Gloucester Little League would like to remind you that Boudreau Field (front of Stage Fort Park along the end of the boulevard), Rogers, and Wilson Field (two fields at the entrance to O’Malley Middle School) are currently off limits to the public as they are being repaired and maintained for the upcoming Massachusetts State Championship. They ask that between now and the end of July that you kindly keep your children and dogs off the fields. They thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Remember to come on down and enjoy the tournament as well!
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
As you may know, we spent the weekend at our New York house. The night before we returned to Gloucester, a fellow eagle enthusiast and photographer called to invite us over because a young eagle was hanging out in his yard. I don’t need to mention how fast we got in the car to make our way over there. He lives on the Susquehanna River and a nearby tree has an eagle nest which, this year, hosted 2 baby eagles. It’s a rare opportunity to get such a close up look at an eagle that is only several weeks old. It has fledged, but is apparently not entirely ready to be on its own (typical adolescent!).
This youngster wandered around the yard a bit, screeching and awkwardly attempting flight. A parent (we suspect the male) watched from above, occasionally responding with its own screeching. I was surprised by its size.
Due to concerns about its well being, a wildlife specialist was called in. He arrived to capture the bird gently and efficiently by throwing a net over it. It immediately fell onto its back so that the talons could be used in defense as needed. It was placed in an ordinary tote for transport to Cornell for examination and tagging before it is returned to its home turf as soon as possible. What a sight!
Reminder: Fall Cheer tryouts are this week. Athletes must be registered on http://familyid.com prior to trying out. Email astuart@gloucesterschools.com w/any questions.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
The Thursday evening Castle Hill Concerts at the Crane Estate in Ipswich are a very big deal, attended by thousands every summer, and I was hugely honored that The Trustees, who operate the Estate, invited me to emcee this year. But I’m not really an outdoorsy person. I’m known as the “Outsidah” but that’s about being a newcomer to New England, not about hiking Bradley Palmer or kayaking on Hood Pond or even sitting around a campfire. I grew up in the Chicago area, where people stay in buildings. As far as I can tell, humans are meant to exist indoors, where they can keep an eye on their cats. Emceeing the Castle Hill Concerts puts me at risk of encountering insects in their natural habitat, where they have the advantage. Mosquitos owned the Crane Estate first, and as far as they’re concerned, they still do. The idea of fabulous concerts on the Grand Allée is offensive to them. But they are an enterprising species. They make the best of a bad situation by feasting on the blood of the concertgoers. When life gives you humans, make humanade. For many, mosquito bites are simply an annoyance, but in my case, they’re something closer to a crisis. My skin has a wretched allergic reaction to mosquito spit. Other folks get a little pink bump and a few minutes of itching. I get a major red welt, big enough to be seen from New Hampshire, then a week or two of burning itching, during which time my skin — eh, never mind. It’s too gross. Bottom line, mosquitoes for me are agents of torturous evil. So in preparation for emceeing the first concert of the summer, I sprayed myself with DEET. Many insect repellants proudly advertise that they’re DEET-free. I, on the other hand, search for maximum DEET content. You’re not supposed to be able to buy anything that’s more than 30% DEET, but if I could get it pure and unadulterated, I’d buy it by the gallon. Even DEET, however, doesn’t deter greenheads. The greenhead is the official Town Insect of Ipswich. Or if it isn’t, it should be. This vicious variety of horsefly is going after the same blood as a mosquito, but forget that tiny needle-nose strategy. The greenhead chomps its way in. I believe a greenhead thrills to the sound of human screaming. My first night as emcee occurred at the height of greenhead season, between the two full moons of midsummer. So I headed over to Conley’s, the iconic Ipswich drugstore, and stocked up on the only truly effective greenhead repellant, an Avon product called Skin So Soft. The name tells you it wasn’t originally invented as armor, but someone somehow discovered that this smooth, soft oil makes greenheads gag. Conley’s offers you a free spray nozzle so you can turn your bottle of Skin So Soft into a gun. I would have preferred a showerhead, but I took the nozzle and doused myself. By the time the concert began, I was encased in a two-layered oil slick of DEET and Skin So Soft — still nervous about invading the insects’ environs, but determined to do my emcee duty. Of course, if you miss even one little spot, the bugs will find it. I had stopped short of spraying myself directly in the face with these poisons, and before the concert was halfway over, I had a massive glowing red bug bite in the middle of my forehead. At one point I went up to the roof of the Great House, and a passing jetliner changed course. At home afterward, I was eager to de-slime myself. But in the shower I discovered, to my dismay, that the combination of DEET and Skin So Soft forms a compound impervious to soap and water. I recommend a paint scraper or, if that doesn’t work, a blowtorch. See you Thursday night at Castle Hill. I’ll be the guy whose sunglasses keep sliding off because his face is so slippery.
Doug Brendel lives on outer Linebrook Road, about as far from greenhead territory as you can get and still be in Ipswich. Follow him at DougBrendel.com.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens for Sony E This 16 mm wide angle 1.4 aperture lens makes the video look so damn sexy. It is the best money you can spend for the output, dare I say I’d rather have this lens on a 5 year old Sony e-mount camera than the latest Sony e mount camera with the kit lens.
NSAA Artist Demonstration: KT Morse Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 6 PM
11 Pirate’s Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930 Open and free to the public
KT Morse, “Heading South,” oil, 20 x 30, $3,800
North Shore Arts Association (NSAA) is excited to collaborate with the Rocky Neck Cultural District Partners to celebrate art on Cape Ann every Thursday night in July and August for the Cultural Splash between 4 – 8 PM. During Thursday’s extended hours come experience free artist demonstrations starting at 6 PM by extremely talented, well-known artists.
We are excited to welcome NSAA’s award winning artist KT Morse, who is giving an oil painting demo on Thursday, July 22, 2021, at 6 PM. Her paintings reflect strong value and color. She is a master of skies and clouds and has become known for her large skyscapes. Her love of painting plein air continues as she has been selected to participate in many nationally juried events.
KT has been painting primarily in oils for the past eight years and has been accepted as an artist member at the Rockport Art Association, North Shore Art Association, the Hudson Valley Art Association, Lyme Art Association, and the National Association of Women Artists. To see more of her work please go to KT Morse Fine Art.
North Shore Arts Association is located at 11 Pirate’s Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930. For more information about events please call (978) 283-1857 or email arts@nsarts.org. Visiting hours are Wednesday – Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM and Sundays 12 – 4 PM.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
I recently returned to our tradition of seeking out places to enjoy margaritas on Mondays so I can revive my personal Margarita Monday posts. Where better to start than Jalapenos on Main Street? Frozen raspberry is my favorite one there. We also had dinner! Always delicious and friendly at Jalapenos. Where to today? Where’s your favorite?
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
There’s always something eye-catching down at Rocky Neck, so I love to take a stroll around every so often. It’s particularly enjoyable at this time of the year with blooming flowers and green grasses.
Spread The GMG Love By Sharing With These Buttons:
Good Morning Gloucester 