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

features

Library books beckon readers with tantalizing outfits

The display inviting library patrons to “fall in love” on a blind date with a book.

Sometimes a book isn’t just a book — it’s a promising blind  date or a ticket to a faraway land.

Since Valentine’s Day, the Lincoln Public Library has been offering a selection of “mystery books” — not whodunits, but rather books concealed in wrapping paper with only a couple of clues to help you decide whether this could be the book for you. They’ll be on offer until midweek.

Meanwhile, since this is school vacation week, the library is also offering prepacked bags with DVDs, books, and CDs focusing on particular destinations such as Florida, Italy and even outer space, even if this is a “staycation” for you. Reference librarian Laura Paryl, who’s been wanting to do this for a while, picked out and assembled all the materials.

As for the “mystery books,” the only clues for potential readers are genre, year of publication, and names of a couple of other “if you liked X” titles. Reference librarian Robin Rapoport chose them based on books that were successful at other libraries that have done similar “Blind Date with a Book” displays. Though she hasn’t read all the books on display, “there are definitely some personal favorites in there,” she said.

Rapoport eventually plans to post a list of the titles to relieve the suspense experienced by those who tried to judge a book by its cover (or wrapping paper), as well as response cards to find out what books people really enjoyed or didn’t.

Using film to build bridges between kids from different cultures

Tom Flint at home in Lincoln.

Film or video is often used as a tool to tell a story or record an event. But Lincoln’s Tom Flint is trying to expand that tool to bring together people from different cultures through the process of creating a video.

The goal of each program is not to teach students how to make films in the usual way (writing a script, creating storyboards, and shooting preplanned scenes)—“just executing what you’ve already decided,” Flint said. “I’m interested in other ways students can grow from the process, not focusing exclusively on making a good-looking product. It’s a discovery-based approach to filmmaking where the students don’t know what film they’re even making until they’re finished.”

Flint earned his master’s degree in art and design education from the Rhode Island School of Design last year after spending 13 years in Japan, where he taught English and film and did freelance film work. When he first arrived, he struggled to learn Japanese, but over time, he became immersed in the country’s culture and eventually married a Japanese woman. They now live with their two-year-old daughter on the Lexington Road farm where Flints have lived continuously since the 1600s (Tom’s mother, sisters, and brother-in-law also live there).

Last summer, Flint’s organization, Zoom-In, Zoom-Out, led a workshop where local high school students teamed up with some of his former students from Japan, shooting video at deCordova Sculpture Park, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, and Mt. Auburn Cemetery. Over the course of three days, the students got to know each other and then collaborated in planning, shooting, performing, and editing eight-minute videos. They used a video camera but no lights, tripods or special sound equipment, and did the editing on a computer.

There were just a few basic rules: the theme was “In Between,” and each film had to have a beginning, a middle and end, and had to have some kind of narrative twist. The story had to contain at least one identity-oriented memory from each member of the team, and the dialogue needed to incorporate each team member’s native language. The resulting films offer glimpses of how the students saw each other and the places they were in. They combine elements of cinema verité, scenic videography, and mood-creating story sequences with actors speaking in English or Japanese (usually without subtitles).

Checking the footage they just shot at deCordova are Mew Kano, Enzo Goodrich of Lincoln, and Keietsu Fukushima.

Along with Flint, the workshop was guided by Hiroyuki Oda from Gunma Kokusai Academy in Japan, and Paul Sarapas, the media and visual arts teacher at L-S.

Flint held a similar workshop at RISD over the summer where American high school students teamed up with teenagers from the Congo, Syria, and Afghanistan involved with the nonprofit Refugee Dream Center in Providence, which helps families who have been granted asylum to assimilate to life in Providence. “That turned out to be a fantastic experience as well, but so different from the one before,” he said.

Flint works with younger kids as well. This past fall, he led a film-making workshop at the Birches School in Lincoln. Eventually he hopes to offer after-school filmmaking programs for students in diverse communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and eventually abroad.

“The overall goal is to break borders and build bridges among kids who would never otherwise meet each other,” Flint said.

Children’s librarian prepares to close Lincoln chapter of her career

Retiring children’s librarian Jane Flanders at her desk in the Lincoln Public Library (click to enlarge).

After serving as the Lincoln children’s librarian for half her life, Jane Flanders is retiring (no doubt to curl up with a good book), and Lincolnites are invited to contribute to a memory book and say farewell at a September 28 gathering.

Flanders, 62, said she “wanted to be a librarian since I was a little girl,” so the Lincoln job has been something of a dram come true. Assistant children’s librarians Deborah Leopold and Denise Shaver will take over her role in a job share—much as Flanders initially did with former children’s librarian Amy Govalis. “I just know that Amy’s and my legacy will go on with this awesome team here,” she said.

”It’s sad to leave. I love this place so much—I love the job and the community. It’s pretty great to come to work every day and just look forward to it,” Flanders said. “The patrons here are wonderful and so supportive. They’re more than just patrons—they’re really friends. I love that about this place.”

A point of pride for Flanders was co-founding a program where special-needs students from the Cotting School come to the library to help out. “We’ve learned more from them than they have from us,” she said. One of those students, Peter Garron, graduated and is now working at the library shelving books.

Being a children’s librarian for more than 20 years inevitably means that some of the babies and toddlers that Flanders read stories to are now returning and bringing their own children to story time with her. “At first I was kind of horrified,” she said with a laugh, ”but now it’s so great.”

Jane Flanders “in uniform” reading to children (click to enlarge).

Although digital technology has profoundly changed how and what libraries do in the last two decades, the children’s department has not been as much affected, she noted. ”Parents still want to read to their kids, and they still take tons of books out. We still have storytellers, music and so forth—we balance the technological life with basic but wonderful imaginative programs that don’t involve screens.”

Like most people at the close of their careers, Flanders looks forward to spending more time with family and friends and do a little traveling. She also plans to sing with the Mystic Chorale and get outdoors more—but one of her plans is closely involved with children: she wants to be a baby rocker for infants in hospital intensive care units when their parents can’t be with them. “It’s all about human contact—I’ve been wanting to do that forever,” she said.

Memory book and gathering

The library is inviting patrons past and present to send in up to two 8.5 x 11 sheets of well wishes or memories to her. Ideas include but are not limited to photos of children and families, stories involving Flanders, kids’ drawings, or titles of favorite children’s books that she helped you discover. The submissions will be inserted into clear sheet protectors and put into a three-ring binder.

The farewell reception is Friday, Sept. 28 from 4–6 p.m. with musical entertainment from 4:30–5:30 and refreshments sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library.

News acorns

PMC Kids Ride is on April 29

The fourth annual Lincoln-Sudbury PMC Kids Ride to help raise money for the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Center will be held on Sunday, April 29 at the Lincoln School campus on Ballfield Road. Kids aged 2–12 ask for donations from friends and family and then ride their bikes around the center green of the schools (or for little ones, a “village” in the Hartwell lot). The event will take place from 7:30–10:30 a.m., with a bike ride, bouncy house, ice cream and other fun activities. Organizers also welcome volunteers to help with the event; to sign up, contact the Parks and Recreation office at 781-259-0784.

Preregistration is $20 ($25 on the day of the event), and each rider must raise a minimum of $30. For more information, see the Lincoln-Sudbury PMC Kids Ride website or email pattylevy.pmckidslincoln@gmail.com.

Barbershop chorus performs on April 29

The New Sound Assembly.

The New Sound Assembly will perform “The Spirit of America in Song” on Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The New Sound Assembly, a 23-man chorus of singers, presents musical programs all over the region and in England and Ireland. The free hour-long performance for all ages will be a mix of barbershop songs, patriotic, and modern favorites. All songs are sung a capella in four-part classical barbershop harmony.

This program is supported by a grant from the Lincoln Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Hyltons honored at BU School of Law

Professors Maria and Keith Hylton.

Lincoln residents Keith Hylton, the William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor at Boston University School of Law, and Professor of Law Maria O’Brien Hylton were honored with Trailblazer Awards from the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (MBLA) at the organization’s 45th anniversary gala. The awards recognize “leaders who have enriched the legal profession and created career pathways for black lawyers,” according to the MBLA.

Keith Hylton is a prolific scholar across a broad spectrum of topics in law and economics, including tort law, antitrust, labor law, intellectual property, civil procedure, and empirical legal analysis. He has published five books and more than 100 articles in law and economics journals and is president of the American Law and Economics Association. Maria Hylton teaches courses on employment law, ERISA, contracts, and insurance law, and has numerous publications to her credit. She is the co-author of Cases and Materials on Employee Benefits Law and Using Civil Remedies for Criminal Behavior: Rationale, Case Studies, and Constitutional Issues.

The Food Project stages “Big Shindig”

The Lincoln-based Food Project will kick off its 27th growing season with the Big Shindig on Wednesday, April 25 at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts. This fundraising event, supported by presenting sponsors Bank of America and Linda and Bill McQuillan, aims to raise $400,000 to support the Food Project’s critical work with youth, food, and community.

This year’s event will feature youth speakers from the Food Project’s Dirt Crew and Root Crew and Leadership Award honorees Cassandria Campbell and Jackson Renshaw, alumni of The Food Project and co-founders of Fresh Food Generation, a Boston-based food truck and catering company..

Proceeds from the Big Shindig will support the Food Project’s youth programming, sustainable agriculture on urban and suburban farms, food system change, promoting community economic strength, and the distribution of fresh produce to expand healthy food access throughout the Boston and North Shore regions. Tickets are on sale now. Visit thefoodproject.org/bigshindig to purchase tickets, get event details, and learn about sponsorship opportunities.

Since its founding, the Food Project has grown from a single two-acre farm in Lincoln to an organization that stewards 70 acres of urban and suburban farmland throughout greater Boston and the North Shore. To date, over 1,800 young people between the ages of 14 and 18 have served on the Food Project’s youth crews, and the organization has harvested nearly 4.5 million pounds of sustainably grown produce.

Little League T-Ball registration now open

Youth baseball in Lincoln starts with T-Ball, which is open to boys and girls currently in kindergarten and those starting kindergarten in the fall. Players will meet on the Smith School fields in Lincoln each Saturday morning from 10–11:30 a.m., right after in-town soccer. The basic mechanics of baseball are taught, and each week features a practice followed by a game. Opening day is Saturday, April 28 and the season runs through June 16. Registration and more information are available at www.LSBaseball.org, or contact Chris Andrysiak at 781-259-3719 or chriscoach33@gmail.com.

Council on Aging activities in March

Lincoln Trad Jazz Band
March 2 from 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Come hear the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band on Friday, March 2 at Bemis Hall. Enjoy old-time trad jazz that will have you up on our feet dancing and your hands a-clapping!

Painting in pastels with Juliet
March 5 at 10 a.m.
Express your vibrant self with the brilliant colors of pastels with Juliet Rago. She will begin with a short introduction to drawing for those who feel they need it. The class will meet from 10 a.m.–noon on March 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, and 23 at Bemis Hall. No experience is necessary. All materials furnished. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. Limit of six. Cost is $40.

Lincoln Academy with Karin Flynn: A family divided by the Berlin Wall, 1961–1989
March 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, March 5 at 12:30 to hear Karin Flynn discuss “A Family Divided by the Berlin Wall, 1961–1989.” Karin will talk about the effect of the Berlin Wall on her family and how they held together despite political pressure trying to divide them. She will also read a few of her poems and tributes to people who helped her and her two brothers when they decided to come to the US and become American citizens. 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!

World hand drumming
March 6 at 9:30 a.m.
Hand drumming is a fun way to express yourself and enhance well being. Come learn the joy of drumming with acclaimed drummer Mike Connors from the Concord Conservatory of Music on 12 Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. beginning March 6. Cost is $156. Sign up now by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. No need to bring a drum.

Piano class with Wanda Paik
March 6 and 20 at 10 a.m.
Dust off your piano music books, and come to the piano class at the COA led by Wanda Paik. This class is open to all pianophiles, whatever your level, to play, share, and learn more about how to play and practice to help reach your goals. This class will meet for 6 sessions, every first and third Tuesday of the month (March 6 and 20) from 10–11:15 a.m. at Bemis Hall.

Mindfulness walks in nature
March 6 at 1 p.m.
Early spring can be a very special time to connect with nature through walking in a mindful way. Join naturalist John Calabria for a series of walks in some of Lincoln’s most beautiful places on Tuesdays March 6, April 3, and May 1 beginning at 1 p.m. Where the walks will take place are to be determined. Unplug, disconnect from the world for a while and let our senses come alive in nature. These are co-sponsored by the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and the COA. For more information, including locations of the walks, go to lincolnconservation.org. If there’s snow on the ground, you may wish to bring pull-on grippers, walking sticks, or walking poles.

Surviving and thriving through life’s challenges
March 7 at 9:30 a.m.
No matter what your phase of life or what you have encountered in life, you can learn and apply the scientifically proven tenants of Positive Psychology to become more resilient and happier. Come to the COA at 9:30 on Wednesdays, March 7 and 21 and then every other Wednesday to learn practical strategies, share practices, build connections and support each other. Facilitated by Alyson Lee, social worker, life coach, certified and licensed facilitator of positive psychology. Funded by the Friends of the COA.

Declutter and get organized
March 7 at 10:30 a.m.
Decluttering and getting organized can seem overwhelming, but you can do it with some help. Come to a new decluttering group facilitated by Pam Mizrahi on March 7 from 10:30–11:30 a.m. at Bemis Hall to talk about why we clutter and learn strategies.

Selectman drop-in
March 7 from 2–3 p.m.
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 stay for the hour, the selectmen hope to see you between 2–3pm on Wednesday, March 7 at Bemis Hall.

Caring for loved ones at home after death and green burial
March 9 at 10 a.m.
For millennia families have cared for loved ones at home after death and buried them directly in the earth with simplicity and dignity. You can do the same today. Come to Bemis Hall on March 9 at 10 a.m. to hear Peg Lorenz  discuss reclaiming these beautiful traditions. Did you know that embalming is not required; the deceased can be kept at home (two to three days is usual); a family can do the paperwork and transport the deceased; a cement vault is not required by law; both cremation and conventional burial have serious environmental consequences. Get the information you need to make an informed decision.

Proposed Town Meeting plastic water bottle and bag ban
March 6 at 3:10 p.m.
Students from the L-S Environmental Club will be at Bemis Hall on Tuesday, March 6 at 3:10 p.m. to discuss the two proposals they are sponsoring at the Annual Town Meeting to ban plastic bags and plastic water bottles in Lincoln. Get information about the impact of plastic water bottles and bags in our environment and why the students are proposing the bans, ask questions, and give your thoughts and ideas.

Town Meeting resolution on gas leaks
March 9 at 1 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, March 9 at 1 p.m. to hear information about a resolution to be proposed at Town Meeting by Mothers Out Front Lincoln to support a bill before the state legislature, “Protecting Consumers of Gas and Electricity from Paying for Leaked and Unaccounted-for Gas.” If Lincoln passes this resolution, we will join many other Massachusetts towns which have also passed similar resolutions in an effort to motivate the utilities to fix the largest gas leaks.

Lincoln Academy with Steve Low—Jerusalem & At Tuwani: international law & local action
March 12 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to the Lincoln Academy on Monday, March 12 at 12:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall with Steve Low who will discuss “Jerusalem & At Tuwani: International Law & Local Action.” A retired business consultant, Steve Low’s frequent travels to the Holy Land have brought the Israel-Palestine conflict into sharper focus. His talk will address two timely questions: (1) Why is moving the American embassy to Jerusalem so contentious? and (2) Can Lincoln play a role in promoting peace? 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!

Free elder law clinic
March 12 at 3 p.m.
Got a question about issues such as estate planning, MassHealth, protecting assets for a loved one with a serious disability, guardianship, conservatorship, or probate? The COA is pleased to provide a monthly legal clinic with elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden on Monday, March 12 from 3–4 p.m. at Bemis Hall. There is no charge for the 30-minute consultation, but please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Free wellness clinic for all ages
March 13 at 10 a.m.
PLACE: Lincoln Woods
Meet with a nurse at 50 Wells Rd. in Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, March 13 from 10 a.m.–noon. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Funded by the Ogden Codman Trust and provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

Explore what’s next in a new group
March 14 at 10:30 a.m.
Explore simple ways to have greater joy and meaning in your life in a new group, facilitated by Pam Mizrahi, that will be held every other Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. beginning March 14 in Bemis Hall. This group will help you discover what is truly important to you and how you want to spend the next chapter of your life. People in the group will share their in-depth knowledge and wisdom, do some brainstorming, and be supported in their endeavor to get more out of life. What you discuss in the group will be confidential.

“The Irish and How They Got That Way”
March 14 at 12:45 p.m.
Come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Wednesday, March 14 at the Stoneham Theatre. Trip-goers will attend the matinee performance of The Irish and How They Got That Way by Pulitzer Prize winning author Frank McCourt (Angela’s Ashes). This revue is a celebration of a heritage that confronts adversity with determination, good humor, music, and love of life. It is a fabulous show, with excellent reviews, an uplifting musical that will leave you smiling. A comfortable air-ride bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 12:45 p.m., returning at approximately 5:30 p.m. This trip is rated easy, as it entails a short walk from the bus to the theater with no stairs to climb. Complimentary refreshments are served at intermission. The cost of the trip is $29 and is non-refundable. Space is limited. To reserve a seat, send your check made out to “FLCOA Trips” to Virginia O’Brien, 4 Linway Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773. Please include your phone number and email address. If you have questions you can call Virginia at 781-259-1291 or email her at vobrien39@yahoo.com.

Coffee with the candidates
March 14 at 1:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, March 14 from 1:30–3 p.m. at Bemis Hall, meet all the Lincoln Sudbury High School Committee Candidates who will speak about the issues facing our High School. Two LSRHS School Committee seats are up for election on March 26. This is your opportunity to meet the people who will be making the decisions that affect your life and that of your family and community before you enter the voting booth.

New group for spouses of veterans
March 16 at 10 a.m.
All spouses of veterans (whether the vet is living or deceased) are invited to join a group to be led by Priscilla Leach, Lincoln’s Veterans Service Officer. We hope that the spouses will benefit from getting to know each other, discussing common concerns, and having fun together. This month’s meeting will be held on Friday, March 16 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall, and subsequent meeting places will be at The Commons and Lincoln Woods. No need to sign up, but if you would like more information, please contact Priscilla at 781-259-4472 or leachp@lincolntown.org.

What you need to know about Oriole Landing and zoning proposals
March 16 at 1 p.m.
Important new changes related to planning and land use will be voted on at Town Meeting. Come find out more and have a chance to ask questions at Bemis Hall on Friday, March 16 at 1 p.m. Planning and Land Use Director Jennifer Burney and Assistant Director Paula Vaughn-MacKenzie will discuss a site plan review zoning amendment. Then, members of the Housing Coalition and Civico Development will give information about a bylaw amendment to establish a North Lincoln Planning Development Overlay District and a Preliminary Development and Land Use Plan. Civico Development is proposing Oriole Landing, a 60-unit mixed-income rental community adjacent to the Rt. 2 interchange, Mary’s Way and the Commons including 15 units (25 percent) reserved for those earning a maximum of 80 percent of the Area Median Income.

Lincoln Academy with Jonathan Ammen—Acupuncture and traditional Asian medicine: overview, modern research, and integration
March 19 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to the Lincoln Academy on Monday, March 19 at 12:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall with Jonathan Ammen who will discuss “Acupuncture and Traditional Asian Medicine: Overview, Modern Research, and Integration.” Acupuncture and traditional Asian medicine have become popular and enjoyed increasing acceptance in the western world over the last two decades. Today, many hospitals and academic medical centers are integrating acupuncture services with conventional care. This talk will include a quick overview of traditional Asian medicine followed by an up-to-date chronicle of the science behind acupuncture, how it works and what it can treat. Jonathan Ammen has practiced and researched traditional Asian medicine for 37 years. He currently sees patients and conducts research at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Lexington, and Peabody. The lectures last about an hour, including a Q&A period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Senior dining is free in your birthday month
March 20 at 11:30 a.m.
Lincolnites 60 and older are invited to enjoy a delicious gourmet meal with new friends and old at 11:30 on Tuesday, March 20 at St. Anne’s Church. Please reserve by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. The cost of each meal is $5. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let them know when you call if you need transportation or a seating partner. The lunch is co-sponsored by the COA, the Friends of the COA, Minuteman Senior Services, Newbury Court, St. Anne’s, and the Lincoln Garden Club. Enjoy a lunch free during your birthday month—just let them know!

Coffee with artist Owen Beenhouwer
March 20 at 2:15 p.m.
Come have coffee with Lincoln artist Owen Beenhouwer on Tuesday, March 20 at 2:15 p.m. to celebrate his exhibit of photographs in March and April in the Bemis Artists Gallery. Born in Amsterdam, Owen has lived in Lincoln for 45 years, as well as New York City and four other New England states and taught architectural design at the University of Washington. Owen has done photography in black and white, then color, then slides, and now digital. He has been fascinated with patterns and structure and their beauty, both in nature and man-made, and urban oddities including water tanks, and reflections. So come see shots of buildings, bridges, stairs, flowers, glass and windows, overhead wires and more.

Coffee with the candidates
March 23 at 10 a.m.
Get to know the candidates running for local offices at the March 26 election by coming to Coffee with the candidates Ask them your questions, and hear their approaches to the issues facing our community. Come to the Bemis Hall on March 23 at 10 a.m. to meet with candidates for Lincoln offices including Board of Selectmen, Board of Assessors, Board of Health, Housing Commission, Parks and Recreation Committee, Planning Board, School Committee, and more. This is your opportunity to meet the people who will be making the decisions that affect your life and that of your family and community before you enter the voting booth.

Donating your stuff locally after you declutter
March 23 at 1 p.m.
Your 2018 decluttering resolution can be easier than you think. Come learn the best choices for giving your possessions a local home while making great strides to de-clutter your home at a panel discussion on March 23 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Hear about the transfer station with Laura Berland, the library book sale with Sally Kindleberger, Old Town Hall Exchange with Dot Taylor, and Household Goods Recycling in Acton with Linda Svetz.

Lincoln Academy with Evelyn Harris—Music: understanding the art of repetition
March 26 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, March 26 at 12:30 to hear Evelyn Harris discuss “Music: Understanding the Art of Repetition.” Evelyn Harris invites you to spend an hour with her as she discusses (mostly performs) music by four different composers (Beethoven, Liszt, Debussy, and Gershwin) and their creativity regarding repetition. 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.

Access investment information free through the library
March 27 at 2:15 p.m.
Did you know that all you need to access subscriptions of investment information worth hundreds of dollars for free is a library card? Having a card allows you to get information at your home computer on mutual funds and stocks from Morningstar, Valueline ratings, reviews of stocks, and more! Find out what’s available in the Minuteman Library Network databases and how to use them when Lincoln Reference Librarian Laura Paryl comes to Bemis Hall on Tuesday, March 27 at 2:15 p.m.

The Fireside Chat: coping with grief, sadness and disappointment
How do you handle grief or deep sadness, disappointment? Do you have any strategies to share, or tips to help others who may be struggling? Come to the Fireside Chat on Wednesday, March 28 from 10–11:30 at Lincoln Woods and engage in a lively conversation. Sharon Antia will facilitate the discussion.

School Building Committee update
March 30 at 10 a.m.
Please join the School Building Committee on March 30 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall for an update on the latest building concepts and cost estimates as well as a review of the SBC’s presentation at Town Meeting. The gathering at Bemis provides another important checkpoint for our community in moving collectively closer to a town-wide vote on June 9 for a preferred school building concept. For the latest information on the Lincoln School project, visit www.lincolnsbc.org. Questions or comments, email us at SBC@lincnet.org.

Healing motion for life: a free movement workshop
March 30 at 1 p.m.
Being in touch with the way our bodies move, and working to keep our movements unrestricted and fluid help bring health and clarity to every aspect of our lives. Join Susanne Liebich on Friday, March 30 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall to experience a variety of sustainable exercises including expressive movement, breathing and relaxation in a program sponsored by Deaconess Abundant Life Services and Newbury Court. Susanne’s movement practice helps you achieve body awareness, presence, physical strength, balance, focus, and serenity.

The International Museum of World War II in May
In May, the COA will have a trip to the International Museum of World War II in Natick with lunch at a delicious Thai restaurant. The museum hosts over 500,000 artifacts, letters, and documents including the famous enigma machines, letters, diaries, magazines, photos, secret items used by the resistance, and much more. Check the April COA newsletter for more information.

Couple at The Commons celebrates their 70th

Tony and Peggy Zarella hold a photo from their early days of marriage as they celebrate their 70th anniversary at the Colonial Inn in Concord.

A stolen date and a motorcycle begin a 70-year romance for the Zarellas—Tony, 94, and Peggy, 92 years old, residents at The Commons.

It was 1946 and Tony was on leave from the U.S. Navy. He was looking for a fun night out and convinced his brother to give up his date for the evening and allow him to go in his place. Pulling up on his brother’s motorcycle, Tony rang the doorbell to meet Peggy at her home.

Happily surprised by the unconventional vehicle choice for a first date, Peggy’s mother quickly took a picture, and Tony and Peggy were on their way for a long ride in the Massachusetts countryside. According to them, they “hit it off instantly,” but the budding romance was abruptly put on hold when Tony returned to the Navy to complete his service.

Peggy vividly remembers the day he came home. “I was out on the Arlington Reservoir on a row boat my father had built and I noticed something on shore. I looked closer and it was Tony, in his Navy whites, waving his hat to get my attention.”

Tony and Peggy were married on January 18, 1948 in Pepperell, Mass.

Tony and Peggy pose for a picture taken by her mother on their first date.

They began their lives like many of their peers, starting careers and looking for opportunities to become homeowners. Their lives were interrupted again when Tony was called back to the Navy to serve in the Korean War. Peggy was left on her own to work at a music shop in Lexington Center. When Tony returned, they had their children, Nancy and Neil.

Tony began a career as the chief engineer at Middlesex Hospital, and the Zarella family took to sailing on the weekends and enjoying the New England harbors. They eventually moved from their home in Massachusetts to Dorchester, N.H., in search of the great outdoors. They enjoyed exploring together, taking photos, and traveling to Florida during the winter months.

Tony and Peggy with family on their wedding day.

As the years have gone by—and if you ask them, those years flew by—they’re thankful for the amount of time they’ve had together and watching their family continue to grow. Now with three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, Tony and Peggy are enjoying the simple life—spending time with the family, not worrying about cooking and cleaning, and enjoying the programs offered at The Commons.

Seventy years together has taught them a lot. “We always tell aspiring couples to take every day as it comes and try not to get upset over too many things,” Peggy said. She and Tony spent Valentine’s Day together, organizing the photos from their 70th anniversary party and creating albums for their loved ones.

— By Rebecca Skahen, The Commons

Lincoln women rally on one-year anniversary of 2017 event

(Editor’s note: Click here to see Lincoln Squirrel coverage of the 2017 women’s marches in Boston and Washington, D.C.)

To the editor:

Last Saturday, four women from Lincoln—Lucretia Giese, Julie Hibben, Suzy Karl and I—joined the throngs of marchers on the Cambridge Common to commemorate and advance the goals of the first anniversary of the extraordinary Women’s March of January 21, 2017.

It was an unexpectedly mild January afternoon, and the crowd was a cheerful and lively mix of families, students, women and men, young and old (though predominately young), and even pets. There was not an actual march. Rather, one might call it a rally or gathering featuring several speakers from diverse backgrounds, including Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, Congresswoman Katherine Clark, and Cambridge Mayor Mark McGovern.

Two of the signs seen on Cambridge Common. (Photos courtesy Barbara Slayter)

We four Lincolnites largely milled around the Common with others trying to inch ever closer to the platform so we could hear the speeches and see Healey’s “The Future is Female” T-shirt. While we heard only parts of her speech praising activists for standing up for immigrants, safe communities, health care and civil rights, we had ample opportunity to marvel at the clever signs and posters and enjoy the presence of children clad in pink jackets, hats or mittens, and the many dogs with pink (even pink plaid) woolen coats. I had dusted off my pink “pussy hat” from last year’s march and joined the ranks of pink-hat-clad women!

Organizations touting their advocacy roles ranged from Jamaica Plain’s Grandmothers for a Brighter Future (of which there is an active contingent in Lincoln) to the Boston Mayday Coalition, which focuses on protecting undocumented immigrant workers from the threat of deportation. Issues were also well represented on numerous signs: “I March for 100% Renewable Energy,” “Save DACA Now,” “Resist Deportation,” and “Black Lives Matter.”

Left to right: Suzy Karl, Lucretia Giese, Julie Hibben, and Barbara Slayter.

The expansion of the continuing Women’s March agenda was reflected in the sign saying “We rise by lifting others, all genders, all abilities, all races, all religions.” Noteworthy was an emphasis on respect, dignity, and full equality for all people, which was reflected in speakers who represented not only women from minority groups but also those concerned about prison reform and violence.

Is last year’s Women’s March morphing into a movement? Is women’s activism, whether on specific issues or in seeking office, emerging into a significant political phenomenon? This remains to be seen, but the continuing energy exhibited by women activists is heartening. Posters such as “Grab ‘Em by the Polls,” “First We Marched, Now We Run,” and “See You at the Polls” suggest that we’ll be hearing more from the marchers of 2018.

Sincerely

Barbara Slayter
7 Trapelo Rd.

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First Day social gathering draws Lincoln celebrants

The Kelly Sisters perform.

Mr. Twister creates balloon animals for appreciative kids and their parents. (Photos by Nancy Beach)

The First Day gathering as seen from the stairwell.

First Day at the Pierce House attracted dozens of Lincolnites of all ages on January 1, overcoming an earlier danger of cancellation.

Residents stepped up to help out and town organizations made donations to pull off the event, which was threatened by a shortage of funds due to renovation expenses. The Celebrations Committee, Rural Land Foundation, Police & Fire Association, Lincoln Family Association, private donors and town officials chipped in time and funding.

“It was heartwarming to see all who turned out to volunteer,” Pierce House Event Manager Nancy Beach wrote in a post on LincolnTalk. “I can’t thank you enough for all your hard work during all phases of the event. I made some new friends and enjoyed working side by side with you as we prepared for the party.

A variety of music was provided by the Ancient Mariners (Dixieland), the Kelly Sisters (Irish tunes) and clarinetist Craig Ball (swing), and kids got a kick out of balloon animals created by “Mr. Twister.” The day ended with the traditional singing of Auld Lang Syne.

The Pierce House Committee will assemble a group in the spring to start planning the 2019 First Day event. Anyone interested in helping should email Beach at nancy@piercehouse.com.

Kids get a taste of Election Day in Lincoln

James Finbar Light (left) turns the crank of the Lincoln’s 100-year-old voting machine while Margaret Flint helps a student insert his ballot and Lincoln Police Det. Ian Spencer looks on. (Photos by Alice Waugh)

Dozens of voters filed into the Smith gym last week to cast their ballots on an important Lincoln issue—and even though none of the voters were officially registered, the results will still count.

The ballot question asked the “voters” (Lincoln School students in grades K-3) what shape they preferred for town dog licenses next year: a dog bone, a fireplug, or a dog house. Running the election and tallying the results were fourth-graders under the direction of Town Clerk Susan Brooks and other adult helpers to teach the kids about the voting process.

“I’d had this idea for a while, and it’s thrilling to see the kids, teachers and principals really embracing it,” Brooks said. “It’s a nice introduction to the kids of how the wheels of government turn, and it shows how in a town our size, a few people can make a difference.”

The “election” had all the features of the real thing: a check-in table where “registered voters” were matched against class rosters, voting booths (albeit cardboard), and a tally table where students recorded the results on a large chart as they came in.

The centerpiece of the operation was a 100-year-old Lincoln ballot box that was recently restored. When a voter inserted a ballot, the poll worker turned a handle, the ballot disappeared inside, a bell rang, and a mechanical tally number changed. In the old days, a small round ink pad inside also printed the word “Lincoln” on each ballot as it was processed through the rollers.

Lincoln School students mark their ballots for dog license shape as Assistant Town Clerk Susan Francis looks on.

The wooden ballot box has one part that doesn’t look quite genuine; the crank handle made of copper tubing doesn’t match but was clearly installed as a replacement at some point. One of the volunteers that day was Margaret Flint of the long-time Lincoln Flint family. As it turns out, her father-in-law, Warren Flint Sr., fashioned the replacement handle many years ago.

After the ballots were processed, each student got an “I Voted” sticker. Watching over the process was Lincoln Police Det. Ian Spencer, the town’s youth officer, making sure there wasn’t any Russian meddling.

“Outreach is a big part of what we do,” Brooks said. “The town clerk’s office, at bottom, is making government more accessible to people, and my role is to be more affirmative and proactive about it.”

Deputy Town Clerk Valerie Fox helps fourth-grade poll workers Donovan Everett (left), Alkmene Armoundas, and Brooke Mitchell.

While some of the kids have accompanied their parents into the polls on Election Day, this was their first chance to participate in a close facsimile of town voting, “and some fo them seem to be genuinely thrilled to be close to the action,” Brooks said.

Samantha Bodnar was one of those who was pleased to have her opinion count, at least on the issue of dig license shape. “It’s cool that the kids are voting on it and not the adults,” she said.

And the winner for next year’s dog license? “It will be a blue bone—in a landslide!” Brooks said.

Codman Community Farms grows by adopting modern practices

Codman chickens stroll and roost in their dust-bath holes. See more photos in gallery below. (Photo by Alice Waugh)

By Alice Waugh

Lots of fresh air, lying around in the warm sun or cool shade, munching on fresh grass in a spacious field, a change of scenery every few days—what more could an animal ask for?

Horizons have expanded for Codman Community Farms livestock since Pete Lowy took over as farm manager in early 2016. Human visitors have also noticed some changes, including a major expansion of the farm store and—ironically—fewer animals to be seen in and around the familiar white barns.

When visitors see the mostly empty coops and pens, “they say, ‘Oh, you’re not farming anymore?'” Lowy said. “Everyone hates the term ‘petting zoo,’ but it was sort of like that before—there were a few animals here and there, but it wasn’t really a working farm. Our challenge is conveying how this is better for the quality of the land and the livestock.”

Making the farm a going concern

By using new equipment such as a large moveable cattle shade and lightweight electric fencing, he’s been able to go beyond CCF’s 18 acres and utilize a total of about 80 acres for grazing livestock in various locations around town. Now, instead of a henhouse with a few dozen chickens, this summer there were more than 1,000 laying hens and 600 meat chickens puttering around off Codman Road and Old Concord Road, 125 turkeys on the north side of Codman Road, 80 pigs (mostly in the Van Leer field on Old Sudbury Road), and 26 Red Devon beef cattle in three different meadows—one of which includes a habitat for bobolinks.

The lower barn was converted earlier to an enlarged and modernized facility for washing and packing the 70 dozen eggs that those 1,000 hens lay each day. Just this week, workers began framing and insulating part of the space so it can be used for this year-round. Other recent additions to the farm include an energy-efficient walk-in freezer and several fruit orchards and plots for rhubarb, raspberries, tomatoes, kale and chard.

Some of these improvements are being funded by grants from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and Lincoln’s Ogden Codman Trust as well as private donations. In the past year, $100,000 has been invested in infrastructure including the portable fencing, new water lines, a greenhouse for the chickens in the winter, tractors and other equipment. However, CCF’s operations are not subsidized by the town, which is responsible only for the upkeep on the buildings. Money to lease conservation land, buy and feed livestock, maintain the land, and pay Lowy and assistant farm manager Jared Martin has to come largely from sales of meat, eggs and produce.

While many of these items are sold in the CCF store, local restaurants including Lincoln Kitchen/Trail’s End and 80 Thoreau in Concord now buy eggs, while Moody’s in Waltham buys stewing hens to make chicken stock and other products. The store itself has new glass-front refrigerators as well as a high-tech self-service checkout. Customers scan bar codes corresponding to what they’re buying and then use a touchscreen to pay via credit card or ApplePay—though leaving cash in a paper envelope is still an option.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”81″ gal_title=”Codman Community Farms 2017″]

 

The first stop on a tour via electric golf cart and pickup truck was the vegetable garden and high-density apple orchard between the barns and the Codman Estate. In modern practice, fruit trees are planted very close together, clipped to trellises, and pruned aggressively to yield more fruit per acre than a traditional orchard.

This fall’s yield also included pumpkins, winter squash and a few potatoes; Lowy hopes to plant more spuds next spring. None of the produce is sold to outside buyers, however’ “it’s just to round out the products we have here,” he said. “One of the keys to successful farming is being diversified.”

A herd of cows grazes on a field next to the solar and septic facilities for Lincoln Woods. Like most of the other livestock, the cows are moved en masse every few days to a new section when the farmers pick up and relocate areas of flexible electric fencing (some of it solar-powered) within the meadow. Moving the animals frequently means that they always have fresh grass, and the field can recover in stages while also getting fertilized evenly over time, thanks to their four-legged guests.

Although it’s better for the land and animals, this technique is more labor-intensive than keeping livestock in larger fixed fields. Lowy and Martin have to move the fencing and animals themselves, and they also need to keep the section edges trimmed, because wet grass touching the electric fence above will cause a short circuit. It also requires mental work, since each spot has unique amounts of rocks, slope, and wetness.

“You have to keep it all in your head and know what you have to do each time, and what fields are best for what,” Lowy said.

Fowl play in the fields

Chickens populate the field on the south side of Codman Road near Route 126. Inside their fenced area are feeders, a moveable water tank, and a coop on wheels where they can take shelter and lay their eggs. Despite the fencing, the birds and their eggs would be easy prey for coyotes, fisher cats, and raccoons, but they have protection in the form of Toby. He’s an Anatolian shepherd, a type of dog specifically bred to guard flocks of poultry, and he’s unperturbed by the dozens of clucking birds trotting around his legs.

Although the chickens don’t tear up the grass as much as cows or pigs, they have another habit that can pose a hazard for the farmers if they don’t keep their eyes on the ground while feeding the birds and collecting their eggs every day—the field is pitted with shallow holes that the chickens scratch out to give themselves a dust bath and then nestle in to rest. But with plenty of room for their excavations, the chickens are more spread out, so they don’t peck each other or spread illnesses as quickly.

Across Codman Road is a field with similar enclosure for turkeys guarded by Andy, another Anatolian shepherd, while a field near Mount Misery is home to the stewing chickens. The dogs live in the enclosures with the birds 24/7, sharing their water and eating raw meat provided by the farmers. Like the birds, they take advantage of the shade provided by the mobile coops to doze on hot summer days.

The dogs aren’t expected to kill predators—they just keep them away by barking and marking boundaries in the way dogs generally do. However, living with the dogs does put some limits on where the birds can be located—if they’re too close to houses, their canine guards will keep the homeowners awake at night with their barking.

Perhaps the most contented livestock this summer were the pigs, who live in the field on the south side of Old Sudbury Road. They spent their time rooting for plants, socializing, and enjoying the muddy spots (“that’s the air-conditioned section,” Lowy joked). “That’s why our animals taste good—they eat great food, get a lot of fresh air, and run around.”

Winter plans

Now that the cold weather is coming, the chickens and Toby will soon be moved to the greenhouse, which will offer shelter and light at least 12 hours a day (so the hens keep laying eggs) but is also open to the outdoors. The turkeys, alas, will not survive the winter—mainly because they’re all spoken for, with Thanksgiving coming up.

As fall deepens into winter, the farmers will bring the pigs back to the main farm to live in a barn and fenced area. The sows will be slaughtered after having their first litter of piglets and the meat brought to smokehouses in Connecticut and Vermont for eventual purchase by New England Charcuterie in Waltham as well as CCF store customers.

The cows will stay outside during the winter in a field closer to the barn. Lowy is installing an insulated frost-free drinker that uses water from the new piping, and they’ll eat the hay that was harvested over the summer. But the best is yet to come for three young cows—Lowy plans to rent a bull to breed the lucky heifers in the front pasture (hopefully at a moment when no children are visiting).

Meanwhile, the store is still expanding its selection with yogurt from Sidehill Farm in Hawley, Mass. (also a supplier for Whole Foods), and bread, baguettes, and bagels from Bread Obsession in Waltham available on Fridays and Saturdays. These products are sold alongside eggs and chicken with the Pete and Jen’s Backyard Birds label, which dates from when Lowy and his wife raised chickens while he was assistant farm manager at Verrill Farm in Concord.

Once winter is here, Lowy and Martin will be freed of their fence- and animal-moving duties and will spend more time doing repairs and maintenance around the farm, cleaning and painting the chicken coops, and other tasks in addition to caring for the livestock. Lowy and the CCF board will also be thinking about how they can illustrate for visitors the operations of a farm that, at first glance, doesn’t seem to have many animals.

The hard work in the fields starts again in the spring, when Lowy has lots of ideas for further reinvigorating Codman Community Farms: more haying and vegetable gardening, more field acreage, more turkeys—and some sheep to join the other livestock. He also hopes to find a part-time coordinator for volunteers, who play a big role in haying, mowing, gardening and other tasks. Once the weather warms, up, “we can always find things for folks to do,” he said.