The Woods Can Be a Scary Place!

Perilous Position

What's This Sneaking Away?

For Veteran's Day...

and for memories, and to honor those Cape Ann WWII veterans that are still alive, Jason Grow produced a wonderful photography exhibit. 

The official opening was today at Gloucester City Hall.  We know several of the veterans photographed for the show. 

In the auditorium with a small band playing 40's music on stage, food table in the back, and the exhibit along both sides of the seating.

Our friend, Arnold Knauth, was one of them.  Arnold turned 98 just a couple weeks ago and is still very active, out walking most days...still drives. too.

Arnold  Knauth, age 98

When he arrived at the exhibit, we ushered him over to the photo taken of him.  "That's me?"  59 veterans were photographed for this special 70th anniversary of the end of the war Veteran's Day.

Possibilities

We drove by this place about a month or so ago as part of our detoured route through Merrimac, MA.  They've had the road torn up for weeks.  I didn't know about the road work and got caught up in the detour through unknown neighborhoods while just trying a different route homeward.  But, despite the inconvenience, when things like that happen you make intriguing discoveries.  This house is one of them.

And while there was too much traffic to stop for a photo op, we vowed to return to it on our next trip.  Amazingly, while in the area on Wednesday, I took the correct turns through the neighborhood and found the place without difficulty.

We think it has possibilities. (We also think someone is currently living in it...noting the recently delivered, non-yellowed newspaper on the steps.)

Keystone Bridge Gets Trimmed

Just some photos to compare with the ones in my last post.  The DPW has started work clearing out overgrowth around and under the bridge.  All that seems to be left is to cut down some vine-y stuff, clean out dead stuff, and remove the remnants of an old chain-link fence.  The photos.......

Now you can see the bridge!

Beautiful at Flat Ledge Quarry

Flat Ledge Quarry

The arch reflected

We've Been Lit

Last Saturday evening was Illumination Night in Rockport.  I drove my mom's car down to find a parking space at about 6 p.m. and R followed in my truck.  The only reasonably close parking spot to where we would view the fireworks was at the library.  "Library Parking Only 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Violators will be towed."  However, the library did close at 5 p.m.  What to do?  I parked, got in the truck, and we drove to the police station to plead our case.  "We needed to find a parking spot for my mom's car and we will drop her off at it for fireworks time.  She isn't handicapped, but she can't walk from home.  It's just too far.  Will her car be okay there?"  After giving a description of her car, we were assured that we could leave it there.  Yay, it worked!

At 8:30, Mom, A, and I headed down in the truck.  I dropped them at the car to wait, drove home and R and I walked back down.

We all sat on the wall on Pier Avenue.  A great spot to watch the fireworks!

It's Quackery

When A and I walked down to Millbrook Meadow we brought a loaf of stale Italian bread to feed the ducks.  With a bit of coaxing, I first got them to feed near the water's edge on a bit of shore near my feet.  Two got very comfortable with that and since, in their opinion evidently, the bread bits were not appearing quickly enough, decided to jump up next to me sitting on the wall.

My new best friends -

On The Beach

It seems to be periwinkle season!

The last two times that A and I have gone for a walk, we have headed for Front Beach.  Each time it has been low tide.  Lower today than the last time.  Each time we have collected an abundance of beach glass.  Eventually we will come up with something clever to do with it other than piling it in a couple Pyrex custard bowls.  Then I'll take a picture of our pretty glass.  In the meantime, you get a couple other pictures from our walk this afternoon.

Very foggy way out to sea.

So What Is Doing?

Sometimes I think...."Waaayyyyy too much."  I can't seem to stop the doings, though.  They just keep coming!

Overhead at the tuning!

First, back to my last post.  They still haven't paid for the tuning.  I'll be sending a second notice to them as soon as I buy stamps.

Oh yeah...I've got to go to the post office for stamps, including enough for sending Christmas cards (some need airmail Europe) but that won't happen until probably Tuesday.  Monday I've got to drive my mom to and from day surgery.  A shot for pain in her back.  It's nothing serious, they just won't let you drive yourself.  It's an hour drive each way and she will be there for a few hours...

Monday is shot (hahahaha).

Okay, so back to what HAS been going on...

A 'fire road' leading along Waring Field and in to the South Woods

R and I have started our SundaythereisnohuntingonSundays walks in the woods.  They haven't been too exciting.  No great discoveries - rocks and trees.  Just different rocks and trees from previous walks.  We need a change!

'Discovered' rock art near the Tarr Trail

Nothing is happening with the Haskins Park project.  I can't get anyone in charge at the town level to even correspond with me about the project.  I'm now waiting until after the first of the year to re-approach them with the topic.  Hopefully it will still be on their list and they'll be more willing to discuss it as a new year project.

Work has been steady.  More tunings and repairs as the holidays approach and keys still continue to arrive.

Out of the blue I received a call from the SC neighbors to my cousin's property.  I think that I mentioned here, long ago, that there was a big mess over the handling of his estate and the care of my aunt.  Well, evidently things have not been satisfactorily handled at that end (no surprise) and now I feel obligated to involve myself as much as I am able.  So, many phone calls and much online research later, I am trying to locate long lost relatives.  It's not easy, folks!  And even if I find these relatives, it is guaranteed to be a bumpy road to clear everything up at the SC end of things.  I'll do my best to resolve it...but no promises!

This is BIG.  The white areas, seen below at the edge of the marsh, are houses.

We have something new on the horizon.  An extremely large wind turbine is atop Railcut Hill.  While I'm not convinced of its successful supplementation of power for the business where it is located, I do kind of like the looks of it up there! There are to be two more nearby supposedly to be tied to Gloucester's grid.

Lots and lots of supplies for the price.

Yesterday, R and I went to an indoor yard sale at a small auction house.  Mostly, it was a pile of junk.  However, I did make a great buy with a lot of art supplies for only $15!  The lot included many unused tubes of artists oils and a handful of  brand new paint brushes.  There's a large collection of ink pens and nibs that I may use someday, too.  Considering the current price at the store for these items...I got a super deal!

Work, walks, paperwork (I did get my business books up-to-date and balanced the check books), phone calls, Christmas cards written, some shopping, errands, and the Sandy Bay Historical Society meetings...I've been busy!

Hardly a Trace

Watching and waiting the morning before Sandy

 ...left of what was Sandy.  We are fortunate here on the island.  Folks farther south had a lot of damage.  On island, there were some trees down and, of course with that, power lines down.  I'm amazed that we had power throughout.  So, with the exception of nature looking a bit untidy (leaves and twigs scattered about), life here goes on as usual.

The surf at Cape Hedge Beach, Monday morning

The Umpteenth Trip to Dogtown

Colors reflected in Granny Day's Swamp

We thought it might be nice to take a morning walk to check out the Fall foliage in Dogtown.  And while Sunday morning was indeed good walking weather, the foliage was a bit lacking in color.  Dogtown has too much birch and beech.  They were yellow.  There are lots of oaks, too.  They are mostly still green and only change color to...brown.

Dogtown Road

It was hard to find anything interesting to shoot.  Harder yet to 'discover' anything.  We need some new trails to explore.  Fortunately, there are plenty of those for other Sundays.

The old sign marker (in stone) for Dogtown Square

The new system...gone digital.

We did happen upon another of the Babson cellar hole numbers.

Cellar hole 34 is behind the boulder

As soon as I got home I checked the list in the book to find that Unknown had lived at number 34.  Like I said, no new discoveries.

Waiting...

 and waiting...

Sometimes you just have to wait!

I've been working on a Mason & Hamlin reed organ rebuild for a church in Boston.  It's a complicated job.  Bits and pieces of oddly manufactured stuff.  Fun and annoying at the same time, if that's possible.  So, right now I'm waiting for my glue pot to heat up and thought I'd fill some blog space while I'm waiting.

'A' and I went for a long walk this morning.  I'm trying to walk at least 5 days each week with her.  She's trying to lose weight and, well, I am too.

So here are some of the things we saw on our walk today.

The seven swans that swam

Added my bit to some sidewalk writing.  Nice that they left the chalk!

Guess that glue should be hot by now.

The Big Walk

Not a huge distance...maybe a mile.

Not a long time...about an hour, give or take.

However the views.....................................

BIG sloop in Sandy Bay

BIG blossom on Bearskin Neck

were rather large!

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Here you see only one because...

Ozzie the swan

I didn't have my camera with me when A and I went for a walk this morning.

We walked along Front Beach and watched as seven swans made their way single file down the Mill Brook to where it enters the sea.  It was Ozzie and Harriet with their five children.  They have moved north for the summer. (From Henry's Pond in the south end of town). Then they all went a-swimming.

And no camera.

Some Saturday Stuff

I've been trying to take most weekends off - no work allowed.  Mostly.  I have cheated and gotten moving earlier in the day to get some work done so that I have had the rest of the day free.  Yesterday, late morning, R wanted to go back to the White Elephant 'reject' shop in Essex.  We had been there the Saturday before and he thought he might have missed picking up a record.  Yes, as in LP, vinyl, 33.3.  The reject shop is the stuff that's too beat up or whatever for the White Elephant Antique Shop just down the road a mile.

I browsed with my camera.

The Saturday before, mentioned in the previous paragraph, was devoted to the Mega Cruise Car Show at Skip's.  We drove up for lunch and to wait for the show gates to open to the cars at 2 p.m.  And there were LOTS of cars.  Hundreds. They were lining up all along Rte. 110 in Merrimac...beyond as far as the eye could see.  We stood in the 90°+ heat and watched the majority file in two by two.  Then we walked around out in the field where they were parked, stopping to shoot pictures of some favorites.  Since I don't have much use for a bunch of photos of cars, I tend to go for the artsy approach or look for other interesting (to me) stuff. 

Not that I have use for those shots, either. 

Oh well.

Tentative Decision

Behind door number one or number two?

No really...I'm thinking on trying to post more often by sticking to shorter posts.  Like a paragraph or two each week.  I'll see how it goes.

The photo above was taken at Salisbury Beach.  The beach itself is beautiful white sand.  Unfortunately, the surrounds aren't even as pathetic as they used to be!  Years upon years ago, my friends and I used to frequent the amusement park at Salisbury Beach.  It was small but still some good summer fun.  Thinking back on it I'm surprised there weren't more accidents from mechanical failures.  I can only remember hearing of one bad one with the Ferris wheel.  I did used to ride that a lot.  That and the Himalaya. When I was much younger, there was the Frolics at Salisbury Beach. 

A 1930 - 1940 period postcard view of the Frolics

It was an Art-Deco styled nightclub that drew some top performers such as Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darren, and Liberace.  My folks would go once in a while and sometimes would take me along (I saw the above listed).  It's where I had my first 'drink', a Shirley Temple!

Everything At Once

It seems so for the beginning of this week.

A pretty Spring garden on High Street

The pictures accompanying this post are from the past two days.  Typical Spring-like weather.  Cool and drizzly, at times.  Sunny at other times.  The full moon is 14% bigger with it's near orbit path.

Along our walk on Sunday

For instance, today...I've already been down to Town Hall to turn in a W - 9.  I've finally got on the list for poll workers.  Only took an eight year wait!  Tuesday is election day here...local stuff.  Tuesday is also the night I co-present a program for the Sandy Bay Historical Society on the old Haskins Hospital property.  Last week the town clerk called to see if I could work the polls from noon until 6:30.  Whew, that worked out as the evening program doesn't start until 7:30.  I can pack a dinner and eat before the program.  The polling place (St. Mary's Episcopal) and the program place (Rockport Public Library) are a short walk between.  Then the town clerk informed me that I would be expected to be back at 8:00 to do The Count.  Uh oh.  The program probably won't end until 8:30...or so.  After eight years of patiently waiting to get this job, what was I to do?  I told the clerk about my conflict and she said 8:30 would be okay with her.  YAY!  R will fill in for me if the program should run extra long.

The fog bank that hid the full moon for awhile on Saturday night

Back to today.
With the Town Hall errand done, I'm home to wrap up a few things requiring my computer.  This afternoon, it goes away for a few days for it's annual physical.  Another errand.  Then there's driving A to her dentist appointment at noon.  Following that, lunch and a quick trip to the nearest BIG bookstore...a half hour away.  Back later to drive my computer to BB so that he can work magic.

Finally above the fog!

Tomorrow....you have the schedule already.  Just add to the mix a forecast for pouring rain.  From voting, to poll working, to a dash to the library and dinner, then the presentation, and back to the polls until whenever it's all counted.

Motif #1 on a full moon lit Sunday night

Wednesday will be somewhat normal?  My research duties at the SBHS will occupy the morning and I have a tuning job in the afternoon.

The end of the week should sail pleasantly along!
(Just got a phone call.  Add meeting a customer at the local Friendly's parking lot to pick up a big key job...Tuesday morning!)

Awareness

I have a new one relative to a recent project.  A new awareness, that is.

Not for the website

I've been accumulating text and photographs to throw myself further into the business world with a website.  I had a vision of what the site would look like.  I drew it up on paper...an expanded plan noting my color choices and style.  It would be five pages, basic but classy.

Vision...
Would be...

So I looked at some DIY sites.  Not a thing close to what I want.
I contacted a local website designer and had sticker shock...

Until I contacted two other local designers and needed to be scraped off the floor.  Evidently designer number one was pretty reasonable.

Which brings me to the conclusion that I have beer taste on a tap water budget.

I should have known.  This is often the case with me.  I get the idea, even see it all in my head, only to eventually realize that it isn't out there.  Well, not within my means, at least.  Usually my idea, concept, want or need is not extravagant at all.  It's just that little bit too far removed from the norm that it must be specially created.

Creating a 'special' website, the one that is in my head, is beyond my personal capability to create.  And even though it's not something flashy or super high end, it's beyond my pocketbook.

I must re-evaluate.  I must now start with no preconceived idea.  I need to look at what DIY options are available to me and work within them.  So that's plan B.

As I mentioned, I have been taking some photographs for possible inclusion on my website.  This is not one that will be used, but for you piano technical types out there I'm putting it here.

From a prior technician (term used loosely)

This is soooooo wrong!  

Who's Buried In Rowe's Tomb?

Yesterday, R and I made the last-of-the-season woods walk.  Too many nasty, illness-bearing ticks are becoming active.  Our last walk was to locate Major John Rowe's tomb.  Major John Rowe was a Revolutionary War veteran and some of our local maps...Forest Fire Department and the Eben'r Pool map are just two...mark the location of Major John Rowe's tomb.

My red mark shows the designation "Major John Rowe's tomb"

So we set out on our quest at the top of Rowe Avenue.  Our last visit to this area did not yield the discovery of the tomb.  Last time we found the remnants of a large quarry building and that was fun to explore and photograph.

Old stone building

A shot from inside the building

This time we found the tomb.  Or, at least, something very tomb-like in the area designated as THE tomb on the maps.

Tomb-like structure built into the hillside

The tomb has been opened.  And graffiti-ed inside.

Large, rectangular vault built from quarried stones and cement

Now, there is a problem with this entire tomb thing.  I did a bit of research about Major John Rowe and that research confirms the information on file at Find-A-Grave.

Birth:    Aug. 8, 1737

Rockport

Essex County

Massachusetts, USA

Death:   Jun. 14, 1801

Ballston Spa

Saratoga County

New York, USA

Revolutionary War veteran. Commanded a company of militia at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Note: Memorial stone (in Union Cemetery, Rockport). Major Rowe is buried in Briggs Cemetery, Ballston Township, New York.

Indeed.  So, if the Major is buried in New York and there is a memorial plaque at Union Cemetery in Rockport...what's up with Major John Rowe's tomb?

Who was buried in Rowe's tomb?