Day: July 4, 2018

In Gloucester: Fireworks. Rockport: We light the outhouse on fire.

Posted on by (_*_)

Small dragon comes out of the outhouse. Becomes much bigger and rids Rockport of arm hair.

Even from this distance, this bonfire is making Rubber Duck cry propylene tears
Everyone who used to be closer now has no hair on their arms. That is when you move back.

Fiesta Parade Black and Whites

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi, I was at my mother in laws place in Gloucester on Sunday and attended the parade.  I am a street photographer by rep, my wife enjoys event photography.

You can find the better of my pics either on instagram, my handle is “pigmentallychallenged”  and a larger set of them are on my personal site

http://www.bobackphotography.com/p581425598

I have opened that gallery up to free downloading and will also upload the remainder of the in focus pics that were either too similar or less interesting as a street photographer but may still be interesting to those in your community.

Last note, I shoot most often in black and white for this type of event, (hence the Instagram tag).

My wife is still editing but I can forward her link once done.

Thanks to the town for a great Sunday this Irish Canadian spent a wonderful Canada Day hanging with his Italian American friends.  Will be back next year also.

Randy Boback

Quincy MA

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

https://www.instagram.com/p/BktvI7QHMZZ/

God Bless America – In thinking about our beautiful country of immigrants and wondering, how does it feel to be a new immigrant in the America of today? History is again repeating itself in the horrendous mistreatment of the Central American refugees.

“God Bless America” was written by Irving Berlin one hundred years ago (1918) while Berlin was serving in the Army, but he set the song aside at that time. Berlin, born Israel Baline, was the son of a Jewish cantor fleeing persecution in Russia. With the rise of Hitler, in 1938 Berlin felt the time was right to release “God Bless America,” as a peace song. The backlash was immediate. Critics said a Jewish immigrant shouldn’t get to celebrate America as his (Berlin also wrote “White Christmas,” “Easter Parade,” and the popular Thanksgiving song “Plenty to be Thankful For.”)

In 1940, an American Nazi sympathizer wrote in his organization’s pro-Nazi newsletter “(I do) not consider G-B-A a ‘patriotic’ song, in the sense of expressing the real American attitude toward his country, but consider that it smacks of the ‘How glad I am’ attitude of the refugee horde of which Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘We wish no further additions to the persons whose affection for this country is merely a species of pawnbroker patriotism – whose coming here represents nothing but the purpose to change one feeding trough for another feeding trough.”

Does this response to Irving Berlin’s beautiful, patriotic, and now much beloved song sound familiar? Whether emigrating from Europe to America to escape religious persecution (the Pilgrims), starvation from the great potato famine (Irish), abject poverty, exploitation, and violence (Southern Italians and Sicilians), oppressive legislation and poverty (Eastern European Jews), or gang violence and rape (today’s Central American refugees) America is a country of immigrants and refugees. This is our past, our present, and our future. Irving Berlin arrived in America when he was five years old, the same age as many of the children being torn away from their mothers and fathers, some without any hope of ever being reunited with their parents. Imagine if Israel Baline had been torn from his mother’s arms, would we have the beautiful musical legacy given this country by one of her most famous sons?

God Bless America!, a phrase of gratitude young Israel Baline often heard uttered by his immigrant mother.

Happy 4th of July!!!

Posted on by charlene01930

Terrific kick off to 4th of July and the Horrible’s Parade, thanks to Felicia Ciaramitaro Mohan who got up so early and secured the great spot on the Boulevard. Then spent the day making Arancini and Bread on the hottest day of the year. Thanks to the parade committee who did Gloucester proud. Thanks to Warren Waugh and his beautiful tribute to Liz ending the evening with such special fireworks. Hope everyone continues their day with love, family and friends. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

July 14 At The Rocky Neck Cultural Center

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

Hi Joey,

I am not sure if you will think this is news worthy but I thought I would let you know about this event anyway.

July 14th, 2018 my family (The Holaday Clan) is celebrating the 107th anniversary of our grandparents wedding at the Rocky Neck Cultural Center.

They are no longer with us of course – but it is a great excuse to have a family reunion. There are 90 of us and we are coming to Gloucester

from all over the planet (Canada, Vienna Austria, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut,

New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC). Many of us are going to be in town for the week and some only for a few days.

The reason we chose Gloucester for this event is it is another reunion of sorts. 51 years ago my mother’s siblings all rented vacation houses

In Gloucester for a week and each brought all their children along. There were only 34 in the group back then. The Holaday clan has grown to over

100 people now. There will be between 85 and 90 of us on July 14th.

My family has been coming to Gloucester to vacation every year since 1953. My father was an amazing artist and loved painting and

Sailing in Gloucester Harbor. You will no doubt see people walking on the Neck that week with T-shirts with his painting of the harbor

On their backs.

Best regards,

Robin Macphail DiIoia