My View of Life on the Dock
Hedge submitted this photo for this week’s contest and suggested these clues:
1.”It’s not On The Green”
2.”Many a parade has passed this point”
Hmmmmm…… Keep searching!
Click on the photo to see the other guesses from earlier today.
🙂 Yup, we have a winner, but have fun for a while! See ya in the morning!
Today’s WhereZat? is from FOB Hedge–
If no one gets it in a few hours, I’ll post some clues. Have fun and, as always, thanks for playing!
Oh yeah, I forgot, this week’s prize is a Good Morning Gloucester t-shirt donated by Cape Ann Painter. Thanks Paul and Hedge!
Shot with my iPhone
What a great night for a concert!
These kids volunteered to pass around the contribution buckets.
If anyone knows these kids and the ones above, please show them these photos. They all asked where they could see their pictures!
At last weekend’s Inter-tribal Pow Wow, we were asked to not photograph certain aspects of the ceremonies taking place,but we were given permission for these dancers.
Photographing the smudging ritual was a no-no. So I asked one of the elders about smudging. Here is a good explanation:
From Virginia Graverette Pigeon, Tribal Elder of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, member of the Cedar Women’s Society, Elder of the Mide Lodge
“In the first place, tobacco (a-say-ma) was a gift of the Four Manido (Spirits of the Four Directions). It was the father of Nanabush who gave the tobacco (ah-say-ma) and shared the custom of smoking with his son after their epic battle in war, as a symbol of peace. Nanabush in turn passed on the custom to the Anishnabe as a ceremony. Thereafter, the Anishnabe smoked the Pipe of Peace before great councils, after war, and before other ceremonies. The Anishnabe adopted the custom and made it part of their daily lives to compose their minds and spirits. It is said that it will chase away feelings that are bad or negative and bring on thoughts that are good or positivie.
In the second place, tobacco (ah-say-ma) was in the nature of an incense, sweet to the taste and fragrant to smell. No other plant is endowed with such qualities. Cedar was offered to the fire to smudge the lodge and people. It is also used to waft the smoke to ward away sickness.
There are no absolutes with sage and sweetgrass.
In the above medicine wheel which we convey as the wheel of life, there are Four Directions. When we are born, life begins in the East. The teenage years are in the South. Then mid-life is in the West. When we reach the North, we are grandmas and grandpas and nearly ready to go to the Spirit World as we have done our many deeds on Mother Earth. The journey does not end in the North because we go to the Spirit World and then the cycle continues.
We gain knowledge with our tobacco (ah-say-ma) and we grow spiritually. Our hearts feel and our spiritual eyes have to see what our Creator wants us to learn. We feel the knowledge in our soul, and we know it comes from our Creator. When we pray, we get answers, then we are nurtured and we grow spiritually.
Smudging helps us center ourselves with the four sacred herbs mentioned: tobacco (ah-say-ma), sweetgrass, sage, and cedar. We begin by using a shell or bowl with a fan or feather. We then smudge the room, slowly walking clockwise around the perimeter of the room, fanning the smudge pot, keeping it lit and wafting the smoke about. Smudge any medicine tool you will be using such as pipe, jewelry, outfit, etc.
It is a good practice to smudge each person in a group, circle, ceremony, and lodge. Starting from the East and holding the smudge pot lit, each person can bathe themselves in the smoke. Many people smudge the heart area first, next the head area, and then the arms, then downward toward the legs. This isn’t the only way you can smudge. It isn’t wrong to smudge another way. We can purify and cleanse fairly regularly in this day and age with so much sickness and bad feelings around.”
To read more of the article by Elaine Lunham, click here.
From last year’s Mayor’s Cup Race-
Lisa J. was the first person out of 35 answers to identify Virgilio’s on Main St. This photo was taken during last week’s Block Party.
Congratulations, Lisa!! See you all next Monday for a Labor Day WhereZat? with a PRIZE!!!
Hope everyone had a great weekend! Here’s a WhereZat? for people who eat. Just leave your answer in the Comment section, and have fun!
I’ve had lens lust for a while now for the Nikon AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8. I couldn’t justify paying $500 for it, so I checked out the auctions on Ebay and found several of these lenses. I watched the bidding, and they seemed to go for around $275. I knew that my limit was $250. After getting outbid on four auctions, I persevered and won last night for $236.50! Happy girl!!!!
Click on the photo for more info on this lens.
Michael Zaitchik played to the crowd last Saturday night. He definitely entertained the listeners. The two couples in the video who were singing along were in Gloucester from NH by chance and were singing in a choral group on Sunday.
Note: My videoing(not sure that’s a word) still pretty much sucks. But at least it’s not sidewards. Working on getting it right!! 🙂 —Sharon
Richard’s window dressing at Bananas always offers great photo ops!
I find myself drawn to the beauty of West Gloucester when I’m wandering around Cape Ann.
This week’s Where’s Zat? location is the Dress Code consignment shop owned by one of my favorite people, Barbara Koen. Others guessed Gloucester Music.
So this week’s winner (the first correct answer) is Gina Curcuru! Congratulations, Gina!
Thanks for playing! Watch for next week’s Where Zat? on Monday at 9 a.m.!
After a long break, Where Zat? is back! Every Monday at 9:00 am, there will be a new contest. The photos are a bit of Cape Ann – sometimes very easy to identify and then the bigger challenges! But it’s always fun, and often there are prizes donated by a GMG reader or contributor.
Here is this week’s Where’s Zat?
Good luck!!
Lunch today – Tomatoes right from my garden with fresh mozzarella and basil growing on the window sill, EVOO, and summer squash and zucchini from the Farmers Market sprinkled with dill. Yum!
So many kind words and hugs. Here is a rose from the beautiful flowers from our good friends Jan and Don. My mom’s spirit lives on in all our lives.
My mom died Tuesday night. She sang beautifully and loved music. She would accompany herself on our piano, often singing with my grandmother. She took me to the “King and I” when I was very young and then to “West Side Story”. She and my dad would take me to jazz jams when I was a baby. Music was her passion, and she passed it on to so many of us.
Thanks, Mom, for sharing it with me. I love you!
For more information about her life and the funeral arrangements, click here.
“Around the World in 80 Minutes” – 1957ish
In the midst of the sadness of our mother/Nana/Grammy slowly slipping away, we celebrated #2 grandkid’s GHS graduation. It was supposed to also be Chris’s good-bye party for his departure to the Army on Tuesday, but that part has been delayed due to his rite-of-passage bike ride off Magnolia Pier on a bicycle….20 stitches in his foot when he hit the gear thing!
So anyway, thunderstorms were predicted for yesterday. But we had gotten the permit for Stage Fort Park and all other preparations were made. My sister rented a huge tent just in case. Well, the day started out beautifully, and although we’ve all been on edge, we hoped for a relaxing day. Lots of food, friends, and family swimming and playing volleyball.
Then the dark clouds rolled in. We cooked the remaining chicken and watched the sky. Well, for any of us who thought the tent might not be necessary…. We grabbed the chairs, towels, shoes, and continued the party under shelter. This is when the fun got started. No amount of rain was going to stop the volleyball game! 
The rain was warm and no one minded being wet. We watched as a kid from a kayaking party played soccer from inside a trash can. A woman hurried to her car with an inverted umbrella (her version of a rain barrel??) A group of harmonica-playing teens paraded by us.
Our volleyball players all came back under the tent after a while for cake and more food. Soaking wet and happy. We started packing up. No easy task with dripping hair and puddles forming at our feet. The rain would not let up, and the tent had to come down. Well, I left with 2 shivering kids in my car. Five adults were left to deal with the huge task of the tent.
Generally mature, Bryan, the almost 40 year old dad, did what most of us would love to do – Plopped down and splashed in the mud! Without a second thought, Cindy, his wife (my daughter) happily joined him! I only wish I had been able to see it!!
After a little bit of fun, the five struggled to dismantle the tent. Well, from nowhere, a group of kids (trashcan soccer boy included)who were waiting for their ride, came running over to help. In no time, the tent was down. A HUGE thank you to the kids from Hollis, NH!
What a great day! And although the hard parts of life are still with us, it was one of the best days anyone could have!
Good Morning Gloucester 