I'm going to keep these banner ads promoting the premiere of The GRANITE GIRLS and The River Women here on the BLOG right up until the week of the premiere. Check it out at Ashworth by The Sea on Hampton Beach.
THURSDAY JULY 12th 2018 at the ASHWORTH 6:00PM to 9:00PM
The Movie Starts at 7:00PM and admission is FREE. That's right FREE.
There will be a donation jar if you want to donate, otherwise it's FREE.
So my Father's Day weekend was the BEST ever. It's true. All three of my kids and all three of my grandkids stopped by and we had the BEST day. The simple things in my life mean the most to me these days. Spending time with my wife and immediate family is one of those times I cherish. I know I'm a very lucky man. Believe me, I know this. I have my health, my beautiful wife and my beautiful family and friends. My life is good. I'm not complaining. At least not this week. Like our Gunny in the Marine Corps used to say "if they ain't complaining there's something wrong." I'll complain in the future, but for now, I'm content and satisfied.
This little guy brings me a tremendous amount of joy in my life. Patch is a good dog. A great companion and he's an incredible hunter in the bird fields.
I love the cards he picks out for me. So clever and thoughtful. Not many pets can do what he does, and I am once again reminded of how lucky I am to have Patch and our two kitty's in my life.
My wife bought me a new Webber Grill to replace the old one. Now look, I don't need a High Tech, shiny ass Chrome gas grill, to make me happy. Hardly. I prefer the old school charcoal grill. The kind my father used to have.
I had a craving for steak on Father's Day and my baby made it happen.
Like I was just saying, it's the simple things in my life that bring me joy.
This is one of my GRANITE GIRLS. Leah Grondin Piersiak. She's a naturally talented surfer who grew up surfing with our kids and the other kids in the surf community. Well, little Leah who is married to a great guy Rob Piersiak just had a baby Granite Girl herself! yay! I'm so stoked for them all. But especially for my life long friends Kevin and Kim Grondin. They're grandparents! And son Kody is an uncle like my son Max. Here's the little sweet bundle of joy.
Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome into the world....
Miss Lily Katherine Piersiak. A future Granite Girl. of that I am certain.
The photo on the right cracks me up. She looks like a real baby baby. It's hard to believe she's less than a day old in that photo. She looks more like a six month old. That face!!! Oh my God she's beautiful, just like her mother.
The Grondins must be in heaven over this child.
Speaking of Granite Girls The trailer is getting around on social media and here on the Blog. The buzz is out there and I'm hoping for a good turnout.
Erica Nardone's story is
one for the ages. She's an amazing individual and when you see and hear her story you will be impressed. I sure was.
She says she's one of the elders now. Ha ha. Sorry Erica, I can't look at you and think you are one of the older surfers now. But I can clearly understand what she means. The whole premise of this movie is that the surf world has seen an incredibly jump in women surfers. And Erica has been surfing a lot longer than some of the other women in the movie. But to be honest, there are others who have been surfing just as long. Maureen McNamara, Rachel Ryan, and Hannah Vokey are right there with her.
The movie however is full of women and girls who are pretty serious about their surfing. The ranges of surfers are from young girls to women in their 40's.
Each one of them is stoked to be a surfer. I know this because I've been around them for the last year and a half making this movie. Truth be told.
I've been around these women surfers for a lot longer than a year and a half.
I've seen them get better and better with each
passing year.
Go to the premiere and see for yourselves.
One of the things I really enjoy doing while making surf movies is shooting empty waves. I love the empty wave. And there are many in this movie.
Like this one below. If you look closely you can pick out the OC building.
Thats where we do all of the editing for our movies. It's magical place to work. And there's a lot of magic coming out of that suite. Between my son Max and myself the Surf Free Or Die studios are putting out some local magic.
I decided to dedicate the movie to those women and girls who have passed away before their time. These names you see here have all left behind loving families and friends. It's the least I can do, to remember them. They were all beach goers. All loved the ocean and the waves. All were deeply embedded into the local surf community. So I dedicate this movie to these six girls.
May their memory live on in the sun and waves that we all enjoy.
" Surfing Heals All Wounds."
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This is a photo that's in the movie. Ed was always shooting the women of our coastline. In fact, some of the best photos of women surfers to ever come out of this region were taken by Ed himself. It was ed who first shot Noreen Lynch. She's the one in the movie who always wears a hat. Suffice it to say, she's one of the standouts in the movie. A Goofyfoot longboarder who wears a baseball type hat on her head. Classic. But she's only one of many women that Ed shot. Photo by Ed O'Connell
*Click the photo above to see a larger version of Ed's Pic.
Now for Some Local, National and International News
So my brother Johnny runs a local Blues jam down in Massachusetts every other Wednesday. I went down this past Wednesday because he's going in for surgery for his back in a couple of weeks. And once he does, he'll be laying low for some time until he feels better to be able to stand up and play.
Much to my surprise our drummer for The Nor'easters was also sitting in. So there we were, three quarters of the Nor'easters playing a few Easters tunes for the crowd. That was a treat.
I always enjoy getting to jam with my brother.
Looking over at my brother Johnny the other night on stage, I thought back to all the times we played together.
We first started in 1964 when we pretended we were the Beatles. He was "John" and I was "Paul." I made these custom cardboard cut out guitars for us. He had a Rickenbacker and I had the Hoffner bass. We'd play our Beatles records and sing and pretend to play along with them.
In 1974, we had our first band, The BEAVER BROTHERS.
It's true. In 1976, we started the VINNY BAND. In 1984,
we formed SEMPER FI and in 1988, we started
THE NOR'EASTERS. We still play out today as THE NOR'EASTERS. 44 years of playing music together.
Love you Johnny!
OK all this talk about the children down in Texas being separated from their parents at the border, had some people comparing this to what the kids in Texas are going through. Look there's nothing even close to what the Jews went through in Europe during WWII. These kids were on their way to being exterminated by the Nazis.
What's happening (above) is not what's happening (below).
Don't even try to compare the two. Yes it's awful seeing and hearing these kids crying. And yes, I think they should keep the kids and parents together. If they get deported, deport them together. Don't break apart families.
Everyone knows I'm not a fan of 45. But if we're going to speak the truth then dammit speak the truth. Clinton, Obama, and Bush all had the same policies on Immigration. This was not something 45 thought up. This has been in place for years. My opinion is this. If the adults who come through the borders are illegal, then we should send them back with their kids. Or keep them detained here WITH THEIR KIDS. Do what you have to do, just don't separate them. Bottom line, it's a mess.
OK this coat story? I don't get it. Sorry Melania as much as I want to try and find some reason as to why you would wear such a coat is beyond me. I don't get it. For God sakes Melania you're the First Lady. Act like it. This coat? I Really Do Care.
KSM Photoshop of the Week
I know you know, that this coat fiasco was going to find it's way into the KDSM section on the blog. And you were right. Here he is in all his Al Qeada Glory basking in the warmth of another weekly photoshop. Lets us too bask in yet another embarrassing moment in the Sheik's life.
So my friends, please take advantage of this weekly photo shop of the mastermind who planned 9-11 and resulted in the deaths
of 3,000 innocent civilians by KSM (Khalid Sheik Mohammed).
*Note to self -must pick up a case of white paint
at Home Depot this week.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kevin Grondin June 23rd, 2018.
CONGRATS to Leah and Rob on the birth of their new daughter
Lily Katherine Piersiak June 22nd, 2018.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Cory Fatello June 30th, 2018!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dave "Crop" Cropper June 30th, 2018.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Kyle Linseman June 30th, 2018!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mike Sidebottom June 30th, 2018!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Mike Tyson June 30th, 2018!
FYI Lenny Nichols is looking for someone or someones to take over the ESA-NNE District. Please contact Lenny Nichols
by calling his cell (603) 944-2418
THE GRANITE GIRLS and The River Women showing at the ASHWORTH By The Sea on Hampton Beach this July 12th.
Admission is FREE. Pass the word. We are going to make history this night!
Please
Support ALL The photographers who contribute to
Ralph's Pic Of The Week every week for the last 13 years.
** BUY a HIGH RES Photo
from any of the weeks on RPOTW.
Remember
my friends... Surfing Heals All Wounds.
Pray for Surf. Pray for Peace. Surf For Fun.
Ralph
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