Author: Pat D

There’s just something about goslings and ducklings that screams “How cute is this?”

Follow is our updated list (May 28) of available online information shared by Gloucester restaurants offering groceries, pantry items, essentials in addition to take out menu items.  As always, call ahead to confirm availability.

It’s that time of year when we start to look forward to the local farmers’ markets; Magnolia Community Farmers Market (usually held on Lexington Avenue) and the Cape Ann Farmers Market (usually held at Stage Fort Park). Each organization has made changes to cope with the virus and to also allow us to access the usual array of goods.

The Magnolia Community Farmers Market has gone virtual with weekly online shopping and curbside pickups starting this Sunday May 31. Pickup times are from 10 AM to 1 PM. Online shopping Monday thru Friday at noon each week. Call 978-335-8475 or check their website at www.magnoliacommunityfarmersmarket.com  I believe our friend Donna has posted about this previously so thanks for the heads-up!

The Cape Ann Farmers Market has also made changes which will include moving to the O’Maley Innovation Middle School parking lot for drive-through market Thursdays starting June 4 3 PM – 6:30 PM. More information can be found at www.capeannfarmersmarket.org   Drive through and pre-order only…no walkups .  Vendors are listed at the website so be sure to check there first!

Images and information obtained from their websites as well as from DiscoverGlouceter.com

The minute I noticedEn Vogue Salon announce their re-opening date, I contacted my favorite hair stylist Josie. She slotted me in for noon yesterday (Tuesday) and it turns out I was her first client in the reopening phase. I was so happy to see her! And it looked like she was happy to see me too, even if my hair wasn’t showing off her best skills by then…..

In case you are wondering, staff is making extra efforts to sanitize, distance and be safe. I waited outside until Josie was ready for me. My temperature was taken at the door and I used the hand sanitizer. I was asked for contact information which was recorded in case needed in the future. I was also asked a couple of screening questions about my current health.  Those introductory measures only took a very few minutes.

Josie washed my hair and sent me to her chair while she santitized the shampoo chair. We each wore our masks throughout. I will advise you to think about your mask choice carefully. The “gaiter” style makes the hair cutting more difficult. Anything that ties behind your head would do the same so you want one that is secured by your ears instead of around your head. All her cutting equipment was going into its own container for sanitization. Then off I went with my new, refreshed, Phase 1 in Reopening hair!

After:

Before:

I know it might not look very different to you, but I am feeling pretty snazzy. Thank you Josie and En Vogue staff!  978-281-8870

From the Gloucester Beaches Facebook page:

They looked especially poignant in the sun and fog.

The Cape Ann Chamber’s list of restaurants updated as of May 22 :

Click to access Cape-Ann-Take-Out-Delivery-List-5.22.20.pdf

Cape Ann Retailers updated May 19:

Click to access Cape-Ann-Retailers-5.19.20.pdf

Pharmacies, Grocery Stores, Markets, Farm Stands and Convenience Stores updated May 22:

Click to access 5.22.20-Cape-Ann-Markets-Grocery-Stores-Pharmacies.pdf

Banks and USPS updated May 21:

Click to access Cape-Ann-List-of-Financial-and-USPS-Services-5.21.20.pdf

I like to sit on the wall by the cove and watch the vessels return to port. I picture myself as part of the welcome home team.

From the Tonno Gloucester Facebook page, we read with regret that Tonno has decided to forgo takeout after this upcoming weekend (wed-Sat May 27-30)

It was great to see everyone as we tried takeout over the past few weeks. It was pretty fun to come up with some out of the box ideas like virtual wine dinners and market items to sell. Unfortunately takeout was not as busy as we hoped and at this time just does not make sense for us to continue. Next week will be our last week doing takeout as we have decided to close down and reopen when the time is right. Next week we will continue with our menu and Market items (produce boxes as well). As always we promise to try as hard as we can and always serve you right. We felt obligated to extend these services to our community for another week because we truly believe it is a safe convenient way for people to access great food in tough times. Check back soon for updates. Love you all, be safe Cape Ann.

We look forward to their return!

Memorial Day is intended to honor those who died in service and this is just one of those stories. It reflects one Gloucester family’s sacrifice. These themes run through each and every military loss of life so our hearts are with all the families out there who have suffered such loss.

This is Jeffrey Gordon Tyne’s 1964 Gloucester Flicker yearbook entry.  He looks suitably “adult” here, though the listed interests and activities seem to reflect how young he really was even on the brink of high school graduation.

Less than 2 years after his graduation, he was killed in Vietnam on May 29 1966.  Here’s the account from the Boston Record American (obtained from GenealogyBank.com) June 3 1966:

The Gloucester Daily Times special series about the dozen military local area losses in the Vietnam War called “Cape Ann’s Fallen” is available at this link.

The Vietnam War Memorial Wall of Faces shares further remembrances of “Doc Tyne”, who, by all accounts had been home in Gloucester for Mother’s Day and dead in Vietnam by the end of the same month. This link includes this touching memory:

Jeff and I went through training together at Camp lajune NC. We landed in Viet Nam on 29 May 66 and took a jeep from the airport in Denang out to our company’s outpost. The chief that we met said that a corpsman was needed in the field right away so we flipped a coin to see who would go out to the field and Jeff wound up going out that night. The next morning the chief the chief woke me up informing me that Jeff had gotten killed and that I was needed in the field.

The City of Gloucester Veterans Memorial for Tyne Square at the corner of Cherry St and Stanwood Street can be found here.

His parents, Frank and Mary and his younger siblings were left with whatever memories they held in their hearts for the remainder of their lives. In fact, his father Frank (himself a World War II veteran) outlived another son, Frank “Billy” Tyne who was lost in the sinking of the Andrea Gail in 1991.  This family’s story seems to personify the history of Gloucester and should be shared on an occasion such as Memorial Day. God Bless the Tyne family and all other affected families for their sacrifices.

In addition to the breathtaking display of red, white and blue on the Boulevard, military flags are also on display to honor the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard and Air Force. What a majestic display of patriotism!

Gloucester Elks 892 organized a group to help place flags to honor veterans at the Oak Grove Cemetery yesterday morning. We were able to join the other volunteers like Jill, Steve, Robyn, Maureen, Margaret, Patty and Jerry, Brandon, Evan and Venus, Patty and Dan. These cemetery flags don’t appear by magic, but rather by the efforts of volunteer efforts such as there. Thanks to all assisting with honoring our veterans all over the city, state and country.

I was excited to notice the Cupboard at Stage Fort Park is now serving food as well as ice cream. However, their Facebook page reports their phone lines weren’t working as of Saturday May 23 so please use the alternate number listed there. I don’t want to post a personal cell number on the blog, so please feel free to click the link for the number.

Patiently waiting.

Our neighbor alerted us to a developing drama in the backyard marsh. A VERY young fawn had apparently fallen into a furrow out in the marsh. The doe was looking around as if for help. We were debating our options when the doe appeared to rescue the fawn using her mouth to pull it to firmer ground. The fawn was rewarded with a bath and milk from Mom before it teetered off following the doe. We got to witness this miracle of nature right in our backyard! The doe appeared a short time later to be fairly unconcerned.

It seems nearly everyone in town already knows this, but the Cupboard in Stage Fort Park is open for ice cream! Looks like we need to wait for food options.

THANK YOU to Cape Ann Photo Tours for sharing his birding experience recently at Mystic Lakes in Medford. It can be found on You Tube at this link. I hopped right in the car with high hopes and a fully charged camera. I was not disappointed.  I’ll be going again for sure.  Feeding eages, flying eagles, watering eagles, juvenile eagles….it was quite an afternoon!

The City shares the following information on beaches / parking opening tomorrow Friday May 22. See this link for the entire message.  Enjoy your weekend, stay smart.

We have developed a plan that incorporates responsible procedures and guidance that will allow people to safely enjoy our beaches and Stage Fort Park. All beaches are open but as of tomorrow, Friday, May 22. This phase is anticipated to end June 8 but could be amended or extended.

Good Harbor Beach will be open to residents ONLY, at a reduced capacity. Wingaersheek Beach will be open to residents and a limited number of non-residents, at a reduced capacity. Stage Fort Park will be open to the public.

Parking at Good Harbor, Wingaersheek, and Stage Fort Park will be open to residents with a 2019 or 2020 beach parking sticker or license & motor vehicle registration showing a Gloucester address for entry. Non-residents will be required to pay daily parking rates at Wingaersheek and Stage Fort Park. Cash only and exact change is preferred.

Parking at Niles and Plum Cove Beaches will be for residents only with a 2019 or 2020 beach parking sticker. No parking will be available on Farrington Avenue for beach access and this will be enforced by the Gloucester Police Department.

All beach visitors are required to set up at least 12 feet apart from other groups on their towels, limit groups to no more than 10 people; wear face coverings or masks except when swimming, and carry in, carry out trash.

Additional information regarding beach stickers:

Those with questions regarding sticker eligibility can email bsticker@gloucester-ma.gov or call 978-281-9708. Inquiries will be answered within two business days. Due to high volume of applications, processing may take up to two weeks. Residents can enter parking facilities using last years’ parking sticker or a current valid motor vehicle registration and license with a Gloucester address until this season’s sticker is available. 

The flags have been installed on the Boulevard once again and they are beautifully inspiring. Thank you to all for the time, energy and funds to display these symbols of freedom and patriotism to thank our veterans: the DPW, Mayor Sefatia, Pauline Bresnahan to name a few. The holiday weekend is now official.

Throughout these last weeks in isolation, I have been keeping a journal. I knew right away that nothing was ever going to be the same again for all of us and I wanted to document my reactions as well as general news. For each daily entry, I tried to include one thing that made me smile that day. Today, I share with you what made me smile yesterday.  Yesterday’s lovely busy day on the harbor made it almost feel normal again.