
Happy Easter

My View of Life on the Dock

A great Gloucester, built environment, story of renewal.


The devastating fire in an apartment building on Middle street in 2007 killed 1 person, and destroyed Temple Ahavat Achim’s building dating from 1828 and acquired in 1950. Gloucester’s First Parish Church, established in 1738, relocated from Grant Circle and assembled here 1828-1950. The doors salvaged from the burned building and the arch detail referencing the original historic structure were meaningfully incorporated into the synagogue’s new building, designed by Maryann Thompson. How beautiful! Hundreds of years of continuous community faith, hope and unity.


‘Murray’ meeting house | corner of Middle & Dale – postcard, collection C. Ryan
What’s it like here today? A bright and chilly Sunday, about 39°, meant hats and warmer coats for daybreak walkers. Gig rowers were pulling a fast clip in the harbor. Shorebirds and tracks were absent from the beach. Seagulls and robins were in the streets thanks to a night of heavy rains flooding out earthworms.















Let’s go Celtics! Celtics Easter pops from Nichols
Easter bunny help? Nichols Candy House is open until 2pm today! A must stop sweet shop mainstay with extensive and extra festive selection for holidays.
Love the bunny hutch 😉 !







Parking lot was filled this morning.
Nichols Candies
1 Crafts Road/Route 128, Exit 55 Gloucester, MA 01930
978-283-9850
With a different type of Easter with no family visiting for Easter, we did some yard work and then walked to the beach. Other walkers were very considerate and no congregating. Most walkers were wearing masks and I find people are polite. Stay safe and stay healthy.

Many places of worship rang bells in unison this Easter. Did you hear them? Please share if you recorded. Here’s a brief snippet of how the beautiful carillon bells of Our Lady of Good Voyage parish sounded this morning downtown.

As a follow up to yesterday’s post, here is a sampling of the 2020 hand painted Easter eggs by Betty Allenbrook Wiberg and Brenda Wiberg.
And some spring 2020 forsythia, and an Easter Parade clip, just because.
Easter Greetings from Turtle Alley
Easter Greetings from Nichols Candy House
Friend me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. You can also subscribe to my design website at Kim Smith Designs, and film’s websites at Beauty on the Wing ~ Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly, Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Community Film Project, and Life Story of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly.
The beautiful, beautiful Easter desserts and confections are all hand made by Maria Cracchiolo, including the marzipan lambs! The refrigerator was bursting with special orders and it was a treat to see Maria’s lovely (and wonderfully delicious) Cassata Siciliana in a range of sizes.
Maria’s family is oftentimes there, hard at work alongside her, and especially during the holidays. Pictured with Maria is her husband, Giuseppe Cracchiolo.
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See a quick glimpse of Maria making the Groppo’s Cassata Siciliana, posted around the time of the Feast of Saint Joseph.
Order Your Beautiful Caffe Sicilia Cassata Siciliana
Silly fun at Alexandra’s Bread! I can’t believe how reasonably priced is the charming set of six glasses–Alexandra really keeps her prices affordable. Always a pleasure to pop into Alexandra’s Bread ~ thank you John and Alexandra!!
That is Sooo Cute!




Pink Carolina Silverbell is a native flowering tree (Halesia tetraptera var. rosea)
Click to see more spring beauties here ~ Continue reading “Happy Easter! Happy Passover! and Happy Spring!”





From Linda Morse-
Dear Joe: Could you please share these pictures on your blog as my puppies would like to wish all their friends and owners at Good Harbor Beach a Happy Easter. They are regulars at the beach until May 1st of course.
Thanks, Linda Morse