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

nature

Hawk-cidental tourist? (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Harold McAleer captured this Cooper’s hawk (also known as a chicken hawk, though unlikely to be mistaken for Foghorn Leghorn’s nemesis).

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

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Fall Ball benefits South Sudanese programs

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

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

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

“Executive Transitions” with Tom Casey

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

“Tom of Finland” screening at library

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

Beer, music, and art at the deCordova

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

Become a volunteer at Lincoln’s hospice house

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

LLCT presents walks, talk on bird feeding

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

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

Yarn corridor invites walkers to explore Lincoln pathway

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

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

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

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

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

Eyes in the sky (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Some interesting “ocular” cloud formations in the sky over Lincoln’s Muster Field off Sandy Pond Road looking toward the Lincoln School in the early evening of July 2. (Photo by Chris Thompson)

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Council on Aging activities in July

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

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

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Great Walden BioBlitz at Minute Man NHP

Join the National Park Service, Walden Woods Project, and naturalist Peter Alden in a mega-bio-blitz on Saturday, July 6 from 2–4 p.m. at the Hartwell Tavern lot area, 106 North Great Rd., Lincoln. Observe and identify plants, birds, insects, amphibians, and other living organisms, and learn to use the iNaturalist app and contribute to our goal of recording 2,000 species in a day. Naturalist-led tours in the park depart at 2 p.m. from the Hartwell lot. For more information, visit www.waldenbioblitz.org.

Watch the GearTicks robot in action

The Lincoln GearTicks “Rover Ruckus” machine.

There’s now video available of the Lincoln GearTicks robot that recently competed at the FIRST World Championship in Detroit. Students from teams all over the world had to design robots that could deliver “minerals” (gold cubes and whiffle balls) from a “crater” into the “lander” (an elevated box with separate containers). Click here to watch on YouTube (the GearTicks segment begins at 1:23:00 and the GearTicks “Rover Ruckus” robot is labeled 6055), or click here to download a 30-second video. The original story has been updated to include these link.

Summer hours at the library

The Lincoln Public Library will be open on Saturdays during July from 10 a.m.—1 p.m. (weekday hours remain the same), and the library will be closed on Saturdays during August. Regular Saturday hours (10 a.m.—5 p.m.) will begin on September 7.

Mass Audubon photo contest under way

Picture This: Your Great Outdoors, the Lincoln-based Mass Audubon’s annual statewide photo contest, invites shutterbugs of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience to share the natural beauty of the Bay State through their photography. The competition, which continues through September 30, has two age divisions (18 and older, and under 18) and six subject areas: people in nature, birds, mammals, other animals, landscapes, and plants and fungi.

Contestants may submit up to 10 images apiece. Photographs must have been taken any time prior to or during the 2019 contest period, but must have been shot in Massachusetts or at Mass Audubon’s Wildwood Camp in Rindge, N.H. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded a $250 gift card and will be featured in Mass Audubon’s member newsletter, Explore. Eleven winners will receive $100 gift cards, and at least six honorable mentions will receive $50 gift cards. Additional honorable mentions may be awarded at the discretion of the judges. To enter and to review contest information, including rules and how to submit photos online, visit massaudubon.org/picturethis.

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Israeli-Palestinian film series this summer

The GRALTA Foundation offers its third annual Israel/Palestine summer film series on Thursdays evenings and Sunday afternoons starting on Thursday, June 20. All films will be shown in the downstairs screening room in Bemis Hall. There is no charge, and light refreshments will be served. There will be an opportunity for discussion following each film. The first film will be “A Borrowed Identity,” a 2014 film by Jewish-Israeli director Eran Riklis written by Israeli-Palestinian humorist Sayed Kashua that was nominated for four Israeli Oscar awards. This coming-of-age story explores the realities faced by a gifted Palestinian teen who has been given the opportunity to study in a prestigious, almost entirely Jewish boarding school. Screenings are June 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 23 at 2 p.m.

Other films in the series:

  • “Wajib” on Thursday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 30 at 2 p.m.
  • “The Settlers” on Sunday, July 7 at 2 p.m. and Thursday, July 11 at 7:30 p.m.
  • “Naila and the Uprising” on Thursday, July 25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, July 28 at 2 p.m.

A “Junebug” evening at Farrington Nature Linc

Farrington Nature Linc invites residents to Junebug, a night of adults-only outdoor festivities in celebration of the solstice and their newly renovated barn (ready to host even more of their youth programs) on Saturday, June 22 from 6:30–9:30 p.m. There will be food, drinks, and activities including flower crowns to a luminaria labyrinth to a photo booth with baby goats and bunnies. Buy tickets online for $75 each (or $50 if purchased before 8 a.m. on Monday, June 17) and $40 for those under age 40.

Farmer’s market opens this weekend

The Lincoln farmer’s market opens on Saturday, June 22 at Codman Community Farm from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and continues every Saturday until October. The event features food, crafts ad other products sold by registered vendors as well as the farm’s store, as well as music from local musicians. To register for vendor space or as a performing musicians, email Moira of Lindentree Farm at lindentreecsa@gmail.com.

Talk on investing by Lincoln’s Finn

“Smart Women Love Money” with Lincoln author Alice Finn takes place on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library. Finn is a wealth management expert who was named “The Giant” by Barron’s in its inaugural list of the Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors. Her book Smart Women Love Money: 5 Simple Life-Changing Rules of Investing was featured by Oprah.com and included along with the best sellers such as Lean In as #5 of the “23 Incredible Books Every Woman Should Read As an Adult to See The World in a Different Way.” Free and open to all.

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Magic Garden open house this weekend

The Magic Garden Infant & Toddler Center at 14 Bedford Rd. (the stone church) is holding an open house on Saturday, May 18 from 9–11 a.m. The event is geared towards answering parents’ questions, but children are welcome to attend and play in our classrooms, and activities for infants and toddlers will be provided. Call with questions and RSVPs to 781-259-8161 (walk-ins are also welcome). Magic Garden offers year-round care and education to children ages 2 months to 5 years old with flexible schedules.

Adjustments in library hours

The Lincoln Public Library will be closed on Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day and will open late (1 p.m.) on Tuesday, June 4 due to staff training.

Movie group to show “Tabu”

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen “Tabu” (2012, not rated) on Thursday, June 6 at 6 p.m. A restless retired woman teams up with her deceased neighbor’s maid to seek out a man who has a secret connection to her past life as a farm owner at the foothill of Mount Tabu in Africa.

Birding walk at Minute Man HNP

Look for nests of orioles, tanagers and others, and watch for adult birds feeding and raising their young on “Nesting Birds of Minute Man National Historical Park” on Saturday, June 8 from 8-10 a.m. Meet at Hartwell Tavern lot (106 North Great Rd., Lincoln). Recommended for ages 10 to adult. In case of inclement weather call the park at 617-620-2942 or Kathy Dia 617-480-5103 for walk status.

Garden Club hosts tree and sculpture tour, photo exhibit

The Lincoln Garden Club will hold its annual fundraiser — a tree and sculpture tour at deCordova Sculpture Park followed by a champagne reception at the Pierce House — on Sunday, June 9. The tour runs from 1–5 p.m. The reception from 5–7 p.m. will feature a photo exhibit where attendees can vote on their favorite photos submitted in the club’s photo contest. Entries must be submitted by May 21; click here for contest rules. There will also be an auction of items including stone wall repair services, a helicopter ride over Boston, customized invitations and more. Click here to buy tickets online.