All in a days walk…

Posted on by Bridgette Mathews

Took some time to get outside on Sunday with a walk through the Hamlin Reservation out in Ipswich and then headed up to Salisbury.   The marshes were teaming with egrets having some breakfast and found a greater yellowlegs waking up the world with his squawking.  Later in the day we found a shy little fox kit hanging in the brush….so cute!!   It was a gorgeous day to be outside…although I could have done without all the ticks who decided to follow me home!

Greater yellowlegs squawking in the marsh
Marsh view at Hamlin Reservation

 

 

Lots of egrets enjoying some breakfast  

Shy little Fox kit hiding in the brush.

 

GET YOUR MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS AT THE ANNISQUAM PLANT SALE!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

May 13, 2017 (the Day before Mother’s Day! Find the perfect gift!)
8:00am – 12 Noon
Come early for the best selection!
The Annisquam Exchange Yard
32 Leonard Street, Gloucester MA 01930

Annuals and perennials from local greenhouses plus plants from the gardens of Annisquam

New this year!
Planters ready to go or select your favorite plants and the members of the ASC will plant them in a containers of your choice.

Delicious gourmet foods prepared by the members of the Annisquam Sewing Circle.
The Annisquam Sewing Circle was begun in 1837 as the Annisquam Female Benevolent Society. It is thought to be the oldest continuous independent society of women on Cape Ann.

The Society’s purpose as stated in its Preamble, was “for the performance of acts of benevolence.” Through the years, the Society, and now the Circle, has contributed generously to community programs and to individuals.

The Annual Christmas Fair & Luncheon and the Annual Plant and Gourmet Food Sale raise funds to support scholarships and projects on Cape Ann.

http://www.annisquamsewingcircle.net/
https://www.facebook.com/AnnisquamSewingCircle/

CAPE ANN SYMPHONY PRESENTS SCANDINAVIAN SPECTACULAR

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

CAPE ANN SYMPHONY PRESENTS SCANDINAVIAN SPECTACULAR

On

SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2017

Concert Features CAS Debut of Remarkable Blind Pianist

Yoo Jin Noh

Cape Ann Symphony wraps up the orchestra’s 65th Anniversary Concert Season on Saturday, May 20 at 8 pm with a Scandinavian Spectacular featuring stirring music from Scandinavian composers Carl Nielsen, Jean Sibelius and Edvard Greig and the CAS debut of the extraordinary blind pianist Yoo Jin Noh at the CAS performance venue at Manchester-Essex High School Auditorium on 36 Lincoln Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. Manchester-Essex High School Auditorium is handicapped accessible. The Scandinavian Spectacular concert program features Nielsen’s Symphony No. 1; Sibelius’ Finlandia and piano phenom Yoo Jin Noh performing Greig’s gorgeous Piano Concerto.

According to Cape Ann Symphony Music Director and Conductor Yoichi Udagawa, “When Rockport Music’s David Deveau introduced me to Yoo Jin Noh. I was highly impressed with her ability. She is an extraordinary pianist and musical talent, and we are thrilled to be able to present her to our audiences. The Grieg Piano Concerto is one of the most popular pieces in the repertoire, and Yoo Jin Noh’s singular talent is perfectly suited to the piece. Her performance will be unforgettable! We will also play Sibelius’ ever popular Finlandia.Nielsen’s Symphony No. 1 is not often performed, but is a gorgeous and highly emotional work which I am sure our audiences will love. We will definitely give an introduction of the piece with musical examples at the concert. We are ending our 65th Season on a high note, and are grateful to our ever growing audience for their enthusiastic support.”

Blind at birth, Yoo Jin Noh expressed an interest in music from early childhood, ultimately focusing on the piano at the age of 14. She received both her Bachelor and Master degrees and recently her Graduate Diploma from Boston’s New England Conservatory of Musicwhere she studied with Wha-kyung Byun and Gabriel Chodos. While a student she participated in various NEC events including the All Hands on Haydn Concert, Scriabin Through the Flame and the Orientation Concert for new students at Jordan Hall.

Continue reading “CAPE ANN SYMPHONY PRESENTS SCANDINAVIAN SPECTACULAR” →

Seaside Garden Club Plant Sale and Auction

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

kwillwerth's avatarCape Ann Community

The Seaside Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale and Auction is Tuesday, May 9th at the Manchester Community Center. This event is the Seaside Garden Club’s only fundraiser for the year.  Proceeds help fund their community service projects and programs.

This is a great opportunity to purchase tried and true perennials from the Garden Club Members’ gardens along with garden art and contributions from area businesses including:

  • Mulch (delivered!) from Pallazola Brothers
  • Ryan and Wood Distilleries
  • Neptune Harvest Fertilizers
  • Marshall’s Farm Stand
  • Sea Meadow Gifts and Talbots
  • Seven Central, Shea’s, Windward Grill, Ithaki and many more…
  • Gloucester and Rockport Garden Tour Tickets
  • Any much more…

6 pm – Plant Sale

7 pm – Auction starts

Auction

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A Good Bicyclist Story

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey,

As the nice weather approaches so do the bicyclists that enjoying riding around the island.  We’ve all read the stories in the past regarding the difficulties that this can bring to the riders and us drivers along 127.  There are days when driving downtown from Lanesville can be tricky navigating by the cyclists.   We were recently blessed by one of these bicyclists.  Last week my husband had lost his wallet.  Besides the aggravation of replacing the drivers license and credit cards, he also had cash and a couple of great gift cards to two of our local restaurants.  Over the weekend my husband received a call from a Cambridge, MA resident “Desmond” who had found my husband’s wallet in the middle of 127 during a bike ride with his girlfriend.  My husband met up with him this past weekend and got his wallet back with everything in it!  We’re so happy that they came up for that ride around Gloucester!  Honesty and good will, Thank you Desmond!  He told my husband that he wanted him to call his girlfriend and tell her how much he loves Gloucester because he wants her to move up here someday 🙂   Yeah!

Anonymous 

View from the rigging aboard the Thomas E Lannon 

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

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Aerial view #schoonerlannon #gloucester #sail

A post shared by Schooner Thomas E. Lannon (@schoonerlannon97) on

We are excited to be starting our 21st season sailing out of Seven Sea’s Wharf here n Gloucester on Saturday, May 13th.  On Mother’s Day, Sunday the 14th Mom Sail free with a full fare passenger on our 1:00-3:00 sail.
Also of exciting news, is that the Tall Ships are coming back to Boston in June and we will be right in the middle of all the action! We will be docked at Rowes Wharf in Boston the week of June 17th-22nd operating mostly private charters. Contact our charter coordinator Kiley (kileydavis@schooner.org) if you are interested.  As of right now we only have one public trip scheduled, which is a great one.  Folks can sail down to Boston with us on June 16th and get the chance to see all of the Ships on arrival day.  Tickets for that are just $125/p and more info is available on our website.  We will likely have other public trips but have not finalized that schedule yet.  If people join our VIP list at www.schooner.org we will be sending information about any public trips that way.

—

Thanks,

Heath Ellis
President
Schooner Thomas E. Lannon

 

You asked – we answered! Lots of folks have wanted to join us onboard for a public sail during the Tall Ships Visit – well, we just added one today.

Join us as on Friday, June 16th, as we head to Boston to participate in the Tall Ship’s 2017 celebration. We will depart from Gloucester at 10am and journey to Boston, arriving around 4:00 p.m. The various Tall Ships will be anchored in Boston Harbor and create an amazing sight for our approach. We will then get up close to as many boats as possible for a closer look.
Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Click the below link to book:
http://schooner.org/book-online/

SUPER EXCITING NEWS: PIPING PLOVERS COURTING ON GOOD HARBOR BEACH!!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

The Piping Plovers have returned to nest on Good Harbor Beach. Last night I counted five plovers, and today four!

Above the wrack line, males are creating nest scrapes for females to approve (or disapprove, as is often the case). The gents use their back legs to vigorously dig a slight depression. They then sit in the scrape and beckon to the ladies with a continuous piping call to come inspect the potential nesting site.

Dave Rimmer, Essex County Greenbelt director of land stewardship, this morning installed fencing around a possible nesting area. We are all hoping that the Piping Plovers will quickly establish a nest and the chicks will have hatched before the July 4th crowds descend upon the beach. Dave’s message to everyone enjoying GHB is that if the Plovers are left undisturbed, the chicks will have a far better chance of survival the earlier in the season they hatch. If the nest site is continually disturbed and egg laying is delayed again and again, the Plovers will be here all that much longer.

It’s not easy being a Piping Plover. Rest time between foraging and courting.

The Plovers have traveled many thousands of miles to reach our shores and are both weary from traveling and eager to establish nesting sites.

What can you do to help the Piping Plovers? Here are four simple things we can all do to protect the Plovers.

1) Don’t leave behind or bury trash or food on the beach. All garbage attracts predators such as crows, seagulls, foxes, and coyotes, and all four of these creatures EAT plover eggs and chicks.

2) Do not linger near the Piping Plovers or their nests. Activity around the Plovers also attracts gulls and crows.

3) Respect the fenced off areas that are created to protect the Plovers.

4) If pets are permitted, keep dogs leashed.

The last is the most difficult for folks to understand. Dogs threaten Piping Plovers in many ways and at every stage of their life cycle during breeding season, even the most adorable and well-behaved of pooches.

Dogs love to chase Piping Plovers (and other shorebirds) at the water’s edge. After traveling all those thousand of miles, the birds need sustenance. They are at the shoreline to feed to regain their strength.

Dogs love to chase piping Plovers at the wrack line. Here the birds are establishing where to nest. Plovers are skittish at this stage of breeding and will depart the area when disturbed.

Dogs love to chase Piping Plover chicks, which not only terrifies the adult Plovers and distracts them from minding the babies, but the chicks are easily squished by a dog on the run.

 

Stella and the Red Sox Break Records: Tick Alert

Posted on by paultmorrison

Red Sox score ten runs in the ninth and Stella the dog picks up 24 ticks in one half hour walk! Never done before! Watch out for the tall grass!

Stella as a puppy with no ticks.

Yesterday Stella, Evie and I do a four mile hike in Dogtown, over Pigeon Hill and back. Zero ticks. That is because we stayed out of the grass. Today we did a much shorter hike less than a mile but it was on the Atlantic Path along the shore with tall grass overgrown on the path. These ticks do not have super powers. They do not leap on you. But this time of year they crawl to the top of the blade of grass and hold their front legs out waiting for you to walk by.

If you walk through grass, check yourself as soon as you get back. No big deal if they are still walking around looking for a place to attach. But the sooner you get them the better. Powassan virus is rare but now present in ticks in this area. They are bad news and can transmit the virus far more quickly than Lyme.

ps. If you want a vaccine please advocate for full funding of NIH.

Hats for the Kentucky Derby

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Rick and I went to a party at the a friend’s house near Wingaersheek Beach on Saturday night. So much fun.

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Congrats to the Cape Ann Sharks 4 x 50 relay teams

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Cape Ann Special Olympics Rocked the 4 x 50 Relay on Saturday. Congratulations ..

Cape Ann Sharks 4×50 relay teams both bring home the GOLD with impressive times! Relay 1, Meghan, Matt, Alexandra and Kyle finished first in pool 3:05.40. Shark relay 2 Gabby, Caitlin, Noah and Christina on their heels with at 3:19.70. Relays swam in two divisions and both won Gold medals. The third place team posted at 4:45.41. Sharks rocked the relay!!