GAAC Speaker Friday Night 5/12: Ed Los, Rescuing Valuable Historic Astrophotos

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Michael Deneen's avatarCape Ann Community

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At this month’s GAAC meeting, 8:00 Friday night, May 12, at the Lanesville Community Center, we are thrilled to host Ed Los, a long-term member of the “Digital Access to a Sky Century team at Harvard” (DASCH). Ed will bring us up to date on the project to digitize over 500,000 images of the night sky collected on glass photographic plates between 1885 and 1993.

Halley's_comet_1910Image: Portion of Plate b41215 of Halley’s comet taken on April 21, 1910 from Arequipa, Peru with the 8-inch Bache Doublet, Voigtlander.

These images offer us far more than mere historic value. They have greatly advanced what we know of the composition of stars, their inherent luminosities and distances, and, as a 100-year record of the skies, they are sure to continue to inform our understanding. Already as part of this ongoing project more than 162,000 plates, along with data from a card catalog and 1200…

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HOW TO MAKE A SUPER FUN AND CUDDLY BABY BANDANA QUILT

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

While looking for bandanas to make Charlotte, our baby granddaughter-on-the-way, a bandana baby quilt, I came across wonderfully whimsical animal inspired navy and white bandanas at J.Crew. The elephant bandana has little elephant heads in the corners and the whale bandana has an overall pattern that includes fishes, anchors, and a compass rose. The bandanas are printed on an ultra soft, almost batiste-like quality cotton fabric. Recalling that newborns can mostly only see black and white for the first three months, and that the J.Crew designs are so charming, I abandoned the pink idea and went for blue and white. And, a portion of the sale from the bandanas goes to support wildlife foundations.

Directions

1) Prewash bandanas, cotton batting, and backing fabric. Press.

2) Stitch together the four bandanas. Bandanas are not a woven design and oftentimes are not printed on the square perfectly. You have to fudge it a little and not be too fussy at this stage.

3) Press the bandana quilt top seams flat. Place the quilt top over cotton quilt batting. Pin or baste the batting in place. Trim batting close to quilt top edge.

4) Place quilt top and batting unit on top of cotton backing. Pin or baste through all three layers to keep in place. Trim to neaten edges.

5) Cut 4 bias strips, in desired width, in backing fabric, the length of each edge, plus two inches. I like to cut my bias strips 2 and 7/8 wide inches for binding a quilt. Fold bias strips in half and press.

Continue reading “HOW TO MAKE A SUPER FUN AND CUDDLY BABY BANDANA QUILT” →

PHOTOS FROM THE GLOUCESTER HISTORICAL COMMISSION AWARDS

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

An outstanding group of citizens were recognized today by the Gloucester Historical Commission for their achievements in restoration, preservation, shipbuilding, education, outreach, stewardship, and documentation. Opening remarks were made by Mayor Romeo Theken. Co-chair Mary Ellen Lepoinka introduced the awardees. Congratulations to all the recipients for their great work, with an extra huge shout out to King brothers George and Charles.

The Gloucester Historical Commission are mayoral appointees. Commission members include co-chairs Bob Whitmarsh and Mary Ellen Lepoinka, Jeff Crawford, David Rhinelander (who is recovering from heart surgery and was unable to attend), Sandy Barry, Holly Clay, and Jude Seminara.

The recipients awarded for their stellar contributions to the beautiful community of Gloucester and Cape Ann are as follows:

Joseph Napolitano: Lifetime Achievement as a preservation contractor.

Sarah Dunlap: Lifetime Achievement as volunteer City archivist.

Harold Burnham: Local Preservationist, for his achievements in historic shipbuilding. Harold was unable to attend. His father Charles accepted the award for Harold.

Marietta Delahunt: Stewardship of the historic Sargent-Robinson House.

: Local preservationists, for their work on the Civil War coat.

Mariana Vaida: Rehabilitation and Restoration of 567 Essex Ave. by a preservation architect.

Gloucester Writers Center: Stewardship of the Maud/Olson Library in E. Gloucester.

Bing McGilvray: Education and Outreach, for his work on Cape Ann art history.

Captain Ray Bates: Education and Outreach, for his book on Cape Ann shipwrecks.

Christine & Paul Lundberg: Rehabilitation and Restoration of their Annisquam historic home.

Melanie & Mark Murray-Brown: Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Amos-Rackliffe House. Melanie was unable to attend and daughter Iona took her place.

John & Betty Erkkila: Documentation of Gloucester History, for their book on Lanesville.

George and Charles with friend Robert

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTw8h1MFhmO/

Studio Spring Hours and Half Off Entire Menu Including Sushi

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

For more info- www.studio-restaurant.com

51 Rocky Neck Ave, Gloucester MA
978-879-4896
On Facebook- www.facebook.com/thestudio51

Gloucester’s Katy Geraghty part of Broadway’s Tony Award nominated musical Groundhog Day!

Posted on by Catherine

How exciting to follow news about this stunning vocalist and actress. Not at all surprised to hear that Katy Geraghty is part of a Broadway musical!

from today’s Gloucester Daily Times:

Katy On Broadway
A Gloucester woman is making her Broadway debut in a show that has racked up a number of Tony Award nominations. Katy Geraghty, a 2012 graduate of Gloucester High School and the daughter of city residents Rick and Martha Geraghty*, plays the role of Debbie in the acclaimed musical “Groundhog Day,” which opened April 17 at the August-Wilson Theater on New York’s 52nd Street…Geraghty, also a 2016 graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said she landed the role after being called to audition in March last year. She said she had caught the attention of “Groundhog Day” musical director David Holtzenberg, whose husband, Michael Heitzman, directed Geraghty in North Shore Music Theatre’s 2015 production of “Shrek, the Musical.” “Groundhog Day,” based on the 1993 film that featured Bill Murray, stars Andy Karl, best known for his role in “Legally Blonde,” and has been nominated for a Tony as best musical…

Read the article

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Groundhog Day perform on TODAY show

Today show groundhog day

http://www.today.com/video/watch-the-cast-of-broadway-musical-groundhog-day-perform-live-on-today-930959939988

Katy on Instagram

*Martha Geraghty is a Cape Ann Reads finalist

Katy stepping up to help Cape Ann Big Band raise money for O’Maley Middle School band (from prior post –2min video snippets including classics Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and ‘S Wonderful with vocalist Katy Geraghty) I think we first saw Katy in Once Upon a Mattress