My View of Life on the Dock
From the Urban Dictionary;
To pay a price that you deem high or unfair, but failing to pay the price often results in dire consequences.
Based on the story of the Pied Piper, who removed the rats from a town, and when not paid, he took their children instead!
click photo for music info
More Cape Ann Wellness News –
http://www.capeannwellness.com
Gloucester Crossings Market Basket Managers set up a display of St. Joseph Feast Key Ingredients at the Main Entrance! A special thank you to all the store managers for including my St. Joseph Pasta recipe in their display again this year and for their outstanding customer service and support they show towards our communities Feast of St. Joseph Tradition!
Viva San Gisueppe!
As Rick and I were walking the breakwater on Sunday, saw this sign. How romantic..
So many people ask me “what camera and lens do you use?” or “What settings did you use on that photo?”. I’m always happy to tell everyone I use a Nikon D610 full frame camera and my everyday lens is a 28-300, but telling people what you use is like a carpenter telling someone I used a stanley hammer and nails. The equipment doesn’t get you very far if you don’t hone your craft. A carpenter becomes a craftsman after absorbing and practicing as much as he can about the art of carpentry. Same goes for Photography. Whether you want to take up photography as a business or just as a “photo hobbyist ” (as I like to call myself), you need to put the time in behind the camera until everything about that camera becomes second nature to you. When I got my first camera I stopped at Hunts in Melrose at their annual camera show and spoke to a very enthusiastic Don Toothaker. Don and Robert Ring of New England Photo Workshops run some awesome Photography Workshops all over New England. If you want to hone your skills of photography, they are the guys to do it with. I’ve had some great experiences with Bob and Don, visiting places around New England that I probably wouldn’t venture to on my own. They love what they do and willing to share their vast experience, whether you’ve just taken the camera out of the box or have been shooting for years, they have a wealth of knowledge for all skill levels. The above photo was taken on Cape Ann a few years back on Half Moon Beach in Gloucester at on one of their Workshops. Why would I take a Workshop on Cape Ann since I live here? You’d be surprised what you aren’t “seeing” when you look through a lens. I used to just look at the beach as a whole…now I look at the flow of the water, the shadows of the sand, the uniqueness of the scene. That’s something you can’t get with buying the best equipment. Bob and Don at NEPW happen to be running another one-day Cape Ann Workshop next month and have many other awesome Workshops lined up this year, so check them out if you are looking to hone your craft!
Six ten minute plays written by 6 local playwrights who are participants in M. Lynda Robinson’s workshop at the Gloucester Writers Center will be given a Staged Reading performed by professional actors at the Cultural Center of Rocky Neck on Sunday, March 20, at 5pm with a reception to follow. The Audience is encouraged to participate with feedback which will be given to each playwright. The six playwrights are Cape Ann’s: Linda Finigan, Carole Frohlich,, Steven A. Levy, Nick Neyeloff, Rory O’Connor, and M. Lynda Robinson. The actors include David McCaleb, David Adams, Debbe Lewis, Tess Deegan, Phil Thompson, and Rebecca Lerman.
The GWC welcomes this opportunity to bring together writers and audience as a community event. The writers and professional local actors, with Lynda’s direction, will present a lively show and are looking forward to response and feedback from the audience as part of developing their works from page to stage. Providing a space in the community for voices to be heard through writing, dialogue, and the artistic process is a big part of the GWC’s mission.
Suggested donation for the event is $10, $5 for students, and no one turned away for lack of funds.
Part of last nights Novena Prayer Group
The Dinning Room Table…The place where Novena history is made. Each night everyone gathers around the dinning room table for Espresso and Freshly baked sweet confections. We laugh, we cry and reminisce of St. Joseph Novena’s of our past. The beauty of our Altar is that it has drawn people together from several different families who like me grew up with this tradition from a very young age. The priceless stories shared about sitting on the floor in front of our families altars surrounded by dozens of cousins, listing to our grandparents parents, aunts and great aunts beautiful voices are all memories we cherish deeply. The stories have been shared many of times and they never seem to get old. Each and everyone one of us vividly remember learning how to recite the Sicilian St. Joseph Rosary, and sing all the Sicilian Novena Songs, at a very young age. To this day like we did as kids find ourselves singing the songs and prayers in our heads over and over during this time of year. Many of us never knew their was an English Rosary until we started Sunday School.
Tanya Frost and Cousin Eleanor Tucker
Continue reading “A Powerful Evening of Prayer @Sista Felicia’s Night 4 2016 St. Joseph Novena”
Kate representing the 01930 In Cozumel (Get the shirt at Pop Gallery)
At its meeting of March 3, 2016, the Gloucester Board of Health voted unanimously to change the minimum age for the purchase of tobacco and nicotine products in the community from 18 years old to 21. In doing so, Gloucester becomes the 100th community in Massachusetts to raise the age for the purchasing for tobacco and nicotine products.
Discussion regarding the possibility of raising the purchase age began at the Board of Health meeting of November 2015 when Board members asked then Health Director, Noreen Burke, to invite Joyce Redford, director of the North Shore/Cape Ann Tobacco Control Program, to inform the Board on the issue.
Ms. Redford appeared before the Board at their meeting of January 7, 2016 and presented information including other area communities, such as Salem, Saugus, Swampscott, Danvers, and Peabody, had recently raised their purchase age to 21, as had Boston. Nearly 42% of the population in Massachusetts live in communities where the purchase age for tobacco and nicotine delivery products is now 21.
A March 2015 report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies stated that “…the committee concludes that raising the minimum age of legal access to tobacco products in the United States, particularly to ages 21 and 25, will likely lead to a substantial reduction in smoking prevalence. If the MLA (minimum legal age) were raised now, the models projected that by the time today’s teenagers were adults, there would be a 3 percent decrease in prevalence of tobacco use among those adults if the MLA were raised to 19, a 12 percent decrease if raised to 21…”
The Board then set a public hearing for its meeting of February 4, 2016 to discuss changing its tobacco regulation to include raising the minimum purchase age to 21 years, as well as requesting restaurants that have outdoor seating areas where smoking is permissible, post a sign stating whether or not they allow patrons to smoke in those areas.
The 32 businesses holding tobacco permits with the Health Department, as well as restaurants with outdoor seating, were sent a notification of the hearing by mail.
After discussion, review of information and public comment, the Board closed its hearing on the matter and voted on adoption of the proposed changes at its meeting of March 3rd.
“This is an important step in our efforts to prevent teens from starting to smoke,” said Rich Sagall, MD, chair of the Board of Health. “Gloucester is joining many other communities, both in Massachusetts and around the country, in limiting teenagers access to tobacco products.”
Enforcement of the new minimum age limit will begin June 1, 2016. A notice will be sent to all businesses notifying them of the changes in the regulations, with copies being available at the Health Department and the Department’s page of the City website:
http://www.gloucester-ma.gov/index.aspx?nid=183
I may have lied… Forgive me… and allow me to explain.
First of all, let me throw it out there, that I’m not proud about the mixed emotions that I’m feeling right now. But, the struggle is kind of real.
Last year, at this exact same time (only a mere two days apart) I sat down and composed a blog post entitled “Proud Mom Moment” (read it here, if you’d like). It detailed the adorable and amazing little journey that Thatcher’s hockey team experienced on their way to a fantastic Championship title. I was crazy proud and ridiculously emotional about it. I tried to capture the magic for you all so you could enjoy the ride.
Somewhere in the post I wrote the words, “PLEASE don’t get me wrong….losses would have been fun to watch too” ….and now, I fear, I may have lied. Because…yesterday, when they were down and didn’t come back….it wasn’t actually that much fun to watch after all.
Before you hate….let me explain.
This little team are winners. Every little thing about them screams Winners. And, guess what? As they yawn, roll over, stretch, rub their eyes, and drag their tired little bottoms out of bed right about now, at this very minute, after a 2nd place season’s end, they are still winners! And that I mean, for sure!
Yesterday, when down 0-3, Finn came up to me as I was taking photos…with giant tears in his eyes….and said, “We’re losing.” Finn worships his brother and his brothers’ team + teammates. Without a second’s hesitation I leaned down and said, “Don’t worry, Finn. This team doesn’t lose. They may be down right now. But, they don’t lose.” And, I meant it. This amazing little team had gone a full calendar year without a loss before finally falling to an opponent way back in November. While they suffered a couple of early losses this season, they then rallied and regained a very impressive winning streak. A streak so awesome, actually, that yesterday was their first full-ice loss…EVER…in two whole years. USA Hockey dictates that Mite level teams skate 1/2 ice games October-December and then full-ice games for the rest of the season. This unbelievable group of kids had won every single full-ice game they have played over the course of two full seasons…until yesterday.
So, down…in a very reminiscent fashion to last year’s championship…they managed to come back a bit. 2-3 in the 3rd period, I was still certain they’d tie it up. And, I was certain, that once it was tied…they’d go on to win easily. Because that’s what, after all, they do. But, they didn’t. Man, they tried hard. And, they tried hard again and again, but they just couldn’t. And, in the end, when that buzzer sounded, I was immediately surprised by my own disappointment. And…that…is what I mean by “the struggle is kind of real.”
See, this little group of skaters has become like family. They adore each other! And, after having been together for 2 seasons (with only a couple of new additions…who we feel like have been teammates since Day #1), the team will now get split up. They’ll head to the Squirts….and be distributed to three different teams. They’ll love their new teams…and they’ll continue to love hockey….and new magic will be created for sure, but..as the saying goes…you only have one true first love. And, this team, was theirs.
So, when I say it wasn’t fun to watch, I swear I don’t mean that in some over-the-top-winning-crazed-mother way. I mean it in a I-really-wanted-one-last-victory-for-them kind of way. I promise…yet, I’m still not proud.
They, thank goodness, showed grace and dignity. They had a phenomenal season, lots of laughs, leaned on each other, lifted each other up, and showed us all what it means to be a team…in the truest sense of the word. I am so proud of them! Each and every one of them. And, they should be SO proud of themselves!
I would be remiss not to mention that Cape Ann Youth Hockey is a tremendous program full of so many amazing teams. In fact, at just the Mite level alone, all three teams…Mite 1, Mite 2, and Mite 3….finished their seasons in 1st place. While Mite 1 and Mite 2 fell an itty bitty bit short yesterday, Mite 3 went on to win their Championship. So, a HUGE congratulations to them!!!!
The Best Day!
Nina and daughter Enza
From beginning to end, the pasta-making team is well cared for. When you arrive, Nina and friends have fresh bread baking in the oven and large vats of homemade ricotta steaming on the stove top. The friendships, the fun and conversation, and especially enjoyable is observing how greatly the children love to participate. From the oldest grannies to the teens, tweens, toddlers, and everyone in-between, making pasta with friends and family makes for a simply wonderful day!
Tower of Pasta Power!
Resident Photo Bomber Leo
If you would like to learn more about Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Community Film and the accurate account of how the project evolved, please go to the film’s website and click on the About the Film link and the Director’s Statement link. For periodic updates about the film, you can keep in touch on the blog page of the film’s website or friend me on Facebook.
Continue reading “SAINT JOSEPH PASTA MAKING WITH THE GROPPO FAMILY AND FRIENDS”
Portuguese Hill of course. A Story that has it ALL – War, Love, Italy, Portuguese and a Wedding Dress made from a parachute.
The link to this story (Written By Gary R. Mormino, Special to the Tampa Bay Times) is about two people connected by a war, from two different places, one from the mid-west the other, from right here in Gloucester.
Click here to Link to the Story or copy the following url:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/perspective/the-birth-of-a-boom/2230741
(This story is also a tribute to Eugene’s mother Gertrude, who was a very special lady helping my family when we first arrived here in the US in March of 1954)
Last night Charlene Delaney gifted our St. Joseph Altar two beautiful Mexican Tin Milagros. I had never seen or heard of them piror to last night, and was incredibly touched to be the recipient of such a special gift after learning that they were purchased by her late husband during their last trip together in Mexico. Charlene explained that Milagros are a folk charm offered to a saint as a reminder of a petitioners particular need or in gratitude for a prayer answered. They couldn’t be more fitting for our Altar this year.
Charlene Thank you so much. I’m truly touched by your thoughtfulness. The Milagros are absolutely beautiful and are perfect additions to “Our Altar.” Please know, that I will treasure them forever! We are all thrilled to have you here with us celebrating St.Joseph this year!
My Beautiful Daughter Amanda
People might think that Moses went up onto Mount Sinai, met and talked with God for a while, and He gave him the Ten Commandments. In fact, Moses spent forty days and forty nights fasting on the mountain before receiving the inscribed tablets. It took another forty years for him to receive and complete the Torah, the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exedus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), upon which Jewish law is based.
People who do not spend time with God and haven’t heard or don’t realize they have heard His voice find it strange or unbelievable that others do hear Him. God’s voice is at once a quiet and thunderous noise that there is no mistaking when you hear it, but you have to be focused on Him to really hear Him. Just like with another person; if you are talking to someone and their mind is a million miles away on some other matter, they don’t hear you. There is nothing wrong with their ears, but their mind is somewhere else. It is the same with us and God. He loves us more than we can imagine and is always talking to us; we’re just not listening to Him.
Exodus 31:18
“When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant law, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.”
To refresh your memory, this is the short form list of the Ten Commandments. In actuality, the laws were not given for us to struggle to try to live up to, which is impossible, but to show us where we in our humanness miss the mark. Jesus said in Matthew 22:36-40: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, Love others as much as you love yourself. All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophets are based on these two commandments.” If we truly lived by them, all the others would be automatic. Unfortunately, we can’t, and that is why Jesus came, not to abolish the law, but to the fufill it on our behalf, so that we might be redeemed. Matthew 5:17: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
1.You shall have no other gods before Me. (In addition to gods or godesses such as Zeus, Jupiter, Venus, Ra, etc., it also refers to worship of living or deceased people, money, possessions, etc. – anything that takes your devotion away from God and places it elsewhere.)
2.You shall not make idols. (An image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed.)
3.You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain. (Because of the greatness of the name of God, any use of God’s name that brings dishonor on Him or on His character is taking His name in vain.)
4.Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (One day to rest from work and focus our attention on God.)
5.Honor your father and your mother. (Give respect and place importance on them.)
6.You shall not murder. (Most people think they are good on this one, but many are not. To God, who does not view our actions, but what is in our hearts, many of us have murdered. I know I have killed more than one person in my heart and mind in my lifetime. God defines murder as any thought or feeling of deep-seated hatred or malice against another person. In other words, it is more than just a physical act that constitutes murder to God, who tells us that “everyone who hates his brother is a murderer …” (1 John 3:15). When we harbor hatred in our hearts for another, we have committed the sin of murder in God’s eyes. Disdain towards another person (or people) never has to be demonstrated outwardly because God looks upon the heart for the truth.
7.You shall not commit adultery. (Same as murder, it is what is in the heart, not the action. “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman (or man) with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her (or him) in his (or her) heart.
8.You shall not steal. (This includes the obvious straight out stealing, but also cheating, and things like taking care of personal business on company time.)
9.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (This includes someone who testifies falsely against another, someone who gossips or causes trouble, and false teachers.)
10.You shall not covet (desire) your neighbor’s wife or husband, his house, land, car, job, boat, money, etc. (updated for today, as most people wouldn’t be coveting someone else’s donkey, ox, man or maid servant in this time, at least not in the US).
E.J. Lefavour
Good Morning Gloucester 