I think Lefty the Dog Shark ate the cute couple from Vermont. So sweet and minty.
Author: paultmorrison
Rockport Bonfire Aftermath
In 2011 Les Bartlett posted a photo on his website of dawn on July 5, 2011 and I have been fascinated ever since about what the bonfire is doing the day after. Click here for his shot and links to Les’s website.
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Pellicle on the Bluefish as shiny as Rubber Duck’s butt.
Paul’s Perfect Pellicle on brined fresh bluefish to be smoked using the secret ingredient. Cut up chunks of Rye cask from Ryan and Wood Distillery of Cape Ann and a touch of hickory. 
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Rockport 4th of July has everything.
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Rubber Duck Science Tuesday
1) Celestial Pin Ball continues tonight with Venus practically slamming into Jupiter in the western sky over Cape Ann just after sunset. I posted about it here and here.
But we live in New England so we have missed the approach of Venus in the past week except for a glimpse and tonight right before they come into view we will leave this slice of clear air and clouds will again block our view. Try and get a glimpse because it is the closest aproach of these two planets in 2,000 years. What happened 2,000 years ago? That’s right. Some people say that the combo of the two brightest objects in the sky (besides sun and moon), was the Star of Bethlehem.
If you do catch a peak, check them out with binoculars and consider the fact you are looking at an inner planet as a crescent and a giant outer planet with four moons visible. Be one with the universe.
2) For science geek awesomeness it does not get any better than tonight at midnight 23:59:60 which will be followed by 24:00:00. How can that be? Those are the same exact times! But this is how those sneaky scientists wedge an extra leap second into today. So pour yourself another drink because today is longer than any other day of the year. Also pray that satellites and planes do not fall from the sky as computer systems worldwide add a second to their systems in different ways. Google is so freaked that they are going to do what they call a “leap smear” and spread the additional second over several minutes.
FYI: The leap second is added because the rotation of the earth is slowing and 1 PM would eventually become high noon. The leap second is also being added at midnight Greenwich Mean Time. That is 8 PM on Cape Ann so if you want to send a text message to your loved ones be sure you get it done before 7:59:59 tonight. Go out and look at the Star of Bethlehem instead.
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Rubber Duck says it’s clearing nicely!
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Today’s Sunrise Clearing June 28, 2015
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Atlantic Fish Farts
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Plants love a rainy foggy Summer Solstice
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The Five Retail Doors of the Cape Ann Tool Company
It has been decades since the ring of the 100 ton drop forge has been heard at the Cape Ann Tool Company. It took most of 2013 to get the smokestack down. Now it is time to dream about what will go behind the five doors.
My wish list:
1) A restaurant: Northern India plus Seafood. Greg Bover wants it named “The Tan Dory”. Or Mexican Seafood. “The Pigeon Cove Taco”. This will include a bar which does not require ordering a Cove Burger in order to be served a Fisherman’s IPA.
2) Coffee Shop and Bakery: fresh coffee and a bagel. Opens at 6 AM and imports Brother’s Brew Butternut Crunch Doughnuts.
3) Village Market: loaf of bread, butter, potatoes, onions, six pack of beer, Cape Pond Ice, scratch tickets, Allen’s Coffee Brandy.
4) Tackle Shop: bait, rods to rent for kids to catch a flounder behind the store, T-Shirts from Cape Pond Ice.
5) Art Studio: Art CO-OP, all media, pottery, ceramics, Rockport Art Association North Colony.
What’s on your wish list? A fresh seafood market? In-N-Out Burger? Uniqlo?
Retail Space Available: 617-482-6050
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Rubber Duck Celestial Pinball Starts Tonight!
Some amazing collisions in our summer skies this summer and to really appreciate it you have to look at the darkened sky over the sunset starting tonight. It will be pretty easy to pick out Venus as the brightest object above the horizon. Then check out Jupiter which is sitting above Venus. Kind of cool but why are we looking at them? Because from here to the end of the month, keep track of how Venus tracks towards Jupiter. If you do, by the last day of June you will think they are going to crash into each other! It is only on July first that Venus edges by below Jupiter.
Then we can go back to figuring out where the Rubber Duck shaped Comet 67P is. This will be easy because the lander named Philae the European Space Agnecy sent woke up last week! The lander is sitting on the Rubber Duck’s head and we may be able to get photos of what happens to a comet when it heats up this August as it sweeps around the sun. Can you imagine photos of the Rubber Duck’s head popping off? (Joey and Craig are hoping!)
And here is where I got the photo of 67P Rubber Duck at the Bikini Speedo Tourney. David Cox is amazed.
[EDIT two days later]. Finally, someone asks about the mushrooms, EJ, wants to know. When I first posted the David Cox shot I was sure I caught a dodge ball player watering a tree in the background. But I looked at all my shots and a moment later got a clear view of the innocent players getting dressed after the game.
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2nd Rockport First Night Tonight! 4-8 PM
Dock Square, Bearskin Neck, the other neck on Cape Ann full of wonder. Check it out. The shops and galleries are stuffed full of new stuff while keeping the old good stuff.
When: 4-8PM and beyond, Tonight, First Friday of the month all summer.
Where: Rockport; Bearskin Neck, Dock Square and up Main Street.
Feature: The Art Nook Gallery on the Neck. Go all the way down and turn right into Helmut’s Strudel. Have a small coffee and a cinnamon roll with raisins. Make sure and get the raisins. Trust me. Then three steps right across the street is the Art Nook Gallery.
Take a selfie of you standing in front of Stefan Mierz’s freshly painted”Rockport Harbor Sunrise.” Stefan or Kathleen Miller will shoot it with your phone. Send it to Rubber Duck. Blue Duck will be shooting her Selfie at 5 PM.
Blue Duck: ” I think they add more than fluoride to the Rockport water …”
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Joey gets an award.
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Spectacular Rubber Duck Race in Rockport Today!!
I have attended the Indianapolis 500 race in Indianapolis and it does not hold a candle to the thrills and excitement of the Rubber Duck Race put on by the friends of the Council on Aging in Rockport! A few quick shots just after the race was completed follow.
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Annual Rubber Duck Race in the Mill Brook; Rockport Front Beach 11 AM Saturday May 30
The Rubber Gun goes off at 11 AM but if you want a chance at winning the race you need to put some cash down on a rubbery bill before that. Rubber Duck is increasing her odds by buying four ducks at 10 AM. Her Rubber Duck Army of 88 crazy Rubber Ducks that have shown up on her porch will cheer them on.
Where: Mill Brook is that lovely park and stream that flows into Front Beach, Rockport Center.
What: Rubber Duck Race to benefit the Rockport Council on Aging
What the Duck??: The “Rockport Stuff” Facebook page has been aflame with controversy for the past few days with Duck Gate but officials have promised that all ducks will be tested for proper inflation and the winner will have to pee in a cup post race.
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Time to visit the all new Bearskin Neck, Rockport
You might think ho-hum, I’ve been to Bearskin Neck over the years many times, but you should try it out again. Lots of new stuff. Two examples:
A new turn-around and new breakwater at the end! There is still the “Pass at Your Own Risk” sign but now it is so much easier to walk all the way out to the #6 harbor beacon. It really needs a good storm to wash the grit off it left from mashing 13 ton rocks into a flat top but you should try it out now.
New artists! I’ll highlight just one but there are tons of new artists and shops out there. One gallery you have to stop in to see is David Arsenault. Leaf through his website but you have to see these in person. The very familiar, Good Harbor Beach, Old Garden Beach swing. After viewing if you go back outside on Cape Ann you realize you are living in a painting.
Click on Bearskin.net for the latest including first Friday Nights in Rockport or click on the frequently updated Bearskin.net Facebook page.
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Donna and Rick being swept out to sea.
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Then and Now; The Rathskeller, Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square
Joey’s post last month from breakfast at the Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square got me thinking of how that area has changed. I’ve never eaten at Eastern Standard but it turns out I have. But it was called the Hoodoo Barbecue which was at the Rathskeller. Sue and I ate there last in 1986.
I saw a lot of bands there, Human Sexual Response, The Atlantics, the Neighborhoods, lots of great bands I never knew the name of.
I drive by every day and couldn’t figure out where the Rat actually was so I made a photo molding together old and new.
And today I went by and took a new photo to show exactly where the Rat was. 
If you have breakfast at Eastern Standard and sit on the right side of the restaurant you are actually at the Rat. The waiter I talked to knew this. He said the kitchen is where the bandstand used to be for the Rathskeller.
The Hoodoo Barbecue had great ribs. I remember talking to the chef and he admitted he used liquid smoke, but it was pretty good liquid smoke.
If you ever hung out at the Rat in the 70-80s, check out the Rathskeller Wiki page. You will be amazed what good music you listened to.
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BREAKING NEWS FOR JOEY: Dog Slobber is Good For You
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Today is Homie and Rubber Duck’s fourth Anniversary
Four years? Seems like just yesterday.
Homie: “You’re not from around here are you? May I show you the cove?”
Solitude of the lonely Homie.
Cold, lonely, rubbery, but Patriotic!
A little stand offish at first.
They’re eyes locked and Homie was in love.
“So how many children should we have?” Homie wasn’t wasting any time.
“I have a lovely nest on Milk Island.”
You’re not listening to a word I’m saying!”
“We could make it work!”
I cannot believe it has only been four years since the Rubber Duck met Homie on a blustery day just like today, April 18, 2011. When I posted that first part of the Rubber Duck saga I was only joking about it being a twenty part series. Little did I know that six hundred posts later the story is still not finished. To commemorate their anniversary I repost the first few chapters. Part I posted April 18th, 2011: (This will be a twenty part series.) Part II posted April 19th, 2011: But first, the back story. Two lonely birds: But soon the connection was made and time stopped. ” “I am so out of here!” But Homie came back of course and took Rubber Duck all over.
Good Morning Gloucester 