Author: Pat D

I haven’t seen this sight in quite a while, but thanks to a heads-up from our friend Susan, I was able to see this majestic eagle looking over Stage Fort Park from Western Ave. Always a treat.

I took CB (crystal ball) out to watch one of the recent hazy sunsets. I understand the haze was caused by Canadian wildfires. I am always grateful for the variations in our skies especially at sunrise and sunset. We went to Plum Cove Beach along Washington St for a view and thought you might enjoy the same.

Take note of the following change of date shared on Facebook:

Essex is holding its Spring into Essex event this weekend May 20-21 2023 and it sounds like a great deal of fun you might not want to miss. A variety of events are taking place including a “Wet Paint” class at Seameadow Gifts, Tequila Tasting at Ripple On The Water, and Birds Bees and Butterflies at Cox Reservation. And lots more: info here at this link. Here are a couple of my favorite Essex photos to get you in the mood. Who knows? You might see one of these on display in Essex this weekend! Hoping to see you around!

Sharing information from St. Peter’s Fiesta organizers about this year’s program June 21-25 and novena June 12 – 20 2023. Check the link for further info.

Sharing updated information from the City regarding Resident Beach Stickers for 2023:

I noticed some online queries regarding local sightings of hummingbirds and Baltimore Orioles; and if you follow Good Morning Gloucester, you know that we have had hummingbirds visiting for about 2 weeks now. But the Orioles seemed a little later than usual. We finally have sighted them now for several days in our backyard. I went out to get some backyard bird photos with another blog post in mind so that will have to wait because I observed our Orioles working on their spring mating rituals. The female signaled and awaited a mate at the meeting branch. Sure enough, he approached and they mated in quick fashion, as is the norm for many birds. He flew off and went for a little nourishment at the feeder. We look forward to additional orioles soon! For more of the story and additional photos, check out Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook.

I have driven by the sign along 133 a number of times, but this time my curiosity got the better of me so I pulled in to Blue Moon Farm on Choate Rd in Essex. It’s a small nursery FULL of young veggies, hanging plants, annuals (with more to come as the weather gets better) as well as very helpful and friendly staff. I chatted with owner Patti Byrne who told me many people have been asking for tomatoes but she will be offering them closer to Memorial Day weekend when they (and the soil) will be ready for them. Cindy Greely Beck was attending the check out and she mentioned that her parents follow Good Morning Gloucester from Florida, so a hearty shout out to them! Thanks for the follow! Anyhow, get to Blue Moon Farm on Choate St off 133 in Essex before the end of the seedling season. It was a delightful visit. Spring plantings offer SO MUCH HOPE.

I had a coffee date with my aunt so we went to Cape Ann Coffee on Bass Ave. I had not been by in a while and treated my self to quiche and cafe mocha. Yummy as always. The place is bustling but we sat and chatted without feeling rushed. There’s local artwork on display and a wide range of baked goods, sandwiches and tea in addition to coffee. The service is also friendly and efficient (shout out to my neighbor Meagan) so it was a very relaxing and rewarding visit. Maybe I’ll see you there soon.

One of our favorite stop-by places is Russell Orchard on Argilla Road in Ipswich so we were happy to nte they have re-opened for the 2023 season! I enjoy just strolling around inside and out and discovered something new (to me) this time. Did you know there’s a walk around mini garden with samples of all the trees they have on site? I happened to notice some children enjoying the area so it drew my attention. They do things right there with the barnyard, orchard and other attractions. There’s fresh baked goods, fruit and veggies, wine, plants and even some shirts. Welcome back Russell Orchard and Happy Mother’s Day!

It’s so much more fun to watch boats and other watercraft from your own watercraft. And because it’s a beautiful day, you never know what else you might see besides F/V Jennie n Rose, Claudia Marie, Amanda & Andy as well as Schooner FAME (especially nice to see her out and about!)

We are happy the Gloucester Student Arts Festival is able to return this year to showcase the variety of arts talents from our Gloucester High School senior class. Activities will be held tomorrow at MAGMA, Cape Ann Museum and various other locations from noon – 5 PM . Additional information at this link. Thank you Toni and Allie for the time today. See you around tomorrow!

I just love this little spot along Essex Ave near Magnolia Ave year round but especially on a pretty spring day. In the “Information You Didn’t Know You Needed” department; here’s an excerpt from the City’s listing of public landings describing the area (I only have a small bone to pick regarding the condition of the parking area but that’s an ongoing issue) apparently updated in 2010:

13. LITTLE RIVER LANDING (aka Stubby Knowles and Frenchmen’s Pier), Essex
Avenue at Magnolia Avenue. Assessor’s Map 220/Lot 50.
STATUS: Public. Laid out by the County Commissioners in 1973. Recorded at the
Registry of Deeds, Book 5999, Page 672. Also found in County Engineers Plan
3123.
CONDITION: Large area with great potential. Good location, plenty of room for
parking, and several possible locations for a simple launch area. The Department
of Public Works repaired the smelt fish pier and the parking area. Presently no
launch area except a rough dirt path for carry-downs. Plaque, but not in a
noticeable location. Very overgrown and neglected. Picnic bench. New plaque on
a rock.

We join Sefatia Romeo Theken and others in congratulating Angela Sanfilippo on this great honor:

Congratulations to Angela Sanfilippo she was invited to Washington DC to meet with the President Biden and Vice President Harris.

What a great honor.

Our very own Beauport Hotel on Commercial Street has hosted a series of Fireside Chats and I attended the most recent with author Katherine A. Sherbrooke. Ms. Sherbrooke’s team send Good Morning Gloucester an advance copy of the book prior to the Fireside Chat and I was lucky enough to be the one to receive the assignment. The newly published The Hidden Life of Aster Kelly is a well told story following the timelines of a mother (1940s Hollywood) and daughter (1970s NYC). It’s full of twists and turns and could easily be made into a movie. Honestly, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story. I have since shared it with others who feel the same. She has written other books and won the Massachusetts Book Award Fiction Honor for Leaving Coy’s Hill.

Her presentation at the Beauport was entertaining and informative. There was a crowd of about 35 people in attendance in one of the lovely ballrooms. She presented some notes about her writing process (my favorite part of author talks) and background on the story. The premise is based on her own mother’s history and her speculation about “What If?”. It’s very intriguing and I recommend the book as well as the Beauport Fireside Chats. I understood the next one to be Mon May 15 presented by Maritime Gloucester. These chats are also sponsored by the Gloucester 400+ and well worth considering. Further information here. Hoping to see you there Monday May 15!

I look forward every year to taking several whale watch trips with Cape Ann Whale Watch but spring is my favorite time to take the ride. Easy parking at 415 Main Street, friendly staff and informative crew are among the reasons I enjoy these “wildlife safaris”. As a retired teacher, I appreciate the emphasis on education and research. So off I went this week on a gorgeous day. Though we did not have as many picture taking opportunities with the whales, we did get to see humpbacks, minke and fin whales. The highlight of the trip was probably the Atlantic white sided dolphins associated with 2 humpbacks apparently feeding from the plentiful grounds side by side. If you look carefully at the photos here, you can see them together. Those dolphins are so quick, they are difficult to capture. We also were entertained by the distinct chirping of the Artic Terns, Northern Gannets diving headfirst, and a little songbird attempting to find respite on one of the passenger’s hats. My lucky bright red “Whale Watching Wellies” brought a different kind of luck this time! Well worth the ride! Thank you naturalist Tina, Capt John and Jim Douglass for another fantastic experience.

ANNISQUAM VILLAGE PLAYERS TO PERFORM “GLOUCESTER STORY” MUSICAL AUG. 10-13

IN CELEBRATION OF GLOUCESTER’S 400^TH+ BIRTHDAY

Auditions to be held May 28 – Real Fishermen Wanted!

In honor of the City of Gloucester’s 400^th+ Birthday Celebration, the Annisquam Village Players – the country’s longest continually running community theatre – will perform Clayton B. Stockbridge’s “Gloucester Story” Aug. 10-13, 2023, on the docks at the Maritime Gloucester Wharf.

The show will require many cast and crew members so auditions will be held starting at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 28, at the Annisquam Village Hall, 38 Leonard St. in Gloucester.  To add to the show’s flavor, local fishermen are encouraged to audition and be part of this historic production.

The play was performed in Gloucester several times in 1953 and in subsequent years. And, for a short period of time, it became a popular pick for summer stock theaters.  This summer, the AVP will transform the original two-act play into a musical for the first time. 

In keeping with the celebration’s community theme, the show will incorporate original musical numbers from local musicians, including Daisy Nell, Peter Souza, and Corey Wrinn. Longtime AVP Music Director Marcia Groom will lead the musical transition.

In celebration of the Gloucester 400^th+, there will be no charge for performances, but a ticket reservation is required. Tickets will be available starting July 10.

“Gloucester Story reflects the heart of old Gloucester and what it was like to be part of the fleet in 1905,” said Terry Sands, AVP director. “Given the historic nature of this year’s performance and the connection to our community, we’d love to have some of the local salts be part of the show – either on stage or helping behind the scenes. It takes a community to stage a theatre!” 

Known as the Plumber Playwright of Gloucester, Stockbridge (1895-1973) crafted “Gloucester Story” to reflect the Cape Ann fishing industry in 1905 when schooners still ruled the seas and dory fishing claimed many lives. It tells the tale of a young son of a fish merchant dreaming about a life at sea, only to get his wish and some of the tragedy that came with it.

The play was published in 1953 in response to a 1952 Cape Ann Festival of Literature and Drama competition, sponsored by Broadway Playwright/Librettist Russel Crouse, for the best play about Gloucester from a resident of Gloucester. A life-long upper Main Street resident, Stockbridge had spent his youth working on the fishing docks before becoming a career plumber. He drew upon that experience, local lore, and the environment to create a story that genuinely depicts the livelihoods, personalities, and superstitions of that era. It is entirely fictional but the names, businesses, and plot motivations dealing with the folklore are all factual.

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

For more details about “Gloucester Story,” the life of Clayton Stockbridge, or the upcoming auditions, please visit www.annisquamvillageplayers.org.

Photo credits:

Photo of below deck, 1953 scene: Photograph by Bill Worden. Clayton Stockbridge Collection of the Cape Ann Museum Library and Archives, Gloucester, MA.

– Photo of Paul Lundberg as Capt. Nate Morrison in the 1969 performances:  Clayton Stockbridge Collection of the Cape Ann Museum Library and Archives, Gloucester, MA

Two updates regarding City Hall; please take special note of change in location for a portion of the Gloucester Student Art Festival.

It’s been beautiful for a couple of days so we went down to Minglewood on Rogers St for a couple of drinks and snacks on the back deck. WIN WIN is all I have to say. I ordered the frozen strawberry margarita (on the specials menu) and Jim got a beer. Since Zach had done such a great job at the meatball challenge, we had been hoping to get the meatball special but they had sold out of those on the first night they were offered on the specials menu. We soothed our disappointment with Veggie Spring Rolls and the nacho Plate of Love under the watchful eye of one of the resident seagulls. We had a blast thanks to our server Shawna but were even more tickled to learn there was a $10 bonus waiting for us on our Serenitee Rewards card! BOOM. It’s not hype that this reward program is a winner in money saving at participating restaurants. If you’re not enrolled, I gotta wonder…….

I took a little walk around Seven Seas Wharf along Rogers Street recently and was compelled to capture these shots. As I got home and studied them a little bit, I thought it’s no wonder filmmakers love our area. There are stories to be told at every turn. These seemed to be story elements, though I do not have the story outline to share. In a sentence or two, what’s your story using these elements?