I received a lovely note from FOB David Collins a few days ago which he graciously permitted me to share. It seems Jessica Linquata’s Wilkins suggestion that we “Light it Up for Easter” has spread to Florida!
Here’s what David had to say:
Jessica Linquata Wilkins wrote Joey about the possibility of people lighting their houses for Easter like it was Christmas and as an equally nice something-to-see for families on evening walks and neighborhood drive activities together during the Covid-19 era.
I really liked that the idea, a kind of positive and uplifting thing in an otherwise negative time, so here is what I put together for my house (even though I live in Florida now after an adult life working in Connecticut – but my heart is still in Gloucester – always.)
I will start lighting them tonight so I will be with you who also do so up there in spirit. (I took a picture of them in daylight because it is cloudy here today and my camera is lousy with night shots.)
The star in the window is the same one that used to be on the outside our house on Stage Fort Avenue (the house now on Anchor Lane with the 3 windows that look out over the baseball field – the star was centered over the windows) back in the 1950’s at Christmas time but my father used orange lights then. I put it up now at Christmas with red, green and white lights and on the 4th of July with red, white and blue. I display it indoors these days because it is made of wood with funky wiring and is about 65 years old. I figure it has had enough weather abuse. The star was made by our family friend Bill DeCoste. I believe some of his relatives still live in Gloucester.
And this all ties together (for me anyway) because Bill and Hester DeCoste and Bev Low’s grandparents, Don and Aune Gray, and my parents, Millard and Mae Collins, used to do almost everything together – ballroom dance, play canasta, go beaching at Wingaersheek. They even went on vacations together to New Hampshire. All such great people who had a lot of fun together. Again, something positive to think back on in these not-so-positive times right now.
I sincerely thank David for sharing a little bit of Gloucester history wit hour readers and for his efforts to join in the “Light it Up for Easter” campaign.
Good Morning Gloucester 