Author: Pat D

Hummingbirds are regular visitors in our backyard but we rarely see 2 of them together for more than a swift “drive-by”, so this little tango was surprising. Then they hung out in nearby branches. It’s amazing what you see when you take the time to look.

I put on my red whale watching wellies and we took our second whale watch of the season recently because the sightings have been unbelievable. We were not disappointed. Capt John and naturalist Tina of Cape Ann Whale Watch guided a full boat out to Jeffrey’s Ledge where we were treated to a calf having quite the play time. It was a bit choppy but none of the passengers cared about that too much with the show that was going on right in front of us. More thorough reporting of the trip can be found at this Cape Ann Whale Watch Facebook link about the trip. As always, education is paramount which is something I truly appreciate. It was nice to see familiar faces aboard including Thatcher as a crew member! Well done by all.

I wandered amongst the lupines and explored waterfalls recently in New Hampshire and I thought you might like to see some of the beauty. The waterfalls seem exceptionally cooling under this heat wave.

From Cat Cavallini , pictures from last night’s novena. Shawls made by Cat.

I was tipped off by a DPW post that the Battle of 1775 Memorial at Fort Square had been newly installed so I went down to check it out. It looks very sharp and I learned a little bit of Gloucester history (including the playground’s name: Gemellaro Ciaramitaro Playground). I also took note of the touching tributes on the benches nearby. What a lovely little spot!

Sometimes Margarita Monday turns into Tequila Tuesday like it did last week. I met my cousins for dinner at Mile Marker and had my Monday Margarita: cranberry! I usually prefer no rim but this one added a nice touch. Our group was served well by the staff and the food was on point. We look forward to returning no matter the day of the week.

The International Dory Race eliminations were held Saturday from the Harbor Loop on a beautiful morning. A photo dump follows including photos provided by Leo L, our roving correspondent. Competitors included

Linda Geary and Elin Af Klinteburg (Over 50 Women)**

Sienna Mercaldi and Eden MacDonald (Juniors)**

Rachael Cecilio and Ashley Smith** vs Kristen Burnham and Alexis Novello (Womens)

Jerry and Caitlin Ciaramitaro vs Jimmy Tarantino and Sarah Lewine** (Mixed)

Erik Dombrowski and Joe Sanfilippo** vs Mike Harmon and Jay Prince (Over 50 Men)

Sam and Peter Taromina** vs JJ Pallazolla and Vincenso Terranova vs Alex Rodolosi and Jared Morris (Open)

** indicates the winning team in that category. Huge shoutout to Sara Gray for the assist with these details. Also thank you to my roving correspondent Leo for the additional photos and information. Thanks also to Jeff for allowing access to the viewpoint at the turning point.

I’m a little behind in updating the news about the Lobsta Land Osprey chicks. The second egg hatched about a week ago, a bit earlier than expected. Here’s a couple of screenshots of dinner time for them. Annie patiently feeds each chick and (if you squint) you might notice the difference in size between the two. You can follow on the Essex Greenbelt Osprey Cam line I do, but it’s addicting! Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and father figures out there who do their very best each and every day for their families (kind of like osprey dad Squam)

My recent trip to photograph birds also included this big fat guy, I believe he’s a bullfrog. He was really loud! I think it’s fascinating to note the ripples expanding outward from his throat when he’s vocalizing as you can see here. Look closely at the photo and you will see the ripples. A good reminder that the noises we make have a natural ripple effect.

Sharing information about a free open house tomorrow at Maritime Gloucester to help celebrate 20 years of the Ocean Explorers program.

It’s Flag Day so fly ’em if you have ’em! This is from the Welcome Center at Stage Fort Park.

This may look like another one of my bird posts…..and there is good reason for that! However, this experience reminds me of the importance of pushing yourself a little past your comfort zone for your own benefit. I participated in a “Babes of Summer” bird photography workshop in Middlesex County this week. I left our island to pursue a passion and hone my skills as well as to enrich my interests. It was a little bit out of my normal comfort zone but my interest in photographing bird families overrode my discomfort. As pleased as I am with the results, I am even happier to return to Cape Ann having accomplished a personal goal. Maybe it’s time for you to consider the same. If you do, I’d love to hear about it. Additional photos and story details at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook.

What a cute little place Last Stop on East Main Street is! Jim loves it there and thought it should be shared with you! Perfect stop on your way to summer fun.

As mentioned on the podcast, the best thing I ate last week was the Washington St. salad at the Saltwater Grille on Washington St. Hands down my favorite steak tip salad. Jim enjoyed his Pilgrim burger. Great food combined with the friendly atmosphere and helpful staff, this lunch was a win-win. See you there again soon!

When the calendar turned to June, I started celebrating Margarita Monday again. To start the season, we went to a favorite hangout for a favorite margarita: Minglewood on Rogers St. It was a beautiful afternoon so we sat on the patio for a snack and some libations. Hands down, my favorite “regular” margarita. We had fried cauliflower and buffalo chicken tenders while the ravenous seagulls were watching carefully. Perfectly relaxing. Thanks Minglewood! Another win.

I woke up at an unholy hour and wasn’t able to get back to sleep a few days ago so I headed out to chase the sunrise. I wound up at Good Harbor Beach to welcome another glorious day on Cape Ann. It was worth losing the sleep.

We returned to visit the On The Rocks Bar at The Cove at Rockport (1 King Street formerly Peg Leg Inn) on a beautiful afternoon a few days ago. We ordered libations (Modelito and prosecco) and began to people watch. We took advantage of Fresco’s Seaside next door and walked over to pick up some snacks. You are welcome to bring the food from Fresco’s onto the patio while enjoying the view and the libations. It’s a nice little afternoon break. You might want to give it a try.

Did you know Maritime Gloucester is hosting weekly schooner challenges all summer on Tuesday evenings? We didn’t either but we happened to have tickets for Tuesday’s sail which was the first of the summer’s schooner challenges. These challenges are designed to give the apprentices some real life experience out on the water as captains. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!

We were aboard the Isabella and AJ as our captain. The Ardelle was captained by Jack and Ben. It was a perfect evening to be on the water as the sun was setting. Good natured rivalry between the crews added to the enjoyment. We assisted with crew duties which may have impacted the results of the first race………I think we’ll do this again on another Tuesday soon. But other sails are available as well, so check MaritimeGloucester.org if you are interested. Great idea for visiting company!

“Ask and you shall receive” was in full play recently when I visited Sabine at the newly opened 80 Main Antiques & Ephemera on Main St in Gloucester. I do love ephemera and I mentioned I was always on the lookout for cut glass tumblers. Within a few days, I heard back from Sabine that she had some available for me to look at. I came home with 2 beautiful (and reasonably priced) glasses to class up my evening cocktail hour. Thanks Sabine! Looking forward to returning.

This kind of preparation in St. Peter’s Square can only mean that Fiesta will be here soon! Are you ready?