loves this recipe throughout the year and when Felicia posted her fabulous Pasta with Chicken Broccoli and Creamy Cheese Sauce it occurred to me that every household must have a family favorite 20-minute special. What is your family’s tastiest and most favorite easy dinner, from kitchen to table (it can take a minute or two longer)? Send in your recipe and we will post here on GMG. No photos needed (but gladly accepted), just your family’s endorsement!

20-Minute Honey-Lemon Chicken 

1/3 C honey

1/3 C olive oil

¼ C pitted black olives, oil-cured or the seasoned variety

1 or 2 lemons, washed, and cut into ¼ inch slices, halved

S & P to taste

Fresh or dried thyme, if you have on hand, not really necessary

1 lb chicken tenderloins

Honey Lemon Chcicken ©Kim Smith 2013

Into a medium-sized bowl, slightly squeeze juice from the lemons and then toss the lemons into the bowl, along with the juice. Add the rest of the ingredients, except chicken, and stir until honey and oil are well incorporated. Add chicken and stir (about two minutes prep time). While stirring, heat 1-2 tbs. olive oil in a skillet. Toss all into the skillet. Cook over medium heat about 8-9 minutes on one side, stir the lemon, honey, and olive mixture in the pan and turn the chicken tenderloins; continue cooking another 8-9 minutes. I like to leave the chicken in the pan for an extra minute, until the honey caramelizes and turns deep brown however, the chicken will very quickly become over cooked if left in the pan too long. Kids and husband never tire of this dinner!

Honey Lemon Chcicken -2 ©Kim Smith 2013

SIMPLY STUNNING~ Gorgeous New Works from Jeff Weaver

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2013 New Works

Opening reception
Saturday, November 23, 2013, 2-6 p.m.

Show runs through December 21, 2013

JEFF WEAVER studio/gallery
16 Rogers Street, Gloucester, MA 01930

For gallery hours and more information please call: (978) 590-2979.

Jeff Weaver

Artist Statement

“This show will include paintings and drawings of familiar subjects, seen perhaps from a perspective or time of day which highlight their character or emotional content.

This past year I’ve tried to achieve a freshness of approach through use of varied media or technique.”

Harvest Fest at the Sargent House November 23rd

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hflogocolor_copy_web.1Celebrate at the Sargent House

Saturday Nov. 23 from 10A-4P 10AM-12 Noon

Tour the Museum and see John Singer Sargent watercolors!

12 Noon

Meet the new Mrs. and be dazzled by the rich colors of Copley’s portrait of Judith Sargent Stevens as a new giclée print is unveiled.

12:30 PM

Hear about Judith Sargent Murray’s take on the American Revolution ranging from her aspirations for the New Republic to gossip about her neighbors.

1:00PM 

Learn about Gloucester women during wartime from Mary Rhinelander McCarl as she describes “The Girl I Left Behind.”  RSVP at office@sargenthouse.org

2:00PM

Annual Meeting of Members   

All Day

Enjoy seasonal foods and cider with old friends and new during open hours.

Admission For All Events 

Members FREE – join that day (or in advance online) and enjoy free admission to the day’s events

Adults (over 12): $10

Families or groups of up to 6 people: $20

For more information please go to our website, www.sargenthouse.org.

Savour Wine and Cheese “Become a Wine Expert” ~ Week 5

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Thank you Kathleen, Joey, and Toby for providing me the opportunity to take “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes to bring Kathleen’s wonderful expertise to our GMG readers. I loved every minute of the class and especially enjoyed meeting Kathleen and my fellow classmates!

Savour Wine and Cheese Class ©Kim Smith 2013

Our last class was wonderful fun, with a lovely dinner of sweetly crisp and delicious Pear and Arugula Salad along with a hearty and tasty Brunswick Stew, paired with an array of red and white wines. See recipes below, which Kathleen has so graciously provided for our GMG readers. 

Savour Wine and Cheese John Lamirande ©Kim Smith 2013For starters, John Lamarinde made popcorn, infused with a touch of truffle oil!

Pear Arugala Sald ©Kim Smith 2013Pear Arugula Salad

The theme of class five is food and wine pairings and preferences. Kathleen served a fabulous selection of reds and whites to pair with our meal. For thousand of years food and wine have gone hand in hand although the strict rules of yesteryear, in that white wine is the only acceptable choice for fish and red wine for red meats, are adhered to no longer.

Kathleen encourages experimenting and stresses that wine and food pairings are a matter of personal preference. There are however several concepts worth noting that will make choosing a wine to accompany your meal simpler. The basic idea is to pair wines with foods that are either alike, in other words mirror the other’s flavors; the opposite is also a helpful guideline, which is to contrast the flavors.

Brunswick Stew ©Kim Smith 20132Brunswick Stew

Michelle Ukraine ©Kim Smith 2013Michelle Ukraine

For our food pairing class, Kathleen presented a selection of wines, both red and white, and sparkling, for us to experiment to discover our individual preference for each course. The following is the list of wines served for our class–all grand and delicious and much enjoyed by everyone!

Ferrari Brut (100% Chardonnay), Trento, Italy – $24.99

Hirsch Heiligenstein Vineyard, Kammern, Kamptal Gruner Veltliner, Austria, $29.99

Le Grand Bouqueteau Chinon (Cabernet Franc), Loire Valley, France – $14.99

Panizzi Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Italy – $15.99

Arnad Montjovet La Kiuva (Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir) – $18.99

Mas de Libian Côtes-du-Rhône, France – $19.99

L’Ecuyer de Couronneau Bordeaux (Merlot), France – $13.99

Cossart-Gordon 15-year-aged Bual Madeira, Portugal – $43.99

Cossart-Gordon Madeira ©Kim Smith 2013 copy

I know where I’ll be shopping for Christmas gifts this season, for both cheese and wine, as well as that special hostess gift.

Kathleen typically teaches “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes annually in October, but there has been a great deal of interest expressed in taking the class sooner. If enough people are interested, she will teach the class again as early as this coming winter or spring.  Go to Savour’s website for details about the “Become a Wine Expert” series of classes.

Kathleen Erickson ©Kim Smith 2013

“Become a Wine Expert” Series Taught by Kathleen Morgan

Become a Wine Expert: White Wine

Savour Wine and Cheese “Become a Wine Expert” ~ Class 4

Brunswick Stew

1 3 – 4 lb. fryer chicken, cut up

1/3 c. flour

1 T. olive oil

2 or 3 medium onions, chopped

2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), chopped (or Pablano Peppers)

5 c. water or chicken stock (you may need more)

2 28 oz. cans of chopped tomato (or Muir organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes)

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 c. edamame soy beans (already shelled) (or you can use lima beans, but they are starchier)

2 c. whole kernel corn (a 10 oz. bag or corn cut from 4 ears)

1 t. salt (to taste – usually needs more)

1/2 t. black pepper

½ t. white pepper

1/2 t. cayenne pepper (Typically, Brunswick Stew has as much a 1 T., but I use 1/2 teaspoon)

1/2 t. hot sauce (You can pass this with the stew for those who like it hotter)

2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 c. red wine

Continue Reading Recipe Here

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