Ice Cream! It’s a Snack-tivity!

One of my favorite summer snack-tivities is getting ice cream at Harbor’s Point Ice Cream and snacking while walking along the boulevard toward Blyman Canal to see the bridge open (what an awesome thing about Gloucester!) and watch the boats. I always usually see a cormorant fishing too…

Susan Beaudette

Susan Beaudette, the owner, who gives me new ice cream with a smile when I immediately flop it onto the floor. I love that they do kiddie size too, which really is enough for me to split with my wee son. Enough is an important concept when it comes to ice cream.

Menu bits… there’s more, yogurt, and candy, but I didn’t take photos of everything:

Menu

Menu

…At the helm, bronzed hands grip a spoked wheel

…”At the helm, bronzed hands grip a spoked wheel,
sou’wester and visage age to a patina.
My father was one who sailed from this harbor

And returned with a trip of fish
all but one voyage, but you take note
of they that go down to the sea in ships.”… Continue reading

Verdigris – The Man at the Wheel
BY PAMELA MANSFIELD

St Peter’s Fiesta Ferris Wheel Ride Video

See the view from the top of the ferris wheel on the harbor. This would be great to have all summer long!

Click to watch a short video!

Ferris Wheel View

GOT Wheels

GOT Wheels – Gloucester-on-Two Wheels

Want to join a group of riders? Want to turn Gloucester into a riding community? Want to make the streets safer to ride on? Want to have great trails to ride on?

Visit Facebook for discussions and upcoming rides:

Facebook Logo GOT Wheels on Facebook

Baby on Board

Baby on Board!

Gloucester Treasure Trove

If you drive by Pond Road and see the big garage sale sign out, you should check out the treasures of The Recycler, Bill Loiacano. He has a whole warehouse of treasures that fill the inside and spill out around the entrances. The sheer amount of stuff is impressive. He really wants to divert things from the landfill and will find items by request. Among the treasures we’ve discovered are: Red Ryder wooden trike, matchbox cars, books, and vintage crystal glass doorknobs. He’s got everything from furniture and bikes to lamps and records. Whenever the sign is out – he’s there so stop on by and say hello!

Video interview 00:02:14

Thank you to Bill for the interview!

Bill Loiacano
10A Pond Road, Gloucester, MA
978.360.5929

…he’d pulled two men out of the sea one night

…”Years ago I heard from others
how he’d pulled two men out of the sea one night
off Eastern Point. They’d not been able to shed their jacks
when the ship went over, and when he caught them
they were going down too. He hauled them into Brace’s Cove,
even though the shore wasn’t there, it was such a storm and the sea so big
it had turned the Lily Pond
into an arm of itself.” … Continue reading

Maximus, to Gloucester: Letter 2
BY CHARLES OLSON

Local Farm: Green Meadows Farm

Local CSA farm, Green Meadows Farm in Hamilton is a certified organic farm raising vegetables, fruits and heritage breeds of livestock. Visit the Farmstand to pick up both their own in-season wares and other natural and organic dry goods, local cheeses, milk, meat and gifts. Join the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and pick up a weekly share of fresh produce, fruit, flowers, or meat. Join the co-op for wholesale prices on products or discover the wonder of the farm at one of their many excellent educational programs. Visit the chickens, baby sheep, and baby piggies (not so wee anymore) or accept their invitation to build a faerie house in their forest faerie village!

Farmer Andrew with the farm dog, Otis!

Farmer Andrew and Farmdog Otis

Green Meadows Farm Collage

Block Party Pics!

The block party was a blast had by all! We had three boys and found plenty of fun for both the wee one and the teens at Toodeloos, West End Sweets, the big inflated movie screen from Cape Ann Community Cinema, and just walking around. Afterward, sitting on the boulevard under the moon listening to the waves was a perfect end to a lovely day!

ps: Anyone catch the homie windsock floating over Citizen’s Bank?

Block Party
Click to View the Block Party Pics!

All little boys should be at the beach today!

All little boys should be at the beach today causing mischief!
Happy Father’s Day!
(So should all the little girls, and everyone else.)

White Beach, Manchester, MA

White Beach, Manchester, MA

Don’t Overlook Me! I’m Pineapple Weed!

Pineapple Weed

Pineapple Weed Photo

You’ve probably walked over hardy pineapple-weed (Matricaria discoidea) often enough if you’ve walked at the boulevard, and never noticed it. An annual herb, this miniature plant with fern-like leaves thrives with full sun in roadside gravel or the disturbed, compacted earth along sidewalks.

When crushed the leaf or flower emits a scent of pineapple or chamomile, it’s cousin, though it’s funny green head lacks the pretty petals of chamomile.

It’s uses include:

  • When bruised, it can be rubbed on skin to repel insects.
  • Edible in salads, though it becomes somewhat bitter after blooming.
  • Herbal tea, similar to chamomile, serves as a gastrointestinal aid for stomach upsets, gas, vermifuge, and irregularity.
  • Seeds used as a salve for infected sores.
  • Decoction for fever.
  • Used to treat children’s colds and colic.
  • Medicinally for postpartum anemia and to promote lactation.
  • Can be used for muscle spasm and as a sleep aid.

Some caution is advisable as some individuals are allergic to this plant.

Native to northwestern North American but found in northeastern America, northeast Asia, and Europe. A ruderal species.

Alchemy Cafe and Bistro

Alchemy Cafe and Bistro boasts a new Spring menu full of goodies and a redesigned interior with more big chairs and comfy corners. A beautiful and funky new metal sign on the corner should attract some attention. The menu offers yummy sharing tapas as well as pizza and delicious entrees. I love that they really try to source everything locally and care where their meat comes from and what it has eaten. I had to go here after Joey’s food map. There was a serious shortage of Alchemy photos – I had to be sure it got on that food map – and I did my duty. It was tough, boy, I tell you! I managed though…

Rob ordered the grass-fed burger and fries, which were heavily wife-taxed, and my sea bass managed to be eaten almost entirely by me as well. (Poor Rob.) Asparagus with poached egg tapas and a lavender creme caramel dessert made for a fine, rare date night indeed!

10-Picture slide show

Alchemy Cafe and Bistro – click photo for slide show

Are you hungry?

Grilled Asparagus
poached egg, truffle oil, shaved Grana Padano, 
and smoked sea salt – 6

Pan Seared Striped Bass
marinated squash and salsa verde – 16

Grass Fed Beef Burger
bacon onion jam, herb cheese, lettuce, tomato, 
homemade pickles and a black pepper bun – 13

Spring Peas with Butter & Parsley – 5

Lavender Scented Crème Caramel
organic honey custard, fresh berries, caramel sauce – 6

Sawyer Free Library

Sawyer Free Library Fountain:

Sea Harvest Sculpture

Sea Harvest Sculpture 2
Sea Harvest 1977
Bronze fountain, 4′ tall

Aristides Burton Demetrios
Contemporary sculptor, born in 1932 and raised in Folly Cove, Gloucester, Massachusetts. Studied sculpture with his father George Demetrios, a classical sculptor, trained by Bourdelle, a student of Rodin. Son of Virginia Lee Burton, renowned author and illustrator of children’s books. He is currently an artist-in-residence at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Upcoming Events
  • Tuesday June 29, 10:30amThe Bubble Guy with Bob Mello
  • Tuesday July 6, 3:30–4:30pmAfternoon Book Group for 3rd and 4th Graders
  • Thursday July 8, 10:00amCool Green Storytime for 3 and 4 year olds
  • Friday July 9, 10:00am–12:00noonDrop-In Crafts
  • Tuesday July 13, 7:00pmAdult Book Group. July Book: “Portrait in Sepia” by Isabel Allende.
  • Wednesday July 14, 10:00amThe Enchanted Forest
  • Tuesday July 20, 7:00am – Cape Ann Tales: Local filmmaker Dan Tremblay will present “Cape Ann Tales” a mix of stories about people and places from Gloucester and Cape Ann.
See the library website for more info at www.sawyerfreelibrary.org

New Business Opening! To Go Common Crow

Walking on Main Street, a sign in the window of the slim, vacant storefront between Green Life and Common Crow Natural Market announces some action. A new business! To Go Common Crow, a lunch and drink spot will be opening this summer. Thank you to Lynne for my exclusive, after-hours interview and menu sneak-peak!

Video length: 00:01:51

Thanks for watching

Introducing New Blog Contributor: Beth Swan

I am honored that Joey invited me to be a frequent contributor of Good Morning Gloucester! He asked that I give an introduction so here goes:

I grew up south of Buffalo, NY – the youngest (and smallest) of five in a big loud, boisterous marine construction family. My husband and I moved to MA 9 years ago and a little over two years ago we relocated to West Gloucester, while I was very pregnant, to raise our family here. We have always been frequent visitors as we have family on the North Shore and love it! Discovering GMG when I was too pregnant to squeeze out the door and waddle around town helped to make me feel connected to the community and learn about all of the awesome aspects of our new home and continues to do so daily.

I work as a graphic designer specializing in non-profits part time and take care of my now almost 2 year-old son, Arden. I am interested in all kinds of things such as wild edibles, sustainability, local goods and foods, color, and happy fun things of all sorts.

So expect to be stunned with my awesome posts about local, uplifting, and/or hopefully interesting things…

Here’s my first one, just for you:

Noggin-Bops available at your neighborhood toy store, Toodeloos! GMG stickers available at Joey’s leisure. Awesome music and baby background sounds priceless!

Beth Swan and Rob Hall Want You To Check Out- Marion Stoddart’s Documentary-The Work of 1000

Hi Joey!

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The documentary that Rob and I have been privileged to work on is premiering! We’re very excited and though it isn’t necessarily Gloucester, or even Cape Ann related, all the water flows into the ocean eventually and it is relatively local.

An inspiring story of how one person can do the work of 1000 it shows how one woman helped transform a river and initiated ripples of positive environmental impact throughout the community, state, and national levels.

The project is more than a documentary. It is a vehicle for empowering and inspiring individual and collective action, an educational resource, and a model of effective leadership and advocacy that we can use today. A ten minute movie short version, partially funded by MassHumanities, has been shown to over 600 people ranging from high school and college students to technical "water keepers", to conservation and recreation organizations. Come see the full movie in Groton, MA on June 12th!

Tickets to the movie are free and the celebration party afterward is $25.

RSVP online at: http://www.workof1000.org/screenings/reserve-tickets

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Beth Swan