Cat Lovers in Dogtown - Trip Six

The advantage of having no snow this winter is that we've been able to do a lot of woods exploring.  The generally freezing, or below, temperatures have kept the nasty bugs (ticks) population to a non-existent level...another good thing.

Our path from Summit Ave to Raccoon Ledges

So we've been making numerous treks woods-ward.  Recently we've explored the ways in to Dogtown from the Rockport side.  From the top of Squam Road and from the top of Summit Avenue we've become familiar with the terrain...on and off path!

The little boardwalk to get to the Ledges ( in background)

Raccoon Ledges  The picture doesn't do justice to the size of this pile of boulders.  Think 2 - 3 story office complex!

I've even managed to take 'A' to see some of the Babson Boulders and, yesterday, to take my Mom to see the same.

It's been interesting to venture into unknown-to-us territory for "R' and me and we've found some interesting sites (and things) along the way.  Mostly it's just relaxing and pretty. 

An old foundation and fireplace northeast of Goose Cove Reservoir

We've decided that we have three major woods adventures to complete before Spring thaw.  One will be to capture our last two Babson Boulders.  We know where they are, we just haven't gotten back that way.  Then we want to walk across the island from Rockport to Gloucester using the paths of Dogtown.  And finally, hoping that we do not get lost in the maze of paths, we'd like to walk from Rockport, near Whale's Jaw, northwestward in to the Norton Memorial Forest.

The reddish bog water

In other news....work is still good, even with the loss of one client.  Every year he tried to work special pricing...as in "I shouldn't have to pay that much for the work".  This year he decided to take his business elsewhere.  So be it.  Some things I can't change and if he hadn't done it this week, he wouldn't have been around much longer as I'm thinking there will be a price increase in the Fall.  Not sure yet.  It won't be much if I do it, but that would have just thrown him over the edge!  Today a box of keys arrived.  No name, no instructions, no payment!  I've sent an email out to clients in the area of the city it was shipped from inquiring as to the sender.  I guess I can take the rest of the day off.

Not really.  I've got a reed organ repair to finish.

A Not So Dogtown Trip

I'm sort of posting this as a companion to Scribb's post today.  Instead of trekking over the snow covered irregular terrain (read: you can't really guess where those rocks will be underfoot) of Dogtown, 'R' and I headed around Goose Cove Reservoir on the service road.  The service road was covered with about 5 inches of new snow trodden in some areas by dogs and owners.  As 'R' commented when we were about 3/4 around the 4 mile route, "It's like hiking 4 miles of sand dunes."  Uh huh.

The section where Commons Road got submerged.

When the Goose Cove Reservoir was formed by the building of 4 earthen dams, a section of Commons Road in Dogtown was submerged. So...it was nearly a Sunday hike in Dogtown.  I suppose it took us just over an hour to complete the loop around the reservoir.  It was chilly out but the exercise soon kept us warm.  There were some pretty views along the way.  Some spots were almost comfy warm in the sunshine and others a startling windswept cold. 

Today was plenty of hiking after a yesterday of snow shoveling.

In the Post

So this guy was using up extra stamps?

The box of keys that arrived last Thursday

Thievery

I haven't written a whiny, complaining post in some time.  So what better time to air something that has been spending far too much time bouncing around in my head.

That something is the blatant theft of images.  Yep, from the minor we-all-forget-to-give-credit-where-credit-is-due to the claiming of others photos as ones own.  This has been happening a lot on one I'm not mentioning by name site.  If it's not a photo you have taken then don't post it as your own!  Now there are a couple of folks out there that I run into who have their logo on images but do credit the original source.  I don't understand it, but well, at least they give appropriate credit.

The rest of 'em, the habitual offenders........not only do they anger me, they lose my respect.

A Warm Saturday Afternoon

A place with possibilities

Just some shots from our walk on Rocky Neck.

Needing work at Gloucester Marine Railways

Sign along the way

An enormous swan at the beach

Obsessed? Me?

Why would anyone think that?
Just because.........................

Got one for 'R' and one for myself.  Only wish is that they weren't orange.  The purchase was made at the Dogtown Book Shop where I also bought an old book from Tuner's Supply on organs and player pianos.  (see, I think about things other than Dogtown) The Dogtown Book Shop on Main Street in Gloucester is wonderful! 
 

And Then There Was More

I'm guessing that I spent about 8 months of part-time research before I felt that I had found everything there was to find out about the Manning Organ Company.  So, I wrote a lot of material to edit down for a submission to a trade magazine (still not completely written) and amid that managed to put together a PowerPoint presentation for the Sandy Bay Historical Society.  Now, 2 months later, here it is...another photograph shows up!

The former Manning Organ Factory after the fire (SBHS)

I really wish I had this for my SBHS talk.  I'm definitely including it in the magazine article.

Cat Lovers in Dogtown - Trip Five

We started the New Year with our continued exploration of the center of the island.  No surprise, huh?

Entering via Dogtown Road repeated our second adventure In, in some respects, but allowed us to spend more time actually looking around instead of worrying about keeping track of our course in order to not get lost.  We found many new things along the now familiar route.

A very large cellar hole along Dogtown Road

One such find was a rather large and excavated cellar hole.  I'm not sure why there are so many bricks present.  Maybe part of a chimney?  Maybe leftover from the days of filling in the holes?  Anyway, it's hard to believe that we missed this one last time!

The pasture where James Merry kept his bull

We continued on along Dogtown Road until we came to a path approximately opposite (to the right of) cellar hole 18.  Using my wonderful Christmas gift from 'R', "The Dogtown Guide" (see sidebar for a pic), we had learned that this path would lead us to the site were James Merry tried to teach himself bull fighting.  Yep, in late 1800 Mr. Merry desired to become a matador.  He failed.

Inscription "First Attacked"

Jas. Merry died  Sept. 18 1892

He was gored to death by his bull.

We then retraced our steps back to Dogtown Road to where it intersected with the Moraine Trail.

Marking the start of the Moraine Trail

We followed the trail, finding a couple more Babson Boulders until we reached Col. Pearce's Pasture.  There we turned around.

Col. Pearce's Pasture

Never Try Never Win

Prosperity Follows Service

On the way back to Dogtown Square we found Col. Pearce's cellar hole.  Another large home!

Col. Pearce had a cellar in his barn, too! (not shown)

Heading back west on Dogtown Road we veered to the right, between cellar holes 17 and 18, to see what the Adams Pine Trail was like and to find out where it connected to Commons Road on the northern edge of Dogtown.

A stone circle marks an otherwise confusing section of the Adam's Pine Trail

Not too interesting a route...we did find the junction...and a very pretty brook.

The brook near the intersection of the APT and Commons Road

We concluded our fifth trip In, retracing our steps back on the trail to Dogtown Road and then home.  On this trip we felt a familiarity with the central Dogtown area, being able to find and name many sites and trails, and also finding new stuff.  Next time our trip In will once again take us to unknown areas.  Should be fun.