Author: Pat D

I know you don’t want to think about the holidays right now, so I am doing some of the thinking for you. We will be holding Christmas in July at 44 Main St next week Tues-Wed-Thurs noon – 5 PM. We will be unveiling some of our special holiday offerings. Some of these go really fast so maybe a little early planning wouldn’t hurt. We hope to see you at the store July 23-24-25 for some special offerings. such as these ornaments. As always, feel free to reach out with orders or questions. Free delivery to Cape Ann area.

I recently treated myself to a new camera lens and these are some of the first images. I’m not unhappy. It seems to be good to larger and small subjects! Looking forward to more experimentation. The hummingbirds are fighting for space at the feeder with bees which you can see here if you look carefully. The eagle just seems to be seeking a cool perch along the river on these muggy days.

We were down on the Maritime Gloucester Pier in the rain and fog recently as this group was waiting to board the Ardelle for a wedding! You never know what you will see down there! Like magic, the skies cleared a bit and the rain stopped for the procession to begin. It was a privilege to watch this unfold. Congratulations and best wishes.

Pat D’s Photos is pleased to announce its newest item: Joey Fungia Face Dog Toy! The toy is 7″ in diameter made with strong rope for a perfect dog tug /chew toy. AND it has your favorite dog lover on the front. These are available in limited quantities while we determine level of interest. $5 of each sale will be donated to Cape Ann Animal Aid. We will have these available tonight at the Bites By The Sea event at the Bluefin Blowout 5-8 PM Cape Ann Marina. If you can’t wait, order here. Free local delivery.

We purchased Thacher Island Association Sunset Lighthouse Cruise tickets and went aboard the Privateer IV a few days ago to participate. The boat was full of enthusiastic lighthouse fans though it was a bit windy and choppy. Captain Jay, crew Natalie and Gabriel were great hosts and Marty provided informative narration as we toured the coast. The sunset was a bit of a disappointment but our lighthouses never disappoint. I have recently gotten a new camera lens and this trip was it’s first test. Here you see Ten Pound Island light, Easter Point Light, Thacher Island Twin lights, Annisquam and Straitsmouth. There’s another opportunity for this event Wed July 17 so check out availability if you are interested.

We stopped by 51 Rocky Neck (formerly The Studio) to check things out and it happened to be Margarita Monday. The bartender suggested her special watermelon margarita which I happily tried. It was VERY refreshing. Jim ordered the mortadella sandwich which is quite a handful as well as tasty and delicious. I ordered the Banana Smash which is a delightful treat using a banana split as its model. The dessert is brought to you in an ice cream cup, turned upside down on the serving tray and SMASHED! Then a little chocolate drizzle tops it off. Pretty perfect for a warm afternoon. Patrick and his crew have done a wonderful job on the inside and it’s quite a pleasure. Give them a try.

Gloucester hosted their Nova Scotian counterparts in the International Dory Races yesterday morning. Here are some additional images from this terrific event. If it’s not something you have experienced, I strongly recommend you give it a try next year. Congratulations to all the participants and volunteers who make this happen.

We attended the annual International Dory Races hosted by Gloucester this morning under a mantle of showers and fog. We could not stay for all of the races but I can report that in the Exhibition Race, the Canadian Senior Women came across the finish line first. For the Juniors, the Gloucester team of Kaden and AJ Lewis finished ahead of the Canadians Parker Spindler and Ryan Hirtle. The Mixed Double race saw Canadians Lisa Tanner and Robert Fox cross the line ahead of Jimmy Tarantino and Sarah LeWine. These results and additional details are included here. (thanks Sara Gray!). Welcome to our Canadian friends! Back to Nova Scotia in August.

Tonight is the first Block Party (sponsored by the Greater Cape Ann Chamber) 6-10 pm weather permitting. Tons of shops open, free entertainment and we hope to see you at 44 Main Street.

We had the opportunity to be out on the harbor after sunset recently. The activity and the lights fascinated me. It’s a perspective I don’t often get to enjoy but I always look forward to the chance.

Sharing information shared by whdh.com regarding MA closures of Stop and Shop locations. It seems Gloucester Stop and Shop is safe for now!

We took a swing down to Lane’s Cove and noticed some remnants from the holiday festivities (presumably). It’s always pretty down there and I thought you might enjoy.

Pat D’s Photos will be with Good Morning Gloucester at the Bluefin Blowout next week (July 16-18 and fundraiser July 15) broadcasting the up-to-the-minute updates on the tuna fishing tournament from Cape Ann Marina. We hope you will stop down when you are able. It is so much fun!

I will be offering these refrigerator magnets created especially for the Bluefin Blowout (a goodwill donation will be appreciated and forwarded to the Alzheimer’s Association) for as long as they last. Other magnets from Pat D’s Photos will also be available.

On Wednesday July 17 Pat D’s Photos will be set up at the Bluefin Blowout from 5-8 PM for the Bites By The Sea event (a new event that sounds amazing…get your tickets!). This is the first of a number of events Pat D’s Photos will be attending and I am including the current schedule. Stop by, check out the merch and say hello.

FOB Susan LaRosa submits these photos of the finch family in her door wreath. Four babies recently hatched and the wreath fell to the ground taking the nest with it. Susan carefully returned everything to its previous position and the parents returned to the nest to take care of the young ones. Four hungry hungry finches. Thanks Susan!

This has been out in the harbor for a while now and every time I glance toward it, I find myself thinking about giraffes……..

Lobsta Land on Causeway St was open for a rare Monday so we jumped on the opportunity to celebrate Margarita Monday there last week. The blackberry margarita was mixed to perfection and was deliciously refreshing. We had a late lunch which included the Fisherman’s platter (holy cow) and a turkey club (“real” turkey!). It was a lovely afternoon celebrating Margarita Monday!

Seen during Fiesta at Pavilion Beach–just a couple of pals taking a kayak run.

We were fortunate enough to be invited to take a boat ride with our friends Susan and Leo earlier this week. It was a perfect day and we headed to Beverly/Salem/Marblehead. All of this is new for us so we appreciated the extra knowledge offered by both Susan and Leo about these areas as seen from the water. In the Salem area, we got to see the schooner Fame as well as the When and If out sailing which we considered a big bonus.

To our surprise, the When and If followed us to our own Gloucester Harbor for a little spin around just as Isabella, Ardelle and Thomas E. Lannon set sail for their 6 PM sails and Tuesday weekly schooner challenge. It was a spectacular sight and a wondrous surprise! A schooner mini fest! I was taken aback as I did not plan for this and didn’t have quite the right gear with me, but here are some memories to share.

At the time of this writing, this mural was nearly finished down at the Fort. I spoke briefly with the artist Josh Falk who received an Awesome Gloucester grant for his work. Thanks to the neighborhood and the property owners for cooperation and ideas! I think it’s beautiful. Congratulations Josh and Gloucester!

Sharing a screenshot of a Facebook post with some additional details. Thanks Down the Fort and Sal Zerilli. I expect by the time you see this post, the mural will be complete and I encourage you to check it out.

**Just received a photo from Sharon Swan I thought I would include as well. Thanks Sharon for sharing it!**

Sharon Swan photo credit:

Happy 4th of July! Here are some of my favorite flags photos each taken locally. Enjoy your holiday. Fly ’em if you’ve got ’em.