Author: paultmorrison

2010 leftovers

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For a neat and tidy start to the New Year I’ll just post a few leftovers for my last 2010 post. So it’s seems my deal with Santa is paying off in spades and the temp at noon tomorrow will break 50 and no wind. I needed to warm up for the plunge so today I went out and chainsawed up some trees that came down in the Blizzard of 2010.

I am ready for a balmy dip in the harbor. Last night checking out the new Cape Ann Brew space:

I did a, “I’ll have two of those” pointing to those bright beers and although I don’t know what I was drinking they were very tasty. Having a fish and chips with my beer on that deck in the spring will be something to look forward to. Meanwhile, backing up a day we did a hike up from the Keystone bridge to Steel Derrick. I must be blind or it was always leafy but I never noticed the ROUS on the top of this house right before you go under the bridge:

For non-Princess Bride speakers that is a Rodent of Unusual Size. Fred Boden who I ran into at the bar said this thing is made of steel. Homie can’t believe it. The hiking was easy as X-country skiers had packed the path up the big siphon tube to Steel Derrick and we made it around to see the dude in the rock:

Just a touch of open water next to him otherwise a sheen of ice. A camera malfunction will not allow the posting of me doing laps here in my birthday suit. Too much pink broke the sensor. That ends my year. Now to get ready for swimming lessons at noon tomorrow.

Santa Trapped in attic Part II

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I’t’s been brought to my attention that I might be scaring the neighborhood children with Santa being trapped in my attic. At night he looks like:

Santa Captured in my attic

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A few shots from the storm. Santa did not make it out of Rockport and is now stuck in my attic.

The Rockport breakwater at high tide. Held up just fine:

And our power was still off Monday night so we went to Passports for dinner:

The baked haddock was delish as well as the beef gumbo to start things off. Santa was lit up in our attic when we got back. Yippee!

Winter Solstice Tonight at 6:38 PM

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Happy Festivus. Tonight at 6:38 PM the sun hopefully decides to turn and make the days longer beginning with tomorrow. But tonight we rest on the bottom of the analemma. (Remember the spelling by splitting Anal Emma.) The analemma is that figure eight drawn on globes to denote the sun passing through the sky all year.

Say what? Take me fishing off Rockport last October at dawn:

The dots represent where the sun is each morning at the same exact time, say 6:00 AM. This morning at 6:00 AM was very dark because the sun was at the yellow dot at the very bottom. The sun starts crawling slowly out of this hole tonight and by January 1 when we are jumping in the water the sun will be at the blue ball. Appropriately colored ball for jumping into 44 F water don’t you think?

Last Minute Christmas Gifts

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If you’re like me you are about to start panicking because you haven’t bought any Christmas presents. Not a problem. Last year I stopped at Fred Bodin’s Historic Photo right in the West End in Gloucester at 82 Main Street and picked up a ceramic striper and a map of our neighborhood from the 1800s.  My kitchen wall:

Besides Fred’s shop there is Bananas, David Cox’s Antique store and a bunch of other good places along Main street to pick up some weird stocking stuffers.

You might ask, what the hell is that thing to the left it looks like an eel is stuck in the wall?! I call him Spot and I laugh every time I see it.  I picked that up on the 2010 Artisan’s Tour from Twin Light Studio on 52 South Street Rockport. Erin and Scott have a wall of these fish heads. You can click here and download the  2010 Artisans Brochure and circle Cape Ann picking up Christmas presents. The potters David Archibald (Plum Cove Pottery), Marty Morgan (428 Washington St), and Cynthia Curtis (follow signs to Paper House and go to top of hill), are great for picking up that last minute gift. And I just thought of another good gift. Have you got a husband or son you want to punt out of the house this winter for just a few hours? Give him the gift of a set of pottery lessons at Cynthia Curtis’ studio. She and expert potters from across Cape Ann teach you how much fun it is to throw a pot. If you don’t want to teach your husband how to throw a pot, send the kids on the weekend. All the addresses/contact info are in the brochure.

So get Christmas shopping but leave me some, I haven’t started yet.

[edit] Sheesh I called David Cox, Fred Cox. Sometimes I type too fast without thinking. Don’t anyone tell him. He doesn’t go on the intertubes so he’ll never know.

Full Lunar Eclipse Morning of December 21

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Almost Total Lunar Eclipse

Photographers of Cape Ann take note. You might want to check out the full lunar eclipse on the morning of December 21. Earth Sky story here. Because it is so close to the winter solstice the moon will be traversing the highest in the sky for lunar eclipses for centuries.

Cape Ann:

Monday, Night of December 20 the full moon will rise at: 3:37 PM

December 21 1:33 AM (same night after midnight) the partial lunar eclipse begins.

December 21 2:41 AM full lunar eclipse begins. For the next 72 minutes the moon is a dark orange ball under total eclipse inside the earth’s shadow.

December 21 3:52 AM full lunar eclipse ends.

December 21 5:01 AM partial lunar eclipse ends.

The full moon sets at 6:30 AM

The sunrise is at 7:10AM

Between 2:41 AM and 3:53 AM the moon is going to be very photogenic next to the City Hall tower or a church steeple or over the paint factory. I might be out on Bearskin Neck trying to get a shot of Rockport Harbor with the moon in the west.  Movies of the very beginning and end will also be cool. Do a dry run the night before  to find the best locations. The moon is in “position” one hour earlier. It sets at 5:30 AM the day before, got it?

BLT at Willow Rest

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Some sandwiches I don’t think I have ever ordered, tuna fish sandwich, PB&J, or a BLT. Why? because I know I can make them better myself and they are so easy to make. I think I shied away from ordering a BLT because I figured they would just use the bacon left over from breakfast. Until Sue and Evvy split a BLT at Willow Rest. They let me have one bite. Wow.  It wasn’t until this week that I got back to order one for myself.

This bacon lettuce and tomato is better than I have ever made.

The bun: soft and chewy, buttered and toasted on the grill for a nice layer of crunch.

Bacon: thick, salty, smoked, I think you can get this in the Willow Rest refridgerator case.

Lettuce: fluffy pile for good texture to oppose the crunch of bacon and the grilled bun.

Tomato: still getting that homegrown taste in December.

The mayo: some kind of secret mixture with a nice tang to it.

The last five times I’ve stopped at the Willow Rest I can’t help ordering the Cuban. I might have found the lunch that will win the next five visits.

Santa in Rockport 2010

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As if it was a tradition that went back centuries Santa Claus came to visit Rockport today.

On the way to the harbor:

Time’s a wasting. Santa will be there at 3:45PM

The crowd packs the wharfs in the harbor as Santa’s arrival is just moments away:

Harbormasters Rosemary Lesch and Scott Story lead the way, the Freemantle Doctor with Santa, and the Coast Guard protecting the rear:

It’s SANTA!!! It’s SANTA!! It’s SANTA!!!

The crowd goes wild as Santa pulls into Bradley Wharf:

Santa thanks the skipper Mike Tupper of the Freemantle Doctor for the smooth ride while his mother-in-law Nancy McDowell looks on. (Nancy was the one who convinced us that Rockport was the best place on earth to live.) :

Low tide so Santa needs a bit of a goose up the ladder:

Carolers warm up the crowd as Santa makes his way down Bearskin Neck:

Dock Square is cheek to jowl of children all of which swore they had been nice and not naughty:

Santa’s ride is a vintage 1941 Fire Truck. Why buy new when used will do?

The countdown 3, 2, 1

A burst of light as the tree is lit.

Time to refill the hot toddy mug.

Real Santa Today 3:45PM Rockport!

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This is no fake Santa at the mall. Rockport gets the real red rotund one. My investigative reporting at the bar last night my elf informant revealed to me that it is the Fremantle Doctor that won the job of piloting Santa to the dock at Motif #1 today at 3:45 PM. When you see harbormasters Scott Story and Rosemary Lesch in the lead boat rounding into Rockport Harbor with blue lights flashing you will know the unloading of the horizontally challenged bearded one is just moments away.

Freemantle Doctor in 2008 transporting Santa and elves.

Santa in Rockport and napping women.

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Tomorrow is going to be a nice clear Saturday so before you go over to see Santa enter the Rockport Harbor at 3:45 PM do a little sightseeing. Halibut Point State Park in the north east corner of Cape Ann is a good stop. Go to lookout point and with the binocs look straight north.

Maine! Mount Agamenticus looks like a napping woman from this spot:

I say napping woman because if you have ever been to southern Utah there is a mountain formation called “Sleeping Ute” which looks a lot like this. Click the image to go to a Maine blog where I found this photo which also describes the Isle of Shoals. From Halibut Point, Isle of Shoals is only 21 miles away a bit to the right of the sleeping mountain which is 37 miles away.

Santa in Rockport this Saturday!!!

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This Saturday, December 4, looks to be a peach of a day for Santa’s arrival in Rockport. Last year it was blowing a gale and still hundreds of nice and not naughty children came to scream “IT’S SANTA!!” at the top of their lungs as Santa stepped off the lobster boat at 3:45 PM.

This is what the weatherman predicts. Partly cloudy in the forties with a bare hint of a wind.

Last year Santa hooked up with the Ocean Reporter:

The year before it was the Freemantle Doctor:

Who gets to drive the rotund red one into the harbor this year? (The competition has been fierce.) I’ll be there to report what boat and if there is enough whipped cream and marshmallows to cover all the gallons of hot chocolate that will be handed out in Dock Square when Santa lights the tree.

So get your grog on and don’t miss him. Spend the whole day on Bearskin Neck but at 3:45 PM be there or it’s coal in your stocking.

Separated at Birth Part III

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It all started with a photo of our fearless leader

Then Paul F missed an opportunity and did not post this:

But it it only -took a few minutes to find a Paul F match:

Combine the three in your mind … perfect match.

Part IV will include The famous Thom Falzarano Press Pass/mugshot.

Separated at Birth?

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Peter Lorrie is asking Bogey if he could hide the papers. Or maybe telling Sydney Greenstreet to take a hike.

This might be a new GMG series, Separated at Birth.

Only 13 Days Until Santa Arrives in Rockport

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Santa arrives by lobster boat in Rockport Harbor on Saturday, December 4th this year. Jolly old Saint Nicholas has been very punctual the past few years keeping to his promise of rounding the jetty at 3:45 PM preceded by the harbormasters with sirens and flashers making way for the jolly large red suited dude.

I have been covering this story for GMG now for three years and if past movements of the rotund one follow past protocol he will land on Bradley Wharf (Motif #1), then make his way to the fire engine for a ride down Bearskin Neck before disembarking to light the Rockport Christmas Tree in Dock Square. Good viewing of the landing can be found around the harbor including the Tuna Wharf. Elves will be handing out hot chocolate and cookies in the square to children of all ages who have been nice and not naughty and Santa will lead the crowd in the singing of some Christmas tunes. Rumor has it that the Cape Ann Jazz Band will also be strolling about the downtown area. They may be able to score some hot chocolate too if they behave.

Wow! New Museum of Fine Art “Art of the Americas”

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Took a bike ride over to MFA after lunch today to see the new wing. I was totally blown away. The open space, the light, the paint on the walls, the doors, the floor, all were amazing. And the same art that was in the old now glows in this new space. John Singer Sargent, John Singleton Copley both get big space and the difference is profound. Those halibuts in Winslow Homer’s boat never looked more forlorn as the fog rolls in.

Upstairs Edward Hopper has two (EXLAX and woman looking out window in Brooklyn) , Henry Fitz Lane has tons in two different locations. One gallery he shares with Martin Johnson Heade then downstairs are boats and more Henry Fitz.

Completely overwhelming. I had to go into the old part up to room 255 to check out the Monet, Manet, Van Gogh’s and Renoir’s just to get my bearings.  Beautiful paintings but the room seemed so drab after viewing the new wing. And the lighting just plain sucked compared to the new wing. I hope they get some paint and some new light bulbs for the old part.

This new wing is going to be my favorite place to hang out on cold dark winter days.

Checking in from Rockport: Red Skiff Hash!

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Grabbing my second breakfast of the day late this morning almost 10AM thought the Red Skiff right in Rockport would be the ticket on a Saturday morning. Busy but my daughter and I grabbed a table and she ordered the coconut pancakes and I ordered the top special which is Eggs Benedict with Corned Beef Hash.

I love coconut in most situations but a pancake? Hmm.  But the pancakes hit the table two seconds before my dish so I tried a bite and amazing fluffy coconut goodness. Then I got to mine and chewed off a good piece before I thought to take a photo.

I am never as controlled as Joey that I can take a photo of my food before I mess it up. But you can see the hash below that Benedict. The home fries were normal Red Skiff Spectacular but the part I had forgotten, the english buried in there was obviously toasted on the grill. This gave a nice crispiness on top which withstood the Benedict sauce flowing down. Slightly offscreen was a side of bacon and coffee which kept me going the rest of the day. No lunch for me on Saturday.

Did I mention I like the hash at Red Skiff? The pancakes were huge and I am trying to break a habit of licking my plate in public so a doggy bag of pancake and some hash made its way home. That lasted all of 30 seconds as everyone else had arrived and acted like wild animals.

Andrews Point Penguin Cafe Orchestra

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From Paul Morrison

Filmed this morning off Andrews Point with an iPhone. Counted off 2 minutes, 36 seconds to match my audio of “Music For a Found Harmonium” by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. My fixation for this piece of music now seems fitting since there were three different types of Alcid arctic birds swimming about in these waves.

256 days until the 25th Blackburn Challenge paddlers and rowers will be going from left to right.

Andrews Point Harmonium Today

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Never having used iMovie and with only an iPhone and some waves

Hmm, maybe a camera upgrade is needed. The Panasonic GF1 was just upgraded to a GF2

Sunrise a year ago

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Just a sunrise I took off Andrews Point one year ago.  My big one year anniversary of being the cub reporter from Rockport for Good Morning Gloucester is this Friday, 11/05/09-10

Working on that post.

My first post!

ZombieBooth 3D

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Haven’t been posting so much since I’ve been getting ready for Halloween. To really get a good zombie look going, I didn’t want fresh dead, I decided to bury myself in the back yard mulch pile for three weeks.

How do I look?

For 99 cents and an iPhone you too can become a zombie after downloading ZombieBooth 3D. Extremely simple to use. It can take a photo from your photo library or better to snap a new head shot with eyes open, mouth closed and if long hair tie it back.

And make sure to shake your zombie. By shaking the phone you go from fresh dead to opaque eyes then they fall out. (About ten levels of zombification.) My eyes have been plucked already by a hungry homie.  My only disappointment is it has a difficult time with dogs. Stella ended up with a small zombie poking out of her ear. I zombified my entire lab in ten minutes. It transforms even the sweetest person and it really shows the evil lurking in their soul. But everyone has to eat and zombies have to eat. A lot.

But wait, there’s more. Tweet it, Facebook it, and the best part, drag your finger across the screen. The zombie intently follows the finger and tries to eat it given the chance. My little movie is following my finger and takes a nip.

Just search in iPhone apps for “zombiebooth”. There are hundreds of Zombie apps but this one makes for the freshest zombies. Make sure it is ZombieBooth 3D. Accept no imitators.

And if you see a seagull coughing up some eyeballs bring them by Sailor Stan’s on Saturday morning so I can read the menu. Doesn’t Passports have a Braille menu? I might have to go there.

Boy, the things I do for GMG …