The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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Saori weaving workshop at deCordova

Join artist Mihoko Wakabayashi to explore the practice of Saori weaving, a freestyle contemporary weaving technique that emphasizes spontaneity and freedom of expression, on Sunday, Sept. 8 at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum(half-day and full-day sessions available). Create for a half-day to produce a nature-inspired wall hanging, or both parts of the day to create a larger wall hanging, scarf, or placemat. No experience necessary. Click here to sign up.

Charlie Koch to perform at LOMA

Charlie Koch is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, Sept. 9 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Koch will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. He’s received widespread recognition for providing the bass line and vocal harmonies for partner Cosy Sheridan and was part of the trio Muddy Limo, along with Brad Meyer and Chris Boehmer.

Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

Domestic Violence Roundtable hosts “meet and greet”

Join members of the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable for a special “meet and greet” on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 3–4:30 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of the Wayland Public Safety Building (38 Cochituate Rd., Wayland). This event is specifically designed to welcome new friends to the Roundtable and to provide new and meaningful ways for old friends to deepen their involvement with the group’s. work. Each Roundtable committee will have a brief opportunity to share highlights of their work. These presentations will be followed by an open meet-and-greet time where attendees can learn more about roles that might interest them. For more information, email infodvrt@gmail.com.

Events mark Minute Man National Historical Park’s 60th

Minute Man National Historical Park turns 60 in September, and the park and community partners have planned several public events and programs to commemorate the anniversary.

Friday, September 20

Realizing the Vision
The Depot (31 Depot Square, Lexington), 7 p.m.
Join park staff and program co-sponsors the Friends of Minute Man National Park and Lexington Historical Society. The speaker for the evening is Lou Sideris, former Chief of Interpretation and Park Planner (ret.) at MMNHP, who will reflect the founding and ongoing development of the park. Reception to follow. Admission is free, but space is limited so reservations are required. Please email your name and number of people in your party to mima_info@nps.gov.

Saturday, September 21

Threads of Resistance: Revolutionary Roles of Women
Whittemore House (near MMNHP Visitor Center), 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
In 1769, Colonial women protested British policies by making cloth in the home, reducing reliance on British imports. Experience the process and learn about political impact of home manufacturing. This program is offered as part of Revolution 250, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. 

Historic Trades Day
Hartwell Tavern, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Our 18th-century forebears knew how to get the job done. Learn about various hands-on trades of the period and see skilled artisans at work.

Patriotic Music with the Concord Band
Field overlooking the North Bridge, 4–6 p.m.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair and a picnic and enjoy music by the Concord Band (also celebrating its 60th anniversary) in the. The rain location at Walden Performing Arts Center (51 Walden St., Concord) has limited seating; first come, first served.

Sunday, September 22

“Earth Press Project: Witness” — Meet the Artist
MMNHP Visitor Center, 10:30 am–1:30 pm.
Meet artist Nancy Winship Milliken and collaborators, make your own “witness” brick, and engage in conversation around the themes of witness and change and learn more about this publicly generated sculpture.

For general park information, please call 978-396-6993 or visit www.nps.gov/MIMA.

News acorns

Fall Ball benefits South Sudanese programs

A Fall Ball to raise funds for South Sudanese Enrichment for Families (SSEF) will be held on Saturday, Sept. 7 in Bemis Hall. The event includes a potluck dinner of American and Sudanese food and dancing. At the First Parish Church, kids can make art and bird houses, watch movies, and visit wildlife stations presented by Drumlin Farm.

The event will benefit the SSEF’s preschool and and Saturday Bridges programs, as well as scholarships for summer camp. This year, SSEF granted $25,000 in preschool scholarships and almost $14,000 in camp scholarships, enabling 30 kids to go to Camp Calumet and Camp Merrowvista in New Hampshire. The Saturday Bridges program at the Hartwell pods offers care for infants and preschoolers, trips to Drumlin Farm for school-age kids, and classes for parents on parenting skills, understanding the school system, financial literacy and job-hunting.

The Fall Ball starts at 6:30 p.m. but most Sudanese will not arrive until 8 p.m. No admission fee, but there will South Sudanese-style fundraising where people will be asked to put money into a hat while the group dances (most families will contribute between $50 and $200). Questions? Call Susan Winship 781-424-8774 or Laper Kom at 978-332-6881.

“Executive Transitions” with Tom Casey

Companies of all sizes will have to address the implications of aging baby boomers retiring from the work force. Hear Lincoln resident Tom Casey on Monday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library speak on his recently published book Executive Transitions 2: Leveraging Experience for Future Success! Casey, the author of seven books, is the founder and managing principal of Discussion Partner Collaborative, a global executive advisory film. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Management Executive Management Program as well as a licensed clinical social worker. Free and open to all.

“Tom of Finland” screening at library

The Lincoln Library Film Society presents “Tom of Finland” (2017, Finnish with English subtitles) on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. Award-winning filmmaker Dome Karukoski shows the life and work of artist Touko Valio Laaksonen (a.k.a. Tom of Finland), one of the most influential and celebrated figures of 20th-century gay culture.

Beer, music, and art at the deCordova

Enjoy “Art and Ales” at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 5–8 p.m. Seasonal craft beers from Somerville’s Aeronaut Brewing Co. will be accompanied by live music by the Ways and Means Committee, tasty treats for purchase from Compliments Food Truck, and a view of the sunset from the Sculpture Terrace. Tickets including two full-size beers or four tastings, and access to art on view are $20 for members and $30 for nonmembers (free for kids 17 and under). Additional beer will be available for purchase. Click here for tickets.

Become a volunteer at Lincoln’s hospice house

Are you able to visit with patients, listen to their concerns, and provide a supportive, comforting presence? Can you hold a hand or engage in a shared interest or hobby? Care Dimensions will offer a four-week training program beginning in mid-September. Choose from two schedules: Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1–3:30 p.m. from September 18 to October 11, or Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6–8:30 p.m. from September 17 to October 10. All sessions are at the Care Dimensions Hospice House at 125 Winter St. in Lincoln. For more information, contact Abigail Langmead at 781-373-6583 or ALangmead@CareDimensions.org.

LLCT presents walks, talk on bird feeding

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust’s “Noticing Walks” with John Calabria return on Tuesday, Sept. 3 from 1–2:30 p.m. Meet at the Lincoln Station parking lot to walk to Farm Meadow and into Bergen-Culver conservation land. Subsequent walks will be on October 1 and November 5 (locations TBA; visit www.lincolnconservation.org). These gently paced walks are a great way to slow down, unplug, and enjoy nature. Walks are co-sponsored with the Lincoln Council on Aging and geared towards 55+ but all are welcome. In case of inclement weather, call the LLCT at 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. on the morning of the walk for information.

Join the LLCT and Tia Pinney for “Bird Feeding 101: Feeding and Caring for Birds in an Era of Climate Change” on Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 7–8:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Pinney will cover everything from types of feeder, seeds for different birds, when to feed, and more, as well as the benefits of creating diverse habitats in the yard that enhance local ecosystems, help mitigate the impacts of climate change, and attract birds for us to enjoy. Pinney is the senior naturalist and ecological management and adult program coordinators at Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary.

News acorns

Sally Ride performance at library on Wednesday

Actress Cheryl Faye portrays astronaut Sally Ride.

Sally Ride is glued to the classroom television as astronaut John Glenn blasts off into space. “I want to do that,” she quietly says to herself, only to be reminded that girls can’t be astronauts. Her insatiable curiosity leads to a passion for science, and she eventually becomes America’s first woman astronaut and a passionate advocate for STEM. Actress Sheryl Faye brings Ride to life in a one-woman performance on Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 4–5 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library. No registration required.

August 12 legal clinic canceled

The legal clinic for elders that was scheduled for August 12 has been canceled.

Events at deCordova

Play in the Park
Wednesdays, Aug. 7 and 21 from 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. (drop-in, rain or shine)
Play, experiment, and engineer together in the 30-acre Sculpture Park. Collaborate to construct large-scale temporary structures in response to deCordova’s art and landscape. (If it’s raining, we’ll move inside the museum.) For families with children of all ages. FREE with admission or membership. Learn more.

MAKEmobile
Sundays, Aug. 11 and 25 from 1–3 p.m. (drop-in, rain or shine)
Take your imagination for a spin with activities that explore artistic and material processes through amusing prompts and challenges. The MAKEmobile is fueled with surprising supplies and exciting ideas each time it cruises into the park. Learn more.

Sculpture Park tour: the domestic and the natural
Thursday, Aug. 15 from 12–1 p.m.
Join curatorial assistant Elizabeth Upenieks on an outdoor tour focused on how contemporary artists use everyday materials found inside and outside the home as inspiration for their sculptural forms. This tour focuses on sculptures added to the park this summer, giving a firsthand look at some of the newest pieces on view. Free with admission or membership; click to sign up.

Neoprene workshop with artist Leeza Meksin
Saturday, Aug. 24 from 2–5 p.m. (drop-in)
Join PLATFORM artist Leeza Meksin for an all-ages outdoor workshop exploring neoprene, the popular fabric used for scuba gear, shapewear, mouse pads, and more. Practice new ways of testing your creativity with different fabrics and learn more about Meksin’s new “Turret Tops” installation. Free with admission or membership; click to sign up.

Council on Aging activities in August

End your week with friends at a musical jazz lunch
August 1 at 12 p.m.
Celebrate the end of the week by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with familiar good old tunes. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared at the store to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The band will play on Thursday, Aug. 1 starting at noon.

You’ve been selected…
August 5 at 1 p.m.
To drop by and visit with a member of the Board of Selectmen. Bring your ideas, feedback, questions, or favorite Lincoln anecdote. Whether you stop by for a minute or an hour, the Selectmen hope to see you from 1–2 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 5.

Free beginning meditation
August 7 at 10 a.m.
Come to free beginners’ meditation sessions to be held August 7, 14, and 21 at 10 a.m. for a half-hour at Bemis Hall. Please join us if you’re wondering what others find in meditating. Meditation opens the channels of our natural states of peace, joy, health, and aids in decreasing the negative effects of aging. Experienced meditation teacher Lynne LaSpina will begin each session with a few minutes of stretching muscles to relax, and breathing exercise to help focus before meditating for about 10 minutes. Lynne will offer walking meditation for those who find it difficult to sit quietly for 10 minutes. For more information, call Lynne at 908-892-2408 or llas902551@aol.com.

Summer salad lunch and nutrition tips from The Commons
August 7 at 12 p.m.
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the bounty and nutrition of nature. Come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at noon for a delicious lunch of summer salads specially prepared by the chef at The Commons in Lincoln. Taste familiar salads made in innovative ways as well as new salads to try for the first time! Sadie Daniels, a Registered Dietician at the Commons in Lincoln, will discuss summer produce and how to make salads as healthy as possible, as well as answer your general nutrition questions. Please sign up by Wednesday, July 31 by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in August

News acorns

Minuteman Library Crawl on Aug. 1

Visit multiple libraries in the area on the 2019 Minuteman Library Crawl on Thursday, August 1 from 1–5 p.m. It’s a 21st-century scavenger hunt; the challenge is to visit as many as you can and take a picture of yourself with a designated item in each library. At the Lincoln Public Library, it’s the Lincoln Library quilt and/or the “Let the Rumpus Begin” bench. If you go to at least five libraries, you’ll get a prize (one per group). Each library will have handouts and giveaways as well as refreshments. All ages are welcome to participate in this self-guided tour that starts and ends wherever you like. Click here for your “passport” detailing the items to photograph n each library along with their addresses.

“Black Robe” screening at library

The next film to be shown by the Lincoln Library Film Society will be Black Robe (1991, rated R) on Thursday, August 1 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. A young Jesuit priest seeks to convert the Indian tribes in Canada while also trying to survive the harsh winter. Directed by Robert Beresford, starring Lothaire Bluteau, Aden Young, and Sandrine Holt. 

Look for disability letters from the VA

By now, all veterans collecting disability compensation from the Veterans Administration (VA) should have received their “money letters.” This letter, which states the percentage of compensation and the dollar amount of money the VA will pay this year, is the basis for obtaining the Veterans Property Tax Abatement for Lincoln taxes. Exemptions run from $800 to $2,000, with most veterans receiving exemptions falling into the $800 range. Some dependents whose spouses died as a result of injuries or disease contracted in a war zone will receive total property tax exemption. If you have any questions,  please call Carolyn Bottum from the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811. She will take your contact information and have Lincoln’s Veterans Services Officer be in touch with you.

Yarn corridor invites walkers to explore Lincoln pathway

Lincoln Planning Department senior volunteer Gary Davis and summer intern Emily Glass walk along the yarn corridor.  

The new Lincoln Yarn Corridor installed by Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary aims to offer an unexpected place for contemplation or nature play on the walk from Lincoln Station to the farm.

Designed in support of the town’s effort to highlight the destinations that are accessible on foot from Lincoln Station, the colorful installation ties together the themes of the nature of the surrounding area with the sheep and wool of Drumlin Farm and serves as a point of interest on the walk from Lincoln Station to the farm.

The hand-woven yarn corridor winds among and within trees along the south sidewalk of Lincoln Road across from the Police and Fire Department. Starting from the trailhead at the new kiosk next to the commuter parking lot, walkers can follow the new wayfinding signs all the way to Drumlin Farm, with stops along the way at Codman Farm, Codman House and the new art installation. 

As the materials in the exhibit age, volunteers will work with the farm (following its philosophy of “sustainable interpretation”) to refresh the corridor, eventually letting the exhibit degrade naturally until it’s time to replace it with another installation around a different nature/art theme.

New outdoor artwork at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum has unveiled several new outdoor works ranging from small-scale bronze pieces in Alice’s Garden to large-scale commissions on the park’s main lawns to two monumental pieces that will be installed by the community in July and August in collaboration with a visiting artist. All sculptures are on loan and temporary, allowing deCordova to offer a constantly evolving landscape of art and nature for visitors.

Four of the sculptures were installed in the spring and two will be installed in July and August. On view now:

David Nash, “Spiral” (2014)

Nash consciously invokes earth, water, fire, and wind when transforming his earlier wooden sculpture, as he floats them down a river, chars their surface, or leaves them in the elements for decades. His incorporation of bronze casting as part of this practice continues themes of change, decay, and alteration, especially as he melts and solders metal. As some of Nash’s early wooden works begin to decay naturally, bronze versions offer a method of preserving their forms for posterity, while not interfering in the original wooden objects’ physical conditions

Michelle Grabner, “Untitled” (2018)

“Untitled” is part of a series of cast bronze sculptures of worn, knitted, and crocheted blankets. It transposes fiber to bronze, plush to hard, droopy to erect, warm to cold, and functional item to display object. The humility of Untitled’s formlessness lends the work a sense of irony. By appropriating bronze for a subject as sentimental and quotidian as a used blanket, Grabner throws open the tradition of cast-bronze sculpture, raising questions about why we immortalize certain subjects and how we determine which artifacts are disposable. At deCordova, “Untitled” is featured among trees, shrubs, rocks, and illusionistic sculptures in Alice’s Garden that similarly evoke familiar forms and textures from everyday life.

PLATFORM 24: Wardell Milan, “Sunday, Sitting on the Bank of Butterfly Meadow” (2013/2019) and B. Wurtz, “Kitchen Trees” (2018)
See “News acorns” in the Lincoln Squirrel (June 19, 2019). Also see the September 26 event with Milan below.

Coming up

Marren Hassinger, “Monument 3 (Standing Rectangle)” and “Monument 6 (Square)” (2018) — community installation on July 24–26 on the Entrance Lawn
Marren Hassinger’s “Monuments” envision a community coming together to create art with materials that surround us. Continuing her lifelong inquiry into the relationship of sculpture and nature, their installation requires volunteers to clean, braid, and insert branches within the wire structure of her large forms. The work will be completed in the park over the course of three days by visitors who sign up to volunteer in shifts (click here for details and registration). The artist will be on site to assist in the installation on July 26.   

PLATFORM 25: Leeza Meksin, “Turret Tops” (2019) — coming August 19 to the South Lawn

For “Turrets Tops,” an original outdoor commission, Leeza Meksin will create two life-sized replicas of deCordova’s iconic museum building turrets in the park. Draping these towering conical forms with vibrantly colored neoprene, Meksin combines textile patterns and ornamental architectural details to articulate connections between the fashions we use to cover our bodies and the dwellings we inhabit. The installation encourages visitors to recognize assumptions about clothing and gender, architecture and ornament that filter into our daily lives.

Also see the August 24 workshop with Meksin below.

Related programs

Neoprene workshop with artist Leeza Meksin
Saturday, Aug. 24, 2–5 p.m.
Join PLATFORM artist Leeza Meksin for an all-ages outdoor workshop exploring neoprene, the popular fabric used for scuba gear, shape wear, mouse pads, and much more. Practice new ways of testing your creativity with different fabrics and learn more about Meksin’s new “Turret Tops” installation. Free with admission or membership; register online here.

Picnic and conversation with Wardell Milan
Thursday, Sept. 26, 12–1 p.m.
Join artist Wardell Milan for a picnic and conversation in the park, where we will channel the pastoral energy from his billboard commission “Sunday, Sitting on the Bank of Butterfly Hill.” Learn about Milan’s process and inspirational sources, from the modernist photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Nature.” Please bring your own lunch. Free with admission or membership; register online here.

“New Horizon” at deCordova features art, music, food, and conversation

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will host “Doug Aitken: New Horizon,” a nomadic day-long artwork installation, on Saturday, July 20.

“New Horizon” is a series of live events at Trustees properties across the state. From 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. at the deCordova, there will be art-making activities for all ages, a sculpture quest, and food and drink. From 5–9 p.m. (separate admission), guest speakers will address selected themes about the future of urbanization, transportation, the environment, art, and digital technology. As evening approaches, ticket holders will gather around the hot air balloon to watch as the reflective orb transforms into a generative light sculpture that responds to live musical performances.

The deCordova event will include offerings from a variety of food trucks and Notch Brewing Traveling Biergarten, and music by Julie Byrne, Juilanna Barwick, and Mary Lattimore. The evening conversation will focus on “The Future of Information” with Gideon Lichfield, editor-in-chief of MIT Technology Review, and Jeneé Osterheldt, Boston Globe culture writer. Confronted with fake news and information bubbles, how do traditional media companies become platforms for communities to address the challenges society faces in a more equitable and inclusive manner?

To visit the deCordova on July 20, tickets to Family Day or the evening happening will be required. Parking for both events will be off-site  at 1601 Trapelo Rd. in Waltham with shuttles running all day. Click here for tickets and shuttle information.

Council on Aging activities in July

Sip and paint a masterpiece by the numbers
July 3 at 10 a.m.
Come “sip and paint” with some nonalcoholic wine while you “paint by the numbers.” The first of four sessions will be on Wednesday, July 3 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall. The COA will provide the paint-by-number kits. The class is almost full, but call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up or be put on the waiting list.

[Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in July

Outdoor music all over Lincoln this summer

Several organizations in Lincoln are offering music outdoors this summer.

Parks and Recreation

The Park and Rec summer concert series kicks off with Dadda on Wednesday, June 26. Each concert features a cookout to benefit Cops For Kids with Cancer. Concerts begin at 6 p.m. at the Codman Pool. Pool use for nonmembers during the show is $5 per person. Concerts will be cancelled or rescheduled for rain; check www.LincolnRec.com for updates.

Drumlin Farm

Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary’s Friday evening music series invites people of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate local music, local food, and community-based environmental action starting on Friday, June 28. The eclectic mix of folk, bluegrass, Americana, and rock throughout the summer is sure to have something for everyone.

In addition to live music, the concert series will feature various lawn games and climate-related activities for kids and adults to learn how they can make a difference in their own communities. Concert goers are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, and a picnic dinner to relax on the lawn and enjoy the music. Ice cream and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for sale.

All shows are from 6–9 p.m. (the lawn opens at 5:30). Tickets are $15 for adults age 13 and older and free for children 12 and under (maximum $45 per family). Click here to purchase tickets.

deCordova  Sculpture Park and Museum

Music in the Courtyard features music in the sculpture park’s Café Courtyard on Thursdays starting July 11 from 6:30–8 p.m. (doors at 6:00). Sip some wine, savor a brew, enjoy a snack, and enjoy performances by local musicians Tickets are $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers. In case of rain, performances will take place inside the café. Outdoor seating is limited to 50, so advance purchase is recommended.