Author: Nichole S.

This large pile of coiled, colorful rope caught my eye the other day while walking down the dock.

If you have a child who is interested in starting hockey this opportunity is NOT TO BE MISSED!

Registration ends today!!!

The Boston Bruins are excited to continue and grow the Bruins Academy Learn to Play presented by Pure Hockey (previously called “Little Bruins”) to help aspiring, youth hockey players develop their skills. Last season, the program expanded to over 80 locations across New England with over 5,000 participants. The program was available to both girls and boys and the registration fee included a full set of CCM equipment to keep valued at $500 retail, which included skates, a professional personalized fitting, and four weeks of on-ice instruction led by certified coaches. The Boston Bruins are thrilled to share their passion for hockey with the next generation of hockey players.* Last year, $2,500,000 (retail value) worth of equipment was donated through the program. *

All participants must be born between 2010-2014.

Please register today if you are interested in this amazing opportuinty.  Get a complete set of gear and four on-ice sessions for only $140!

Click here to learn more and register:

https://www.nhl.com/bruins/community/youth-hockey-little-bruins

If your child is already playing hockey, please help us spread the word.  We have several open spots and children from any community are welcome to participate.

The looming twin lights of Thacher Island look a little creepy when passing close by at night.

Thank you to the town of Rockport and the organizers of Rockport Illumination weekend!

The boys enjoyed a movie by the rooftop pool at the Beauport the other night.  Such a great spot to spend the night!

The boys are off to explore Thacher’s Island with their Race Team today so I dropped them off with their bikes…. so they can ride home later today …and made a little detour down Bearskin Neck to Helmuts.  I grabbed one of my favorite cranberry walnut muffins and sat for 10 sacred minutes before heading down 128 S for a day of work.

I stopped by Lattof Farmhouse Kitchen again the other day and grabbed an ice coffee (delicious…and I’m a little picky about my ice coffee) and a Tremont Sandwich…hummus, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, and havarti.   I took the sandwich to eat a few hours later at my desk and bought a blueberry muffin for a late breakfast. Everything was so good! This special place really is a perfect stop on your way in/out of Rockport.  Nestled on Main Street (#205) you can get there easily.

If you have not made a point to stop by, you should.  The fresh produce at the farm stand out front is bountiful and the quaint picnic area reminds me of days at Something Natural on Nantucket.  It really is a lovely spot to sit in the shade and enjoy a quiet lunch.

I’ve heard the homemade anadama bread is not to be missed and next time I stop in I am definitely getting a smoothie.

See images of the menu below

Fourteen members of the Sandy Bay Yacht Club’s Race Team,  along with some phenomenal coaches, and spectator parents spent the weekend down in Duxbury at the Duxbury Bay Junior Olympic Sailing Regatta for two days of racing.

At the end of two competitive days, Sandy Bay had a team of 420 sailors who took home 2nd Place in a big fleet of boats. Congratulations to Ian McCaffrey and Katy Benagh!   Wyatt Wilkinson walked away with a huge Opti Champ Fleet 1st Place win in his division out of a group of more than 20 boats and 2nd Place overall in a group of more than thirty competitors.  Finn Schrafft ended the weekend in 1st Place overall from a group of 21 Opti Green Fleet racers.  Actually, in addition to Finn’s win, all SBYC’s Green (1st year racers) fleet landed in the top 8 positions when the weekend was over.

Great sailing from all 14 of the team’s members this weekend and a ton of fun!  Sandy Bay definitely made a big impression down there and we have great coaching and a great club to thank for that!

This guy was excited to ride our wake the other day and the boys had fun watching him get some serious air.

At exactly 10:00 last night a good portion of the 65 boats, captains, and crews entered in this year’s Bluefin Blowout left their docks and slips to head out in search of the often elusive tuna.

Weigh-in and all sorts of Family Fun, shopping, music, and excitement start under the big tent at Cape Ann’s Marina Resort at 1:00 today!  Come down and be a part of the fun and the FUNdraising to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s.  This year’s tournament has already raised over $200,000 at lead up events.

Entry to today’s fun is free….so come on down!

I guess “tubular” is how you would describe this seaweed.  I was clearing out my iPhone of tons of photos last night and found these photos that I took earlier this month at Lime Kiln Park in the San Juan Islands.  This seaweed was floating everywhere out there and I was kind of fascinated by it.  I’ve never seen anything like it.

We’ve all become pretty accustomed to seeing the small yellow signs that frequently dot Cape Ann saying “Crew”….indicating that a movie is being filmed somewhere in the vicinity.

Yesterday, after seeing a couple of those signs on my ride home through Rockport, I happened upon this scene on Main Street.

I have no idea what they are filming, but it reminded me of back when downtown Rockport was turned into Sitka, Alaska for the Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds film, The Proposal.

This is my new summer favorite.  Perfect for days on the water and evenings on the beach.  Super yummy…. but, the name also gave me a flash back to years of Fresca and Moxie at my grandmother’s (Guggy’s) house on Riverside Ave. when I was little.

A couple of summers ago my boys started making a point to place spare change (if there is really such a thing) in a special little spot in a brick chimney in Rockport.  Every once in a while they would happen by and find a nickel or a quarter there, presumably, for the taking.  They would always replace it with something of their own….or, if they didn’t have anything to leave, they would ask me to take them back later in the day to make their “deposit.”   I have no idea if this is a thing or not…but, they both love/d the game.  Thatch has kind of outgrown it, but Finn still loves to play.  The other day he asked me to stop and said he was going to put in the $2 that he had in his pocket.   I told him that was too much and wasn’t as subtle.  I gave him some change…but, when I looked back I saw that he had left one of his dollar bills as well.  He absolutely loves the leaving more than the taking.

Such a beautiful view of Annisquam Light through the tree limbs from our “eyes in the Annisquam” Paul Horovitz.

Head on down to Harbor Loop in Gloucester to help support our first responders, policemen, firemen, and emergency personnel.  Sponsored by the Gloucester Police Department, Gloucester Fire Department, and the city of Gloucester, this event helps to raise money and awareness of how to keep our kids and community safe. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!  Admission is free, but they happily except donations!

With lots of phenomenal whale sightings this week, I thought we’d bring you one more.  This gorgeous new whale sculpture has been placed in Rockport’s Millbrook Meadow.  This area of the park is under construction right now, but I will report back with the artist’s name, etc. when I am able.

Millbrook Meadow is one of my very favorite places in Rockport and amazing recent changes by the Millbrook Meadow Conservancy have made this special place even more treasured.

This magical four-acre park is nestled in downtown Rockport, just a stone’s throw from Front Beach. Nearly half of it is Mill Pond — a pristine wonderland of aquatic plants, with turtles, eels, ducks, birds, otters, beavers, and fish.

The Meadow comprises the other half, an open space with a beautiful winding brook, a frog pond and delightful stone bridges. It’s a special place for play and relaxation. And a favorite spot for fairs and seasonal festivals.

Since 1938 volunteers have kept it beautiful for everyone. We are now in the midst of a long overdue, major restoration of this green gem for our community.

My new favorite hats.  Can you figure these out?

Answers below.

Tuna Taco

Later Gator

Buck Wild

Tree Hugger

Road Hog

Bear Hug

Prana Hats Here