Did anyone happen to see an extraordinarily large creature waving to cars, bikes, and pedestrians on the Essex causeway this weekend? If so, this was Hodge Podge who was invited by the Essex Public Library to participate in a hide and seek event this past Saturday morning. Families followed clues left on the library’s social media sites in hopes of spotting the creature. Luckily, Hodge Podge was not nearly as interested in hiding as he was in warmly greeting passers-by and could be found, in plain site, at the Ripple on the Water restaurant where he spent an hour visiting with any and all who chose to stop by. All those who visited in person were entered into a raffle to win a library tote bag and a $15 gift certificate donated by Cape Ann Pizza. The Webb family of Essex were the winners of the raffle‑everyone who had the happy luck of finding Hodge Podge.
