It’s not unusual for the Serenitee award program to through a bonus for $10 out to its program members. We recently took advantage of that offer and blended in another $10 bonus we had earned to go to Minglewood Harborside on Rogers St for dinner. The lovely Heather was our server and welcomed us warmly (big plus when we go somewhere) and gave us the new menus for consideration. I tried the Rachel sandwich and Jim had a smash burger (it was also $20 burger and a beer night–Thursdays). No steps have been lost in the development and execution of the new menu! Several old favorites remain with some new offerings to tempt you. There was live music to boot, so I highly recommend Minglewood especially for when you just want to relax.
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Backyard Growers, the Gloucester-based food equity nonprofit organization, is thrilled to share the return of the Backyard Growcery, Gloucester’s community-centered, food-focused farmers market in America’s Oldest Seaport. Now in its second season, the Growcery reopens on Wednesday, June 18, at Burnham’s Field and will run weekly until October 15, 2:30-6:30pm.
The Backyard Growcery brings fresh, local food to the heart of downtown Gloucester while supporting small-scale farms and up-and-coming food businesses. It’s more than just a market—it’s a space to connect, learn, and grow together.
“We can’t wait to see everyone back at the market for another fun season of supporting local growers and making fresh, local food easy for everyone to enjoy,” said Alison DiFiore, Executive Director of Backyard Growers. “The Backyard Growcery is a great spot to hang out—whether you’re picking up veggies, learning something new, getting creative with art, or just spending time with friends and neighbors. See you at Burnham’s!”
The Backyard Growcery is a food-focused market with a mission to boost the local economy and help small businesses thrive while also creating opportunities for community connection. In order to reduce business risk to small-scale food producers, the market does not charge a vendor participation fee.
New This Year: Growcery Quest!
Want to get to know seasonal, local food, and the people who grow it? The Backyard Growcery is introducing Growcery Quest, a season-long scavenger hunt for kids and families to inspire them to make weekly discoveries at the market. Stop by the Backyard Growers table at the market to get involved.
Accessible, Welcoming, and Here for Everyone
Located at Burnham’s Field—just a 5-minute walk from the MBTA station—the Growcery is easily accessible by foot, CATA bus (near Sheedy Park stop), or car (free parking on Sargent Street and nearby streets). The park also features a playground, basketball courts and athletic fields, walking paths, and a 55-bed community garden managed by Backyard Growers. Burnham’s Field is the homebase of Backyard Growers’ work in the community, connecting low-to-moderate income Gloucester residents with access to the space and resources to grow fresh food.
With the closure of Shaw’s on Railroad Avenue, the need for fresh food in this downtown neighborhood has significantly increased. The Growcery proudly accepts SNAP/EBT, and Backyard Growers provides Market Mint, a SNAP Match up to $5 per week. This year, the Backyard Growcery is doubling the number of vendors who accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Coupons. WIC coupons will be available at the market on July 23, with more chances to pick up WIC and Senior Coupons throughout the season.
Cultivating food-growing knowledge & resources in our community
Backyard Growers is committed to ensuring equitable access to the resources, space, and knowledge needed for communities to grow their own food. During the Backyard Growcery, Backyard Growers will once again host regular free workshops, with a focus on vegetable gardening, food preparation and preservation, art, and gardening for pollinators. The nonprofit will also offer regular free giveaways of resources such as vegetable seeds and guidance, with the opportunity to purchase fertilizer, compost, and more, directly from their booth.
Art by: Jon Sarkin · Don Gorvett · Tom Robinson-Cox · Judy Robinson-Cox · Patrick O’Donnell · Janet Knott · Julie Henderson · Lisa Hennessy · Scott Henderson · Amy Chace · Sean Mahoney (Artist #12)
Admission: Free Show hours: Mon-Sat, 12–5pm
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This event is designed to equip high school students with valuable resources and connections as they head into summer break. Understanding the importance of trusted adult figures in teens’ lives, we’re creating opportunities for students to connect with teachers, coaches, and mentors. But it’s not all about resources—we’ve also planned a full lineup of fun and engaging activities! Attendees will enjoy free food from popular vendors like The Big Pig BBQ and The Whoopie Wagon, plus entertainment including: Therapy Horses & Therapy Dogs, Henna & Tarot Card Readings, Kickball & Dodgeball, Video Games, Tie-Dye your own shirt, Tons of raffle prizes, including Beats headphones!
If you know any high school students (grades 8th-12th) who would be interested, invite them to join us on Saturday, June 14, 2025, from 12–3 PM at 32 Pooles Lane, Rockport, MA (Rockport Teen Center).
Thanks so much and please let me know if you have any questions. CCing my colleague David Tucker as he has been working hard organizing this awesome event.
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Some of you are probably aware that I am currently on a photography trip to Lubec and Bar Harbor Maine. Puffins are the goal and a puffin post is coming soon, but first I had some observations to share about the Lubec area. In many ways, it reminds me of Gloucester: lobster boats, lighthouses, and memorials to lost fishermen. Although Lubec’s Fisherman’s Memorial is no where near the level of Gloucester’s, it’s still a somber reminder. There are lobster and scallop boats everywhere but no fishermen in the places we have been visiting (stunning, I know…) We were shown an interesting “farm” for capturing the herring that the lobster boats require which you see here as sticks standing upright in the water forming a kind of corral for the herring. Even the bait is an industry unto itself.
Hopefully I will be sharing other aspects of my 2025 Puffin Escapade in the upcoming days. You can always see further details and stories on Facebook at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures…....there may even already be some puffin shots posted there! (a reward for those of you that read to the end of the post!)
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Local Author Dan Duffy Uncovers 50-Year-Old Family Mystery in Powerful New Memoir, In Search of Brother Rich. Hosted at the Cultural Center at Rocky Neck on Thursday, June 12 from 7-8:30pm. The Reading and Book Signing is FREE and OPEN to the public, donations to Rocky Neck Art Colony are appreciated.
Part memoir, part true-crime investigation, one man’s lifelong search for his missing brother takes readers deep into the mystery, memory, and meaning of family.
After five decades of searching, local author Dan Duffy has released In Search of Brother Rich, a gripping and deeply personal nonfiction account of his quest to solve the decades-old mystery surrounding his older brother’s disappearance.
In December 1970, Rich Duffy, a Vietnam War veteran seeking peace and healing, vanished near the banks of the Rio Grande River after moving to a commune in Corrales, New Mexico. He was never seen again.
What followed was a fifty-year journey—equal parts detective work, soul-searching, and devotion. In his new book, Duffy shares, for the first time, the painstaking investigation he undertook to uncover what happened to his brother. From retracing Rich’s final steps to finding and interviewing members of his communal family, In Search of Brother Rich reveals both the unraveling of a mystery and the resilience of a brother’s love.
“In Search of Brother Rich is the truest thing I’ve ever written,” says Duffy. “It’s my attempt to honor my brother, to give voice to his story, and maybe—just maybe—help others who are still searching for something lost.”
With vivid storytelling, emotional depth, and a relentless commitment to uncovering the truth, In Search of Brother Rich is a story for anyone who has ever longed for answers, lost someone too soon, or held onto hope against the odds.
The book is now available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook formats through Amazon: https://a.co/d/ggZ9cAZ
About the Author Dan Duffy and his wife Helene have been innkeepers at The Beech Tree B&B for the past fourteen years. He is a docent at the Cape Ann Museum and a member of the Sandy Bay Yacht Club. He has spent much of his life investigating the mystery surrounding his brother’s disappearance. In Search of Brother Rich is his second memoir; he published his first book, Brother, Brother, in 2016.
About the Rocky Neck Art Colony Located in Gloucester, Massachusetts, the Rocky Neck Art Colony is one of the oldest continuously operating art colonies in the United States. A vital part of the Cape Ann cultural community, RNAC fosters creativity and connection through exhibitions, programming, and artist residencies. As a nonprofit organization, RNAC is committed to supporting emerging and established artists while preserving the rich artistic heritage of the region.
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This Friday Little Lies – A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac – returns to The Cut stage! The seats sold out so fast, that we’ve gone ahead and added more. Link below.
We’ve also added a new show, and it’s one you don’t want to miss! Closet Case presents, VIVA LA VAMP on the Thursday of Fiesta (June 26th). Tickets are on sale Wednesday (6/4) at 10am, and we’re expecting them to go quickly. This show is part classic drag show, part burlesque show, part performance-art and ALL fun! We’re turning up the HEAT on The Cut stage, and everyone’s going to be talking about it.
Going forward Little Sister will be open 6 nights a week (closed Tuesdays) for incredible burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, fish sandwiches and so much more through the takeout window. Grab a table, order via QR code, get a text when your food is ready. Play pool or arcade games while you wait. The bar will also be open so you can get a beer or a cocktail to go with your burger, and we’ll have all your favorite sports on the big screens. And remember – you never need tickets to the show to come and have food/hang at the bar/play arcade games.
We have recently seen our eagle friend in West Gloucester, monitoring the nest from nearby. I hope you will appreciate the close up of its talons as I believe it was planning to hunt from its perch. The prey won’t have a chance.
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