Author: Pat D

Recent cool and rainy weather called for soup and a hearty sandwich at Bischo on Main Street. It was hopping at lunch time, so clearly others had the same thoughts. We are happy to see inside seating return and there are a few cosmetic changes to the inside. We had the Italian sub and Italian wedding soup (I guess there was a theme I didn’t notice at the time!).

Shore Road in Magnolia shrouded in fog has a very calming effect.

You never know what you might see from the Harbor Loop, including GMG Jimmy giving tourists from Illinois some local insight………sign him up for the Welcome Center at Stage Fort Park!

We appreciate Sue Wheeler at Arts Abound for being so generous and willing to be the pickup point for the podcast prizes. It’s always a treat to stop by the store because there are so many beautiful things there, especially from fellow contributor Donna Ardizzoni. Sue showed me her brand new (not even on the shelf yet as I write this) Magnolia T Shirts. She and Deb Schradieck worked together to bring these awesome new T shirts to the store. I immediately purchased one each for Jim and I. Love the design, love the color! Get yours at Arts Abound on Lexington Ave in Magnolia. And pick up those prizes if you haven’t already……

It is not at all uncommon for a number of deer to make their way across the marsh behind our apartment late in the afternoon. It makes for a very pretty sight with the sun starting to set and the lush green grass so it’s quite fascinating to watch. So, I photograph them. Google very nicely created an animation for me using a series of photos taken of a leaping-in-the-damp-marsh deer and I thought it was cool enough to share.

I got a call from one of my informants (Rhymes with Mate–first letter K) that there was an animal hanging from a tree along 128 that I really needed to see because it would make a great post. It happened I was already on the road so I took a little detour to find this. It does indeed appear to be an animal, tail and all, hanging from the tree. Upon closer investigation, I conclude this is a piece of plastic wrapping stuck in the tree branch. Case resolved. Sharing so you don’t wonder yourself as you ride along 128.

The skies were threatening so we decided to have our meal at The Cupboard while seated inside. We had never been inside, which seems kind of surprising. It was a pleasant surprise from what I was expecting. It’s diner style seating with counter seats and just a few tables. The service from Pam was friendly and the atmosphere homey. The fare is simple and satisfying. I had the Cape Ann Reuben and Jim had a Cuban. Perfect for what had been a hot sticky day.

Then the skies opened up! A brief but torrential rain came down outside but we were comfortable inside. Water collected quickly in the parking area and on the street, so I got my feet wet to watch the stunning rainbow develop.

We recently had a great lunch experience at Salt Water Grille on Washington Street (former Friendly’s). On a quiet weekday afternoon, we were greeted cheerfully and received service attention from Erin in a very timely manner. The Saltwater Spritzer was exactly what the humid day called for….light and refreshing. I had the Blackened Haddock Tacos which were seasoned precisely to my preferences. The pieces were larger than I anticipated and DELICIOUS. Jim got the Fish and Chips after the Potato Skin appetizer. I had enough room left for a brownie sundae!! The atmosphere is casual and friendly. We had not been back since before the pandemic and we are glad to add Salt Water Grille back into our meal rotation! Thanks Erin.

We took a trip with Cape Ann Whale Watch last night for a Sunset Cruise under threatening skies and came home with these wonderful memories. We had travelled back from Long Island earlier in the day and since the weather did not look promising, I was sorely tempted to bail out on this trip. But my faith in the Cape All Whale Watch staff to make the trip memorable overcame my temporary reluctance. It turned out that my faith was absolutely justified.

Several family groups including a number of excited children were also aboard, as were photographer friends Jessica and Melissa. Tina was our naturalists, Capt John was at the helm and several interns were along to make our trip successful (shout out to intern Keirsten!) . Although my expectations were VERY low, we did make our way out to the feeding grounds and spent time with Jabbaroo and her calf. The calf was super-playful displaying behaviors such as chin breaching, pectoral slapping, AND a full spinning breach or two! This calf was recently injured in an entanglement and you can see the damage done to its body in some of these pictures. It was a life threatening injury but it appears the calf is recovering. Although the lighting was poor under clouds and light rain, we were treated to the full show and some of the pictures turned out well enough to share.

We got NO sunset, but I would 100% recommend an evening ride with Cape Ann Whale Watch even if the weather is not ideal. Additional pictures and story details posted to Pat D’s Photos and Adventures Facebook page.

This should improve any fowl moods out there. Just a couple of neighbors talking over the fence in Magnolia.

What an inspirational sight it is to see the Schooner Thomas E. Lannon out in the harbor! Not only is it a great photo opportunity from shore, it’s a great take for visitors as well as residents. You get out on the cooler water and view the city from the water. The public sails take only about 2 hours and there are several special themed sails all summer long. Check it out at their website here.

Over the years, there have been a number of different GMG stickers available for the asking. I found this blue metallic one recently and it got me thinking about some of the other older versions. So, we went looking and here is what we found over the course of just a few days.

If you’d like your own sticker in its current slick die-cut version, send a SASE to Joey at 95 East Main St. Gloucester MA 01930. If you’d like to share a photo of your sticker, please feel free! Email it to Joey and it will probably get posted with your name!

The Gloucester Stage Company has moved its productions to the Windhover sight on Granite Street in Rockport and is currently presenting Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. Other productions this season will also be offered at this outdoor venue. I wasn’t certain what to expect for such a setting, but the Stage Company well prepared for their visitors and subscribers. Parking help is offered by volunteers (thanks to Ellen, an FOB and my parking assistant) and after a short walk, you can be seated in the same arrangement you would find inside at the Stage Company! Bug spray is offered but you might want to prepare in advance to protect yourself as needed.

This particular drama featured only 5 actors; three of them playing several roles with numerous personalities and accents (so kudos to them for their versatility!). The story is somewhat comedic, almost slapstick yet with enough serious undertones to be engaging and entertaining. Unique pieces are a hallmark of the Gloucester Stage Company, and this certainly falls in that category. Special congratulations to the cast who performed professionally through some light rain, distant lightning, and even a short power outage. The show runs through July 25 and last night was sold out, so plan to get your tickets early.

The cast photos are by Jason Grow and used with permission of Gloucester Stage.

We recently saw acquaintances Vito and Maggie of Gloucester who introduced us to their High Popples Little Library and I got thinking about the various others we see as we drive around. From the Little Free Libraries website, I was surprised to learn there are quite a number of them registered in our area. I had a book to donate, so we went for a ride and found these in Magnolia, at Fishermen’s Pier Landing, and on High Popples as well as Summer Street and St. Louis Ave. I say “Part 1” of this segment because there are enough more for an additional post someday! Thanks to all who build these (kits available on website), maintain and donate books to this neat effort to share the love of books and reading. *I especially like the Pooch Parking accessory, Vito and Maggie!*

The Last Stop on East Main Street has recently held a ribbon cutting to mark their reopening. I went down to pick up a sandwich for Jim….he’s really been missing their pastries and sandwiches. It’s renovated on the inside and is looking great. A limited number of indoor and outdoor seating is available and I was glad to note that it was quite busy when I stopped by. The turkey sandwich has hearty bread and “real” turkey slices! Give them try!

Despite the dreary days recently, the state pier scenery is brightened up by some spiffy new colors.

Our beautiful beaches were all but deserted as the weather did not cooperate for beach-going over the holiday weekend. One egret took the opportunity for some peaceful foraging at the creek at Good Harbor Beach. I guess he doesn’t care about bacteria levels…….

Red, white and blue flying proudly all around us. Happy 4th to you all.

We enjoy watching the working boats going out and coming, including Razzo, Griffin, Lori B., Catherine M., Silver Lining and (of course) Stanley Thomas. Stay well, crews and captains who work despite weather and holidays. Happy 4th to you all.

We had lunch inside at Mile Marker One partly to get some relief from the heat, but it’s always a good take no matter the weather. It’s so tastefully elegant yet relaxing inside and drew a lunch crew including families, senior citizens, tourists and locals. I had the chicken salad (without the bread for a lighter meal) and Jim had the turkey chaffle sandwich which he enjoyed very much. Taylor was our server and she dealt efficiently with all her tables. The view was interesting since it was such a busy day on the river. Give it a try especially if you haven’t recently.