My View of Life on the Dock
The boys love a good trip to the Blackbear Barbershop. With our crazy schedule the bonus of being open seven days a week is HUGE. Check out their list of services and prices below.
Check them out HERE: https://www.theblackbearbarbershop.com/
My husband took this video of these happy deer having a blast in a nearby field. It’s so fun to see them playing…although they’re pretty well camouflaged and a little hard to see!
Each year the 1st -3rd grade students at the school where I work, Harborlight Montessori, spend the beginning of February of creating beautiful maps of their hearts to show all of the things that fill their hearts with happiness. They first Heart Map shown is one that Finn made when he was in 3rd grade. They also make granola and scones and cut up lots of fresh fruit. They practice pouring tea and lessons in grace and courtesy so that they are ready to welcome loved ones to their very special Valentine’s Breakfast. They also rehearse beautiful songs to be sung at the event. While my boys are older now, I have such happy memories of being their guest. I hope all guests and children have a lovely time at this morning’s event!
This dredge is still hard at work. I love the reflection in this photo from Paul Horovitz as well as the striking blue of the water and sky…lined with mooring balls waiting anxiously for summer.
This dredge is still hard at work. I love the reflection in this photo from Paul Horovitz as well as the striking blue of the water and sky…lined with mooring balls waiting anxiously for summer.
Yesterday afternoon several of us made our way to Boston for lunch in Faneuil Hall and then over to the TD Bank Garden for the Beanpot. Two games back-to-back on a Monday night with 30 kids is kind of a lot, but we hung in until mid second period of the second game. With a double overtime win in the BU vs BC game, I am sad that we didn’t stay until the bitter end, but it was a fantastic evening for us all nonetheless. And, may I add, watching the college and alumni fans from Harvard, Northeaster, BU, and BC was almost as entertaining as the on ice action.
The semifinal round of the 2020 Beanpot, which includes Boston College, Boston University, Harvard and Northeastern — the reigning back-to-back champions — concluded with No. 12 Northeastern (15-7-2) and Boston University (10-8-7) earning both spots in the championship game. No. 17 Harvard (10-7-4) and No. 4 Boston College (10-7-1), the losers of the two semifinal games, respectively, will play each other in the consolation game prior to the championship game on Monday, Feb. 10 at TD Garden in Boston.
Northeastern opened the semifinal round with a 3-1 win over Harvard, 40 years to the day after securing the program’s first Beanpot title in 1980. In order for the Huskies to win their third-straight Beanpot title and seventh overall, they will have to outperform Boston University, which rallied from a three-goal deficit to defeat Boston College 5-4 in double overtime.
My older son was at MIT yesterday building sea perch aqua robots with the Gloucester Division of the US Navy Sea Cadets (a program I wholeheartedly recommend). With a found five hours, I drove to Harvard Square, enjoyed some coffee and quiche, and took my own little walking tour of the city. I stumbled upon this Plaza Winter Fest and couldn’t help but think how much fun it would be to have one in our neck of the woods. With fire pits, smores supplies for purchase, food trucks, bowling, curling, shuffleboard, chess, fuse ball, ping pong, corn hole, and a little free library for reading, there were several families out enjoying a crisp Sunday morning together. What a great way to encourage outdoor time and community building!
The annual Progressive New England Boat Show is coming up NEXT weekend. The show runs from February 8th-16th at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE: THE NEW ENGLAND BOAT SHOW
There is a discounted rate for tickets purchased on line in advance, however, so plan ahead now and save yourself a little bit of money. Children 12 and under are still free of charge with the purchase of adult tickets. Adult tickets are currently $14 and will be $16 at the door. Also poke around for a Groupon. This link is not active yet, but may be soon. https://www.groupon.com/deals/national-marine-manufacturers-association
Did you know that in addition to seeing all of the pretty sweet boats and water craft, the boat show has a pretty thorough schedule of seminars to attend and activities to participate in?
Navigate your way around the website above to see some of what is offered!
February!
While we’ve never been able to make this event, I know some families who look forward to this day every single year. Ice cream for breakfast…and always for a great cause!
This year’s charity is Griffin’s Gift
Welcome to Griffin’s Gift! We are a 501c3 nonprofit organization based out of Danvers MA, helping build families through the gift of adoption. Griffin’s Gift was created in loving memory of Griffin Lamar.
READ MORE ABOUT CHERRY HILL HERE
Free admission for all! Thank you to the Museum of Fine Arts! How great is that!
Free admission. All events are free
Ring in the Year of the Rat with free admission to celebrate Lunar New Year! Explore Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese traditions while enjoying a variety of activities, demonstrations, and performances throughout the day.
There is a very robust day of amazing activities planned throughout the day. Do yourself a favor and click on the link above to see a detailed list of events to best plan your visit.
Saturday, February 1st from 10:00-11:00. What’s better than stories, songs, quality time with a care giver AND donuts? All are welcome. Learn more at the Sawyer Free Library’s really great new website HERE https://sawyerfreelibrary.org/events/programs/
Discover the past, create future!
As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
A beautiful shot of dawn rising over Mill Pond in Gloucester from Paul Horovitz. I love what the light does behind the upper branches of the winter trees.
This precious little book caught my eye while scrolling through something the other day. Illustrated by Henry Cole and written with the lyrics from John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s song, “With a Little Help from My Friends” this book is sure to depict some friendships that we are all thankful to have.
Celebrate friendship with this lyrical picture book that beautifully illustrates John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s world-renowned words from “With a Little Help from My Friends.”
I get by with a little help from my friends…
In this gorgeously illustrated picture book, the universally loved words to “With a Little Help from My Friends” come vividly to life, showing that sometimes, all you need is a little help from your friends!
You can purchase this book on Amazon here or, better yet, visit one of our local bookshops and see if they have it in stock.
My mom, my boys, and I flew out to Los Angeles for a long weekend to visit my brother who lives in Santa Monica. I’ve been to San Diego and much further north on the Pacific Coast, but never to the LA area. We stayed at a hotel directly across from the Santa Monica Pier, took an “extreme whale watch,” toured celebrity homes, Beverly Hills, Hollywood landmarks, Rodeo Drive, spent time riding the rides on the pier, saw Jay Leno at the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, and hung out on the Venice Beach boardwalk. These photos are from our trip to Venice Beach. The boys wanted to buy new skateboards with some of the spending money they saved and I was happy to walk in the sand and people watch for a bit.
Saturday, January 25th from 5:00 am to 5:00 pm
So, this is pretty cool. I wish I had remembered to tell you all about it last week so you could get your teams together. I know how many avid bird enthusiasts we have in our GMG audience…and even within our own team of contributors. Get your team together quickly and try to find all the species on the list!
Learn all about it HERE: https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/joppa-flats/news-events/superbowl-of-birding
Winter is a wonderful time to bird in northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire. In celebration of this season, the Joppa Flats is hosting the Superbowl of Birding XVII on January 25, 2020.
Superbowls I-XVI were great successes with teams of all abilities participating. The challenge is renewed this year, with prizes awarded in ten categories!
This is a unique competition to find the greatest number of species and to earn the greatest number of points based on the rarity of the birds recorded. The Zeiss Joppa Cup is awarded to the team that collects the most points by the end of the specified 12-hour birding day. Strategy and planning are essential in order to win this competition.
Abbreviated Rules
Location
Essex County, MA & Rockingham County, NH
(maps will be provided)Teams
Teams will consist of 4-7 individuals and must remain together for the entire contest. No splitting of teams is allowed. Teams must preregister for the contest.
Objective
Each species on the official contest checklist has a point value of 1-5 based on the perceived difficulty of finding the species at this time of year. The team that amasses the greatest number of points will be declared The Zeiss Joppa Cup winner. Each species may only be counted once. Each team must check in at the designated site by 5:30 pm of the contest day.
Checklist
To be counted, all species must be on the Official Superbowl of Birding Checklist, or be species currently accepted by the Massachusetts or New Hampshire State Records Committees. Valid species not on the official checklist will have a point value of 5.
Registration
- $30 per participant if registered before January 1
- $35 per participant if registered after January 1
- $20 for participants 12 and under
Registration fees support refreshments and prizes for the winning teams.
To Register
Please mail the completed registration form with appropriate fee(s) to:
Joppa Flats Education Center, 1 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport, MA 01950
You may also register by calling 978-462-9998.
LEARN MORE HERE: https://www.pem.org/events/the-year-of-the-rat
Saturday, January 25, 2020 from 10 am-4 pm
Experience the sights and sounds of this annual festival and join us for music, art making and classic traditions, including colorful lion dances performed by Gund Kwok, the only all-women lion and dragon dance group in the country. Then help us celebrate the release of PEM’s first children’s book, Piece by Piece, with author Susan Tan and special programming to celebrate Yin Yu Tang: A Chinese House.
Included with admission unless otherwise noted
Guo Nian Hao!
Drum Welcome and Cubs Lion Dance
11–11:30 am | Main Atrium
Help us kick off the celebration with performance by The Cubs of Gund Kwok. These young dancers, from ages 6 to 9, have mastered the strength, skill and coordination required to perform this annual tradition.
Gund Kwok Lion Dance
111:30 am–noon | Main Atrium
Gund Kwok Asian Women’s Lion Dance Troupe, the only all-women lion and dragon dance group in the country, performs this traditional dance to ward off evil for the coming year. Following their performance, enjoy a chance to talk with the performers and get up close to their incredible costumes.
Chinese Folk-Art Workshop
1–1:45 pm | Main Atrium
Members of the Chinese Folk Art Workshop, all between the ages of 12 to 18, present traditional dances to welcome the Year of the Rat. Listen to drumming, watch graceful performances, and see a diabolo (a traditional Chinese yo-yo) in action.
DROP-IN ACTIVITIES
Zodiac Family Tree Banners
10 am–4 pm | Garden Atrium
Create and decorate your own zodiac animal banner with Jennifer DeCristoforo, artist and author of the Lucky Bamboo Book of Crafts. Match your family members with the animals of the Chinese zodiac, then decorate and assemble into a banner to represent your family tree.
Decorate a Dishcloth
10 am–4 pm | Create Space Studios
“I see more blue in the kitchen and race inside. It’s just a dishcloth, but it reminds me of Nainai’s apron.” Inspired by Piece by Piece, decorate your own dish cloth that you can then upcycle into an apron at home. Printed dishcloth apron instructions are provided or available at pem.org/piecebypiece.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Piece by Piece Storytime’s with Susan Tan and Justine Wong
Noon and 3 pm | Morse Auditorium
Day-of registration at information deskJoin author Susan Tan and illustrator Justine Wong for readings of their picture book, Piece by Piece, inspired by the Yin Yu Tang house. See the pages projected on screen and hear about their process of creating this magical story of discovery, wonder and family.
Piece by Piece Book Signing
2 pm | Morse Auditorium
Purchase a copy of PEM’s first children’s book, Piece by Piece, then meet the creators! Author Susan Tan grew up visiting museums with her grandmother, an art historian, who encouraged her love for art and story. She is the author of the popular Cilla Lee-Jenkins series. Illustrator Justine Wong is a multimedia artist living in Toronto with her two cats. She loves to travel in search of new forms, landscapes and feelings to draw. Piece by Piece is Wong’s first children’s book. Her previous work has appeared in the New York Times, Monocle and Lucky Peach.
SPECIAL FAMILY TOUR
Emmy’s Yin Yu Tang
12:15 pm, 2:15 pm, and 3:45 pm | Meet at Information Desk
Nonmembers $6; free for members, Salem residents and youth 16 and under
Space limited; day-of registration at information deskJoin a PEM Educator for a special family-friendly tour of Yin Yu Tang, the Chinese house which inspired the museum’s first children’s book, Piece by Piece. Explore the nooks and crannies of the house, learn its history and engage in a guessing game as we uncover the truth and purpose of various historic objects.
FIND OUT MORE HERE: https://theprovidencerink.com/bumper-cars/
Reservations are recommended and can be made at the link above. Online waivers are available there are well.
The first outdoor rink to host this unique all-ages entertainment. Imagine sitting in the bumper car moving forwards, backward and sideways with a full 360-degree turn radius bumping opponents out of your way!
RATES
Bumper Cars $12.00 – Shared Ice
Bumper Cars $15.00 – Full Ice
Rides are 15 Minutes long and scheduled every 20 minutes
*Reservations recommended
*All Bumper Car sales are subject to sales tax
HOURS
Bumper Cars run on 1/3 of the ice rink
MONDAY – FRIDAY
4:00PM – 8:00PMSATURDAY – SUNDAY
10:00AM – 2:00PM
Late Night Full-Ice Sessions
FRIDAY – SATURDAY
10:00PM – 11:00PM
Morning Full-Ice Sessions
SATURDAY – SUNDAY
9:00AM – 10:00AM
As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid.
There is always something amazing to do at the Trustees’ properties! We are so fortunate to have so many gorgeous and unique places in our own backyards. This CraneOutdoors Program is pretty wonderful. Check back often to view upcoming events and take advantage of all that they offer. It’s a shame to not truly experience where we live!
Whether you’re looking for adventure, ready to try something new, or just love being outside, we’ve got something special for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages!
Hiking, Paddling, and Boating, Oh My!
CraneOutdoors offers a year-round lineup of exciting outdoor adventures designed to get you outside and enjoying one of The Trustees’ most beautiful properties. With over 2100 acres of beach, dunes, woodlands, and marsh and a network of miles of trails, we’re going to bet we can give you an experience you’ll never forget!Most outdoor adventure events are geared towards adults, but some are family friendly – check the event description or call or email for specific information.
Get Outside Together
CraneOutdoors also runs family and drop-off programs with the goal of getting the next generation outside and encouraging a lifelong enjoyment of nature. Get your feet wet (metaphorically but sometimes literally!) with a Trustees Trekkers Family Hike or Family Full Moon Hike. Forge deep ties to the environment early while building creativity, confidence and wonder with our Preschool Nature Explorers program. Give your children the gift of time outside, away from screens with our After School Nature Play, SpringQuest (spring vacation), and WinterQuest (winter vacation) drop-off programs. And don’t forget about the Ultimate Summer Adventure: SummerQuest day camp!CraneOutdoors Private Experiences
Are you visiting the area? Maybe staying at the Inn at Castle Hill? Or are you a family, friend, mom, or adventurous bachelor(ette) group? A corporate group? If you’re looking for a tailor-made outdoor adventure with an experienced guide in a gorgeous setting, let us build you something special. Contact tbarrieau@thetrustees.org for information.Programs meet in different locations. Upon registration please remember to leave your email address, where we will send you pre-event information about where to meet, what to bring, and what to expect.
READ ABOUT THE TRUSTEES, THE CRANE ESTATE, AND ALL UPCOMING EVENTS HERE
CAYH and Agawam players are invited to the Monday, January 20th Vikings home game vs Nashoba at Talbot Rink @ 6pm for our first annual Cape Ann/Agawam youth hockey night!
Wear your Cape Ann or Agawam jersey and get free admission if you are accompanied by a paying adult.
Cheer on our own CAYH mites in an exhibition scrimmage with Agawam mites after the first.
There will be Vikings fan gear available and giveaways.
Let’s fill the stands with CAYH/Agawam families and cheer on the Vikings!
My boys are so sad to be missing the New England Auto Show this weekend. We’ll be away. Being the car enthusiasts that they are…especially Thatcher….they love spending hours there checking out all of the newest models, all of the new features and technology, and the trucks and high end cars. It really is a lot of fun.
JANUARY 16-20, 2020
BOSTON CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTER
#BOSTONAUTOSHOW
It’s the Biggest Auto Show in New England… and the perfect place to browse hundreds of the newest vehicles! Located at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in the Seaport District, the New England International Auto Show is the premier showcase of the newest model year imported and domestic vehicles — cars, vans, crossovers, hybrids, light trucks and sport utilities – cars to suit every budget and lifestyle. Factory and dealer representatives are on hand to answer your questions in a no pressure environment, and with your favorite car lines all under one roof, it’s easy to compare prices and features, saving both time and money.
So come sit in the cars, pop the hoods, inspect the trunks, kick the tires. The New England International Auto Show is great entertainment for serious shoppers, car buffs and the entire family!
Here are my boys several years ago running and hopping from car to car….barely able to contain themselves. Not much has changed.
As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
Gloucester High School’s Class of 2020 is selling a limited edition of Gloucesteropoly!!
Boards cost $25 and help raise funds for the Class of 2020. What a fun addition to your family game night, perfect for guests who visit from out of town….or friends who have moved out of town and miss it greatly, or…of course…as a gift!
Boards will be sold in the Gloucester High School Atrium this Saturday, 1/18, from 8:00-10:00. If you can not make it to the high school in person during those hours, please reach out to the Class of 2020 student council at Ghsstuco2020@gmail.com or contact High School Teacher, Tracy Lowthers, at Tlowthers@gloucesterschools.com
Looking back through photos from the Schooner Festival and remembered having a nice talk with a man on the dock near the Tree of Life and the Columbia. A smaller, yet beautiful boat, the Malabar II was at the same dock and the gentleman shared with me that the boat had been in the Kevin Costner and Robin Wright film, Message in a Bottle. I’ve since read conflicting reports, but regardless the Malabar II is pretty slick. I’ve read that the Catherine that appears in the movie is actually the Concordia Yawl, Arapaho…but, the boat they sail on during the movie is the Malabar.
Photos from movie found on http://amrich223.tripod.com/id14.html
Cape Ann Youth Hockey teams don’t get to play a lot of home games at Talbot Rink so it is exciting when they do. The Girls U12 team will be playing at home on Saturday, January 18th at 1:00. The girls hockey program at CAYH has really taken off and all of the dedicated girls, from Learn-to-Skate to High School, are killing it on the ice….and having tons of fun.
Read More Here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2959834830702168/
Morgan Faulds Pike’s Fishermen’s Wives Memorial is beautiful from afar, but if you get up close it is truly, unbelievably exquisite. The detail in her work is amazing.
You can read more about her HERE: http://morganfauldspike.com/the-gloucester-fishermens-w/index.html
This weekend is supposed to be unseasonably warm (if that can be a term used in New England…since anything usually goes with the weather so maybe there isn’t truly anything “unseasonable”). Warm weather could make for better outdoor winter activities because it won’t be nose-freezing cold and it will make for nice days to be outside for extended hours….however, too warm will ruin all outdoor activities. That being the case, call first to make sure snow related activities are actually open for more normal hours.
READ MORE HERE: https://www.skinashoba.com/Articles.asp?ID=340
A 2-hour ticket is $35 Normal winter hours on the weekend are 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Again, take advantage of the nice weather and enjoy a night out in the city. It’s much better to walk around in mild temps and see the winter sites.
READ MORE HERE: https://www.bostonseaport.xyz/venue/entre-les-rangs/
Boston’s Seaport will welcome another illuminated, interactive art exhibit to the neighborhood.
The Seaport has partnered with Canadian art production company Creos and architectural firm KANVA on “Entre les rangs,” a twinkling collection of 28,000 handmade white crystalline stems topped with white reflectors that will be displayed on Seaport Common (85 Northern Ave.) from Monday, Dec. 9 through Feb. 2, 2020.
The exhibit, meant to evoke a “rural wheat field swaying in the breeze” according to a press release, will refract light from projectors mounted nearby, and will change based on weather and human interaction.
Beyond the winter art installations, the Seaport has welcomed several public art displays, including “Air Sea Land,” a collection of colorful sculptures lining Seaport Boulevard, and “20 Knots,” a collection of giant nylon daffodils that adorned Seaport Common in April.
When:
Monday, Dec 09, 2019 6:00a –
Sunday, Feb 09, 2020 11:30p
Where:
Seaport Common
85 Northern Ave
Boston, MA
Admission:
FREE
If you’re up for the drive or want to do a quick overnight trip, check out Ice Castles in Lincoln, New Hampshire. I’ve heard they’ve been working hard to combat the extra warm weather, but they are planning on operating this weekend as of now. Reservations are necessary so don’t just drive up and expect to get in. If this weekend doesn’t work out, make a note to plan ahead for another weekend!
READ MORE HERE: https://icecastles.com/new-hampshire
Ice Castles is an award-winning frozen attraction located in six cities across North America. The experience is built using hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists. The castles include breathtaking LED-lit sculptures, frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, fountains and much more.
As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid
