Author: patmorss

So, What’s New? — pat morss

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Catching up on 2025.

This is as far south as the sun got at the Winter Solstice – now it’s headed north again!
Our resident Norwegian gnomes helped us usher in the New Year.
A lapse in flag etiquette. It’s been blowing hard.
Two otters playing in open water at the far side of Niles Pond, which is icing over.
Eiders are comfortable in the warmer ocean, that’s creating cold-air sea smoke.
We got some snow, making the deer (L) in the Audubon sanctuary easier to spot.
Mother and kids foraging in the snow, yesterday.
A buck is vigilant, not far away.
‘Sea Challenger,’ the wind turbine platform, ghosts by silently in the snowfall.
Snow is just another day for Gloucester fishermen, headed out.
Gulls and Mallards congregate around a remaining opening in the ice at Niles Pond.
Wet snow compromised the smooth ice today, but skaters and hockey players made do.

A Family Tribute – pat morss

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Anne-Lise inherited some Norwegian ski sweater embroidery that was never used. It was time to put it to its rightful use.

The embroidery was hand-sewn by either her mother or her grandmother.
Anne-Lise found this traditional mid-19th century design.
Taught at school, she continues to knit several sweaters a year.
Starting the body of the sweater on circular needles, the Norwegian way.
The body is nearly complete.
And then the sleeves, on shorter circular needles.
Two parallel lines of thread secure the yarn before cutting the neck opening.
The separate body and sleeves are waiting to be knit together.
But first, the “heirloom” neck embroidery is sewn into place.
Again secured with thread, the body is cut to receive the sleeves.
The finished sweater, created by generations.

Seasons Have Their Magic — pat morss

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Tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 4:21 is the winter solstice, bringing its own seasonal attributes.

Mostly dog walkers enjoy the fading-light solitude of Good Harbor Beach.
In contrast to a hot summer day in 1985.
Pretty much the same in 2016, except beach umbrellas were more popular.
Swimmers are not distracted by the view of Thacher Island’s twin lights.
Back to the peaceful present.
One of our winter residents taking a sunbath after a long swim, Brace Cove.
A lone female Ruddy Duck crosses monochrome Niles Pond.
While a Ring-billed Gull struts with purpose across a frozen portion.
A content Hooded Merganser pair.
He tests his hood diplay. “Just kidding; too early.”
A turkey showing off her aerodynamic shape. She can fly up to 55 mph.
Winter produces spectacular sunsets. ‘Sea Installer’ headed out from Salem.
Now it’s time to celebrate family and the Holiday Season.

Mergansers and Shalin Liu — pat morss

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Totally unrelated – Testosterone levels are rising in the Hooded Merganser population. And Anne-Lise and I had a great evening out in Rockport at “A Tribute to a Charlie Brown Christmas.”

On Niles Pond, the guys are already eyeing the female Hooded Mergansers.
“Time to test out my dance in front of the women.” No reaction.
Another male gives it a try. Same result. “I guess it’s not mating season yet.”
Off in a corner, still another male is ready for his practice run.
Excellent form, good height.
His landing could stand a little work. I gave him an 8.5.
We began our Rockport evening with a fine dinner at Fleur Cuisine Harborside.
Then to the Shalin Liu Performane Center, for David Benoit’s ‘Charlie Brown’ production.
David Benoit, piano; Courtney Fortune, vocals; Roberto Vally, base; Daniel Schnelle, drums.
Joined by the Cape Ann Youth Chorus, and Cape Ann Arts Alive Singers.
A highlight was the solo by Perry Ramsden. Courtney loves it.
“That was incredible.”

Settling into Winter — pat morss

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Falling temperatures are ushering us into the winter holiday season.

An unusual scene in a neighbor’s driveway.
They earned an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the Christmas tree lighting parade.
On our walks we can tell when another neighbor is out, but didn’t take Oscar.
Common Eiders enjoy riding the waves like a roller coaster.
Up and over the crest, and down the other side in their amusement park.
Last bird standing, before disappearing.
Plenty of winter shore birds at Niles Pond. Buffleheads just getting airborne.
The water lillies are a graveyard.
A few short months ago they were an impediment to navigation.
First ice on the pond has the ducks and gulls congregating around openings.
Morning forecast: “There are snow flurries on the Cape.” That’s the one named after a fish.
We’re doing just fine on our Cape, thank you.

Present and Past — pat morss

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It’s been slow out there, so here are a few current encounters, and some older ones that remind us of the seasons we have left behind.

Friends have add lifesize India Elephants to their extended family.
Dressed for their welcoming party.
These two USCG boats were performing maneuvers for most of two days.
The winter birds are flying in at Niles Pond – a flotilla of Ring-necked Ducks.
Across the pond, a juvenile Bald Eagle checks out the water birds.
And finds a perch to survey dinner options.
Now back to spring. I wish this hydroseeded lawn had remained turquoise.
A bumble bee doing its thing on a fall hydrangea.
Preening Great Egret at Niles Pond.
Visiting schooner Corwith Cramer anchored in a misty outer harbor.
“I can help you with that little one.”
“I got my dinner.”

In No Particular Order — pat morss

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Not much going on now as we wait for the seasonal temperature change – Maybe?

Beauport Museum has closed for the winter, as the leaves pile up.
Tending to moorings between Niles Beach and Ten Pound Island.
Four winter seals over at Brace Cove are looking over as if to say “I see you.”
A young coyote with mange might not make it through the winter – natural selection.
On Niles Pond the birds are doing fine – here, a juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron.
Hank Heron (Great Blue) has been on a stopover heading south.
One of our favorite trees finally delivered its color.
A buck scouring at low tide for food in the seaweed of the Audubon rocks.
“I never did have much of a hankering for seafood.”
Brush fire smoke from the Lynn Woods Reservation. That’s the sun setting, not flames!

Transition — pat morss

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Adjustments are underway as we progress through autumn.

This could be mid-winter with low sun, but it is actually unseasonally warm October.
Norwegian Breakaway could be in the Caribbean, but is still cruising Canada’s Maritimes.
There are only two seals at Brace Cove so far, a long way from the winter twenty-five.
Hank Heron is back on Niles Pond during his migration south.
Cold blooded Painted Turtles warm themselves in the sun whenever it shines.
“Hey down there, there’s still ground cover. Can you flush out a couple of mice for me?”
Two more coyotes have mange – not looking good for the pack’s winter.
Some fall events are one-off, like searching for last week’s meteor.
However, we’re fortunate to have protected land like Ravenswood for hiking year round.
Telephoto view of Eastern Point lighthouse from a vista on Ledge Hill Trail.
Clear sunsets are redder as we transition toward winter. USCG cutter William Sparling.
A lone fisherman holds out as fall colors encroach on the rocks.

Cape Ann Plein Air – Quick Draw — pat morss

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I enjoy attending the Quick Draw event of the annual Cape Ann Plein Air Week because all the artists are in a concentrated area for the same two hours of painting.

This year’s Quick Draw took place in Manchester-by-the-Sea.
Strong wind gusts were a hazard – she’s hunkered down holding her small tripod.
It looks deceptively calm on the inner harbor, but numerous easels blew over.
It was quieter where Karen Fitzgerald was painting the Manchester Historical Museum.
Painting at the intersection of Central, School and Union Streets.
The two-hour time limit was up, so I took a walk around downtown during the judging.
Additional guest artists, invited just for the Quick Draw, were judged outside.
The 35 artists registered for the week-long competition set up inside.
Tim Kelly took first place among those fully registered.
Judge Lori Putnam promised a hug for all winners, here delivering with Tim.
Time for the public to buy paintings, and for the spider (right) to go home.

As Fall Progresses — pat morss

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The colors are late, but it clearly is fall.

Some of the best colors are in the dahlias, holding out down on Stacy Boulevard.
A German Shepherd was loving the ocean, running below the Boulevard’s seawall.
But a distant cousin coyote on Eastern Point looked forlorn with a bad case of mange.
This small butterfly found a comfy leaf for its final nap.
We traveled north looking for color. These leaves are natural, not turning.
Fall foliage was also late in Jackson, NH, but improving.
We found this restful fall scene at Eagle Mountain House, in Jackson.
The green in front of North Conway’s station had one good maple.
Conway Scenic Railway’s engines are the same used when my father was commuting.
These switching engines would rescue my Rockport Line Budd Cars when we broke down.
Back home, the ever-changing oceanscape is like fall foliage all year.

Enjoying a Nor’easter — pat morss

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Actually, it was well offshore, but it created some swells.

I expected surfers at Brace Cove, but they had a different idea about conditions.
However, there were hundreds of gulls foraging for food in the waves.
The surf was churning up the ecosystem near the beach.
The gulls were skimming over the wave crests and landing to feed.
They repeated the pattern, flying above each retreating swell.
Mostly Laughing Gulls, with Black-backed, Herring and Ring-billed mixed in.
Later Saturday afternoon, Adventure headed out with a “bone in her teeth.”
The swells were larger out by the whistle buoy off Eastern Point lighthouse.
It must have been an awakening for some of the guests.
A sense of normal conditions on the Grand Banks, if 40-degrees colder.
Probably enough of this for now.
Tacking. “Ready about.” “Hard a-lee.”
It’s nice to see Adventure in her element.
Now a smoother ride back into Gloucester Harbor.

‘Play It Again Sam’ — pat morss

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In spite of this being a slight misquotation from the 1942 classic film Casablanca, it is applicable to some of the repetetive routines around here.

Sailing a quiet Gloucester Harbor after Labor Day. Birds starting their migrations south.
Thomas E Lannon and our other schooners are maintaining daily visitor and locals sailings.
Cruise ships on weekly schedules; Holland America Lines ‘Volendam’ passing while still dark.
Royal Caribbean ‘Vision of the Seas’ coming in by the whistle buoy at dawn.
Princess Cruises ‘Enchanted Princess’ heading out from Boston toward Canada or Bermuda.
Down on our deck, Mom turkey’s single kid is growing up. They look hassled.
On Niles Pond, a Green Heron must have been watching ‘Little Blue.’
He caught a frog and flew it over to the exact same dining rock Little Blue (Heron) uses.
Meanwhile, Little Blue was over at Brace Cove checking out the salt water marketplace.
The many young deer are maturing, like this proud-to-be-a-Whitetail.
Either it runs in the family, or this is the same single-antler deer as last summer.
A tender moment with a very late in the season Bambi.

Personal Schooner Festival — pat morss

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There were so many events packed into Gloucester’s annual Labor Day Weekend ‘Schooner Festival’ that I had to be selective, and concentrated on the boats.

FRIDAY: The dory shop at Maritime Gloucester reminds us that the trades are alive and well.
Crew on Columbia use their own dory to inspect the hull, while docked at I4C2.
The vantage point was good from The Fort, as Thomas E Lannon came in.
SATURDAY: I sailed the inner harbor on our sloop Troll. Ocean Alliance was hosting.
Dennis Sullivan, all the way from Wisconsin, docked at Ocean Alliance, Rocky Neck.
Ardelle had the same idea, taking guests out around the harbor.
Better exercise than I was getting. Ten Pound Island beyond.
Public deck tours on Malabar X, American Eagle, and Adventure, at I4C2.
SUNDAY: The breakwater is great for viewing the Parade of Sail; Ernestina-Morrissey.
Adventure is always a crowd pleaser.
Adventure rounding the breakwater and heading out to the race starting line.
Columbia dwarfs everyone else; Thomas E Lannon at left.
Preparing to raise Columbia’s third jib on the forestay.
Spectators in their vintage motorboat.
It’s just a matter of scale. There’s fun to be had on Jette and on American Eagle.
Early afternoon turned into a ‘progressive lunch’ visiting friends along the shore.
Start of the class of large schooners.
Columbia and the others returning to the harbor, capping off a perfect race day.

Summer Starts Winding Down — pat morss

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Gloucester’s upcoming Schooner Festival on Labor Day Weekend is an annual sign that summer is coming to an end. And there are other signs.

Lobster boat ‘Toby Ann’ is a sport-fishing boat on the weekend.
The girls agree to go fishing with dad.
‘Ardelle’ watching the whale watches’ whale watchers watching whales (they’re still here).
A lone seal anticipating fall, or outcast from summering on Cape Cod with the sharks.
A Mallard with her super-late August brood of ducklings on Niles Pond.
A Little Blue Heron takes to the treetops for a better view.
While a Black-crowned Night-heron prefers more cover.
A Red-spotted Admiral appreciates our new butterfly bushes.
A Monarch got its wing tips slammed in the door.
This worn Eastern Tiger Swallowtail won’t give up.
A squirrel taste tests acorns before storing up for the winter.
In any case, “It’s been a good summer, right”?

Frog Leg Lunch — pat morss

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Yesterday Anne-Lise and I walked around Niles Pond at just the right time to catch Little Blue (Heron) dining on ‘grenouille’ (Parisian frog legs).

“I think I got him.”
“Yup. Now I have to get him lined up to swallow.”
“I’ll try flipping him over.”
“Wow! Almost lost him.”
“Now I have him on a good trajectory.”
” A quick move before I lose him again.”
“There we go. Good right down to the last leg.”
“And down he slides. Forgot to wish myself a Bon Appetit.”

Surviving the Dog-days of Summer — pat morss

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The recent hot spell finally broke today. We’ve all been coping with it in different ways.

You can walk early when it’s cooler and there’s more shade (and people).
Some of us just get grouchy.
“Boy, is it hot? I’m just standing here sweating like mad.”
There are always those who just blissfully soak it up. You know who you are!
Can you escape to the beach for the afternoon?
If you’re tired of suffering, try playing a game. Who’s going to blink first?
Do whatever it takes to keep cool.
The Rose of Sharons love the sun, which is fine with the Monarchs.
Find a friend with a boat. Any kind of boat.
But don’t over-exert yourself.
Thankfully, we have those who continue working, no matter the weather.

Out on the Water — pat morss

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Summer is the best time to enjoy Gloucester Harbor and the adjacent coast.

In the harbor, we see Hammond Castle, a listed National Historic Landmark.
Beauport Museum is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
As is the Eastern Point Light Station, viewed from outside the breakwater.
Schooner ‘Adventure’ is yet another of Gloucester’s listed cultural treasures.
The US Coast Guard is a valued treasure of a different sort.
Visitors to Dog Bar breakwater, with schooner ‘Thomas E Lannon’ beyond.
‘Ernestina Morrissey’ is a regular participant in the Labor Day schooner races.
Lobsters or sportfishing (see rods on canopy)? OK to enjoy business and pleasure.
Our Yngling class, Norwegian sailboat ‘Troll,’ encounters her Viking heritage.
‘Polaris’ has 14 oars – does she enter the Blackburn Cup race around Cape Ann?
If you’re not on a boat, it doesn’t matter. You can still enjoy the water. Morning mist.

Bluefin Blowout — pat morss

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Talk about perfect timing. – yesterday afternoon Anne-Lise and I arrived at Cape Ann Marina just as ‘Mojo’ was backing in to the float to weigh her tuna, in the annual two-day Bluefin Blowout competition. Here’s one boat’s weigh-in.

A tournament official gives the fish an overall inspection.
Cutting out the remainder of internal organs before the weigh-in.
Our perch on a corner of the deck, with ‘Mojo’ at the center.
Adding the scale above the tail; it reads 649 pounds – TOURNAMENT WINNER.
Its veteran eyes have seen the oceans.
The crane lifts the champion ashore for photographs.
A time to be proud and to celebrate.
Lowering the winner back onto ‘Mojo.’
Some final cleanup before the fish is back on the floorboards.
Covered by reflective aluminum, the prize heads off to … (?)

Summer on Cape Ann — pat morss

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One sign of summer is the outdoor performances at Windhover Center for the Performing Arts in Rockport. Last weekend we stumbled on the first-ever presentation by the new United Flamenco Arts Society, which was concluding its week-long residency for international Flamenco artists.

The Windhover campus, where Flamenco Arts was in residency.
Dancers, musicians and singers waiting to go on stage.
Taking turns showing what they have learned.
A dancer exhibiting her love for the art form.
There are other signs of summer – larger yachts moored in the harbor.
Flying the colors, returning home during Fiesta.
Summer comes with fireworks over Gloucester Harbor.
And then there’s fishing – Eddy egret joins his friends on Niles Pond.
Humans are fishing too – it works fine from a properly equipped kayak.
Or casting from the rocks in the fog.
As a “ghost ship” coasts by.

Animal Interlude — pat morss

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A quick break from the Gloucester celebrations between St Peter’s Fiesta and July Fourth.

Painted Turtle on a road trip.
Bunnies are quickly becoming Rabbits.
The Mourning Doves are already on a 2nd nest at the other end of the solar panels.
The Finch family has flown. We promised we won’t remove the nest again this year.
The Red-bellied Woodpecker, serving as sentinel: “Scramble – Redwings incoming.”
Osprey above Niles Pond. Annie or Squam from behind Lobsta Land, off Route 128?
Down at pond level, a Black-crowned Night-Heron is OK drinking brackish water.
Hank Heron is rock-hopping the perimeter, looking for lunch.
Eddy Egret is stretching for hard to reach back feathers – 21 neck vertebrae help.
A White-tailed deer in the driveway, with his new felt-covered antlers.
The boys are returning from fishing on the Audubon rocks.
Apparently testosterone levels are still high.