Good Morning Gloucester

MAY 14, 2024 BY PRATTBRANDON

Owning your first home isn’t just a dream

First-time homebuyers can get up to $5,250* in down payment assistance with CCM Smart Start. That could mean you won’t need cash for your down payment, and that means less stress today and more money to build your future.

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6-minute read

Low-maintenance curb appeal ideas

Spruce up your home without breaking the bank. We’ve got do’s, don’ts, and way cool ideas to make your home more appealing right now, and for buyers in the future. From house numbers to front door paint, pavers to mulch, a little work will make you proud.

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3-minute read

Opening doors for first-time homebuyers

Are you thinking about buying a home, but have a lot of questions? Maybe the whole financing and buying process looks overwhelming. Help is at hand. Come to our first-time homebuyer hub. We’ve got the answers you need to get from never to now. 

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Have questions or need more information?CONTACT ME

Brandon Pratt

VP of Mortgage Lending / Loan Originator

M 617.688.6891

D 617-688-6891

W northshorehomeloans.com

E brandon.pratt@ccm.com

I am pretty well addicted to the Essex Greenbelt Osprey Cam to follow the development of the nest for the osprey nicknamed Annie and Squam. They return to the LobstaLand nest each year and provide insight to bird life through the web cam provided. David Rimmer provides occasional updates on their progress. This year it appears there are two eggs and we might expect to see the hatchlings in early June (if my math is correct). In the meantime, I watch the osprey cam. This time I got to observe a “changing of the guard”. If you look very carefully inside the nest, you can see one of the eggs. Thank you David, Essex Greenbelt and the army of volunteers!

MAY 7, 2024 ~ BACKYARDGROWERSGLOUCESTER

Follow our friends and book at https://www.sailanejo.com/

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You Are Here…

Special shout out to Linda and Sage Floral on Main St. for helping GMG Jim get just the right arrangement to celebrate Mother’s Day! It’s beautiful and I appreciate the personal touch Linda put on the project. The colors are gorgeous and it’s such a treat to have a fresh arrangement in the house.

MAY 13, 2024 ~ SAWYER FREE LIBRARY

As part of its Gloucester Genealogy Group Series, the Sawyer Free Library will present “Using DNA in Family History Research” on Thursday, May 16 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

This lecture by Senior Genealogist, Melanie McComb, will introduce participants to the value and use of DNA in family history research. Basic DNA principles, types of tests, testing companies and key terminology will be introduced. Discussion includes interpreting your results and evaluating the matches found by the testing company. Organizing your results will also be covered. 

Melanie McComb, Senior Genealogist at American Ancestors, assists library visitors, both on-site and online, with their family history research. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics. Melanie holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York at Oswego. She previously served as the social media coordinator for the NextGen Genealogy Network, a non-profit that creates a community for younger genealogists, where she managed the Facebook and Twitter accounts. She continues her interest in helping younger genealogists get involved at American Ancestors by assisting with educational programs from local schools, scout groups, and universities. Her areas of expertise include Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.

This special event will take place at the Sawyer Free Library located at 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester. Registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. 

For more information or questions, email jtravers@sawyerfreelibrary.org or call 978-325-5500.

Passing Fancy…

There are two weeks left to apply for North Shore Arts Association’s 3rd annual regional juried show Exhibit New England 2024! The show will run from June 29 – July 27, 2024, with over $7,000 in Awards. This OPEN CALL applies to all artists in the New England area. The DEADLINE to apply is May 25 by 11:59 PM. To apply please check out the link below:

https://client.smarterentry.com/nsarts

Juried for selection and awards by Chris Williams and Masako Kamiya. SAVE THE DATE! Join us for the reception & Awards Ceremony, featuring live music, food, and celebration on June 30 from 1 – 3 PM! Free and open to the public.

North Shore Arts Association is located at 11 Pirate’s Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930. For more information about events please call (978) 283-1857 or email arts@nsarts.org. Visiting hours are Monday – Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM and Sundays 12 – 4 PM. 

What’s a Porch Fest??  It’s a popular event where different musical groups play on porches as people stroll around listening to music. It’s the perfect event for sharing our beautiful oceanside neighborhood. We’ll have about a dozen porches all playing different types of music from 4 – 6pm on Saturday, May 25. In addition, there will be live music at the Magnolia Fire Station from 6-8pm. You can bring a beach chair or blanket, order some pizza or take-out from Grillfriends or 525 and enjoy the beach view from the park.  

A map  of participating porches is available at www.magnolialibrary.com or from the Magnolia Library at One Lexington Ave.  Our musicians are donating their time and talent. The maps will include virtual tip jars so you can show your appreciation.

You may be wondering what’s 525 Day?  525 is the original telephone exchange for Magnolia, so we use May 25 each year to celebrate all things Magnolia – our Library, our restaurants and retailers, and our beautiful seaside location. Please join this musical celebration!

Free event, but support of the musicians and the library gratefully accepted!