I found this postcard at a little shop in Beverly Farms. The Community Heritage Map, published in 1889, shows the trestle, but not a later map from the 1930’s. I wonder what it was used to transport–people, granite, fish? On the antique map, the trestle is labeled: Gloucester Street Railway on Trestle. It appears as though the trestle ran through what is now the Good Harbor Beach parking lot.
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."
Butterfly Gardening with Eloise and Madeline
Madeline and Eloise
Last summer the Ciaramitaro girls stopped by our garden to see a newly emerged Monarch butterfly. After releasing the butterfly, Eloise wanted to learn more about the Monarchs, and butterflies in general. This year she remembered from their visit the previous year that the Monarch caterpillar food plant is milkweed. Eloise, who I am convinced is a budding naturalist and artist, is an avid gardener (just ask her about her vegetable patch!), so I promised her milkweed plants. We scouted out a sunny a corner of the family’s yard and, after mom Jill helped dig up the sod, we planted a petite butterfly garden, with Common Milkweed for the Monarchs, parsley and fennel for the Black Swallowtails, and marigolds to attract the nectaring insects. We’re looking forward to their first butterfly sightings!
Eloise
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Sunset Swim
We’re having a heat wave,
A tropical heat wave,
The temperature’s rising,
It isn’t surprising,
She certainly can-can.
View Across the Harbor from Niles Beach
First day of summer and first swim of the season! Last night we packed a picnic and went for a swim–the perfect antidote to a heat wave. Tonight, more of the same. We’re so fortunate to live in Gloucester, moments away from any number of beautiful beaches!
Snowy Egret at Niles Beach
“Heat Wave” ~ Irving Berlin, from the musical “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”
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Sunday Brunch at the Seaward Inn
What more could one ask for in a fine dining experience–inviting location and ambience, beautifully prepared food, and welcoming service. A recent trip to enjoy The Seaward Inn’s Sunday brunch provided all of the preceding, and then some.
The Seaward Inn is located on Marmion Way, which runs along Rockport’s picturesque shoreline. Sunday brunch is served from 10:30 to 1:30. The cost is 18.95 per person--really quite reasonable considering coffee, juice, freshly baked breads and croissants, organic yogurt, and homemade granola are all included with the three course prixe fixe menu.
Savory Tart Tartin
Roasted Beet Salad
For starters my husband had the exquisite wild mushroom, caramelized onion, goat cheese, and watercress Savory Tart Tartin and I had the Roasted Beet Salad with spring greens, blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette. We were both hard-pressed to decide which was the more fabulous. Cheese blintzes, with citrus ricotta and seasonal fruit, as well as the classic Caesar salad are also offered for the first course.
Omelet to Order
Eggs Florentine
The entrees were equally as difficult to chose between. Roasted breast of chicken, pan-seared salmon, grilled flank steak, waffles, French toast, and quiche of the day were the entrees to which we had to say no. Tom had the Omelet to Order with a wonderful medley of fresh veggies and I had their gorgeous Eggs Benedict with exquisitely creamy, lemony Hollandaise and perfectly cooked spinach. I am looking forward to another visit soon to the Seaward Inn for brunch as every item on the menu sounded irresitible.
Guinness Chocolate Cake
Tom loved the homemade basil ice cream with fresh strawberries and I had the simply divine Guinness chocolate cake–the cake’s texture was amazingly light and perfectly sweetened. Key Lime pie is another favorite offered–I guess the next visit won’t come soon enough!
John Lamarinde and Nancy Cameron-Gilsey
The Seaward Inn opened for its 68th year in business in May of this year, and has been continually in operation under the same family for all these many years. Nancy Cameron Gilsey, the youngest daughter of the original proprietors Roger and Ann Cameron, has partnered with the renowned chefs of Beach Gourmet Catering for their brunch menu, special events, and continental breakfast; their weekly continental breakfast is also open to the public.
See Joe’s GMG video posted earlier this year for a first look with John Lamarinde at the new Savour Wine and Cheese and Beach Gourmet Catering, opening very soon, and located at 76 Prospect Street, across from St. Ann’s School.
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Lobster Pool Restaurant Father’s Day Tradition
Roasting S’mores at the Lobster Pool Restaurant
When our children were much younger we began going to The Lobster Pool restaurant for Father’s Day. Then, as it is now, The Lobster Pool continues to be a fantastic restaurant for family-style dining. Even on the busiest of nights there is never a long wait for a table and for dinner. Kids have fun exploring the rocks before dinner and then again after they have finished and while the parents are still eating. Where else on Cape Ann can you go and see the most amazing view of the setting sun while dining casually on fabulously fresh seafood, and then have warm (free!) s’mores for a special treat?
Now in college, we met our son Alex there this past Father’s Day, after his long shift working at the Seventh Wave Restaurant in Rockport. It was late and the kitchen had closed but Myalisa managed to come up with my husband’s favorite fish cakes and a burger for Alex.
Lobster Pool Fishcakes
The raw bar still had plenty of oysters and clams. And Myalisa’s son David was making s’mores for guests, young and old!
The Lobster Pool is open seven days a week for lunch and for dinner. Although Rockport is no longer a “dry” town, The Lobster Pool remains BYOB. Call (978) 546-7808 for more information.
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Boston Globe Garden Reporter Carol Stocker
Boston Globe garden writer Carol Stocker stopped by to visit my garden today. I made lobster salad, purchased fresh from Captain Joe’s earlier in the morning. What else would one serve for a VIP menu? She thought the lobsters so delicious she wanted to bring some home to her family.
Carol Stocker and Joey
Check out Carol’s outstanding gardening blog where she posts several times weekly information and updates about all things gardening for our region–horticultural advice, garden tour and plant sale schedules, design tips, and with links to her weekly live gardening chat.
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Mary McCarthy’s Opening
Last night I was only very briefly able to stop in to say hello and wish fiber artist Mary McCarthy well on her first Gloucester opening, held at her summer gallery on Rocky Neck, 77 Rocky Neck Avenue.
Mary and Wendie
Make time to go see Mary’s array of improvised and wonderfully eccentric hats, quilts, and monsters. Mary combines her keen eye for art and design with the highly personal style of Gees Bend quilt- making. Welcome to Gloucester Mary!
Corey and Mary’s granddaughter Dahlia
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Great turnout for the first ever New England Beach Soccer Cup
Check out the New England Beach Soccer website for the complete results of today’s games, with lots of photos. Click here for Joey’s Interview with Joe La Rocca and Mike Torres.
Joe LaRocca, David Esposito, Mike Torres, Anthony LaRocca, Noah Curtis
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Jewel of the Night ~ The Luna Moth
The Luna Moth, one of the most stunning and easily recognized moths, belongs to the Giant Silkworm Family or Saturniidae. Moths in the Sautrniidae are generally medium to large, with bulky bodies, dense, fur-like scales, and eyespot patterns on the wing. There are roughly forty species of Saturniidae in North America, including the Promethea Moth, often seen at twilight, and the giant Cercropia Moth, with a wingspan of a half-foot or more! The caterpillars of the Luna Moth feed on many trees including alders, beech, cherries, sweet gum and willows.
Luna Moth ~ Actias luna
Male Luna Moth found at Willowdale Estate early Thursday morning. Photo courtesy Dale Resca.
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Madeline Sings What a Wonderful World
What a Wonderful World, sung by five-year old Madeline Ciaramitaro at her great-grandmother’s memorial. Surrounded by her loving family, Madeline does’t miss a lyric, despite the baby crying (on cue) and a great deal of background noise. I think Madeline’s world is pretty wonderful!
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Art in the Barn
This weekend the grounds at the Cox Reservation will be transformed into a sculpture park and the barn overflowing with paintings, pottery, prints, and jewelry. I stopped in last Friday to photograph sculptor Kim Radochia’s works that had earlier that day been installed along the trails and fields overlooking the Essex River.
Listen Up ~ Aluminum 7′ x 5′ x 3′
Listen Up is a delightful form, and without knowing its name, all at once reminded me of my grandfather’s victrola and a futuristic sensory receptor.
Listen Up detail
“Some are able to support Greenbelt with large gifts of land or funds, others give their artistic talent and enthusiastically volunteer their time and energy,” said Committee Chairperson, Nathalie Meyfarth.
Branching Out
“Sculpture in any environment gives those of us participating in that experience a different perspective. After seeing and connecting to something new your viewpoint will forever change and as an artist this is my ultimate goal,” said Kim Radoccia.
J-Birds Nest
Schedule for Art in the Barn 2012
Friday, June 15, 9:30 am to 4 pm
Wine & Cheese Reception: Friday, June 15, 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Saturday, June 16, 9:30 am to 6 pm
Sunday, June 17, 10 am to 4 pm
J-Bird’s Nest
Proceeds from the sale of all items directly support Greenbelt’s land conservation effort.
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Smith’s Cove Saturday Night
City Hall with Scaffolding
Smith’s Cove
Neighbor Dave eating lobster on his boat and watching the sun set. He very generously offered Rosa several bites of lobster–something she never gets at home because her owners are too stingy when it comes to sharing lobster!
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Willowdale Estate Peacock
I never know what interesting species I am going to encounter when at Willowdale– usually tending to find more of the native variety—-
From wiki: Indian Peafowl, Pavo cristatus, is a resident breeder in South Asia. The peacock is designated as the national bird of India and the provincial bird of the Punjab. The term peafowl can refer to the two species of bird in the genus Pavo of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. Peafowl are best known for the male’s extravagant tail, which it displays as part of courtship. The male is called a peacock, and the female a peahen. The female peafowl is brown or toned grey and brown.
Come join us tomorrow evening in the garden at Willowdale.
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Another Gorgeous Sunday Morning Mug Up on Rocky Neck
Greg Bover’s sweet sailboat the Linnet
Violet’s herb and flower garden, Rocky Neck style, with native wisteria ‘Purple Amethyst’ (Wisteria frutescens) in the foreground
Flower Power Girl Dahlia (Violet’s daughter) trying my sunglasses on for size.
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Art in the Barn June 15th – June 17th
Last year at this time Mary wrote the following request:
Hi Joey,
So many Greenbelt employees connected with Gloucester say you are THE news source on Cape Ann. We hope you can assist in publishing information about Greenbelt’s annual blockbuster – Art in the Barn…
Mary Williamson
Director of Community Engagement
See below for this year’s schedule of events:
GREENBELT PRESENTS 23rd ANNUAL ART IN THE BARN
Artisan Showcase and Sale June –15-17 benefits Greenbelt land conservation efforts
Essex, MA, June 5, 2012: Essex County Greenbelt, the region’s premier member-supported land conservation organization will present the 23rd Annual Art in Barn artisan showcase and sale, June 15-17, at its Cox Reservation Headquarters in Essex. New to the lineup of art and jewelry exhibited this year is an outdoor sculpture walk featuring large-scale works installed along the walking trails and in the scenic fields overlooking the Essex River. “We are excited about the addition of the sculpture walk to Art in the Barn,” said Greenbelt Executive Director, Ed Becker. “Our visitors can plan to spend more time on this magnificent protected property, and gain a better understanding of Greenbelt’s land conservation work, as they stroll by or picnic near various pieces,” he continued.
For one weekend every June, the barns and grounds at the magnificent Cox Reservation are transformed with color and form as paintings in oil, acrylic and watercolor, monoprints, ceramics and pottery, jewelry and sculpture in wood and iron decorate the surfaces and surroundings of this iconic property. Even the conference room within the LEED certified, “green” headquarters will be transformed into creative jewelry display space, inviting all to discover the work of over 150 participating local artisans. Proceeds from the sale of all items on exhibition directly support Greenbelt’s land conservation efforts.
The outdoor sculpture walk, featuring large-scale works by area artists such as Dale Rogers and Kim Radoccia, will offer visitors the opportunity to connect with the land that often inspires the artist. “Sculpture in any environment gives those of us participating in that experience a different perspective. After seeing and connecting to something new your viewpoint will forever change and as an artist this is my ultimate goal,” offered regional sculptor Kim Radoccia. Kim wanted to team up with a local environmental organization to create solutions and/or interventions in the landscape that would both educate the public and communicate a better vision towards environmental stewardship. “I am blessed to have a deep and abiding relationship to nature and because of that connection I am able to draw endless amounts of inspiration and creativity from it. I think it is very important to pass this on to others and build this in others” she continued.
Greenbelt welcomes the public to Art in the Barn to see and purchase the diverse work of talented artists from throughout the region, inspired by the natural landscapes and light that have drawn artists to Cape Ann and Essex County for decades. In fact, it is not unusual to see painters set up, palette in hand, on the many Greenbelt public reservations throughout the region. Often those canvases are submitted for the Art in the Barn Exhibition and Sale. “Some are able to support Greenbelt with large gifts of land or funds, others give their artistic talent and enthusiastically volunteer their time and energy,” said Committee Chairperson, Nathalie Meyfarth. “I look forward to helping Greenbelt with the Art in the Barn event because it allows me to support their important work of conserving open space and the gorgeous landscapes of Essex County in a way that involves my lifelong interest in art. It’s a lively and happy few days that brings art lovers and conservation-minded people together in a scenic location. People thoroughly enjoy indulging themselves by buying an original piece of art while supporting a good cause,” she added.
Given its long-running popularity, Art in the Barn draws artists in every medium, and at every experience level and price point. The participating artists submit to a rigorous application and jury process for admission. The event continues to draw strong audience, with crowds often numbering 4,000 attendees over three days. “Art in the Barn offers the public a marvelous opportunity to see and purchase the work of fine regional artists, while supporting Greenbelt’s important land conservation work,” said Beth Cooper, a long-time Art in the Barn volunteer “It’s one of many ways Greenbelt can connect people to the land and local landscapes we cherish, and one way we can take a small piece of its beauty home with us!”
The opening reception on Friday, June 15th will feature the music of Crazy Maggie, the famous Ipswich Tapmobile and delicious food from Gloucester-based caterer, Beach Gourmet. Visitors are encouraged to allow the time to soak in the scenery, enjoy the trails and refreshments available.
Sidebar: The schedule for the Art in the Barn 2012 event is as follows:
Public Exhibit: Friday, June 15, 9:30 am to 4 pm;
Wine & Cheese Reception: Friday, June 15, 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Public Exhibit: Saturday, June 16, 9:30 am to 6 pm
Public Exhibit: Sunday, June 17, 10 am to 4 pm
Since 1961, Greenbelt has been working with local individuals, families, farmers and communities to protect the farmland, wildlife habitat and scenic vistas of Essex County. Greenbelt has protected over 15,000 acres of local land and has had a direct role in 75% of all land conserved in the last decade. For more information about Greenbelt programs visit www.ecga.org or call 978-768-7241
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The Eastern Carpenter Bee
3 minute video featuring the Eastern Carpenter Bee. The music is the opening movement of Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The Eastern Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa virginica) is an important pollinator for many open-faced spring flowers including the blossoms of fruiting trees—crabapple, apple, pear, peach, plum, and wild cherry—as well as holly and brambles. X. virginica has an especially bad reputation with blueberry growers because they have strong mouthparts (capable of boring into wood), which will easily tear flowers with a deep corolla—blueberries and azaleas, for example. In the video you can see the bee probing into the sides of, and in some instances tearing, the petals to gather nectar from the blossoming Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica). The damage done to wood is usually minimal and cosmetic.
Carpenter Bees are regularly mistaken for bumblebees. Their shiny black abdomen most easily distinguishes them. Male and female carpenter bees can easily be differentiated at a glance. The male has a patch of yellowish-white cuticle at the top its head; the females face is entirely black.
Male Eastern Carpenter Bees are aggressively territorial. They will fly at you noisily and vigorously when in their territory, but it is all just show—they are incapable of stinging!
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Nights on the Neck Party Tonight!
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Hoe Down and Happenin’
Limited tickets: $100.00 pp includes:
• Cocktail hour with music, raw bar, special local brews and wines
• Creative food stations presented by Alchemy Bistro and local artisanal
providers
• Bluegrass music featuring Flynn Cohen
• Cash bar with signature cocktails, wines and local beerPurchase tickets online or call 978-768-7241.
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Chicken Soup for What Ails
Trudging around a stone yard looking for just the perfect stepping stones for a client’s garden, in the ceaseless-downpour-and-howling-umbrella-ruining-wind that was yesterday, I had my family’s favorite Lemon Chicken Soup to look forward to serving for dinner. I think what makes this soup so restorative is the quantity of, and tanginess of, the lemons combined with the piles of rich flavorful mushrooms. Both my kids LOVE this recipe and at the first sign of a cold or flu they request it for dinner–a sure cure for whatever ails–or at least the very least, one will feel better for a few moments while consuming!
Cover a whole chicken with water, throw into the pot 1 onion quartered, 1-2 celery stalks, whole black pepper, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for approximately 1- 1.5 hours, until the chicken falls off the bone.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board and strain the stock. Set stock aside undisturbed for about fifteen minutes. Skim away the fat that has risen to the top. Cut the chicken into bite-sized serving pieces.
While preparing the soup, cook al dente 1/2 box of orzo.
1 Chicken
Chicken stock
2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Garlic cloves
1-2 Onions
2 8-10 oz packages of button mushrooms, total 16 – 20 oz.
1 Zucchini or 3 carrots (or both)
3-4 celery stalks
4 Large Lemons
Fresh baby spinach leaves
Salt, pepper, and fresh thyme or dried thyme
Heat olive oil in a large pan with two cloves of garlic. Remove the garlic after about 30 seconds–when after just a hint of the garlic aroma has been released. Saute onions in olive oil until they are a pale golden brown. Add carrots and celery and cook until they give a tiny bit when pressed with a fork. Add mushrooms and cook down until deliciously soft and aromatic and much juice has been released. Add zucchini and cook for several minutes more. Pour the stock over the vegetable mixture. Add the cooked pasta. Squeeze the juice of 3 lemons, remove seeds, and add to the soup. Slice remaining lemon in half lengthwise and then into thin half-round slices. Squeeze the lemon slices gently to release the oil and zest as you toss into the pot. Add a pinch of thyme and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Add handfuls of fresh spinach leaves just before serving.
20 Ounces of mushrooms–the quantity of mushrooms lends a rich, flavorful component.
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Butterfly Garden Tour at Willowdale Estate
Reminder to save the date ~ A week from Tuesday, on the evening of June 12th, I am giving a tour of the butterfly gardens at Willowdale Estate. We will be showing my short film about the gardens at Willowdale and Briar’s delicious refreshments will be served. I am very excited to share the gardens and show how to translate this information to your own garden. I hope you can join us for what promises to be a lovely evening!
R.S.V.P. to Info@WillowdaleEstate.com.
Good Morning Gloucester 