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

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Join the Christmas Bird Count

The annual Christmas Bird Count, a nationwide event sponsored by National Audubon, will take place in Lincoln on Sunday, Dec. 29 when participants record the visitors to their bird feeders. If you have established feeders (meaning they are already up and being used), can watch them for at least an hour, and are confident in identifying the species of birds you see, email Gwyn Loud at gwynloud555@gmail.com and she will send you a checklist and other information.

Library offering automatic renewals

Automatic renewals are coming to the Lincoln Public Library and the Minuteman Library Network. Eligible library materials (books, DVDs, CDs) will be automatically renewed two days prior to their due dates. Items that are automatically renewed must meet the following criteria:

  • There are no holds on that title
  • Your library allows this type of item to renew
  • The item has not reached its maximum allowed renewals
  • Your library card is not blocked or expired

Patrons will receive a courtesy reminder two days before due date if an item cannot be renewed. If you do not have an email address associated with your library account, items will still be automatically renewed. You can check due dates by logging into My Account at the MLN website at www.minlib.net or by calling the circulation desk at 781-259-8465.

Film: “Ayiti Mon Amour”

The Lincoln Film Society will show “Ayiti Mon Amour (Haiti My Love)” on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. In the film (in French with English subtitles), a magical fable weaves together the lives of three different people in Haiti five years after the devastating earthquake.

Lincoln-Sudbury recognized for German program

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School has been chosen as one of the few recipients of the German American Partnership Program (GAPP) School of Distinction school plaque award, in recognition of its exceptional partnership in fostering long-term youth exchange between the U.S. and Germany.  

Since 2003, the high school’s GAPP coordinator, Joan Campbell, has been organizing exchanges with the Gymnasium Vilshofen in Vilshofen, Germany, bringing students together with host families in their respective countries and building lasting relationships between teachers, administrators, schools and participating communities. GAPP program is supported by the German government, the U.S. Department of State, and the Goethe-Institut.

“With this recognition, we highlight and celebrate the school’s dedication to student growth and inclusion of global perspectives, and we celebrate the work of everyone involved in the GAPP exchange,” said GAPP Executive Director Molly Rowland.

Council on Aging activities in December

Lincoln Academy with Craig Donaldson — A holiday story: Massachusetts and the 1917 Halifax explosion
December 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Dec. 2 at 12:30 p.m. when Craig Donaldson discusses “A Holiday Story: Massachusetts and the 1917 Halifax Explosion.” On December 6, 1917 the Norwegian vessel SS Imo and French cargo shop SS Mont-Blanc, which was full of high explosives, collided close to Halifax Harbor. The resulting explosion, the largest man-made explosion at the time, destroyed much of the city of Halifax, killing 2000 people and injuring 9000 others. Boston, which had a relationship with Halifax dating back to its earliest days in 1749 as a shipping and fishing settlement, immediately sent people and supplies to help. Learn the story of Boston’s Herculean rescue efforts and the holiday gift given by Halifax in gratitude that we still enjoy today. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Noticing walks in nature
December 3 at 1 p.m.
Come on a gently paced walk through nature with John Calabria on December 3 from 1–2:30 p.m. at a location posted at lincolnconservation.org. Bring walking sticks or walking poles if you like. If the weather is bad, call 781-259-9251 after 10 a.m. the morning of the walk for an update. Co-sponsored by the COA and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust.

Musical jazz lunch
December 6 at 12 p.m.
Celebrate the holidays 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. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in December

Letter to the editor: Gearticks urge better home insulation

The fifth-grade Purple Gearticks include (left to right) William Mendelson, Evie Packineau, Jasper Clark, Lucy Reiner, and Quinn Clark. (Photo courtesy Ginger Reiner)

To the editor:

We are the Purple Gearticks (a Lincoln First Lego League robotics team). We are working on a project to decrease energy wasted in houses and making energy greener. These days we’re all worried about climate change, and you can do your part by reading this letter and taking some of the advice at the bottom of the page.

One of the important things we learned is that two-thirds of the energy you use is heat loss: one-third goes through the walls despite insulation and one-third is leakage from windows and doors through cracks. Some ways to improve on this are window seals or door seals. You could also install more insulation or attic caps. Most people do not have enough insulation in their houses.

We hope you will contribute to this effort by sealing your windows and doors. You can consider getting a free energy audit with MassSave. They will come to your house and give you ideas on how to lose less energy.

Sincerely,

The Purple Gearticks, 5th grade: William Mendelson, Quinn Clark, Jasper Holleran Clark, Evie Packineau, and Lucy Reiner

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

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Writing class, free-range parenting discussion at First Parish

A spirited presentation and dinner discussion with Dr. Andy Clark on the Free Range Child movement will take place at the First Parish in Lincoln on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 5:30–7 p.m. in the Parish House (14 Bedford Rd.) There are many parenting books on the grit, resiliency, and self-direction that children need in order to thrive. Come see how these tie in with the “free range” lifestyle. We will discuss strategies that parents, grandparents, educators, and community members can employ in supporting each other and ultimately, our children. Suggested donation: $10 for adults, $5 for children $25 maximum per family). Child care will be provided from 6–7:30 p.m. Open to the public.

A two-session course on “The Writing Life” will be offered on Tuesdays, Nov. 12 and 19 at 7 p.m. in the Garrison Room (14 Bedford Rd.). Teacher Barbara O’Neil will offer participants a chance to write in the company of others, inspired by prompts to spur the imagination. This is not a critique group, but a place to build “writing muscle.”

Lecture on Arnold Arboretum

The Lincoln Garden Club is sponsoring a lecture by Andrew Gapinski, head of horticulture at the Arnold Arboretum, on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at Bemis Hall. His topic “The Who, What, Where, When and Why of the Arnold Arboretum.” 

FoMA honors three for Lincoln work

The Friends of Modern Architecture will premiere a short film and give its FoMA Annual Award to three recipients at its annual member appreciation evening on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. at the de Cordova Sculpture Park and Museum. The film is “Three Modern Houses” by master architect Walter Bogner, and its award-winning film maker Molly Bedell, internationally known architectural photographer Rick Mandelkorn, and Lincoln town historian Jack Maclean will be honored for their work documenting Lincoln’s important Modern legacy. 

L-S Friends of Music meet

Lincoln-Sudbury Friends of Music (LSFOM) welcomes All Parents of the L-S music program to a meeting on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. in Conference Room A at the high school. Meet with the choral and instrumental directors, and learn more about upcoming concerts and events. Ideas, energy and enthusiasm are encouraged at any level.

Film: “La Strada”

The Lincoln Library Film Society presents “La Strada” on Thursday, Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room Directed by Federico Fellini and starring Anthony Quinn and Richard Basehart. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 1956. A care-free girl is sold to a traveling entertainer, consequently enduring physical and emotional pain along the way.

Paws for the Holidays on Nov. 10

The fourth annual Paws for the Holidays festival to benefit Phinney’s Friends (a Lincoln nonprofit that helps low-income people and their pets stay together) will take place on Sunday, Nov. 10 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Pierce House. Live music, food, a silent auction, baked goods, photos with Santa, kids’ crafts, pet photo contest, and gifts for animals and people.

Mass Audubon offers free admission to vets

Military veterans and their families get free admission to any of Mass Audubon’s 60 wildlife sanctuaries on Veterans Day (Monday, Nov. 11) to thank the men and women who have served their country in the military. To learn more and to confirm that a specific wildlife sanctuary will be open, please visit www.massaudubon.org.

Lecture on fly fishing

“Storied Waters: 35 Fabled Fly-Fishing Destinations and the Writers & Artists Who Made Them Famous” takes place at the Walden Woods Project (44 Baker Farm Rd., Lincoln) on Tuesday, Nov. 12 from 7:30–9 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. for wine and cheese reception sponsored by The Cheese Shop of Concord. Free admission; open to the public. 

Estate sale to benefit MCC

The METCO Coordinating Committee will hold an estate sale on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 15 and 16 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at 18 Cerulean Way in Lincoln. MCC member Joanna Schmergel has been collecting donations of antiques, art, china, silver, and collectibles from supporters all over the MetroWest area, and her basement and attic are stuffed with treasures. Also for sale will be American Girl Doll baskets and fleece hats made by Boston and Lincoln resident students in a social entrepreneurship program. Marika Hamilton, Lincoln METCO director, has been teaching students finance, accounting, marketing, home economics and social responsiveness through this program. All proceeds go toward summer camp scholarships, late buses, field trips, and enrichment programs for Boston-based METCO enrolled children attending the Lincoln School. 

Session on soul injury

On Wednesday, Nov. 20 from 6:30–8 p.m., Care Dimensions will present “Restoring Inner Peace, Sense of Self After Soul Injury” at Bemis Hall in Lincoln. This is for anyone who has experienced loss, heartache, or trauma, or has been a victim of combat, crime, abuse, neglect or other unattended emotional injuries, including but not limited to military veterans and their families. Soul injury presents as a sense of emptiness and a loss of meaning, or the feeling that a part of the self is missing. People who have experienced loss such as bereavement, divorce, or betrayal by a significant other may also suffer from soul injury, as can personal and professional caregivers. Open to the public; please RSVP by Nov. 18 to 781-373-6574 or jcorrigan@caredimensions.org.

Learn about how to combat climate change

What are the impacts of climate change, and what can we do about it? Come Bob Moore of Climate Reality discuss the causes of climate change and its impacts on our economy, national defense, food and water supply, as well as the surge in infectious diseases, on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library. Each of us has a role to play to ensure that our country’s future is healthy and sustainable; see the tools we already have to change our trajectory. Discussion will follow the presentation.

State of the Town meeting on Saturday

Updates on the school project, South Lincoln rezoning proposals, community electricity aggregation and property tax relief will make for a full agenda at Lincoln’s annual State of the Town meeting on Saturday, Nov. 2 at about 9:30 a.m., after the conclusion of a Special Town Meeting on Water Department funding. These links and Lincoln Squirrel stories offer some background on the issues.

School project
South Lincoln rezoning
Community electricity aggregation
Property Tax Study Committee

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Rhapsody piano recital on Sunday

On Sunday, Oct. 27 at 3 p.m., the piano group Rhapsody will offer a piano recital in Bemis Hall. Featured on the program will be selections from Bach, Chopin, Guastavino, Handel, Liszt, and Mendelssohn. The performance is free and open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. Rhapsody was formed in 2003 by amateur pianists including Lincoln resident Ken Hurd who sought a venue in which to perform for each other, both to grow musically and to share their musical journey with others. Now an annual event, this will be their tenth public performance on the beautifully restored Steinway in Bemis Hall.

Climate change film looks at Anthropocene epoch

There will be a screening of the 2018 documentary film, “Anthropocene: the Human Epoch” on Tuesday, Oct. 29 starting at 7 p.m. (light supper served at 6:30) at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church. The film is the third in a trilogy that includes “Manufactured Landscapes” (2006) and “Watermark” (2013). It follows the research of an international body of scientists, the Anthropocene Working Group who are arguing that the Holocene epoch gave way to the Anthropocene epoch in the mid-twentieth century because of profound and lasting human changes to the Earth.

This is the fifth season of St. Anne’s  Climate Justice Film Series. For more information, contact Alex Chatfield at adchat@aol.com or 781-697-0140.

Seminar on India and Britain

The India Discovery Center will host a seminar on India’s British history on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Lecture topics of lectures include a personal story about the partition of India and the birth of Pakistan. Presenters will include Lincoln resident Bijoy Misra on science and technology. Register here (the $25 registration fee is waived for Lincoln residents).

Ferrante plays at next LOMA

Marylou Ferrante

Marylou Ferrante is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, Nov. 18 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Ferrante will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. She is at home on vocals, guitar, mandolin or banjo while performing blues, old time, country, and folk music. Between songs, she’ll recount stories, arrangements and the history behind the music, and often the difficult circumstances these struggling musicians endured. She covers Blind Boy Fuller’s “Walking My Blues Away” in this video.

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.

“Watershed” opens Nov. 9 at deCordova

Andy Goldsworthy, Watershed (detail), 2019. Granite, Corten steel, spruce pine wood, 156 x 223 x 144 inches, installation at deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. © Andy Goldsworthy, Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.

The site-specific permanent installation “Watershed” opens on Saturday, Nov. 9 at the deCordova Sculpture Park. The 9×15-foot stone shelter is semi-embedded in the slope of deCordova’s pond-side hill. In times of heavy rain, water that flows across deCordova’s paved upper lot will be collected and channeled underground to pour from the outlet in the work’s rear wall, giving form to the usually unremarked course of groundwater across hard surfaces and allowing people to see and hear the work come to life. The work will serve to illustrate both the impermanence and the lasting effects of water through the growth of residues like mineral deposits, moss, and patina.

Thanksgiving contradance

Lincoln’s annual Thanksgiving Night Contradance will take place on Thursday, Nov. 28 from 7–10 p.m. at the Smith School featuring Caller Chris Ricciotti, Larry Unger on guitar, and Carol Bittenson on fiddle.  All ages and abilities are welcome. Tickets (sliding scale) are $6–10 for adults and students, $4–5 for children 10 and under. Sponsored by the First Parish in Lincoln. For more information, email kwinchell@comcast.net.

Ceremony marks launch of EV charging stations at Drumlin Farm

Officially launching Drumlin Farm’s new EV charging stations this week were (left to right) Mass Audubon VP for operations/CFO Bancroft Poor, PowerOptions president and CEO Cynthia Arcate, Eversource electric vehicle infrastructure project lead Sean Tully; Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary education manager Jennifer Feller; and Horizon Solutions business development manager Jessica Cardona. (Photo: Mass Audubon/Kelly Moffett)

Visitors and staff at Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary can now power their electric cars with two new electric vehicle charging stations, allowing for eco-friendly visits to the popular working farm and nature center.

Each of the two EVC stations is capable of charging two cars. One station was donated by the nonprofit PowerOptions, New England’s largest energy-buying consortium. Eversource paid for and coordinated the infrastructure improvements needed to power the stations, and Horizon Energy Solutions handled installation, which was completed in July.

“Drumlin Farm is proud to be making a difference in providing education and motivation for a healthier and sustainable world,” Sanctuary Director Renata Pomponi said at an October 7 ribbon-cutting event to inaugurate the power stations. “We’re grateful for the donation from PowerOptions and the infrastructure support from Eversource to help us reach our goal of reducing our own carbon footprint and providing opportunities for our visitors to ‘drive green’ on their trips to the farm.”

PowerOptions’ EV Charger Program offers discounts to its members on equipment and software, as well as assistance during installation, configuration, and operation. The nonprofit organization delivers cost savings and predictability to other nonprofits and the public sector in Massachusetts, Connecticut. and Rhode Island. 

Drumlin Farm is one of 11 wildlife sanctuaries owned and managed by Mass Audubon, the state’s largest nature conservation nonprofit, that now have EV charging stations for public use.

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Film: “The River and the Wall”

There will be a free screening of the documentary “The River and the Wall” on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Filmmaker Ben Masters and colleagues traveled 1,200 miles along the U.S.-Mexico border via horse, mountain bike, and canoe. Sponsored by the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee.

Event focuses on climate change

The topic of Lincoln’s first Drawdown Forum sponsored by several town organizations will be “Finding Optimal Solutions to a Changing Climate: Closing the Sequestration Gap” on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at the First Parish Church. The speaker is William Moomaw, professor emeritus of international environmental policy at Tufts University. Food and conversation begin at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. Sponsored by Mothers Out Front Lincoln, the Green Energy Committee and the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee, with support from the First Parish Green Committee, St. Anne’s Climate Justice Ministry, Codman Community Farms, the Conservation Commission, the Lincoln Land Conservation trust, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

Sonic Liberation Players concert

The Sonic Liberation Players, including Lincoln husband-and-wife musicians Jessica Tunick Berens (third from left) and Trevor Berens (far right).

The Lincoln-based Sonic Liberation Players begin their fourth season with a concert celebrating their roots on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The concert features three rarely performed pieces by Cage (including two solos) and two of Feldman’s mind-expanding mid-career works), along with music by James Tenney and Stephen “Lucky” Mosko, SLP co-founder Berens’s composition teachers at the California Institute of the Arts. Also on the program is a revision of his “Cella Duru” for varied sextet. Tickets are $15 at the door.

Programs for all ages at Minute Man NHP

Halloween lantern walks
Saturdays, Oct. 19 and 26 from 5:30–6:15 p.m.
Hartwell Tavern (112 North Great Rd., Lincoln)
Celebrate Halloween with the Guild of Historic Interpreters on slightly spooky lantern walks (for younger children) down the Battle Road Trail to meet the spirits of 1775. Free; recommended for children 6 and under.

“Revolutionary Dog: Paws for the Cause”
Sunday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m.
Minute Man Visitors Center (250 North Great Rd., Lincoln)
Join a park ranger for a guided walk on Battle Road Trail to explore the lives of dogs in colonial America. Visitors are welcome to bring their own dogs.

Historic fencing workshop
Saturday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Noah Brooks Tavern (33 North Great Rd., Lincoln)
Learn about the various methods of colonial and contemporary livestock fencing and help repair the park’s livestock fencing. Wear sturdy shoes and bring lunch and water. Pre-registration required; email margie_coffin_brown@nps.gov.

Striking a blow for the planet (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Dozens of Lincolnites gathered on September 20 at the commuter train station before heading into Boston for the Climate Strike. There were individuals and members of groups including the First Parish in Lincoln, St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, Mothers Out Front, Indivisible, the Lincoln Meditation Group, the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee, and 350MA. Boston.com has a collection of some of the best signs. (Photos by Joan Kimball)

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Join Sept. 20 climate strike via 9:09 Lincoln train

On Friday, Sept. 20, many members of the Lincoln community plan to attend the Boston Youth Climate Strike at Boston City Hall and will board the 9:09 am train at Lincoln Station (see this letter to the editor). Around the country and around the globe, young people and their adult allies will be leaving school and work to raise their voices to protect the Earth’s climate from further damage by fossil fuel emissions. St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church invites anyone who is planning to take the 9:09 train to join us for a brief Liturgy for the Climate at Lincoln Station beginning at 8:45 a.m. as clergy and congregants offer prayers of blessing for the Earth and acknowledge the climate emergency threatening the future of humanity. See Massachusetts Mothers Out Front for more information on the Boston Youth Climate Strike.

Water Commission seeks new member

The Water Commission is seeking interested volunteers. The commission ensures that the town’s drinking water meets all applicable federal, state and local laws and standards, as well as ensuring that the system revenue covers system operations, debt service, and reserves. The deadline for submittals is Friday, Oct. 4. Send letters of interest to Peggy Elder, Administrative Assistant in the Selectmen’s Office, elderp@lincolntown.org. For information or an application, call the Selectmen’s Office at 781-259-2601.

Drumlin Farm gets $20,000 grant from foundation

Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary has receive a $20,000 grant from the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation to support its full suite of Leaders in Environmental Access for All (LEAF) programs for children up to age 18. Programs include specialized field trips and guided programs, vocational internships, staff training, and adaptive curriculum and equipment for special-needs students participating in Drumlin Farm programs.

“Funding will allow us to continue our robust vocational internships opportunities, grow our adapted curriculum based environmental education programing, and implement a variety of staff trainings on disability and inclusivity,” said Drumlin Farm Education Manager Jennifer Feller.

Talk on women’s suffrage in Mass.

The Lincoln Historical Society  presents Barbara Berenson, author of Massachusetts in the Woman Suffrage Movement: Revolutionary Reformers, on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 1:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Massachusetts was at the center of the national struggle for women’s suffrage; in a 1915 referendum, the men of Massachusetts voted two-to-one against woman suffrage. Nonetheless, in a remarkable reversal, Massachusetts ratified the 19th Amendment within three weeks after it was approved by Congress. Berenson is also author of Boston in the Civil War and is senior attorney at the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Walk to benefit SVdP and Lincoln food pantry

Come on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10–11 a.m. to St. Julia Church (374 Boston Post Rd, Weston) for a walk to raise awareness for people in need in Lincoln and Weston, and to benefit the work of our local Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) conference and the food pantry. Suggested donation $10 per person or $25 per family. This will be an easy walk along the new rail trail with an ice cream social at 11a.m. at St. Julia Church. SVdP provides emergency financial help to residents of Lincoln and Weston and operates a food pantry at St. Joseph Church in Lincoln that serves clients from both towns.