Author: Nichole S.

Congratulations!!

From first-time walker to two time winner! Congratulations, Randy Sweet! 

The Gloucester Police Department won this morning’s rainy seine boat races aboard the Nina!

Second place went to the Fire Department on the Pinta. The Coast Guard hit the Beach third on the Santa Maria.

Snotty, cold conditions….good job done by all.

We stopped by the pond for a quick visit the other day to check on the cygnets.  All six are growing steadily and are beyond cute!  Nice work, Mom and Dad Swan!

We drove into Charlestown early Tuesday afternoon and checked aboard our boat for the evening.  We were staying on the Green Turtle III at the Green Turtle Floating Bed and Breakfast on Pier 13.  After being greeted by our hosts, unpacking, and watching Finn open his birthday gifts, we walked over to the Navy Yard and enjoyed a wonderful tour of the United Coast Guard’s Eagle.  We also took a quick tour on the USS Cassin Young before hopping on the water shuttle over to Rowe’s Wharf. We saw a few other ships on our way over to the Aquarium as well. With dinner waiting and the boys also wanting to hit the splash pad on the Rose Kennedy Greenway we didn’t make it over to the Moakley Courthouse or Fan Pier.  We did, however, hear some live music, walk around Faneuil Hall, and pick up some birthday cake for Finn before catching the last shuttle back to Charlestown.

We were lucky enough to sleep on a boat in Charlestown last night for Finn’s birthday.  While there we walked over to the Navy Yard and had a tour of The Eagle.  Many more photos to come when I get home and I am able to sort through them, but for now, this is possibly one of the most beautiful American flags I have ever seen.

It wasn’t looking much like a beach day early this morning, but hang in there, the weather forecast looks promising.

Genes kind of crack me up a little bit.  While I’m (painfully) aware of how similar Finn and my husband are I find myself stopping to consider it more on Father’s Day.  Finn and Freddy look a ton alike…as I hear at least once per week while out and about with Finn.  I’m not lying when I say that complete strangers come up to Finn in public places and say, “You must be Freddy Schrafft’s son.”   I think that, in the photos below, Finn also looks like Freddy’s father, Fred.  My older son, Thatcher, looks nothing like Freddy or more….but shares most of my personality traits.  He does, however, look a lot like my husband’s sister’s son.  Strange.

What do you think?

Thatcher and Finn

Freddy and his dad, Fred

Finn

Freddy

Finn is on the left….Freddy, at about the same age, is on the right.

We were late getting home for dinner and bed, but how do you not stop and snap some photos of this…

Pick #1: Sail Boston!

For information about our local boats that are available for ticket purchase at Sail Boston, read Joey’s post from earlier this week below

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/charters-for-sail-boston-tall-ships-event/

READ ALL ABOUT SAIL BOSTON HERE

Boston is an official port of the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta. The trans-Atlantic regatta will start in Royal Greenwich, UK. From there the fleet will race to Sines, Portugal, followed by Bermuda. The fleet will then race to Boston, for Sail Boston 2017®. From Boston, the fleet will cruise in company north to Quebec City, Canada.

Sail Boston® will entertain its younger audience with educational programs focusing on US and international maritime history. Cadets and crewmembers will be available to educate children of all ages of their personal experiences at sea, home countries and more.

Pick #2: Hampton Sand Sculpture Event

June 15th – 17th

17th Annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic
June 15-17, 2017

The fun starts Wednesday, June 14th, 2017 when 200 tons of imported sand is dropped on Hampton Beach and the “Grady Bunch” starts pounding up the sponsor site. The entire area is illuminated for night viewing through June 28th.

Watch Greg Grady and “The Grady Bunch” build a mammoth Sand Demo Site. View all entries on line at this website.  The competition is by invitation only.  The event is funded by the Hampton Beach Village District and Sponsors, in cooperation with The Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce and The NH Division of Parks.

Schedule for 2017 Master Sand Sculpting Competition:

Mon. – Wed. – June 12 – 14 Massive 100 Ton Sponsor Site Created
Wed., June 14 – Sponsors Grand Finale with a Master Group Carve.
Thurs., Fri., & Sat., June 15-16-17 – Solo Competition $15,000 purse and entry awards.
Sat., June 17 – 1:00 – 3:00 PM Voting for People’s Choice Award.
Sat., June 17 at 8:00 PM Awards Ceremony on Sea Shell Stage. Special Fireworks Display at 9:30.
The event is lighted for nightly viewing thru June 28th.

Last Year’s Winner

Pick #3: 

Strawberry Festival at Marini Farm

June 17th 10:00-5:00

Find Marini Farm information HERE

As always for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid. 

I’m not saying that they’re not around, but I am saying that this is the first sand dollar that I’ve found in Rockport.

My dad will be out of town for the day on Father’s Day and we wanted to be sure to gather together to celebrate him before the day came and went.  With the three grandsons all incredibly busy and the grown-ups in the family having the nerve to occasionally have plans on their own, the best we could all pull off was two hours on Saturday morning.  Knowing full well that if we met for breakfast, he’d just end up picking up the tab, we decided to meet on the boulevard for breakfast and bocce ball.

So fun.  We had a little breakfast tailgate and the boys teamed up with “Grampy” to show off their mad bocce skills (kind of).  Later they did some beach combing and threw the football around….all while we ate granola, drank coffee, and enjoyed the breeze.

Good stuff.  Happy Father’s Day, Dad! xoxo

I was driving behind Good Harbor Beach on Thatcher Road when this little cutie caught my eye.  I was sad to see it all alone though.

An early morning walk around the back shore always promises some rewarding and interesting views

Pick #1:  Dragon Boat Race and Festival, Boston

June 10th and 11th along the Charles River

http://www.bostondragonboat.org/

The 38th Annual Boston Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival will be held the weekend of June 10-11, 2017.  Be sure to save the date!  Races and cultural performances. Admission is free.

69 teams raced in the 2016 Boston Dragon Boat Festival, once again breaking a Festival record for the number of teams competing.  See the list of teams that participated.

Pick #2: Millbrook Meadow and Pond Annual Rubber Duck Race

Saturday, June 10th at 11:00 am

Be sure to buy plenty of raffle tickets for the big Rubber Duck Race, 11 a.m. June 10, 2017. Event is sponsored by the Friends of the Council on Aging, and if your duck comes through among the first, you can be a winner! — in Millbrook Meadow and Pond.

READ MORE HERE

Pick #3:  Cape Ann Museum’s Second Saturdays

The second Saturday of every month is free from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for families with school-aged children. Families are invited to the Activity Center to participate in hands-on activities that delve into the art, history and culture of the region. Each Second Saturday focuses on a specific theme based on the Museum’s collection and/or special exhibitions.

READ MORE HERE

As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid

Doesn’t really ever get old.

On Saturday, after a lot of baseball, we wandered over to the track behind Rockport High School where the Police Department and Rockport Rotary Club were conducting a bike safety program.

I wish I had known about it early enough to share the information with you all, but put it on your list of things to look into for next year.

With bike and helmet safety checks, bike registration, obstacle courses, challenges, police cruisers to sit in, some free snacks, and sunshine it was a really great event.

Much thanks to all who volunteered and made it possible!

Brunch, live music, waterfront dining, boats coming and going to distract the children, a sunny day, and a Bloody Mary bar…. need I say more?

We had a delicious breakfast in the sun yesterday over at Cape Ann’s Marina Resort and Mile Marker One.  I’m not sure how it is that we haven’t had brunch on the deck while listening to music before…but, I’m so glad we did it yesterday.

My omelette made to order with peppers, feta, and olives was just as yummy as my Bloody Mary…also made to order.

We’ll definitely be doing that again!

Cape Ann’s Marina Resort

I’m pretty thankful that my boys are getting to the age that they don’t “need” or ask for much for their birthdays….and that they understand that “doing things is better than getting stuff.”  So, as one of Thatcher’s birthday gifts we took off for a one night getaway to Kennebunkport.  Our intention was to simply swim, beach comb, fish, explore, ride bikes, poke around in some stores, and then head to the Portland Sea Dogs game the next morning.  The weather didn’t necessarily cooperate for some of our planned outdoor fun….although the fishing was still a must.

While there we drove by the Bush Estate.  It was nice to show the boys where the family has gathered together for so many years and to look across the water and imagine the good times, laughs, rites of passage, celebrations, etc that have unfolded on the lawn and within the walls.

It was even nicer to hear that President Bush was in attendance at the Memorial Day parade the next morning.