Author: Pat D

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

Seen this week at St. Peter’s Square….. apparently a plein air paint party.  Amazing work done by these artists!  Wishing I could do the same…….

A while back, I attended a session on hypnotherapy given by Tina M. Grasso at the Sawyer Public Library, and lucky for me, I won a free session.  I do not think I am alone in the fact that sometimes racing thoughts and worries keep me from getting decent sleep so I asked Tina to concentrate on that as a focus for my recent session.  I was hoping to gain some tips and tools to use to re-route the midnight fretting that sometimes keeps me awake.

It’s not the hypnosis you might think of from the sitcoms. There is no quacking like a duck when you hear a certain phrase.  There is no watch dangling on a chain for your eyes to follow. No loss of control and no lack of memory of the hypnosis. If you have ever been mesmerized by waves or clouds or the sound or rain, it’s a bit like that.

There is the steady tone of a voice, closed eyes and a restful posture. My experience was that I was very aware of being in an office seated comfortably in a chair.  I heard everything Tina said.  I left feeling deeply relaxed and this state lasted almost 18 full hours. It was kind of like you might feel after a deep tissue massage. That the relaxed feeling seemed so deep and lasted so long is what surprised me the most.  I had the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.

Perhaps this kind of therapy is not for everyone. Many believe they are “too pragmatic” to benefit; or they are just “weirded out” by the idea. I can only speak for myself: I left feeling like I now have some tools to use to assist with relaxation and sleep.

There are a few different hypnotherapy options here in Gloucester. My experience was with Tina M. Grasso at Bright Mind Services I am very appreciative to her for her professional and compassionate approach. It might be something for you to consider next time you’re lying awake at 3 AM.

I was thinking about the recent sign posted at the bridge prohibiting vehicles on the sidewalk while we were waiting there recently. At first glance, this nearby sign appeared to be blank on both sides, so I was curious. You can see how faded the lettering is and I can’t quite tell what it is supposed to say.

If a sign is illegible, is “whatever” still prohibited/enforced/informative?