Author: Nichole S.

It has come to my attention that I might possibly write about my boys too much.  True, not true…either way, that’s how I roll these days and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

But, since it can’t always be about scenic photographs, family activities, and super cute kids (I may be biased)…..let’s talk about super cute football players this morning instead.

There’s been a ton of talk lately about Tom Brady, the Patriots, Deflategate, Spygate, and the whatnot.  But, I think it is time we get to the meat of the matter (ahem).

The amount of handsome in the QB column of the Patriots roster is kind of crazy.  It almost seems unfair.  I don’t know how the other teams even concentrate.  Kidding, kind of.

So, the question that arose last night is:

Football skills aside, Who is your #1?

Patriots longtime Quarterback Tom Brady #12 OR the Patriot Quarterback (2nd round 2014 Draft Pick) Jimmy Garoppolo #10.

Maybe something a little less “mugshot” will help you….

Pick #1   

Coastsweep Beach Cleanup – Pitch In & Play!

A great way to help clean up the coast while also learning and enjoying family friendly activities!

Saturday, September 12

Joppa Flats Education Center and the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge announce that the Coastsweep 2015 cleanup for Plum Island, including the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge and Sandy Point State Reservation, will be held on Saturday, September 12, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Along with the cleanup, outdoor family activities for children of all ages will be offered to keep everyone engaged, from 10:00 am-3:00 pm.

Along with Coastsweep, Joppa Flats School and Youth Education Coordinator Lisa Hutchings presentsCoastsweep on the Beach, a full day of outdoor family activities that include:

• Live tide pool animals
• Coastal plant walks
• Sand science on the beach

Group Games

For group games for younger kids, and participatory coastal science for older kids, families, friends, and school and scout groups are invited to meet at Parking Lot #1 at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

In the case of inclement weather, family activities will take place indoors at Joppa Flats Education Center at One Plum Island Turnpike in Newburyport.

Participation in Coastsweep is free, for all ages, and will be held rain or shine. Participants do not need to preregister and may show up at any time during the day.

READ ALL ABOUT JOPPA FLATS COASTSWEEP HERE!!  

Pick #2

Harold Parker State Forest Family Fishing Festival

September 12: Harold Parker State Forest Family Fishing Festival, Andover – This free, non-competitive, family friendly, learn-to-fish event will take place at Sudden Pond in the Harold Parker State Forest from 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. Bring your own fishing equipment, or borrow ours- limited equipment and bait will be provided. *Open to the public – Contact the Harold Parker State Forest at 978-686-3391.

 Click HERE for more information!

Pick #3   Doggie Maze Day at Marini Farm

This is the only weekend that dogs are welcome on the property to explore the corn maze with their families!  It is also the 1st weekend that the corn maze is open…can you say, “Summer must really be ending”?

Cape Ann Youth Hockey is proud to sponsor CHALLENGER HOCKEY.

This is a FREE program with a focus on introducing adaptive ice hockey to children with developmental disabilities.  Please see below for more information and spread the word to families that you know who may be interested.

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about a banded seagull that we saw down in St. Peter’s Square.  Several of you offered information with contact information for reporting seagull sightings.

I was happy to send off the details of the gull that we saw and see if it could help.

I heard back from Dr. Julie Ellis the other day.  This is what she had to say…

Thanks very much for this report. K18 was banded on Appledore island as a chick on July 10, 2011. So, we know this bird is 4 yrs old. Before your observation, we only have one other resight of this bird after it was banded: Hampton Beach, NH 9/16/2012. So, yours is only the second resight of this bird!  Very cool. These resights help us understand how long gulls live, where they go when they’re not on Appledore, how many chicks they have, what proportion return to nest on the island, and other important aspects of their biology. I have done some studies of disease in the gulls, but most of the data we get will be used for studies of population,biology and ecology of the birds.

Here is my original post…if you are interested

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/for-the-birds/

Here is a link for reading more about the Gulls of Appledore

https://gullsofappledore.wordpress.com/

Joey has captured a couple of banded gulls also….Check out his here….

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/another-banded-gull-captured-by-joeys-gmg-lens/

The schooners certainly stole the show this past weekend, but let us not forget that on Saturday evening there were some pretty spectacular fireworks too.

At Fenway Park hoping to see at least number 498! Go Big Papi!

just a few photos from this morning’s Parade of Sails.

#schoonerfestival

I took hundreds of photos of the schooners that are participating in this year’s schooner festival that I get to weed through and play with this evening. However,  I wanted to share what the outer harbor looks like right now in a live blog post.

#schoonerfestival

Live blogging from Compass Seafood.

The good news is they caught a tuna.

The bad news is that Sea Tow had to bring them in to unload it.

Luckily, at 95 inches and over 350 pounds, the fish should cover the tow.

Waiting for the boats to finish their trip down the river and to enter the harbor!

I took the boys to the Annisquam the other day because they’ve been wanting a chance to jump off the bridge.  It was about 90 minutes after high tide and neither of them were sure they up for the challenge, so they swam off the dock for a moment while deciding what to do.

While swimming, this charmingly goofy bunch of boys came stampeding down the dock, towels tossing, smiles flashing, and enthusiasm bursting!  Quintessential summer kids! The three of us stopped and watched them in awe. Without missing a beat, they were leaping, splashing, cheering, and even back-diving, with abandon.

As I was snapping photos of them, I noticed that Thatcher was almost immediately in line with them, waiting his turn. While maybe not as savvy as the rest, Thatch stood (a bit shakily) up on the railing and took flight.

A big “Thanks” to that awesome bunch of boys for letting Thatcher jump right in (pun intended) and join them in their last few moments of summer fun.

Good kids…enjoying a summer tradition…in one of Cape Ann’s most beautiful spots.

The boys and I were lucky enough to attend last night’s Patriots game.  My attempt at Live blogging failed miserably as my cell service is always weak at best in the stadium.

You may have heard by now that the team….most specifically that Quarterback of theirs (and ALL of Pats Nation)…received some good news yesterday and we were thrilled to be in the house to celebrate with them.

The fans that were waving Berman For President signs might be onto something.

Total no brainer here….

Almost seems silly to do a “Picks Post” this week, but I will…simply to hammer home the fact that it is time for the Tails & Sails Block Party AND, ummmm, that little event we like to call Schooner Festival!!

So, there’s the awesomeness of this year’s final Block Party, gorgeous schooners decorating the harbor in almost every direction you look, fantastic events at Maritime Gloucester, a lobster bake, a concert on the boulevard, a Boat Parade of Lights, and, you know, some fireworks…plus more!

SEE FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE HERE!

Check out Joey’s post from earlier this week HERE to see some incredible footage of last year’s schooner festival!

Please visit HERE to read all about the Tails & Sails Block Party!

HEAD HERE TO SEE ALL THAT MARITIME GLOUCESTER HAS IN STORE FOR THE AMAZING WEEKEND AHEAD!

Here is just a bit of what you can look forward to at Maritime Gloucester ….

As part of Gloucester Schooner Festival line-up, Maritime Gloucester will host its annual Heritage Day celebration from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The event is free to the public. Over 25 artisans, food vendors and community organizations will be set up on Schooner Way and down Webster Pier with demonstrations and family activities.

Daisy Nell will take the Boat House Stage at 11:00 and 1:00 pm reading her new childrens book, Tilly & the Pirates & performing songs from the accompanying CD. Country blues & folk artists, Chick & Ellen will be performing three sets on the Dory Shop deck.  Schooners will be available for dockside tours.  Lunch & refreshments available onsite. To celebrate Schooner Festival, Maritime Gloucester’s exhibits and aquarium will be open throughout the day for half-price admission!

Great, fun event for families and visitors to Gloucester for Schooner Festival weekend. Check back for a complete schedule!

For a list of other great activities to do this weekend, please visit NORTH SHORE KID

Maybe it’s just me, but even though I took the photo, I had to do a double take to realize that it isn’t actually one really tall boy walking down the ramp to the dock.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite sounds in the world…

While out on the Thomas E. Lannon Saturday evening to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of some phenomenal friends, I noticed that the Columbia was sitting beautifully where the Adventure typically is.   Upon inquiring as to where the Adventure was, I was told that it was delivering produce to Boston.

What?

Coincidentally, the next morning, I received an email with the following link from wbur radio…originally coming from Maine Public Broadcasting Network.  Click below to take a listen or have a read.  Many thanks to Paul Horovitz for the timely information.

Schooner Delivers Maine Produce To Boston Harbor The Old-Fashioned Way

It turns out that the Adventure sailed into Portland several days ago to be loaded with $70,000 worth of nonperishables to be delivered into Boston Harbor.  The Adventure was due to arrive in Boston yesterday to unload its bounty.

A 90-year-old schooner with North Shore origins is headed back home, laden with three tons of Maine-grown farm produce.

The Adventure, as she’s called, set sail from Portland, Maine, at first light Friday morning.

The project is called Maine Sail Freight, and while it’s part historical re-enactment, organizers say they’re also out to make a serious point about food systems and regional economics.

READ ALL ABOUT THE SCHOONER ADVENTURE HERE!

Find out more about Maine Sail Freight HERE

Gorgeous Saturday evening on the deck of the one and only Thomas E. Lannon.

Finn’s relationship with seagulls reminds me of Ernie’s relationship with pigeons.  Ernie as in, of course, Ernie and Bert.

So, the other day it came as no surprise when it took 25 minutes to get him away from the gulls hanging out in the St. Peter’s Square parking lot.

With every moment serving as a learning opportunity, Finn has a question for our FOBs.

What’s up with the tags on the seagull in the 1st photo?  Once injured, treated, and released?  Some kind of seagull tracking program?

Not to take away from Finn’s question….but, the 2nd photo leaves me with a very important question.

Just how concerned should I be that Thatcher went on to eat the rest of the ice cream in the cup that the seagull seems to be enjoying in the background of photo #2?  Totally missed that while it was happening and was horrified to notice it later in the evening while downloading pics. Sorry, Thatch.  Gross.

The 3rd photo is simply because it cracks me up to watch Finn waving to seagulls.

To digress….about the pigeons.  That reminds me that I probably owe an apology to the other diners who had dinner with us just prior to our seagull session.  Finn may or may not have thrown a rogue french fry to a pigeon who then attempted to fly away with it…under the cover of Latitude’s newly enclosed outdoor eating area.  Said pigeon may or may not have circled dangerously close to a few heads before flying into the plastic enclosure before circling again and finally finding its way back to open air.  The pigeon was fine, I promise.  The diners…possibly less than amused.  Who could blame them? Bygones.