Windswept…

No parking 8 pm – 8 am tonight along much of Main Street for snow removal.

Photos from Caitlin Smith

See? I knew you would forget that the City is on a holiday pickup schedule this week. I’m seeing several Facebook posts with questions that have been addressed on the City of Gloucester Facebook page. Maybe check there first if there’s something storm related you are wondering about especially related to parking bans or trash pickup schedule. The City is pretty good at posting relevant info to Facebook and online.

As you may know, we often travel north toward Salisbury in search of wildlife to watch so we go through Ispwich pretty regularly. Recently we stopped at the Fox Creek Tavern on High St in Ispwich for a late lunch. It was not very crowded at this off peak time during the week, but that did not deter the service or the quality of the food and drink. Jim ordered the Irish Nachos (they are supreme!) and fish tacos. I got chili (not too spicy) which suited me perfectly that afternoon. I topped my meal off with an Irish Coffee. The menu offers a wide variety at reasonable prices. The service was friendly and efficient, which is always appreciated. If you’re traveling in that direction and need a little respite, Fox Creek Tavern is highly recommended.

JANUARY 25, 2026 ~ SAWYER FREE LIBRARY

Discover how the Schooner evolved from a pinnacle of North Atlantic design into a lasting symbol of literary endurance and independence in a presentation at the Sawyer Free Library by Ken Riaf, John Day and Emily Pearce on Thursday, January 29 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. 

For more than a century, Gloucester’s schooners have shaped the city’s identity, inspired generations of writers and artists, and embodied both the peril and poetry of life at sea. In this richly illustrated lecture, we explore how the schooner—especially the Schooner Adventure—has served as a powerful creative catalyst for author Jonathan Bayliss and for Gloucester’s cultural imagination at large.

The hour-long program highlights Schooner Adventure—launched in 1926 and celebrated as the “Queen of the Windjammers”—as a rare, fully restored vessel that keeps Gloucester’s maritime heritage vibrantly alive. Set against this historical backdrop, the program also explores the literary imagination of Jonathan Bayliss, whose childhood experiences with Gloucester’s schooners became central to his writing. Through Bayliss’s memories, historical imagery, and hands-on examples, the program demonstrates how schooners fuel creativity, bridge fantasy and realism, and inspire new generations to connect with maritime history.

This event will be hybrid taking place at the Sawyer Free Library and online. If you wish to participate online please include this in your RSVP at sawyerfreelibrary.org. 

For more information contact Meg O’Neill or Julie Travers at 978-325-5500.

Snow Day…

Link to order-

https://square.link/u/NNIRGmR5

Link to order-

https://gloucesterapparel.square.site/product/super-soft-fleece-lined-thirsty-seagull-label-women-s-pom-beannie/69

⚠️❄️
Gloucester Parking Ban declared on all city streets.
🚨 No parking at East Veterans Elementary School 🚨
➡️Starting at 1:00PM Today, Sunday January 25th
➡️ Now ending 6:00PM Monday, January 26th.
All cars must be removed from school parking lots by 8:00PM on Monday, January 26th to ensure proper snow removal before school resumes on Tuesday.
🗑️ Trash is delayed one day.
🏢 City Offices & Schools are closed on Monday.
💻❄️Snow Center: https://gloucester-ma.gov/1133/Snow-Center

Maybe by the time you see this post, you are feeling a little bit housebound and bored. One way that I enjoy passing time away is by looking at the old newspapers available online through the Sawyer Free Library online collection. You see here a partial front page from Jan 29 1926 almost 100 years ago. Every single time I do this kind of research, I am pleased/frightened to note that as much as times change…..they stay the same.

To do this at home yourself, go to Sawyer Free Libary online ( link here) and click the box that says Cape Ann History Digital Resources. Select the top choice under Newspapers Cape Ann Newspapers (1827-1998) (or others …these directions are for an article similar to what you see here). From there you can search for a term you decide …I used “storm” this time and narrowed the search to Jan 1926. I often use this valuable resource for family research so you can use family names, businesses, boat names and more. You are only limited by your needs, time and imagination. A snow day is a great day for this kind of fun! Highly recommended as break from shoveling snow.