Author: Pat D

Sharing information regarding the Dog Park 10th Anniversary at Stage Fort Park event now scheduled for Sunday June 18 9-11 AM. The weather is certainly causing havoc for humans and pets alike!

Casting announcement from Bill Wrinn for Gloucester Story to be presented in August on the Harbor Loop Maritime Dock: (looks like quite an amazing line-up!)

“Gloucester Story” Cast Announced

Annisquam Village Players Director Terry Sands has announced the cast selections for this summer’s historic musical production of “Gloucester Story,” to be held Aug. 10-13 on the docks at Maritime Gloucester.  Free tickets available on the AVP website starting July 10.

“Gloucester Story” 2023 Cast of Players

Narrator                    TBA

Seth Bates                 ROGER GARBERG

John Monson              BILL WRINN

Deborah Wharton      RHIAN WILLIAMS

Capt. Nate Morrison   BOBBY KERRIGAN        

Charlie Fred Monson  SEBASTIAN APARO       

Frenchie Boudreau     MIKE ENGLISH

Cookie Brown             MARTIN RAY    

Myron                          TBA                   

Ike                               BRIAN RANO                      

Liz Brewer                   TARIN McADOO COMER     

Nucky                          STEVE CAMERA-MURRAY           

Dory Plug                    SPIKE RAMSDEN      

Capt. Billy Hall             STEVE LUDWICK     

Waldo                         PERRY RAMSDEN

Waldo’s Friend            JACKSANNA McADOO COMER

Children’s Chorus.       KIKI CAMPBELL, JACKSANNA McADOO COMER, AVERY HANNON, ELIZA MAZZEO, AMELIE MUNROE, PERRY RAMSDEN

Fishermen’s Wives Chorus      SEFATIA ROMEO THEKEN, SUZI CAMPBELL, TARIN McADOO COMER, CLAIRE NORTON, EVY STEWART, LUCY CAMERA-MURRAY, VICTORIA FORTUNE

Fishermen’s Chorus    ROGER GARBERG, BOBBY KERRIGAN, STEVE LUDWICK, MIKE ENGLISH, MARTIN RAY, BECKETT GUEST, BRIAN RANO, SPIKE RAMSDEN, STEVE CAMERA-MURRAY, IAN GARDINER, KAVIKA BABSON, BILL WRINN

More information about “Gloucester Story” can be found at www.annisquamvillageplayers.org. 

Pat D’s Photos was originally scheduled to be on Lexington Ave Saturday June 17 for the Magnolia Block Party BUT the Block Party is postponed due to weather concerns. However, several options for Father’s Day and graduation gift ideas are still available! Free local delivery to Cape Ann area. Stop by and check things out. Much more will be available Saturday from 5-9 PM on Lexington Ave. These are some examples:

Sharing information that may affect your plans today Friday June 16 2023 posted about 7:30 am:

Sharing information from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Facebook post regarding Free Saltwater Fishing days this weekend June 17 and June 18 2023:

As you well know, many recent days have been somewhat overcast, but still very beautiful. So here’s my contribution to those days from a recent “drive around”:

To honor Flag Day, it seems appropriate to give a shout out to some of those listed on the flags currently flying along the Boulevard: Ralph Stanton, Eileen Ryan, David R. Silveira, Raymond A. Fisher, Richard W. Coombs, Brian D. White, James T. Fortado, John Jessica Finley Burns and Helena Ciarametaro. Special blessing on them and on their families and friends who arranged for this tribute. There are many other and I encourage you to check out the names and pause a moment to remember.

Seems that nothing beats having your best friend out on the water with you.

These improvements along Hougb Ave through Stage Fort Park are VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!

I took a little walk around the Gloucester Marine Railways on Rocky Neck recently. I was struck by the contrast between the repairs and fix-ups being done alongside the dismantling of the Phyllis A.

The International Dory Elimination Races were held off the Maritime Gloucester dock at Harbor Loop yesterday, June 10 2023. It was my first time at this event but it will not be my last! Four races were held to determine participation in the July 8 event. Congratulations to all the participants and good luck to Junior Rowers AJ Lewis and Kadin Lewis; Women Rowers Ashley Smith and Rachel Cecilio; Over 50 Rowers Erik Dembrowski and Joe Sanfilippo; and Open Rowers Sam Taormina and Peter Taormina (boy I hope I got the names right! Please correct as needed) . Here’s a photo dump for your viewing pleasure. Special thanks and shout out to Sara Gray who helped inform and explain the races to this newbie.

Many of you already know how much I enjoy looking at barns, especially those with character and stories waiting to be told. I’ve also been noticing various shacks and sheds along the North Shore that seem similarly full of character and untold tales. Here’s an entry that seems postcard worthy from Ispwich. This was a very pretty day but even if it wasn’t, I think this is worthy of a share.

The Made with Luve store recently opened on Main St and it’s well worth a stop! There is a wide variety of very cute items made locally available from the friendly owner Phyllis. Get yourself down there especially if you need St. Peter’s Fiesta gear. I got a couple of things to send to our grandson Schooner for the 4th of July!

Thank you for the newly painted sidewalk markings along Hough Ave at Stage Fort Park. That should help pedestrians quite a bit.

I was pleased to be informed that my photo CB on Essex Marsh won 2nd place in the recent Essex in Bloom photo contest, so thanks for your votes and support! The 15 photos are still on display along the street in Essex so if you have the opportunity, take a look! My photo is near the crosswalk by CK Pearl and easily accessible from the parking lot. I love this photo especially because it was the first one I took with my crystal ball (CB) and our friends at Cape Ann Giclee assisted in making it even more beautiful. This photo set me on the path to sharing my photography more widely.

Pat D’s Photos will be at the June 17th Magnolia Block party from 5-9 PM so stop by if you can. You can also follow the adventures on Facebook at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures, where you’ll get the first news of new products as well as watch along on our adventures. Some of my work can also be found at Maritime Gloucester, Pauline’s Gifts, Sweats of New England and (most recently) Made with Luve new on Main St.

Sharing a Facebook update from the City that may interest you:

Gloucester Stage invited Good Morning Gloucester to view their production of Noel Coward’s Private Lives and I was happy to attend and represent. The show runs until June 25 and more information can be found here. It’s about a 2 hour production filled with serio-comic reflections on couple-hood and takes place in France featuring two British couples. If you go, be prepared to recognize some common points of contention between spouses as well as to take yourself back several decades in time. There are a couple of jarring incidents (at least to today’s sensibilities) but they are tucked in amongst fine acting and choreography. Without giving too much away, let me congratulate the “Fighting and Intimacy Director” on some very fine work! I’ll be returning to the theater to usher one of the future performances and hope to see you there.

After the show, we went to the Azorean on Washington St. for dinner. Jim had the scallop casserole and I had my favorite Bife a Toureiro which is especially satisfying on a chilly damp evening like we’ve been having. Always a favorite stop! What’s better than a wonderful dinner following a matinee?

You know Fiesta is around the corner when you see the altar going up! Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Kudos, Amazon on your effort to reduce packaging but I admit to relief that I did not order underwear.

It probably will not surprise you to learn that I follow a number of online wildlife accounts. Lately it seems they have been filled with posts about red wing blackbirds harassing other (bigger) birds. So I present the following as my own contribution. Two eagles were hanging out in a tree and nest in our Magnolia backyard recently squawking up quite a storm. I am pretty certain it’s the same pair we’ve been following in West Gloucester as one is an adult and the other not-yet-mature. Turns out the red wing blackbirds were pestering them to the point that they each took off toward open water after about 15 minutes of harassment. These are obviously taken from across a wide distance but it was kind of entertaining watching nature take its course in the bird world. You can look VERY closely an see the little bitty red wing blackbirds swooping over the much larger and louder eagles.