Author: Pat D

The difference a day or so makes in telling the story of the harbor’s mood.

We were very happy to see this sign letting us know Sailor Stan’s would be open for breakfast on the weekends.

Also we were very happy to return to The Studio for (half price!) dinner recently. It feels as though the summer season is officially open now. Jim watched the Bruins game and I watched people. Great food, fun evening.

Seared scallops as an appetizer:

Lobster rolls and chicken scampi:

Adult beverages appropriate for people watching…I love the lighting at the bar.

Things look great this spring down on Rocky Neck

Preparing for the upcoming season!

The Gloucester 400 committee recently shared a Facebook post about the books they have on their shelves and it hit a nerve for me. Not only do I have books on mt shelves here and in NY, but also a folder on my computer desktop in preparation for 400! Here’s a sample ad which  includes prices from the Gloucester Daily Times June 1904:

And  here’s a small sample from my own collection (a poor contrast to list above!):

We enjoyed dinner at the recently opened Ripple on the Water Restaurant in Essex. The vibe is beach house casual, the service friendly and efficient (shout outs to Cathy, Lily, Michelle and Tom). GMG Jimmy splurged on chicken and waffles, which he enjoyed very much! Except for the bite he allowed me to take, every bit was eaten. My lobster rolls were perfectly proportioned and yummy. We’ll go back! Looking forward to the outdoor seating.

Let us go in; the fog is rising. Emily Dickinson

Holy Cow Ice Cream Cafe plans to open for the season Friday April 26. That little corner of Gloucester seems a perfect set up for families with the nearby Yellow Sub Shop and Burnham’s Field playground. As Holy Cow says: ice cream, coffee, happiness.

Essex Marsh House at high tide seen through crystal ball. I kind of love this one.

The Fool’s Gold and Northern Contender anchored together look to  me a little bit like tulips in a spring garden Gloucester style…….. Happy Easter and Passover to all!

I recently found a hawk watching over the iconic pink house on Plum Island and shared it on Facebook. A New York friend asked “You mean THE Plum Island?” and before I dashed off “Ummm….yes, of course”, I checked for other well known Plum Islands. Now Google knows where I am so the results favored our Plum Island so I didn’t scroll down the list very far. So I affirmed I meant THE Plum Island. And she asked “How did you get there and what about the lab?” Then I knew I was out of my depth. She informed me of the Long Island NY Plum Island which has a lab that studies hoof and mouth disease and comes under the  umbrella of Homeland Security.  Who knew?

The “Who knew?”, of course, is rhetorical since I am sure there are several Plum Islands well known in their geographic areas, but I think ours is very special.

No matter where we are or where we might be going this holy holiday weekend, I think Notre Dame’s damage is haunting us. I hope its caretakers know how widespread the effect is.

Are you lucky enough to be among those who remember the thrill of a new hat for Easter?  And to recall wearing it proudly like a model on a runway? Those were the days, my friend…….from the Gloucester Daily Times March 24 1939; I do not recollect prices being under the $3.00 benchmark however……  Wishing you all a lovely Easter and Passover weekend.

Well, they aren’t plovers of any sort, but I was quite delighted to see the egrets return to our backyard marsh this week. I’ve been in New York, where we have a fair share of variety in our backyard wildlife, but it doesn’t bring the same joy to my heart that the Gloucester backyard birds bring.

This guy seems to be looking right at me, as if daring me to take the picture.

In addition to cardinal red, it’s a sure sign of spring to see a nice bright yellow. Easy to spot.

And also, my friends the egrets feasting in the recently flooded marsh.

Something went wacky when I tried to post this to the blog over the weekend and I’m pretty sure it didn’t get out there the way our posts normally do, so I am trying again! So, if you are thinking to yourself “I just saw this”, you might be right.

We are blessed on Cape Ann to have these lighthouses in our midst every day. These are for those who are far from home.

Straitsmouth

Ten Pound Island

Eastern Point

Annisquam

Very happy news that the Studio will be opening this week.

I think our backyard hawk nest may have eggs. I see a hawk in there nearly all day and I believe it to be a nesting female. Unfortunately I haven’t yet figured out a way to get a “bird’s eye view” of these eggs/hatchlings (though I am considering arranging for a bucket truck to assist…….kidding, or course) so I don’t have good photos to share of this little family. But here are some other recent hawk photos to bring them to your mind.  They are quite beautifully majestic.

Good Harbor Beach awaits summertime just like the rest of us.  Enjoy views like these while you can. I love the busy-ness of the “high season” on the beach, but the rest of the year is pretty darn wonderful also.

These seals are so much fun to watch! From a respectful distance of course…….

As the bridge construction project at one end of the boulevard is starting to wrap up, another project at the opposite end is getting underway. The former Morning Glory restaurant is being converted to the Yella Restaurant. Looking forward to welcoming them to town!