Rockport, MA Inner Harbor

Rockport Inner Harbor

Walking along the Bearskin Neck area, if you look between any of the stores or houses, you'll be able to see Rockport Inner Harbor. That red barn in the distance of this image, is known as Motif #1 and it is the most photographed building in the US. It is called Lobsterman's Barn.

I have posted several images of this place by shooting at different angles through the alleyways between the houses. This is one of my favorite.

Purple Cosmos with Bee

Purple Cosmos with Bee

This Purple Cosmos is another flower found in a side garden in Rockport, MA. The bee was an added surprise when I saw it though my lens.

Cosmos are in the Aster family and are native to Mexico. They are popular garden flowers here in the states. They are  herbaceous perennial plants with many different species and colors. There are also many hybrids and cultivars. I particularly like this species and the color.

Sunflower

Sunflower

I thought I'd step away from the architecture stuff and post something different. This sunflower was so tall, it was above my head. You can see how I had to shoot up at it. It was also about the size of my face. I love the brown in the petals closer to the center.

It was photographed in Rockport, MA in one of the side gardens while we walked around the Bearskin Neck area. I think there's some kind of ordinance that everyone must have and maintain a side garden, because there were these gardens on every single house we came upon. Not that I'm complaining.

 It was also unusual to see so many flowers in bloom in late September. That's unheard of for the area. As a matter of fact, there were very few flowers still in bloom except for fall flowers in CT, which is south of Rockport.

Granite Stone Gazebo

Granite Stone Gazebo

This gazebo was shown at a distance in a previous post. At that time, I promised a better look at this Gazebo.

This stone gazebo is a popular landmark in Rockport, MA. Unfortunately it is inaccessible to the public, but it is easy to get fairly closed to it. It is part of a private residence which overlooks the harbor and the Bearskin Neck shopping district in downtown Rockport. It sits out into Sandy Bay and the Breakwater, which I've also posted previously.

The gazebo is also a point of reference for artists and photographers (myself included).

Flowers From a Side Garden

Flowers from a side garden

I love these flowers that I found in a side garden at one of the houses in Rockport, MA in the Bearskin Neck region. I can recognize the Poppies, but those curly looking flowers have me puzzled. Do any of you readers/followers have any idea what they are?

Dahlia

Dahlia

This was taken at my son and daughter-in-law's house in their back garden. They have many different gardens on their property, each with its own theme. Visiting them and walking around the yard is like walking around botanical gardens. This one was one of my favorites.

There are 42 species of Dahlias, along with many hybrids. This particular species is called, Dahlia (Dahlia rosea) because of its red color. Some are round, some flat, they come in different sizes, shapes and colors. They are native to Mexico and have been used as a source of food. Their hollow stems were used to make water pipes, and they've been used as medicine, specifically to treat Epilepsy.

I especially like this particular variety because of its pom-pom shape.

Sandy Bay, Rockport, MA

Rockport, MA Sandy Bay

Another image from my trip to Rockport; this one is looking across Sandy Bay. The Granite Stone Gazebo on the jetty is used for weddings and event photos. You can see some of the houses and lodgings in the background. I have a larger photo of the gazebo that I will post at a later time.

First Congregational Church, Rockport, MA

First Congregational Church, Rockport, MA

As soon as we parked in Rockport, less than a 1/2 block away, we spotted this typical New England Church on School St and churches are one of my favorite subjects to photograph.

When I used to work for the Manchester Herald, one of my jobs was to photograph the churches in their coverage area for the Sunday Newspaper. Since then, I've always been interested in photographing churches. I love the old churches with steeples and the old Gothic churches the best. I guess it's because I am from New England and that's what I'm used to seeing.

This one was organized in 1755 by Rev. Ebenezer Cleaveland and ten members. The cornerstone of the present building was laid in 1803. The church was dedicated in 1804, and Rev. David Jewett was its first pastor.

Farming in Broad Brook, CT

Farming in Broad Brook, CT

After posting last night's shot of this tractor, my son let me know that this was not actually Bolton, CT. Since he was the one driving, and I was doing the shooting, I hadn't been paying attention to where we actually were. We were in Broad Brook, CT on East St. My apologies for any confusion and for my error.

As you can see by the dust this farmer is kicking up, he was going at a pretty good clip. I'm not sure what he's doing, but maybe one of my readers can tell me.

Sunset in a Rockport Cove

The End of a Perfect Day

One of the last stops in Rockport, was at this little cove. We were on the way out of the town center, when we came upon this place. Had it not been for a few teens practicing their yoga on this beach, we may have never have spotted it. There was also a couple snorkelers just coming out of the water. I'm assuming they must've been a couple of the girls' boyfriends.

It was definitely the end of a perfect day. I love how the the sun was starting to set through the trees.

Pigoen Cove, Rockport, MA

Pigeon Cove

From a distance and from street view, these buildings appear to be built right into the rocks. Of course, at a closer spot, it is apparent that they are not. Either way, I liked the lighting; it seemed the late day sun added just enough of a warm glow to make this view stand out.

Rockport (MA) Inner Harbor Wide Shot

Wide Shot of Rockport Inner Harbor

My son and daughter-in-law are so good to me. I go to visit to CT once a year, and they always seem to plan something nice to do while I'm there. This year was no exception. Donna asked me if I'd ever been to Rockport and I told her no. She said, "Well this year, that's where were are planning to go. We'll do a day trip. It's beautiful and I'm sure you'll enjoy it". As you can see from the photos I've been posting and I'm not done editing them; I really enjoyed it.

Thank you, Joe and Donna. You are too good to me and I appreciate it.

Rockport, MA

Rockport Inner Harbor

All along Rockport Inner Harbor in the Bearneck Skin area, are many private residences, lodging places, stores, etc. Everyone of them have beautiful side gardens.

I particularly liked this one. Bearneck Skin is the main "tourist area". There are so many things to see and buy. It makes for a shopper's paradise.

If you've never been there, and you get to the Rockport area in Rockport, MA, check it out!

Rockport, MA Breakwater

Sandy Bay Breakwater in Rockport, MA

"ROCKPORT HARBOR   Rockport Harbor is located in Sandy Bay on the northeast side of Cape Ann, about 32 miles northeast of Boston. The town of Rockport is popular with tourists, and the harbor is used extensively by recreational boaters, fishing craft, and charter boats for excursions and sport fishing.

The earliest work in the harbor dates back to 1839, when two breakwaters were constructed, one on each side of the harbor entrance. In 1905, the Corps rebuilt the two breakwaters to a height of 18.5 feet. The northern breakwater at Bearskin Neck is 900 feet long, and the southern breakwater at Norwoods Head is 200 feet long. The Corps also removed principal rocks in the harbor.

The most recent work in Rockport Harbor was completed in July 1987 as a small project under Section 107 of the Corps’ Continuing Authorities Program. This work included the construction of:

• A 10-foot-deep channel, 80 feet wide, extending 1,100 feet from deep water outside the breakwaters to the town wharf in the center of the harbor.
• Two eight-foot-deep outer anchorage areas on either side of the 10-foot-deep channel. The north anchorage, about 3.5 acres in area, extends from the Bearskin Neck Breakwater to the town wharf. The south anchorage, about 2.7 acres in area, extends from the Norwoods Head Breakwater to the town wharf.
• Two eight-foot-deep inner anchorage basins on either side of the town wharf. The north anchorage is 1.7 acres in area, and the south anchorage is 1.2 acres in area.

PIGEON COVE   Pigeon Cove in Rockport is located in Sandy Bay, about 1.5 miles north of Rockport Harbor. It is home to a vibrant commercial fishing industry. Corps’ work in Pigeon Cove consists of:

• A 10-foot-deep channel, 75 feet wide, extending 550 feet from deep water outside the existing breakwater, across the southern part of the inner cove, to the public pier; and
• A 3.4-acre anchorage area, eight feet deep, throughout the rest of Pigeon Cove’s inner section.

Completed in July 1987, Pigeon Cove is a small project, constructed under Section 107 of the Corps’ Continuing Authorities Program." - info directly copied from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Navigation/Massachusetts/RockportHarbor.aspx

St Mary's Episcopal Church

St Mary's Episcopal Church

St Mary's Episcopal Church in Rockport, Massachusetts has been open and running since 1872

"The first services were held in the Odd Fellow's Hall building in 1872, with the Rev. D. Reid, the Rector of St John Church in Gloucester officiating. In 1885,  19 members organized as St. Mary's Mission. Bishop Phillip Brooks inaugurated services in the present building in 1892." (Rockportusa.com)

St Mary's Episcopal Church Window Detail.

After some extensive searching, I was unable to find out any other information on this beautiful church, unfortunately.

Luna Hibiscus Seed Pod

It had just stopped raining, and I just had to go out and shoot something. So, my son and I went looking at their pretty much spent Fall garden. I was looking for water drops to shoot to try to capture the garden in a water drop. That's one thing I've never been able to accomplish. It just never works out well for me. I finally did it, but that's not the photo I decided to post tonight. It'll show up in a later post, so if you want to see it, you'll have to check my blog out often so you don't miss it.

These Luna Hibiscus seed pods were just begging to be photographed. The water drops on the leaves, and that deep purple color with the light green pods just captured my eye. It helped that the lighting was perfect for this kind of shot as well.

I hope you like it as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Hint of Fall Color in New England

Bolton, CT

While I was on vacation in Connecticut, I realized I planned the date about 10 days too early to see the amazing foliage in New England. The weather was very good; only 1 rainy day in the 10 days I was there.

My son, Joey, and I took a day trip to Bolton. We were born and raised in CT, but we came upon this little pond in a park we'd never heard of. What a surprise! The leaves were just beginning to turn and it made for just a hint of color. There was a lot of vegetation on the pond, so we had to look for a fairly clear area when we spotted this tiny island in the pond. There were just a few reds and yellows to add a bit of color to this photo.

Let me know how you like this photo in the comments below.