Blackburn Challenge Big GMG Reveal is 2:30 PM Thursday!!

Posted on by paultmorrison

The Cape Ann Rowing Club will be meeting with the Coast Guard tonight to work out the logistics of Saturday’s Blackburn Challenge Race. It looks to be perfect tide, and perfect weather. Hot.

Tomorrow GMG will post info about how you as a spectator can follow your favorite contestants. Go to RaceJoy and download the app to your smart iPhone or Android device. We will publish all RaceJoy Bib numbers of contestants tomorrow. Punch in the bib number, follow your paddler. Want to practice? Rubber Duck is bib number 40.

Start at the high school, gun goes off north of the railroad bridge, paddle down the river and then start taking right turns until you go all the way around and into Gloucester Harbor to the Greasy Pole Finish line. Simple.
Start at the high school, gun goes off north of the railroad bridge, paddle down the river and then start taking right turns until you go all the way around and into Gloucester Harbor to the Greasy Pole Finish line. Simple.

You might still be able to register for the race but do it now. Click here.

What we know currently:

  1. You will not be able to follow RaceJoy from a computer. Cool. Get out of your house with your phone, stop following Pokemon and follow real paddlers.
  2. Bib numbers. Check the bib numbers tomorrow, Thursday, to see who you want to track.
  3. Find “Blackburn Challenge” under Massachusetts in the RaceJoy app.
  4. More info tomorrow.

Contestants: Be Safe. Mandatory on your craft, PFD, Noisemaker, Map. It’s going to be hot. Make sure you bring water and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Gloucester and Fiesta at Peabody Essex Museum

Posted on by Catherine

As I frequent museums and collections for work,  and Gloucester art abounds, I suffer bouts of ‘Gloucester acquisition affliction’ . Relative newcomers at PEM include a St. Peter Fiesta scene by Gifford Beal and one of Portuguese Hill by Olga Itasca Sears.  As much as I am fond of PEM– and I mean no disrespect to this august institution– I sorely wish the Cape Ann Museum had received the art or funds for acquisition. There are few major historic paintings of Gloucester (and the greater region) which remain in private hands. They include works by Winslow Homer and Edward Hopper. I’m trying.

While at PEM for special exhibits, I often check the permanent installation. Are the Frank Benson works and Norman Rockwell on view?  Check. I make a point to spend time in front of the Philip Reisman 1951 Tuna Shed, another Gloucester painting and one that Wicked Tuna fans may like to scrutinize.  Reisman was a masterful, versatile painter, and a smart gentle man. I was lucky to know and work with him. The Cape Ann Museum has examples of his Gloucester paintings in their collection and a binder of slides, photographs he took, many Fiesta. I remember labeling some.

I paused more than I ever have at the John Trumbull portrait of Alexander Hamilton. (Hmm. Have museums tagged works representing Alexander Hamilton? It would be a mastery of quick edits matched up to the Lin Manuel Miranda song.)

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GIFFORD BEAL (1879-1956), Fiesta of Saint Peter, Gloucester, c.1930                                              Oil on masonite, Gift of the family of Gifford Beal, 2006. Peabody Essex Museum.
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OLGA ITASCA SEARS (1906-1990). Portuguese Hill, Gloucester. ca.1950s. Oil on canvas. The Sheila W. And Samuel M. Robbins Collection. Peabody Essex Museum. (2015 acquisition)
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PHILIP REISMAN, Tuna Shed, 1951, oil on masonite. Gift of Louise K. Reisman. Peabody Essex Museum.

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#Hamilton, @ Lin_Manuel, #PEM                                                                                                     John Turnbull, Portrait of Alexander Hamilton, 1792, oil on canvas, gift of George A Ward, 1918, collection Peabody Essex Museum

I am looking forward to the upcoming Childe Hassam show opening July 16th at PEM. I went to see the Rodin exhibit.

Continue reading “Gloucester and Fiesta at Peabody Essex Museum” →

July 23 make way for makers

Posted on by Catherine

Clever poster. Saturday July 23 Boston Mini Maker Faire at the Boston Children’s Museum by the Hood milk bottle. From the release:

Meet the teams and machines from ABC’s Battlebots. Say hello to R2D2 and BB8. Explore Japanese weaving and woodworking. See 3D printers in action. And most of all, come make something amazing yourself! With 80 Makers and performers at the Boston Mini Maker Faire, you are sure to find a world of inspiration and wonder.Boston’s first official Maker Faire will take place on Fort Point Channel, in front of Boston Children’s Museum, on July 23, 2016.

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BEE SWARM AT CAPE POND ICE!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

It’s that time of year when bee swarms occur. City Councilor Scott Memhard shares photos from a bee swarm at Cape Pond Ice. More photos and complete coverage tonight at 6pm!IMG_3130

Please leave a comment in the comment section if you are interested in removing the bee swarm.

From the Essex Count Beekeepers Association website:

Honeybee Swarm Information

If you have a swarm, you may call us, however please read below and make sure they are HONEY BEES first and not something else. We are not exterminators!
If you have a swarm, please call one of the contacts below right away, an email through ‘ecba contact’ will result in a delayed response.

SWARMS

Swarming is part of the natural reproductive life cycle of honey bees. The swarming season in Massachusetts usually begins in June and can last through August. Warmer weather, combined with an abundance of nectar and pollen stimulate the colony to increase in population. This causes over-crowding which prompts some bees to swarm so they can reproduce. Swarms usually emerge from the colonies between 10:00am and 2:00pm on warm sunny days. The old queen together with about half of the bees from the colony, leave the hive and cluster on a nearby object such as a fence or a small shrub. The swarm may remain for a few hours or one to two days while scout bees search for a permanent nesting site. Once found, the swarm will move to this site and establish a new colony. Bee swarms are NOT normally aggressive because they are gorged full of honey and homeless, which reduces their defensive behavior. A swarm will become increasingly defensive, if provoked, the longer it remains in a given location. In the original colony, a new queen emerges and continues to maintain the parent colony.

Below you will find a list of Essex County Beekeepers Association members that are willing to assist in the removal of swarms, answer bee related questions or point you in a direction to help resolve any bee related issue you may have. Beekeepers are listed by town for the general geographical area they are willing to respond to.

Please be aware that in some instances the physical location of the swarm may present challenges. For example, if a swarm is too high in a tree, retrieval may not be a reasonable or safe option. Swarms located in structures or otherwise concealed may require the skills of qualified craftsmen to dismantle and rebuild portions of that structure. The manpower and equipment necessary to complete this type of retrieval is an expense that the property owner is expected to bear.

 

Muffin and a View

Posted on by Nichole S.

If someone were to ask me what my favorites foods are, I’d have to say a really good cheese, sushi, a perfectly ripe watermelon, a delicious piece of fish, and the cranberry nut muffin from Helmut’s Strudel in Rockport.

So, as often as possible, I steal away solo or with the boys (who worship at the altar of the raspberry cream croissant) and grab a quick treat at Helmut’s on “the Neck.”

Last week, Finn and I enjoyed a quick muffin and croissant on our own….only to be interrupted (happily) by Thatcher who arrived on his bike on the way to his early morning sailing lesson.

Monday, prior to heading off to work for a few hours, I hit Helmut’s on my own and ate my muffin at the end of the new Rockport Breakwater.  A great way to organize my thoughts and do some strategizing before leaving town to start my day.

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Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team Update

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns
Rick Roth writes,
Nice snake show at the Hamilton Wenham Library last week.  Thanks to our volunteers: Keith Bertone, Colleen Andersona and Lorraine Der for a great job.  And thanks to Lorraine for inviting us.  Check for photies on the Cape Ann
Vernal Pond Team facebook page.Friday  July 15, 2016  12:30- 3:30pm
Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Perkins Row, Topsfield MA
We will do two Intro to Vernal Ponds programs for kids 7-12 years old.  Video critters and likely a brief field trip to one of their vernal ponds.  We’ll need a volunteer or two.

Last month, Evilyn, the white-lipped python, and Skeletor’s girlfriend, laid eggs.  Looks like 6 or 7.  They are in the incubator at 85 degrees F. and quite humid.  We got two babies from one of our ribbon snakes.  They are live born.  And our garter snake had 12 babies.  Also live born.  On July 7th our Honduran milksnake laid 3 eggs.  Today, our albino Nelson’s milksnake laid seven eggs.  Whew.

I know you’re all saving the date for:

CAVPT Benefit Concert/Auction with Charlie Farren all acoustic show. He’s really a talented musician, fun and dynamic performer.  Local musician, Satch Kerans will open the show.  Rick Roth, from Littleton MA will be there with some of his cool critters.  He’s the guy that was at our concert last year.  And Gloucester Rick Roth (that’s me) will be there with some critters as well.  There will be some auction/raffle action.  This is going to be a great show.  Its also a benefit for CAVPT so we need all of you to come out and support us and bring your friends.  Gonna be fun.
Friday September 9, 2016  7-11pm at Mile Marker one in Gloucester.
We need sponsorships for this show… so, if you know somebody… or you are somebody who would like to sponsor us for this event, please get in touch.It has come to my attention that some people have been responding to these listserv emails, and they are not getting to me. So… if you want to get in touch, please send an email to me at cavpt@yahoo.com

I  keep leaving this in here because nobody keeps responding to it.  Someone out there must know something about listservs.  Please get in touch.  People are telling me they are not getting these listserv emails.  We had this other listsev before and the same thing happened after a while so we got a new listserv (this one) and now its happening all over again.  Anybody out there know anything about listservs who might be able to help get this straightened out?  It is certainly our most important form of communication for notifying the team about events and stuff.

Later,  Rick

we only have one earth, save it

PLAYTIME STORIES CONTINUES WITH DR. SEUSS DAY

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

AT GLOUCESTER STAGE COMPANY ON SATURDAY, JULY 16

Live Theater Performances and Activities for Young Audience Members Age 2 and Older

Gloucester Stage Company proudly continues Playtime Stories, an engaging combination of children’s stories, live performances and activities for ages 2 and older, on Saturday, July 16 at 10 am at Gloucester Stage, 267, East Main Street, Gloucester. Playtime Stories offers young children the unique opportunity to experience the fun and magic of live theater as they watch their favorite books come to life onstage. Following the performance audience members will be invited to join the Playtime Stories Company in fun and interactive workshops relating to the story. Each Saturday the Playtime Stories Company, consisting of members of Gloucester Stage’s apprentice company, veteran Youth Acting Workshop students and special guest narrators will perform a children’s story against the backdrop of the story’s illustrations as well as create a dynamic weekly series of interactive events related to the story. Each week Playtime Stories explores different stories ranging from classic fairy tales to new stories to works by local authors. The books for included for July 16: Dr. Seuss Day: What Pet Should I Get?; The Cat in the Hat and The Lorax; July 23: Virginia Lee Burton Day: Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Little House; July 30 :  Rumpelstiltskin and Where the Wild Things Are.  All Playtime Story performances are held at 10 am at Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA. Admission is $5. For more information, call the Gloucester Stage Box Office at 978-281-4433 or visitwww.gloucesterstage.com

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2 Pizzas for $10 During Outdoor Movies!

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

More Cape Ann Dining News – http://www.capeanneats.com

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Gloucester’s free outdoor movie series kicks off tomorrow night with Grease – and to celebrate you can get TWO Cheese Pizzas for just $10 from Minglewood Tavern.
Yes, just $10 for two cheese pizzas, perfect for sharing while you watch the show. This offer is good every Wednesday night during the outdoor movie series.
Best of all, you can easily grab it on your way, or take a quick walk over while you wait for the movie to start. Just call 978.281.0223 for take out.
Summer Cinema Series

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Coast Guard medevacs fisherman after dogfish bite off Gloucester 

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

 

This week Cape Ann Reads: Backyard Growers story hour and TOHP Ocean in a Bottle and more

Posted on by Catherine

Check out Cape Ann Reads snazzy new website header designed by Ashley Curcuru with the Teen Artist Guild instructors at the Hive, part of the illustrious Cape Ann Art Haven art center. Ashley did the seagull logo for the newly named, Gulliver!

Cape Ann Reads Book 2

 

Cape Ann Reads programs in July:

THIS WEEK: The first ever story hour at Backyard Growers on Thursday at 10am!

Cape Ann REads backyard growers event

THIS WEEK: Ocean in a Bottle at TOHP Burnham library (15 people have already signed up!) on Friday 2pm. Who knows what the initials stand for- TOHP?

NEXT WEEK

Wednesday July 20: If you’d like help writing your original Cape Ann Reads picture book entry, Amanda Cook from the Writer’s Center leads this monthly workshop.

Thursday July 21st Cape Ann Reads at the Cape Ann Farmer’s Market. Sawyer Free Library Children’s Department will be hosting a pop up library. Cape Ann Art Haven will be on hand! Breaking news: Cape Ann Art Haven has added middle school Open Studio drop in hours Monday-Thursday from 3:30-5pm ($10 drop in class), enter at the 180 Main Street address. You can see their new screen printed t-shirt and apron PRODUCE ART. Awesome!

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Visit Cape Ann Reads programs page to read more about the programs, which are free unless otherwise noted. Cape Ann Reads is on James GMG calendar, too!

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It’s a colourful day at work

Posted on by capeannpainter

My favorite part of my job is matching customers color requirements.

Today PMS 299c is the color of the day.

Had to add a little fried egg to get the match and it worked.

Beach day! How to pack light: Good Harbor Beach new cushy recliners, and lemonade!

Posted on by Catherine

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Sun, surf, squeaky sand, Salt Island, wildlife- Good Harbor Beach has so much character and here’s something new you may want to try. The concession rents chaise lounges with comfy cushions ($18) and umbrellas ($15) as a full-service amenity. They will carry it to your spot. They will set it up. All through? They will pick up.  (Within reason–it’s not a challenge.)  Most people have already arrived with their chairs and may not know this perk is an option. If you are in need of a super extra relaxing treat or a lighter gear lug– it’s good to know before you go.

Chris, Nick and Jonathan were setting up the slush carts for the day. Watermelon is the 2016 crowd favorite. Note the new wheels. My favorite slush is at Virgilios, but we like Richies, too. I’m told BLT ($7.25) is a popular sandwich order this summer at the concession stand (middle of the beach). The Good Harbor Beach Hotel snack bar at the end of the beach has great sandwiches, too (no restroom).

Breaking news: Dan ordered wheels and is building a beach cart to offer…

fresh squeezed lemonade.

Look for that rolling by your towel –or chaise –in the near future. Please carry in, carry out, and if a trash container is temporarily full, carry home.

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City of Gloucester beaches is on Facebook–the City is not in charge of the concession stand.