Because of the impending snowstorm, the Lincoln Public Library has postponed the Kids Lego Club and the Photoshare events scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 5.
The drop-in Lego Club for children age 5 and up will meet next on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 4-4:45 p.m. The next monthly Photoshare meeting will be on Wednesday, March 5 at 7 p.m.
Ms. G
By Alice Waugh
Ms. G, Drumlin Farm’s resident groundhog, will soon be called on to predict the weather for the rest of the winter—something she hopes to do in future years as the official state groundhog.
Ms. G will make her prognostication on Groundhog Day at Drumlin Farm on Sunday, Feb. 2, when local meteorologists from WBZ-TV, NECN, and the Blue Hill Observatory will be on hand from 10 a.m. to noon to talk with families about the weather wonders of the seasons as part of Drumlin’s weather science fair.
At last year’s event, just days before the Blizzard of ’13, Ms. G saw her shadow, indicating six more weeks of winter.
Sometime this spring, the state House and Senate should vote on House Bill H2864, a measure proposed by Rep. Alice Peisch that would designate Ms. G as the official state groundhog to encourage students to study weather. The move should also put Lincoln on the map as the go-to Groundhog Day site for predicting the course of the remaining winter season. Also, Ms. G is easier to spell than “Punxsutawny Phil.”
Legislators got an in-person pitch from lobbyists (most of whom were not of legal voting age) during a public hearing on January 8 in Wellesley, where students from the Hunnewell School and staff from Mass Audubon, which oversees Drumlin Farm, testified in support of the bill. They’ve had help over the past year or two from Wellesley resident Mish Michaels, a former TV meteorologist. State residents of all ages can express their support online at MAStateGroundhog.com/vote.
On Groundhog Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ms. G spectators can also visit with other resident wildlife and farm animals, explore the trails, attend special nature and farm programs, warm up by the fire with a story and cocoa, and make some winter crafts to take home. The Drumlin Farm event is free with paid admission of $8 for adults and teens or $6 for children 2-12 (free for seniors and Mass Audubon members).
The Lincoln Public Library is hosting an improv group for kids in grades 4-6 as well as weekly storytimes for children in various age groups.
Improv for kids in grades 4-6 takes place on Tuesday afternoons starting on January 14 and running through February 11 from 3:30–5:30 p.m. During improv exercises, participants create characters and stories and act them out. Learn acting games and skills. There are no lines to learn, no staging—just lots of fun, laughter and creativity. No previous experience needed.
The class will be taught by actor/teacher Sally Kindleberger. To register, visit or call the library at 781-259-8465.
Register now for Lapsit and Terrific Twos winter storytimes for children at the Lincoln Public Library by emailing Jane at jflanders@minlib.net or calling 781-259-8465 (note that story times are not held during school vacations or snow days):
Lapsit Storytime (infants to age 24 months)
Thursdays at 10 a.m. — January 16 to March 6
Terrific Twos Storytime
Fridays at 10:30 a.m. — January 17 to March 7
Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5) — no advance signup required
Tuesdays at 11 a.m.
(click on image to download brochure)
The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department’s Winter 2014 brochure is now available online at www.lincolnrec.com. Classes beginning next week include:
For more information, call the Parks and Recreation Office at 781-259-0784.
In a recent roundup of holiday religious events, the Lincoln Squirrel inexplicably forgot to include St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church. The original post has been corrected to include this information. The Squirrel apologizes for the omission.
Tuesday, December 24
Everyone is welcome.
(This is a corrected version of the post that appeared on December 19.)
Churches in Lincoln have the following Christmas observances lined up.
Saturday, December 21 — Solstice service, 5 p.m.
Celebrate the longest night of the year and the return of the light as the days begin to lengthen. The service includes the Abbots Bromley horn dance, which has been preformed for more than 900 years. Traditional music, dancing, and candle-lighting in the dark make this a special part of the church’s religious winter celebration.
Visitors are also invited to walk a labyrinth, an ancient symbol of wholeness, which will be open in the Parish House for one hour before and one hour after this service. Walking the labyrinth is a special form of meditation that helps us focus on the connection of the inner self to the rhythmic patterns of the natural world. There will be refreshments after the service as well.
Sunday, December 22 — Christmas pageant, 11:30 a.m.
Children will gather at 10 a.m. in the Parish House for a quick run-through and then get into costumes and proceed to the auditorium, transformed into the inn in long-ago Bethlehem. The audience will watch the timeless story unfold and sing Christmas carols, accompanied by music director Ian Watson on First Parish’s newly refurbished organ.
Tuesday, December 24 — Christmas Eve service, 5 p.m.
Designed especially for parents with young children, this service features traditional carols, readings, and a story for all ages. Our Director of Religious Education, Ruth Owen, will lead the service, and Rev. Roger Paine will lead a guided meditation to close the service.
Tuesday, December 24 — Candlelight carol services, 8 and 10 p.m.
A service of carols, readings, choral anthems, a Christmas prayer by Rebecca Hinds, and a homily and guided meditation by Rev. Paine. The two services are identical except that five high school students will be the readers at the 8 p.m. service, and five college students will be our readers at 10 p.m.
In a recent roundup of holiday religious events, the Lincoln Squirrel inexplicably forgot to include St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church. The original post has been corrected to include this information. The Squirrel apologizes for the omission.
Tuesday, December 24
Everyone is welcome.
Tuesday, December 24 — Christmas gospel pageant, 4 p.m. Mass
There is also a service at 6 p.m. with the choir (music begins at 5:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, December 25 — Christmas Day Mass, 10:30 a.m.
There will also be a Mass at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. at St. Julia Church in Weston.
The library’s winter display by Barry Palu.
On Friday, Dec. 20, the Lincoln Pubic Library will host two children’s activities. Preschoolers are invited to “Movies and Muffins” at 3:30 p.m. with screenings of three short films based on the beloved children’s books The Snowy Day, The Bear Snores On and Little Bear. Recommended for ages 2 and up; no signup necessary. Also on Friday, children of all ages can stop by the children’s department and make a winter craft any time between 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, don’t miss the library’s annual winter display, courtesy of Lincoln resident Barry Palu. The display will be up through the month of December in the bay window of the reference room.
On Tuesday, Dec. 24, the library will close at 1 p.m. and reopen with regular hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) on Thursday, Dec. 26. The library will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 and reopen with regular hours on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, when children of all ages can celebrate the New Year by decorating a paper lantern and taking part in a light parade around the library from 4-5:30 p.m. Signup in advance is necessary; call 781-259-8465.
On Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 4 p.m., come to the Lincoln Public Library to hear gingerbread stories and decorate your own gingerbread cookies. For ages 4 and up.
Space is limited so please sign up in advance by calling 781-259-8465. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library, Inc.
Come join your friends and neighbors on Thanksgiving morning for the fourth annual Gobble Wobble—an event for all ages and abilities where you can get a little exercise before the big feast and make a big difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
The entry fee—one bag of nonperishable groceries per runner—will be donated to Open Table in Concord and Maynard. They have come to count on Lincoln’s wonderful generosity from this event. Check out the Open Table website for items they need the most.
On Thanksgiving morning, please arrive at Lincoln Mall with your bag of groceries between 7:30 and 8:15 a.m. for an 8:30 start. There will be two routes going along Lincoln sidewalks, crosswalks and back streets. One will be about 2.5 miles and the other will be about 3.5 miles. This is a fun run, not a race, so there will be no bibs, no times, and no first place (or last place!). It’s just an opportunity to get out and join your neighbors for some exercise and goodwill.
Note that roads will not be closed, so don’t leave young children to run or walk on their own. This is not a town-sponsored event, so you will be asked to sign a simple waiver to protect those who are organizing it. Your safety is your personal responsibility. Please walk, run or wobble safely!
We’ll provide coffee, hot chocolate and munchkins, so an approximate head count would be helpful. If you know you’ll be participating, please email jen@flanagans.us. Also feel free to email with any questions. Spread the word—the more wobblers, the more people we can help!
The board game Acquire.
Do you love playing board games? Do you want to learn new games? We’re going to try another two Games Days at different times at the Lincoln Public Library.