Simply Strutting

Standing on the corner, watchin' all the gulls go by ....

A few cormorants trying to look cool.

Meanwhile, a few young heron (I believe) strut around.

But I think this one is an egret.

Simply Strutting

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Simply Sunny Day?

It was a perfect day for a boat ride down the Annisquam. Or so we thought!
Being midweek, the river was empty.

Three boats tied up side by side.

Even the yacht club was quiet.

Looks like the clouds are building.

Naturally, the "isolated showers" found us!

Simply Sunny Day?

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Simply The Point

Sometimes, one needs to escape from the beaches and boating around Cape Ann. This may be considered by some to be heresy, especially on one of the few hot summer days we have had this year.

An early morning walk through Halibut Point State Park felt right. Early mornings are often the most quiet times up here and the wooded paths set the tone.

Here are two views of the Babson Farm Quarry with distant views of the ocean behind.

The visitors center and fire control tower rise above the quarry.

Looking back across Folly Cove.

Simply The Point

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Simply Before Bill

Saturday, Hurricane Bill brought large waves and plenty of sun and wave worshipers to Good Harbor Beach.

Future friends in the making?

Digging in the wet sand is always fun.

The waves are building ...

... and the life guard whistles were sounding keeping people close to shore!

A short-lived Gloucester castle. The tide is coming in.

Simply Before Bill

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Simply Day's End

What a perfect week for taking the boat out in the early evening. You get a little bit of cooling while on the water, the "crazy boaters" have left for the day, and most people you see are into relaxation mode.

A familiar water landmark --- Frog Rock.

All of these boats are tied up for the night.

A small red boat steaming down the Annisquam.

A tandem kayak zipping by. I saw them too late to focus better.

Relaxing on the porch. A perfect end to the day.

It's getting close. The sun is starting to set.

Annisquam Light just before sunset.

Simply Day's End

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Simply A Yard Sale

Saturday was the 38th Annual St. Paul Lutheran Church "World's Greatest Yard Sale" and you could not have asked for a better day. I have been told that it has only rained on 1 of those 38 yard sales so something must be working right!

The yard sale is considered one of the social events in Lanesville and the crowds lining up 30 minutes before the start seemed to affirm this.

Dick Babson surveys the tables to make sure all is prepared for the opening.

On your mark, get set, go! The opening bell and here they come.

Carol & Deb prepare the nisu, blueberry squares and many other goodies at the Baked Goods Table.

Furniture anyone?
There's no "Bernie & Phyl" here.
This yard sale has "Judy & Bill" instead!

Start them on the toys and then they'll come back every year!

Shhhh! It's a silent auction.

Artwork galore.

Folks lined up to pay for toys, prints and white elephants. What a bargain!

The chefs confer on the art of cooking sausages and frankfurters.

Save room for dessert. Ice cream, anyone?

See what I mean, back to look for more toys!

While the women swarm around the jewelry table.

Naturally, music was involved.

Flicker kept an eye on everyone!

See you next year at the 39th Annual "World's Greatest Yard Sale"!

Simply A Yard Sale

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Simply Glimpses

It was still early on Saturday morning and yet I found myself out on the roads of Gloucester while others were still sleeping. There are spots all over the city where you have the opportunity to get small glimpses, almost teasingly of beauty. During the rush of the day, many will just drive or walk right by and not even notice. Here are just a few glimpses from my early morning trip.

Looking down Hancock Street towards the harbor. The streets are empty.

Yes, it really is 6:10 in the morning! For much nicer photos of city hall, check out Jay Albert's Cape Ann Images including views from inside the tower!

A glimpse of the houses reflecting in Lobster Cove. I'll need to spend more time to catch pictures here.

One more picture of Lobster Cove. The boats are peeking out from behind the trees.

Daybreak In The Summer
A Japanese Hokku

A lovely morn! The summer night is gone;
How hushed and still is all the world
In wonder at the dawn.


Simply Glimpses

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Simply Stillness

What a wonderful weekend on Cape Ann. Summer arrived with a quiet stillness this past Saturday morning.

Here are a few images from Stoney Cove just after daybreak. I have been told that the name of the stone pier is Hodgkin's Pier. The Essex County Greenbelt Association describes Stoney Cove in this manner.

Stoney Cove has been a crossroads connecting West Gloucester to Gloucester since the earliest colonial days. West Gloucester colonists had to walk across the marsh, then row across the Annisquam River, to attend compulsory church services at the Green near the site of the present day Chester Grant Circle. In 1694, an initial public route was established by means of a ferry over the river and a causeway built over the marsh to the mainland near the head of Stoney Cove. The current location of Route 128 is superimposed over the old causeway in the immediate Stoney Cove Area.

The water was like a glass mirror, barely a ripple on the water.

The morning stillness reminded me of this writing of Dietrich Bonhoeffer from "Life Together".

"Silence is the simple stillness of the individual under the Word of God.
...
We are silent at the beginning of the day because God should have the first word, and we are silent before going to sleep because the last word also belongs to God.
...
But this stillness before the Word will exert its influence upon the whole day. If we have learned to be silent before the Word, we shall also learn to manage our silence and our speech during the day.

The silence of the Christian is listening silence, humble stillness, that may be interrupted at any time for the sake of humility."

It wasn't the fish that were biting this morning!

Visit the Essex County Greenbelt Association website for more details including a map of Stoney Cove.

Simply Stillness

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