Author: Pat D

I particularly enjoy Seaport Grille on Rogers St. in the fall and winter when it is a bit quieter around here. I enjoy the hustle and bustle of spring and fall but “off season” can be fun too. We had lunch recently at the bar. I had the turkey club with onion rings and Jim had non alcoholic beer (Sober October) with his haddock sandwich. I am glad we stopped by. It felt like returning to a friend’s home after a long absence.

As the seasons change and we realize there are things we need around the house, it seems like a good time to go check out what’s new at Second Glance on Pond Road. We did that and were reminded that winter is coming! There are holiday decorations and clothing now available (thinking about the Ugly Sweather party?) though we were looking for some furniture. We did find EXACTLY what we wanted at a very reasonable price. It’s definitely worth a look-see AND you are helping the Open Door at the same time. Win Win.

Someone is praying very hard and I hope it works out for the best. Just a little additional randomness around town.

I recently realized October 2022 marks our 5th anniversary as Good Morning Gloucester contributors! Time really does fly. I have been reflecting on how far I have come along as a contributor and podcast participant and I want to thank each of you for your support and especially for your comments. Sometimes we meet you in our daily routines and you kindly comment on the posts or the podcast. We really appreciate that! It’s always gratifying to know someone is out there listening or reading. Thanks also to those who take the extra steps to comment on Facebook, the podcast or the blog. It means more to each of the contributors than you might realize.

Special thanks to our Boss Joey and all the Castaways: Chris, Nichole, Scottie, Paul, Drew! And to the other contributors especially Donna, Nichole, Paul H., James, Manny and others past and present.

To celebrate the randomness of everyday life here on Cape Ann, here’s today’s offering. An apparently abandoned cute little Adirondack chair sitting roadside near the Good Harbor Beach footbridge just begged to be part of the blog’s history. And Keith and Aretha joined in the fun. As you may know, Keith is a wreath (follow #KeithIsAWreath on Instagram) and Aretha is his companion. They like to have their photos taken around town for fun.

Sharing information from the City regarding the Rocky Neck parking lot.

Many of you have noticed the property at 65-73 Essex Ave in Gloucester has been closed and actions have been taken to begin renovations as you see here. We understand that Fresh Fields Gloucester LLC will be opening up a new Reverie 73 dispensary after razing the two existing buildings. Previously released information indicated this property would retain the gas station and convenience store and we don’t have updated information on that to this point. You can learn more about Reverie 73 here.

I was invited to visit Hammond Castle on Magnolia Ave and decided the Spiritualism Specialty Tour might be interesting for me. It was a (classic) dark and stormy night last Thursday when I joined about 15 other people for the tour to discuss the Spiritualism movement and the Hammond connections to the period in history. Lori and Caleb were the tour guides and each presented interesting factual accounts of the history of the movement and the Hammonds’ interest in it. It was a fairly academic presentation–not frivolous in nature. We moved slowly through the rooms in the castle on the hour long tour taking note of artifacts and stories connected to spiritualism. No hauntings, but ghostly moody lighting enhanced the experience. There are little-noticed details everywhere, so look up if you go. These tours are held on Thursday evenings in October so time is running out if this is something you might be interested in. Tickets and information available here. It’s an interesting way to spend a Thursday evening in October!

Well done, Newburyport! Well done.

Sharing timely information from the Gloucester DPW regarding the disposal of mattresses and box springs. November 1 is around the corner!

It has been a while since I’ve done a cemetery stroll, so when the news broke that the gravestones for free African Americans who lived in Gloucester had been restored, I just had to go and see for myself. The graves of Robert Freeman and his wives Rhoda and Lucretia are marked with two newly restored and re-set headstones in the back corner of Bray Cemetery on Essex Ave. And they look GREAT! It was a long process to get the restoration completed but well worth the efforts. You can follow Bray Cemetery on Facebook, which is listed as an inactive City cemetery.

It is tucked between homes along Essex Ave, but marked with a easy-to-find sign. It is small and cluttered with broken stones on a downhill slope. It’s clearly old with a few slate stones mixed in with the marble headstones. The small intimate cemetery tells special tales of Gloucester, particularly appropriate as the 400th celebration is approaching fast. One thing I was reminded of while taking this stroll is that people a few hundred years ago lived longer lives than I had been led to believe. It is not uncommon to see stones for those in their 70s.

The iron fencing is intriguing as well. There are old iron braces securing the stone wall together which have obviously done their job for many many years. Thanks to Wellspring House and the City/DPW for their enormous efforts in accomplishing this restoration.

Dusk and sunset last night reminded us that Mother Nature is in charge!

No matter how you feel about the piping plovers in our area, this is an amazing shot and and earned honor for photographer Rajan Desai taken on our very own Crane Beach in Ipswich. I came across this and other stunning photographs in an NPR story you can find here about the 2022 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. You can see more about this Massachusetts photographer at his website here. More details about this photo can be found here. Wow, just wow on those photos for the competition! And to find a location nearby within is just amazing. Congratulations all.

Vessels returning to port on a fall afternoon. Enjoying the beauty and the relief of the return home. From Ramblin’Rose, Connemara Bay II, Kathryn Leigh, Fat Tuna, Capt. Henry, Dog & I and Silver Lining.

This eagle hangs around overlooking the harbor near Stage Fort Park as if it is on guard. What a blessing! Shout out to FOB Susan for allowing me to use her driveway as a vantage point.

Save the date for one of the area’s favorite events. Sharing information from the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce regarding Essex Clamfest to be held at Sheperds Memorial Park October 22. Follow here: https://fb.me/e/2UEQGFLkr

Jim wanted some fish stew for his birthday lunch, so we went off to the Blue Marlin Grille on Eastern Ave in Essex at midday yesterday. And it was hopping for noontime on a Monday, obviously a popular lunchtime choice. So Jim got his fish stew and a pastrami sandwich. I tried a grilled cheese with sliced meatballs. The grilled cheese just sounded so intriguing that I had to give it a try. It comes with a side of marinara, which enhanced the sandwich by quite a bit. All in all, a great experience: neighborhood grill atmosphere with comfort food offerings.

Special birthday wishes going out to my favorite husband GMG Jim. So glad we can celebrate another birthday together.

Photo cred: Joey Ciaramitaro

I hope you are planning to include Magtoberfest on Lexington Ave in Magnolia from 11 – 5 in your plans today. It’s going to be an even better event than last year. Shuttles will run from Stage Fort Park to alleviate parking issues. Music, classis cars, food, local vendors….and more! Pat D’s Photos will be there and I hope you will stop by to say hello. GMG Jim will be helping with the car show and he’s love for you to stop by and comment on his Mustang.

Here are some of the items and images available from Pat D’s Photos. Feel free to reach out via messaging if you are interested in anything at Pat D’s Photos on Facebook. You can also check here to view other offerings and keep up to date on new inventory. Come on down to Lexington Ave TODAY!!

The O’Maley Field Hockey team played Marblehead yesterday and though they lost, the team is looking very promising. The program has a bright future! Well done team. PS coached by our very own GMG Jim* Here’s a bit of a photo dump.

Good morning! I hope the start of your day and holiday weekend is as glorious as yesterday’s sunrise from our deck in Magnolia. It’s a weekend full of events and I hope you will make the time to stop by 44 Commercial St from 10-3 to visit the Cape Ann Time Bank Artisan Market. Pat D’s Photos will be there along with other great local vendors. Please stop by to say hello. Enjoy your weekend.