Author: Pat D

I was a little surprised to come upon this group kayaking and paddleboarding on the Jones River on a “Sunday Ride” as February came to a close. Great day for it! Although I realize we are in false spring, it’s still nice to see signs that the seasons are changing.

Our Sunday dinner plans didn’t go as expected. Our intended destination was too busy to take us within the time frame we had available (which is great news) so we decided to go the 525 on Lexington Ave in Magnolia. It was just the atmosphere and vibe we were looking for that night. The atmosphere is low key and cozy. Masks were worn by all, seating appropriately distanced and separate: all protocols in place to make me feel secure.

The walls are decorated with old photos of Magnolia, so I’m totally in love. The Pom Pom margarita was VERY well made and I plan to make it a return favorite. I tried the French Onion soup….also to go on my favorites menu. Jim had the chicken pot pie, perfect for a Sunday night appetite. He thinks this is the way pot pies should be presented! I ordered a pizza (brick oven was the key phrase in that decision). I tried the Spanish Coffee which perfectly topped off the dinner It was a very enjoyable experience. We’ll be back sooner than later!

The fierce winds caused some damage to Our Lady of Good Voyage. Thanks to “Beauport Bob” for the heads-up!

It was a wild and windy day as high tide approached at Lane’s Cove yesterday.

Lovely sea, moody sky yesterday in Magnolia.

I stopped by Collecting Dust on Maplewood Ave a couple of days ago to browse. I’d been want to get in there for a look-around for a little while and this was the perfect opportunity. They are open at 2 PM daily, according to Audie (that’s day’s clerk). It’s a small shop crammed with gadgets, bee-bobs, collectibles and antiques of all sorts. Audie tells me inventory turns over quickly so it pays to stop by often. I took home a cute little ceramic Spring/Easter decoration. There is a great deal to look at, so budget some time. Prices are reasonable and the inventory will appeal to many interests. Check them out on Facebook. I’ll be taking GMG Jimmy back because he’s going to love it!

It wasn’t overly sunny or pretty, but it was relatively mild and many people came out to relish in the warmer air. The beaches and parks were very full yesterday; Stage Fort Park was no exception. Maybe March is coming in like a lamb.

Chief Conley and the Gloucester Police Department recently announced the publication of an FAQ informational webpage to address concerns from residents over the firing range. If you have questions, you may find the answers here at this link.

Image borrowed from the Gloucester Police MA Twitter feed.

Brilliant and beautiful. “All is blue for a time.”

Another in my series of photos of interesting barns found along the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway. I think this barn is magnificent and I am especially charmed by the mailbox.

We were VERY happy to get to go to Tonno Gloucester for dinner tonight on Main Street. Online reservations were easily made, all servers were appropriately masked and tables separated. My lemon drop was OUTSTANDING….kudos to the bartender! Jim ordered the Chicken Milanese, which is what I had intended to order so I changed mine to the Sunday Spaghetti. Is that something you do too? Change your order so that there are different meals on the table? I don’t know why I do that, but it certainly worked out for me. We also ordered the garlic bread with prosciutto (a must have). Paulo served us efficiently and in a friendly manner. It was a lovely evening and I am so glad Tonno is back!

This is the sunrise that greeted us yesterday morning. There were birds singing and even the early morning temperatures were relatively mild. We had a big day ahead of us, so this was a great way to start! The iPhone does a wonderful job!

We noticed a new traffic light installed (but not yet functional) on 133 in Essex in front of the new Public Safety Building. Pictures of the construction available at http://www.essexma.org. I imagine it will be working soon, so be aware.

I just love our boulevard guardians but especially following poor weather.

A friend shared this clip recently and labeled it “Vaccine Side Effects After Your Second Dose”. Looks like a dance of joy to me, and although I didn’t see reactions quite as animated following second doses at the clinic I recently worked, the joy was totally apparent……..

She does her thing while I was doing mine volunteering in Salem this week:

Here are a couple of examples of recent signage seen as we were driving around. Like many others, we regularly check for the window sign at the Flying Dragon in Essex. I rejoiced to see “Bald Eagles” since we had spotted a group of 4 recently nearby: 2 adults and 2 younger ones. I presume it may have been a family group. Flying high, proud and free over the marsh, it was inspiring as always.

Additional signs also from the Flying Dragon in Essex and the mile markers found at Ipswich River Craft…another product of theirs!

We had not stopped at Jalapenos on Main Street in quite a while and when I saw the advertisement that Margarita Day is today Feb 22, I knew (for the sake of our loyal readers) that I needed to “preview” their margaritas!!! My usual go-to at Jalapenos is the frozen raspberry margarita, but it was just too cold for me to order that so I went with cranberry. Served in a GIANT glass. Jim had chicken flautas and I had a steak fajita. The food was delicious and efficiently served by masked waitstaff. Tables are separated appropriately and all precautions we have come to expect are in effect. There were lots of take out orders being prepared. It was a lovely relaxed evening with friendly staff and we won’t wait so long to return this time.

“I don’t know, what do YOU want to do for dinner tonight?”

We saw these beautiful swans last week in Medford. One appeared to be trying to camouflage by stepping into the snow to hide. The younger swans were feasting on berries from the shoreline bushes. I hadn’t seen them eat anything except seaweed before. They were just going about their business as if the eagle wasn’t right on the other side of the dam showing off his ice fishing skills for us. It’s a great spot for bird watchers.