My View of Life on the Dock
My fingers froze and I had to call it quits yet despite the bitterly cold five degree temperature and biting wind, day break brought blue skies and beautiful sea smoke all along the backshore, from Gloucester’s Ten Pound Island Lighthouse to Rockport’s Twin Lighthouses.
Take heart friends -today is the last day of January- only 48 more days until the spring equinox!
Fresh wild animal tracks crossing Niles Pond
The beautiful wooden ice sail boats that Andy Lee is generously sharing with the neighborhood kids are his family’s boats. Andy grew up ice sailing on Chebacco Lake with his Dad.
Michelle Barton pointed out that there aren’t too many places in the area where the ice and wind are just right for ice sailing, and Niles Pond happens to be one of those unique places. Andy shares they were sailing at 40mph today!
Andy Lee (from Lee Tree) and Geoff are restoring the ice boats at Geoff’s woodworking studio and I think they are planning to build more!
Andy (left) and Geoff (right).
Niles Pond on Sunday morning was busy with family time and Ice Boating. Fun times
Lovely to see ice sailing at Niles Pond under the twilit January Wolf Moon last week. The sun was setting while the not-quite-full moon had risen early.
Ice Sailing at Niles Pond
I took Charlotte out Friday at dusk to look for the moon and we found it at Niles Pond, along with hockey players and ice sailors. We can thank her favorite storybook Good Night, Moon for her lunar passion.
Hello Friends, If I have been slow to respond to emails, comments, facebook messages, photo requests, I sincerely apologize. It is because I am in the home stretch of getting all my clients decorated for the holidays and their gardens ready for winter. Beginning this coming Monday, knock wood, I can turn all my attention to films, friends, photos, programs, and book projects. See you soon 🙂
A few more snapshots from November’s full Frost Moon rising over Niles Pond
If you click on the photo to embiggen, you can see craters in the moon’s surface, especially on the left side .
Beautiful birch tree at Niles Pond
November Frost Moon over Niles Pond
November’s nearly full Frost Moon was rising over Brace Cove, while the sun was setting over the harbor. Violet sunset clouds swirled around the rising moon when moments later the moon shone brightly through the pine trees.
November’s full moon is also called the Beaver Moon-both the early colonists and Algonquin tribes named it so because November was the designated time of year to set Beaver traps before ponds and swamps froze.
November Frost Moon rising over Niles Pond
Harbor Seals in the setting sun and rising moonlight–a seal-a-rock 🙂
Spring Peeper out and about before hibernating for the winter.
Relishing the last of these golden days, we took advantage of Sunday’s delightfully beautiful weather with a hike around Eastern Point. Several female Yellow-rumped Warblers were spotted feeding on seed heads, a lone turtle was basking on a sun-warmed rock, the Harbor Seals were lolling about, and a tiny Spring Peeper was spied in the fallen leaves.
You can see why these sweet birds are called Yellow-rumped Warblers. Note the little flash of yellow on the rump of the warbler flying in the background.
Eastern Painted Turtle
Who me?
Harbor Seals warming in the sun.
Without making a peep, from the dense patch of reeds on the north side of Niles Pond appeared Mama Mallard and four little ducklings. As long as I stood perfectly still and didn’t make any rustling noises, Mama didn’t mind my presence. She and the ducklings foraged all along the edge of the pond, until they spotted the males. They quickly skedaddled, making a beeline back to the reeds and just as quietly as they had emerged, back they slipped into the shelter of the cattails.
Sending heartfelt condolences to Lyn Fonzo, and to all of the Young Swan’s and friends and caretakers. The little Swan’s leg injury became deeply infected, all the way into the bone.
If you see Lyn Fonzo, please thank her for all that she has done over the past year in caring for our Young Swan and in trying to rehabilitate him to Niles Pond. Please thank and support Dr. Cahill, too, who generously donated his services.
Gloucester public schools have stellar community partners and locales
Mass Audubon Eastern Point Wildlife Sanctuary
Two+ centuries of naturalists in Gloucester is quite a legacy. Here’s a partial list from Robbins to Cramer and Smith to Smith–there have been notable champions most every decade.
organizations such as Gloucester Civic and Garden Club, Essex County Greenbelt, Mass Audubon, Ocean Alliance, Martime Gloucester, UMASS Marine Station…
The Young Swan is temporarily back at Lyn Fonzo’s swan sanctuary, until a forever home can be found. Photo courtesy Lyn Fonzo.
Katia Mason Photos
GloucesterCast 269 With Pat Dalpiaz, Chris McCarthy, Kim Smith and Joey Ciaramitaro Taped 3/24/18
When you subscribe you need to verify your email address so they know we’re not sending you spam and that you want to receive the podcast. So once you subscribe check your email for that verification. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder in your email acct so you can verify that you’d like to get the GloucesterCast Podcast sent to you for listening at your convenience..
Topics Include:
Free Tickets To Cape Ann Community Cinema – Share this post on Facebook for a chance to win two free tickets to Cape Ann Community Cinema, The Cinema Listings are always stickied in the GMG Calendar at the top of the blog or you can click here to go directly to the website
Jazz Brunch Sunday At Feather and Wedge
Chris McCarthy High School Buddy Moved To Gloucester
Craig and Ted Reed Taped A Commercial For Foster’s Grill Store
A Mouse Ran Up Kim’s Dress- Have A Heart Trap
Soul Rebel Project Released It’s New Album Yesterday- To Buy It
Loving Our Airfryer- Baked Haddock Recipe Link To Purchase The Airfryer We Got Here
Kudos to Tallys for assistance with Pat’s car after one of the recent storms.
Follow up on podcasts we listen to: what’s on your iPod or iPhone besides GMG? Serial Podcast, Dirty John
Pat and Jimmy are looking for some help moving furniture into our new place–maybe college kids looking for extra cash? Contact through FB message on GMG or podcast FB post?? It would probably be Easter weekend.
Niles Pond Causeway Restoration, Pebble Beach Restoration
Brant Geese
Theresa Coen Missing still
Before sunset last Friday evening, the sky and clouds were so beautiful. Did you notice the crane in the background? Hope they can fix the wall between Brace Cove and Niles Pond.
GloucesterCast 268 With Jon Butcher, Aurelia Nelson, Kim Smith and Joey Ciaramitaro Taped 3/18/18
When you subscribe you need to verify your email address so they know we’re not sending you spam and that you want to receive the podcast. So once you subscribe check your email for that verification. If you don’t see it, check your spam folder in your email acct so you can verify that you’d like to get the GloucesterCast Podcast sent to you for listening at your convenience..
Topics Include:
Free Tickets To Cape Ann Community Cinema – Share this post on Facebook for a chance to win two free tickets to Cape Ann Community Cinema, The Cinema Listings are always stickied in the GMG Calendar at the top of the blog or you can click here to go directly to the website
Jazz Brunch at Feather and Wedge Sunday
Poke Bowls at 15 Walnut Incredible
Jon Butcher Show Friday April 20th for Tickets www.rockportmusic.org
Mile Marker Pool continues to be the best take for the winter blues.
Market Basket and Stop and Shop with inexpensive corned beef briskets.
Kim Getting A “Friend of The Earth Award” From Salem State
Shout Out To Fred Shrigley and The Rhumb Line
The arduous work of rebuilding the Niles Pond Brace Cove causeway continues, despite the mid-week blizzard. I walked the causeway Tuesday night and then again the past several mornings–the pace of the restoration is fantastic and will soon be completed. Many, many thanks to the generous residents of Eastern Point who are striving to keep Niles Pond from being engulfed by the sea.
R. B. Strong’s Larry expertly operates the John Deere excavator, deftly extracting and moving boulders around as if they were pebbles on the shore. The track-hoe not only scoops and lifts the massive rocks, the bucket is also used to tamp down the boulders once in place, as you can see in the video below.
With the third nor’easter to hit our shores during the month of March expected to arrive tonight, track-hoe excavator Larry shares that the work continued today to fortify the causeway, and to possibly get more water to flow through the clogged drain that is preventing excess water from leaving Niles Pond.
For our readers general information, the cost of the repairs, restoration, and continued ongoing maintenance of the causeway, and surrounding area, are paid for entirely by the generous residents of Eastern Point, not tax payer dollars.
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Good Morning Gloucester 