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

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Megan Kate Nelson

Lincoln author gives book talk

Lincoln resident and historian Megan Kate Nelson will talk about her new book, The Three-Cornered War: The Union, the Confederacy, and Native Peoples in the Fight for the West, on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Concord Bookshop (65 Main St., Concord). Exploring the connections among the Civil War, the Indian wars, and western expansion, Nelson reframes the era as one of national conflict—involving not just the North and South, but also the West. She portrays how nine charismatic individuals fought for self-determination and control of the region, showing the importance of individual actions in the midst of a larger military conflict.

February vacation programs at Minuteman

Minuteman Community Education is offering hands-on learning programs for students in grades 1-12 during February school vacation (Tuesday–Friday, Feb. 18–21). Programs for grades 1-8 include Artrageous Art; Aspiring Chefs; Beginner Baking; Creative Writing; Digital Photography; The Language of Java (computer programming); Business Sharks; Earth, Space, and Sea; and Expert Architects. Minuteman also offers a driver’s education course for students in grades 9-12 and a Girls in STEM Camp for students in grades 7 and 8.

Morning sessions run from 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. and afternoon sessions from noon–3 p.m. Students may register for just one program or bring lunch and stay the full day. Visit the Minuteman Community Education website to register.

Food Project receives grant

The Food Project has received a grant of $150,000 from the Ann Theodore Foundation to support the employment, training, and mentorship of youth participating in its three-tiered youth development program.

“Now more than ever, young people must learn to transcend difference through shared work in service of a more just and compassionate world,” said Anne Hayes, executive director of The Food Project. “This substantial grant from the Ann Theodore Foundation will expand our foundational Seed Crew program in greater Boston while supporting our entire youth development program in greater Boston and the north shore.”

Council on Aging activities in February

The many faces of loss: a new group
February 3 at 10 a.m.
As we age we confront loss in many forms. It may be the death of loved ones or physical or cognitive changes in loved ones, friends, or ourselves. It may include regrets about lost opportunities or the recognition of our own mortality. Claire Gerstein, LICSW, a social worker with many years of experience helping people navigate the losses of later life, will facilitate a group which will give people the opportunity to talk about these issues in a supportive environment. The six-week group will run on Mondays from 10–11 a.m. beginning on February 3 at Bemis Hall. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up.

Lincoln Academy with Ariane Liazos: Reforming the city — the contested origins of urban government, 1890–1930
February 3 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Feb. 3 at 12:30 p.m. when Ariane Liazos discusses “Reforming the City: The Contested Origins of Urban Government, 1890–1930.” Most American cities are now administered by appointed city managers and governed by councils chosen in nonpartisan, at-large elections. In the early twentieth century, many urban reformers claimed these structures would make city government more responsive to the popular will. But on the whole, the effects of these reforms have been to make citizens less likely to vote in local elections and local governments less representative of their constituents. How and why did this happen? Lincoln resident and author Ariane Liazos will examine the urban reform movement that swept through the country in the early twentieth century and its unintended consequences. 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

Musical jazz lunch
February 7 at noon
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.

Lincoln Academy with Matt Burne — Exploring the natural history of Walden Woods
February 10 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Feb. 10 at 12:30 p.m. when Matt Burne discusses “Exploring the Natural History of Walden Woods.” Henry Thoreau famously walked the forests and fields of the historic Walden Woods for hours every day, collecting the grist for his important mill. Walden Woods, in Lincoln and Concord, today are largely protected and open to the public for recreation, connection, and inspiration. Discover what makes Walden Woods unique and distinct, and some of the natural treasures to be found here. Matt Burne is Conservation Director with the Walden Woods Project. 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.

Free wellness clinics for all ages
February 11 at 10 a.m.
Meet with a nurse at 50 Wells Road in Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon or Bemis Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 18 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Services provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. The Bemis Hall clinic is supported by the Pierce House.

Oriole Landing information session
February 13 at 10 a.m.
Join Christopher Fernandez of the Oriole Landing management team on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall for coffee, snacks, and an informational session about Oriole Landing, the new housing development that will open in Lincoln this spring. Find out about the affordable housing units that are still available as well as the market rate apartments, what the community has to offer and other amenities, floor plans, and more.

What you need to know: Municipal energy aggregation
February 14 at 10 a.m.
Join C.J. Volpone and Paul Shorb of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee on Friday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall to learn more about their municipal energy aggregation program before the Annual Town Meeting update. Also called community aggregation, municipal aggregation is an exclusive agreement with an electricity broker to provide energy to all residents. Our residential and commercial electricity supply is negotiated using our bulk purchasing power, which enables a community’s residents to receive energy from local sustainable sources. Specifying these local green sources of electricity in turn increases aggregate demand for renewables in the electricity market.

Art, movement, and fun for winter relaxation
February 14 at 1 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Friday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. when Catherine Collins, RN, MS, QTTT (Qualified Therapeutic Touch Teacher), leads a fun afternoon of using art, movement, and other playful techniques to de-stress, loosen up, and get ready to truly savor all the joys of the season. Winter weather doesn’t have to make you crazy. Whether you feel stressed or not, you’ll have a great time and learn some techniques you can use any time of the year. Please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Valentine singalong with Magic Garden
February 18 at 10:30 a.m.
Join the young children of Lincoln’s own Magic Garden for a singalong on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 10:30 a.m. in the Hartwell building on Ballfield Road. First each of the Magic Garden classes will sing a song or two, and then the audience will join for a couple of sing-along songs. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up so Magic Garden knows how many people to expect.

Lunch with town administrator Timothy Higgins
February 18 at 11:30 a.m.
Lincolnites 60 and older are invited to enjoy a delicious gourmet lunch with friends new and old at 11:30 on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at St. Anne’s Church. Our special guest will be Lincoln’s town administrator, Tim Higgins. Come meet him, ask him your questions and give your ideas. Tricia McGean, Lincoln’s Public Health Nurse, will offer free blood pressure readings. The cost of lunch is $5 per person. Caregivers are welcome to come with those for whom they are caring. Let us know 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.

Coffee with Sheila Beenhouwer: Russian art and my own work
February 18 at 2:30 p.m.
Join artist Sheila Beenhouwer at a Coffee with the Artist on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 2:30 at Bemis Hall as she shares with you art from her traveling life in Russia and a bit of her own work. The exhibit will be up in the Bemis Hall Gallery through the end of February.

Free beginning meditation
February 19 at 10 a.m.
Come to a free beginners’ meditation session Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. for a half-hour at Bemis Hall. Meditation opens the channels of our natural states of peace, joy, and health, and aids in decreasing the negative effects of aging. Experienced meditation teacher Lynne LaSpina will begin the session with a few minutes of stretching muscles to relax, and breathing exercises 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 information, contact Lynne at 908-892-2408 or llas902551@aol.com.

Cash benefit for families of some deceased veterans
February 20 at 10:15 a.m.
Surviving spouses of veterans who died from their service-connected disabilities may be eligible for the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), a tax-free monetary benefit, and many other Massachusetts benefits. Come find out more at a presentation by Lincoln’s Veterans Services Officer, Peter Harvell, on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 10:15 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Parents who were financially dependent on a service member or veteran who died from a service-related cause may also be eligible for the Parents’ DIC.

Breakfast with Carolyn: Caregiving 101
February 21 at 8:30 a.m.
Are you new to caregiving and would like to be pointed in the right direction? Come have breakfast with Carolyn Bottum, the COA Director, on Friday, Feb. 21 at 8:30 a.m. at Bemis Hall. You’ll learn what services can be provided in your home or in the community, who can help you evaluate and monitor services, and tips and strategies for reducing your stress while being a caregiver.

Empowering you to thrive at home
February 21 at noon
You are invited to join Tori Taylor, PT, executive director of Deaconess Abundant Life Services, on Friday, Feb. 21 at noon when she reviews safety and balance tips to keep you active and thriving in your homes. She will also discuss how home care may be brought in to help you remain independent, whether temporarily if you are not well, or for a more extended period of time.

Lincoln Academy with Judith Ann Foster, PhD — The obesity epidemic: why we must get the science right
February 24 at 12:30 p.m.
Currently, more than a third of the country is now obese, making the U.S. one of the fattest countries in an increasingly fat world. Mounting research suggests that U.S. life expectancy may be starting to decline for the first time since 1993. Most now believe that the increase in obesity is due to the increase in average caloric consumption, increased consumption of refined carbohydrates high in simple sugars, and a sedentary lifestyle with little exercise. Unfortunately, the U.S. Low-Fat Diet Recommendations of 1977 may have contributed to the increase in weight gain. Dr. Foster is Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine. 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.

Memory Café
February 27 at 10:30 a.m.
The Commons in Lincoln, Right-at-Home In Home Care and Assistance, and the Lincoln Council on Aging invite those with dementia and their family, friends, and caregivers to the free Lincoln Memory Café on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the main building of The Commons in Lincoln. Enjoy refreshments and the entertainment of “Ragtime” Jack Radcliffe, a fiddle, guitar, and piano performer, in a fun, informal, social atmosphere. The Memory Café is held each fourth Thursday of the month from 10:30 a.m. to noon at The Commons in Lincoln. Call Elizabeth Kaupp of Right at Home at 781-275-1400 or the COA at 781-259-8811 for more information.

Meet other independent scholars for ideas and feedback
February 28 at 10 a.m.
Independent scholars who do research in history, science, the social sciences and more without being formally employed by an academic or research institution are publishing distinguished books and making important contributions to their fields. Sometimes only after you stop working full-time can you pursue that passion you have been quietly studying for decades but never had the time to fully explore. Independent scholars and those interested in learning more are invited to join us on Friday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. for the first meeting of the Independent Scholars Gathering. If there is interest, the group will meet monthly to share resources and ideas, give feedback, and be a scholarly conclave.

Annual Town Meeting preview
February 28 at 1 p.m.
Annual Town Meeting is Saturday, March 28, but you can get a preview on Friday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. at Bemis Hall with Town Administrator Tim Higgins. You’ll hear about the budget and other issues that are on the agenda for the Annual Town Meeting such as the recommendations of the Property Tax Study Committee, new zoning regulations related to South Lincoln, and more, and you can ask questions and give ideas. This is your opportunity to become informed about and discuss issues of importance to the town in an informal setting.

Save the date:

Museum of Fine Arts in March
Join the Council on Aging on Thursday, March 19 for a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts. The group will have a one-hour guided tour, “Highlights of the Art of the Americas,” featuring masterpieces from the Art of the Americas collection. Then you are free to wander the museum and grab lunch (not included in the fee) in one of their four restaurants and visit the gift shop. The bus will leave Donelan’s parking lot at 9 a.m. and leave the MFA at 2 p.m. to return to Lincoln by 3 p.m. This trip requires the ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time. The cost is $30 and is non-refundable. To make a reservation send a check payable to FLCOA/Trips to Ginny O’Brien, 4 Linway Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Include your telephone number and email. Your reservation is complete when your check has been received. Questions? Contact Ginny at 781-259-1291 or vobrien39@yahoo.com.

Lincoln getting ready for Winter Carnival

Lincoln’s annual Winter Carnival sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 30. The weekend is designed to foster a sense of community throughout the Town of Lincoln. All events are sponsored by local organizations.

Ongoing

Build your snow sculpture when snow arrives, then snap a photo with you in it and send it to David Sequeira at Parks & Rec at dsequeira@lincnet.org. Submit as many sculptures as you like. Submissions accepted until 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb 2. Winners will be announced on Friday, Feb. 7.

Thursday, January 30

FoMA Film: “Visual Acoustics”
6:30–9 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln is pleased to present this documentary about the charming and productive life of Julius Shulman, widely regarded as the greatest architectural photographer of the 20th century who played a significant role in bringing to light the architectural Modernist movement. Beautifully crafted by director Eric Bricker (2009). Film begins at 7.

Friday, January 31

Intergenerational sing-along
3:45–5:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
The LEAP after-school program, the Council on Aging, and the Magic Garden Children’s Center invite residents of all ages to enjoy a multigenerational sing-along. Groups from each of the three organizations will sing favorite folk songs, children songs, and more.

LPTO Bingo Night
5:30–7:30 p.m., Brooks Gym
Come celebrate Family Bingo Night with even more chances to win. Prizes awarded for each winning bingo board, plus raffle prizes. Pizza sales start at 5:30 p.m., with additional snacks and drinks available for purchase. Free admission. Bingo cards $5 (15 game multipack); raffle tickets 1/$1; 6/$5; 15/$10 suggested donation.

Saturday, February 1

Girl Scout community pancake breakfast
8–11 a.m., First Parish Church
Start the Saturday slate of Winter Carnival activities with delicious pancakes and real maple syrup! Plain, blueberry, chocolate chip, and gluten-free pancakes along with coffee, tea, orange juice, and fruit. This event is great for everyone from the very young to the young at heart. Meet friends, catch up with neighbors, and enjoy crafts for kids. Girl Scout cookies will be on sale. Tickets: $5 for children under 12, $10 for those 12 and older ($30 family maximum)

Farrington Nature Linc family animal tracking
10 a.m.–noon, Farrington Nature Linc (291 Cambridge Turnpike)
Join us for a family-friendly morning of animal tracking activities on our trails and in our barn! We will head outdoors to look for signs of local wildlife–using snow, mud, dirt, trees, scat, and more–then return inside for tracking-themed craft-making and movement, plus hot chocolate. Free but registration required; click here.

Winter fun at Magic Garden
11 a.m.–1 p.m., Ballfield Road
Come visit with friends and neighbors at Magic Garden. Enjoy carnival games, arts and crafts, story time, and indoor “ice skating” in your socks. This event is best suited for children ages 5 months to 5 years. Free.

4th Annual Lincoln Holistic Wellness Fair
11 a.m.–4 p.m., Pierce House
Join local area Holistic Wellness professionals for the 4th Annual Holistic Wellness Fair as they bring their healing skills and talents to share with the community. The Fair is a rare opportunity for all to experience a varied representation of wellness services from A (acupuncture) to Z (zero Balancing), and many modalities in between. Meet the practitioners who help fill a gap in health care today and find effective solutions to chronic and acute health concerns. Hot beverages and delicious, healthy snacks round out the offerings ensuring a rejuvenating oasis for the senses. Free.

Community skating and bonfire
1–3 p.m., Cemetery Pond
Enjoy skating, hot chocolate, and toasted marshmallows by the campfire. Bring your own skates and stay tuned to www.LincolnRec.com for weather updates.

LFA energy blaster
3–5 p.m., Brooks Gym
Jump in a bounce house, run through an obstacle course, climb, and slide. The gym will be filled with fun ways to let out some energy! Free for 2020 LFA members (join or renew on the spot at www.lincfam.org for $50/year); $10 per child for non-members.

Acoustic Coffeehouse 2020
7–10:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
Our annual night to showcase local musicians and performers! We have a diverse roster of performers — some returning, some new — ready to play for you, and there’s a good chance you know some of them! Coffee/tea and desserts will be served. Doors open at 7pm. General Admission is $10. Table of 8 is $160. Online registration is recommended at www.LincolnRec.com. General admission seats also sold at the door on a space available basis.

Sunday, February 2

Make your own elf/fairy garden
10:30 a.m.–12 p.m., Lincoln Nursery School (deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum)
Create your own garden using natural materials such as moss, acorns, and pine cones. Feel free to bring along anything you would like to add to your garden. Hot chocolate will be served. Free.

Puppy Bowl
12–1:30 p.m., First Parish Church
Let the tailgating and tail wagging begin! Everyone is invited to join First Parish for lunch and the screening of Animal Planet’s 2019 Puppy Bowl. Bring your own lunch or enjoy hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, drink, and cookie $5 for lunch (admission is free). Meet and greet actual tail-waggers. Optional: please bring a pet supply to donate to Buddy Dog.

Awesome Robb magic show
2–3 p.m., Lincoln Public Library
Celebrate Winter Carnival with Awesome Robb and his interactive comedy/magic show. Best for ages 4 and up, but all are welcome.

Family life In Lincoln at the time of the Revolution
2–4 p.m., Bemis Hall
Experience life for parents and children in 18th-century Lincoln. Every man had to have a soldier’s equipment and skills. Every woman had to feed, clothe, and cure the illnesses of her family. Children learned school lessons with quill pens and still had time for games. We debated the important issues of the day and made our own music for entertainment. Come join the Minute Men to talk about life in 1775 Lincoln and try your hand at the tasks, skills, and amusements of the time. Hands- on activities for all. Patriots preferred; redcoats and loyalists welcome. Free.

Pierce House manager gets ready for her first First Day

Victoria Otis

By Alice Waugh

For the new Pierce House manager, January 1 will be her first First Day, and she’s planning a good time for all.

The New Year’s Day event offers food, drink and entertainment for Lincolnites of all ages from 1–5 p.m. “It’s going to be so much fun,” said Victoria Otis, the enthusiastic Pierce House manager. First Day is a Lincoln tradition that was threatened with cancellation due to a lack of funds in 2018, but residents stepped up and made it happen. 

This year’s event will feature music from the Lincoln Trad Jazz Sextet, and a balloon artist and “candy bar” for kids. Food and beverages are being donated by William Ference Catering, BG Events, Two Chefs Are Better Than One, Fireside Catering, and Gordon’s Liquors. Other donations include funds from the Parks and Recreation Department and a police detail from the Lincoln Police Department.

After graduating from Johnson and Wales College in 2017, Otis was event manager at the Stevens Estate in North Andover, another town-owned historic property now rented out for gatherings. She started at the Pierce House last summer and has already raised the historic house’s profile the new-fashioned way: online. Getting listed on TheKnot.com and WeddingWire quickly paid for itself with more wedding bookings, and she’s also boosted the number of followers on the Pierce House social media sites, including Instagram.

Otis (who also manages the Pierce House property with oversight from the Pierce House Committee) is bubbling with other ideas, including new plantings and garden arrangements, an ice machine, fundraising, and a wall or some other measure to appease neighbors who are unhappy with the sound levels during events.

During the slow winter months, she keeps busy meeting vendors, networking with the National Association for Catering and Events, and working with new part-time assistant Jennifer Curtin (who also works for the Conservation Commission).

Weddings are the Pierce House’s bread and butter, and running this kind of event is becoming second nature to Otis. “All my friends are getting married, so I kind of look at what they’re doing and it makes it a lot easier for me,” she said.

Otis still needs First Day volunteers, especially for setup and cleanup. Those interested may contact her at 781-259- 9757 or Victoria@piercehouse.com.

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

News acorns

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.

Council on Aging activities in November

Musical jazz lunch
November 1 at noon
Celebrate fall by grabbing a table at Bemis while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with 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.

Toni Lynn Washington and Sax Gordon Beadle sing and play the blues
November 3 at 2 p.m.
All ages are invited to a free concert by renowned Boston-area blues vocalist Toni Lynn Washington and acclaimed saxophonist Sax Gordon Beadle on Sunday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The performance is the third annual Ronna Cooper Memorial Concert and is sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln COA. It is a gift from Margo Cooper in celebration of her mother’s life. Washington has delighted and awed audiences in Boston and around the country and the globe for decades as both a singer and songwriter. She has received the Boston Blues Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, had seven Blues Music Award nominations, and released five CDs. Sax Gordon, known for his “hard-blowing, exciting, gutsy” signature style, has performed around the world, won numerous awards, and recorded six CDs. Marty Ballou on bass, Bryan Claunch on keyboard, Tom Avery on drums, and Cheryl Arena on vocals and harmonica will back up Toni Lynn and Sax Gordon for this fabulous afternoon of music. For more information about the concert, call Carolyn Bottum at the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

New group focusing on family issues
November 4 at 10 a.m.
For many people, relationships with family members are central. They may be a source of great support, satisfaction, and pleasure, but they also may be a source of conflict, disappointment, and dissatisfaction. All are invited to join a new group that will meet for five Mondays starting on Nov. 4th from 10–11 a.m. at Bemis Hall. This group will be an opportunity to share those feelings and to get ideas for ways of trying to improve relationships and to examine expectations and communications which may lead to greater satisfaction. For many the holiday season can bring these feelings into sharper focus and groups can offer support. The group will be led by Claire Gerstein, a social worker with many years of experience assisting people with family challenges. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in November

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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.

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Property tax forum on Tuesday

The Property Tax Study Committee will hold its second public forum on Tuesday, Oct. 15 from 7–8:30 p.m. in Town Hall. The group was formed in reaction to concerns about the large tax increase required for the $93 million school project. At its first forum in June, the group presented two possible measures: a means-tested circuit breaker program and a residential exemption for certain properties.

Family fun at Walden Woods Farm

The Lincoln-based Walden Woods Project offers a day of fall-themed family activities at its organic Farm at Walden Woods (1047 Concord Turnpike/Rt. 2 eastbound, Concord) on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. There will be an interactive full-size model of Thoreau’s Walden Pond house, packets of milkweed seeds to plant at home for monarch butterfly habitat, free apple cider and a ”solitude” selfie station. The event is part of the Concord Festival of Authors.

Scarecrow Classic 5K on Oct. 20

The seventh annual Annual Scarecrow Classic on Sunday, Oct. 20 starts at 9:30 a.m. on Codman Road by the fire station and runs along Lincoln’s scenic roads, fields, and trails. Proceeds from this event support the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT). After the race, there will be a raffle with prizes, live music, cider donuts, seasonal soup, and prizes for the top three runners in each age category. Raffle tickets can be purchased in advance at the LLCT offices, from LLCT trustees, or on October 14 before the race. Register online or at the event starting at 8 a.m. Visit scarecrowclassic5k.com for the route map and online registration.

Tales from the Night at Drumlin Farm

Put on your favorite costume, grab a flashlight, and join us for Tales of the Night — the silliest, spookiest, and most family-friendly Halloween tradition on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25 and 26 at Drumlin Farm, from 6:30–9p.m. Costumes are encouraged. Visitors will have the chance to:

  • Explore the farm at night lit by our display of over 100 jack-o-lanterns
  • Meet some of the nocturnal wildlife of Massachusetts
  • Enjoy spooky treats, spider cider, and witch’s brew at the ghoulish graveyard
  • Step into a story on our Nursery Rhyme Trail to meet your favorite characters
  • Get a festive face painting at the Crossroads Barn
  • Venture out into the fields for a haunted hayride full of spooky surprises for the brave at heart (7–8:30 p.m.)

Tickets are available via advance purchase only — admission cannot be purchased at the gate. Mass Audubon members: $15. Nonmembers: $17. Free for children under age 2. Register early, as this event often sells out.

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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.