Author: Pat D

The gulls appear to be waiting for the buffet to be replenished.

Some of this ground has been covered in previous GMG posts (shout out to Manny and Catherine especially), but I thought it might be worth a reminder for you perhaps as you sit awaiting bridge access.  Look around you and think about the past and how this beautiful esplanade came to be.  It’s just under 100 years old, as we know it today.

As stated here: The half-mile of clean arc of Stacy Boulevard from the Tavern to Kent Circle along Gloucester Bay has struck travelers as rivalling the Via Caracciolo on the Bay of Naples, and as colorful when it’s lined above the tide from one end to the other with the canopied booths of vendors offering their wares during the mid-August Gloucester Waterfront Festival. The esplanade was conceived by George Stacy when that flamboyant hotel man became park commissioner in 1908, brought to reality on the inspiration of the three hundredth anniversary celebration in 1923, and restored in 1988. To make way for it, Gloucester (which has always had a partiality for moving heavy things around) relocated up in the back streets the houses that crowded the harbor side of Western Avenue. Fill was dumped; a new seawall was made; trees were planted; the esplanade was laid out; the benches were bolted down; and three years before his death in 1928, Mr. Stacy saw his boulevard done, his promise kept.  (I like the part about how Gloucester has a penchant for moving heaving things around!)

These are from the Gloucester Daily Times August 6 1921 and give us a little bit of an idea of how far this concept has progressed over the years. The Boulevard undergoes nearly constant repair, updating and improvement and is a testament to the City’s dedication to presenting itself as a beautiful historic seaport. So, turn off your engine while you wait for the bridge to open and look around you.

GMG Jimmy’s family had a mini-reunion on Long Island recently and we were to bring some dessert. So, of course, I went to Cake Ann and asked for something we could take that would withstand the ride. And, boy, did we get fixed up! These turnovers and treats left Gloucester at the unholy hour of 4:30 AM and made their way to the Cross Island Ferry to the party to be served more than 12 hours later. Not only were they a big hit, but they were also deeeee-licious! Thanks, Cake Ann, for saving the day. I’m not well known for my cooking skills and these made me look like a genius.  And we could all use that when visiting the in-laws!

We decided to stop at the new White Farms Ice Cream stand on Essex Ave near the Causeway recently, and boy…was that a good decision!!

I like that the flavors are divided up in a way that you can see all the “chocolate” choices in one place.

This is Tara who dove right into the mega gallon container to get my Chocolate PB Cup Kids Size serving. You can see ice cream there on her arm to validate her efforts. Thanks Tara!!

Swabbing the deck. Great job!

An absolute mass of humanity. And gulls. The lingering fog added a nice touch.  If all these people were at the beach, who was driving all the cars on the roadways today?

Harbor side of the boulevard on a foggy morning. Still breathtaking!

And though I do not “love” turtles, I am on board with reducing use of plastic straws. I’d be happy not to see another poor turtle with a straw stuck in any bodily orifice. However, I confess to not being all on board with metal straws….just unappealing to me. I will harken back to my youth and seek paper straws and hope their durability has improved over the years.

I know it’s nearly impossible, but if you turn your back on the water in Magnolia, you’ll find some very pretty treasures.

Repairs to Newell Stadium are underway! The stands are being dismantled a piece at a time in order to level the concrete below. It’s a massive undertaking by a company from North Collins New York near my old stomping grounds on Lake Erie–small world. Of course, GMG Jimmy talked the guys up and showed them pictures of the January storm damage. They were suitable impressed, even being from Western New York!

Oak Hill Cemetery is a sentimental favorite as it is the first cemetery in which I located ancestors I had never known.  I knew my grandparents were in Calvary, but not much else when I started stalking cemeteries for ancestors.  This is where I experienced my first “AHA!” moment in cemetery research.

A Guide to Cemeteries in Essex County Massachusetts by the Essex Society of Genealogists (1991)  says Oak Hill is also known as St. Ann’s Cemetery and that records are held in the St. Ann’s rectory.  The entry describes it as “small, hilly, and well-kept”. I agree on all counts, except perhaps I would clarify that though it may be small, it is spread out and has some areas kind of hidden from first glance.

There is some evidence of deterioration, but in general is a very pretty and peaceful resting place.

The cemetery was being mowed the day we visited.  That guy must be very adept at swinging that tractor around these stones (natural and man made).

Spotted behind Duckworth’s. I guess he couldn’t get a reservation so he ate al fresco and took off without paying his “bill”.

The Beatles song was ringing in my head when I saw these. I believe this is a Coast Guard excercise:

These dories are getting a little assist getting “home” (I believe accompanied by student sailors). Well done to all!

Some ads from the Gloucester Daily Times back in the day gives a little perspective on how our predecessors might have spent their summer. Exercise and snazzy clothing.

No such thing as “Tired Business Woman”.  GDT July 30 1920

Talbot’s ad for the gentlemen in town. GDT July 16 1920  Be still, my heart

Seen and appreciated in Magnolia recently, they remind me of flowers in a garden.

Who’s the fairest of them all?

I could sit here all day.

We recently saw Mr. Swan at Niles Pond. It was a very pretty day and I thought he made a lovely picture on the reflective water. I did notice he seems to be showing his age a bit…. in that regard, we have a great deal in common.

I was intrigued by a Blanton’s Bourbon bottle with stopper that I saw at Main Street Art & Antiques recently so I did a little research.  I learned that a series of 8 bottle stoppers has been produced in a nod to Blanton’s Kentucky heritage. Each of the 8 stoppers depicts a race horse and jockey in various stages of a race. Each contains a letter (B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S). I was quite charmed by the story (click link above if you are interested. Image above borrowed from same site) and took myself back down to the shop to select one of the three available. Just had to bring home S for victory!

Someone is getting artsy on the Back Shore