Sumac?

I always forget the name of this plant. I think it's Sumac. It's not a cultivated plant, but a wild one that grows near the beaches and bushes. It must like sandy soil since it grows in all the coastal towns in which I've lived. The contrast of the greens and purple always catch my eye as well as the cone shaped buds. When winter comes the twisted branches always stand out against the background. I took this picture as I was leaving my swimming hole on Sunday.

Summer's Bounty

Kathleen Holliday has issued another challenge - summer flowers. Her challenges always get me outside looking deeply at the world around me. I actually took this picture for Kathleen's color challenge! By the way, I am still working on "color" and have great plans for "red" (if I can ever get out of bed early when the sun will be just right)! So, enjoy this blue bell flower from my garden.

Bench Sitter

The benches in Gloucester get used by all kinds of people especially in the summer when they can sit on the Boulevard in the ocean breeze and look at out constant activity in the harbor. I like going down and watching and seeing what I can catch on camera. I was drawn into the conversation between these two women through the language of their hands. I can't wait to get down to the Boulevard again soon and see what else I find.

Man At The Wheel

If you stand still long enough in Gloucester, a seagull will sit on your head!

This is the iconic image of Gloucester. The "Man At the Wheel" represents what Gloucester is all about. It's a landmark, an image and a tourist site. And, a bird rest!

A couple of year's ago the citizens of Massachusetts voted in a contest to put the image on the quarter to be issued for MA. However, the state or Governor or someone nixed it. I don't know why.

I'm not actually sure the title of Leonard Craske's statue is truly "Man At the Wheel". That's the name we who live here call him. He stands looking at out the harbor every day.

More Color

There is nothing like a hydrangea for summer color. And, for shades of colors. No two blossoms are alike. I love the way the change their colors almost daily as they mature. This one is in my yard. The conditions have been just right this year for an abundance of blooms on all three of my bushes. All of them, I might add, are different colors.

Color

My friend Kathleen set her friends a challenge this morning to photograph color. The intensity of these colors overwhelmed me when I saw them in the afternoon sun.

Blackburn Challenge

I borrowed this picture from Good Morning Gloucester, our very successful local blog. I was too lazy to get out of bed in time to capture the Blackburn Challenge in action. This is an annual race around Cape Ann, the island part. It honors a famous local hero who rowed a long distance with frostbitten hands. Therefore this is a rowing race. Here's a picture of the boats as they raced along the coast this past weekend. A friend of mine rowed a pilot gig boat in the race a few years ago and said it is a brutal 20 miles. Maybe I'll make it to photograph the race next year!

Still Life

If you go to the Lobster Pool for lunch or dinner, you will be blown away with the view. The outdoor picnic tables face North. Sometimes you can see New Hampshire and Maine. However, if you look behind you, you will see this site - a native born still life!

Making Friends

My friend and I took her dog, Maddie, to the Fourth of July parade in Rockport. Our choice of spots to sit turned out to be a bust for viewing the parade - too many people standing up in front of us. Maddie didn't notice. She was busy charming her adoring fans.

Floating in the Sun

This is another image from my series of shots at Long Hill with my own camera. The sun hit the lily pond perfectly when I was ready to take the shot. Long Hill is an old estate with gardens where one should be sitting in the shade on the lawn reading during the the summer heat. Time would stand still here.

The Beauty of Age

I went back to Long Hill yesterday with my own camera. I just had to see the difference in what I took with the Nikon lens and with my own camera. This picture is of one of the entrancing fallen flowers. The colors and shapes intrigued me. It had rained between the two days so the dead blossoms were even more inviting and tender. I hope the colors of my own old age are as intense and delicate.

Photo Safari

I participated in a Photo Safari at Long Hill in Beverly yesterday. We had 5 hours to play with Nikon equipment in the gardens and the house. I found the Nikon equipment too complicated and way beyond my capabilities. When I got home I found a 235 page manual for the camera on line with 8 pages just devoted to focusing. That explained why my experiments were not in focus! Still, I was happy to have the experience and equally happy to return to my lovely little Panasonic without interchangeable lens. If I want to upgrade, I better read Photography for Dummies first! Enjoy one of my pictures from the garden.

Uncharted Waters

I don't usually go swimming in the ocean here. It's ankle numbingly cold, normally. This year has been hot and the ocean warmer. Our heat wave has driven me to the sea. This is Plum Cove and I have wanted to go swimming there for years. You have to have beach stickers to get into the public beaches. Yesterday, at 100 degrees, I slipped into the beach at 7pm. After the first icy shock I could have stayed in the water forever and what a peaceful, pleasant beach. Today I went to City Hall and bought a beach sticker. Anyone want to come swimming with me?

Picnic at Beauport

My new life as an independent museum professional has put me in closer contact with the wonderful people who run historic houses. I don't really know why I enjoy all these houses so much. I do see them as great potential for connecting to the communities in which they reside. Aside from that, I just like stories of the past.

Beauport-McCann-Sleeper House is a Historic New England property here in Gloucester. Last night they opened the grounds for picnics and the most stunning view of fireworks over the harbor. They also had evening tours of the house which is very special at night with the original lighting. Henry Sleeper was an interior designer who built the house. He used a lot of found objects to create his designs. Last night I learned he also "discovered" paint colors like sage green and robin's egg blue!

The schooner you see under sale is the Thomas E. Lannon out of Gloucester. The harbor was filled with boats on tour to watch the fireworks which were lovely. After they ended all the boats blew their horns and whistles adding to the holiday spirit.

Starting the Weekend

My weekend celebration started last night with a spontaneous boat cruise on the harbor and beyond. The North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau had a fundraiser. Since my generous friend is their Executive Director she invited me along. The three and a half hour trip started as the sun was going down. This picture is of the Gloucester icon, The Paint Factory. It's is a much contested site. Obviously vacant now, someone bought it to turn into condos. After much up roar, he sold to a whale research non-profit that is now stuck with this mini toxic chemical site to clean up. I think part of the building should become a natural history museum and endeavor to jump in once the clean-up is done.

The cruise was very fun with dancing to a live band and good networking!