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

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Upcoming events at the library

  • Open house for Barbara Peskin’s “Moments in Nature” photography exhibit at the library — Wednesday, Jan. 16 from 6–7:30 p.m.
  • Lincoln Library Film Society screening of “The Heart is  a Lonely Hunter” starring Alan Arkin and Sondra Locke — Thursday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. (note new starting time from now on). Based on the novel by Carson McCullers. 
  • Harp recital with Tess Maxwell — Saturday, Jan. 26 from 1–3 p.m.
  • “The Roaring 20s” with Dr. Gary Hylander (part 2 of 6) — Sunday, Jan. 27 from 1:30 – 3 p.m.
  • “Bauhaus: The Face of the 20th Century” — Thursday, Jan. 31 from 7–9 p.m.

Click here for a calendar of all events offered by various clubs and book groups  for adults and children.

Guest minister at First Parish

Rev. Mariama White-Hammond

Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, associate minister for ecological justice at Bethel AME Church in Boston, will give a guest sermon at the First Parish in Lincoln on Sunday, Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. White-Hammond is an advocate for ecological and social justice, youth engagement, and spirit-filled organizing.

Monthly Memory Café kicks off Jan. 24

The Lincoln Memory Café will debut on Thursday, Jan. 24 from 9:30–11 a.m. at The Commons in Lincoln with an open house for family, friends, and caregivers of those with dementia from Lincoln and area towns. Beth Soltzberg, director of the Alzheimer’s/Related Disorders Family Support Program of the Jewish Family and Children’s Service, will talk about memory cafes and their benefits to families experiencing dementia.

Ongoing sessions of the free Lincoln Memory Café, which will feature refreshments, entertainment and activities, will be held on the fourth Thursday of each month from 9:30–11 a.m. at the Commons beginning in February. The café is a joint effort of The Commons in Lincoln, Right at Home in-home care and assistance, and the Lincoln Council on Aging. The goal is to offer an opportunity for elders and their care partners to spend relaxed, fun, social time together and with others who share their same experience. For information, contact Amy Gagne of Right at Home at 781-275-1400 or amy@rightathomecare.com.

LLCT film and lecture

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will host a movie night this week and a lecture on water supply protection later this month.

“Bearwalker of the Northwoods” will be screened on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the LLCT offices at Lincoln Station. In the forests of northern Minnesota, biologist Dr. Lynn Rogers follows the fortunes of black bear June and her three cubs over a year. (Note: the film shows the passing of a cub to disease and the opening of hunting season, which might be difficult to watch for some viewers.)

David Kaplan

David Kaplan, watershed manager for the Cambridge Water Department, will speak on “Cambridge Watershed: Water Supply Protection in a Developed Environment” on Sunday, Jan. 27 from 2–3 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Come learn about this fascinating body of water, its history, and how it’s maintained.

Events look at special ed issues and teens

Sessions on topics including anxiety, ADHD and making friends will be hosted by the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) starting on January 29. All events are free and open to the public. Check the SEPAC calendar for details.

  • “The Impact of Anxiety and Depression on Learning” with Dr. Erica Kalkut, Child & Family Psychological Services — January 29 at 7 p.m., Goodnow Library (21 Concord Rd., Sudbury).
  • “Tips for Managing ADHD at Home and at School” with Brendan Mahan of ADHD Essentials — February 12 at 7 p.m., LSRHS conference room B.
  • “Helping Kids Make and Keep Friends” with Donna Shea, founder of the Peter Pan Center — February 28 at 7 p.m., Curtis Middle School (Pratt’s Mill Road), Sudbury.
  • “Executive Function Workshop for Parents and their Teens” with the executive function coaching team of Engaging Minds — March 7 at 6:30 p.m., Goodnow Library (21 Concord Rd., Sudbury).
  • “Guardianship and Special Needs Financial Planning” with attorney Meredith Greene of Fletcher Tilton — March 27 at 7 p.m., LSRHS conference room B.
  • “Special Education Mediation” with Leslie Bock, mediator with the Mass. Bureau of Special Education Appeals — April 2 at 6:30 p.m., LSRHS library classroom.

Borrow gadgets from the library

The Lincoln Public Library loans more than books and music. Borrow a digital converter to preserve VHS home movies, a portable WiFi hotspot for an upcoming trip, a Kill A Watt meter to measure energy use at home to see where you can save, or a USB floppy drive to read old floppy disks. For a complete list of items, click here.

Residents can sign up for “well being” calls

The COA and Public Safety Department offer well-being telephone calls during storms and other emergencies. The COA will call you when storms cause extensive power outages, during extended spells of extreme cold, and other similar situations. If they can’t reach you by phone, Public Safety will do a well-being check at your home. To sign up for this service, call the COA at 781-259-8811 and give your name, address, and any phone numbers you would like us to call (a cell phone or family member, for example), as well as any other pertinent information you would like to share, such as special medical needs. You may ask to be taken off the list at any time.

Council on Aging activities in December

Noticing walk with John Calabria
December 4 at 1 p.m.
Come for a gently paced walk through nature guided by John Calabria on December 4 from 1–2:30 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. on the morning of the walk for an update. Co-sponsored by the COA and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust.

Coffee with artist Ellen Milan
December 4 at 2:15 p.m.
Join Ellen Milan for “coffee with the artist” on Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 2:15 p.m. at Bemis Hall to celebrate her exhibit in the Bemis Gallery through December. Ellen Milan is a Lincoln artist whose exploration in multiple media reflects her experience exhibiting and teaching internationally. Ellen has taught in Wisconsin, Israel, and in the Boston area. During a 10-year stay in Israel, she established regional art programs and a group studio/gallery in the Old City of Jerusalem.  Her work has appeared in juried competitions through the United States, Europe and Israel. This show at Bemis Hall includes pastels, paintings on silk, and watercolors. Many of the pieces were inspired by the gardens and landscape in Lincoln at Farrar Pond Village.

Stay safer from scams and ID theft
December 7 at 10 a.m.
The only way to protect yourself against becoming the victim of scams and ID theft is to find out what scammers are up to and how you can outsmart them. All are welcome to join Lincoln Police Chief Kevin Kennedy and Bongani Jeranyama, Program Manager in the Community Engagement Division of the Office of Attorney General Maura Healey, on Friday, Dec. 7 at 10a.m. at Bemis Hall to learn about some of the everyday scams you may run into. You will get an outline of and tips regarding rights when shopping and valuable information on how to avoid various mail, phone, and online scams.  You will also get resources to take home.

Tap your toes to trad jazz tunes
December 7 at 12:30 p.m.
Come join your fellow COA neighbors to tap your toes and bob your heads and sing to those tunes of yesteryear which we all know and love. Yes, the grandchildren can shake their heads and think we’re nuts, but we know where it’s at. Led by the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band we’re gonna have a good time—you might even say a ball—around the old Steinway upstairs at Bemis Hall on Friday, Dec. 7 from 12:30–1:30 p.m. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in December

Stopping for a sip (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Hummingbirds enjoy Harold McAleer’s feeder (or they did, when it was a bit warmer).

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 November

Coffee with photographer Barbara Peskin
November 1 at 2:45 p.m.
Join artist Barbara Peskin on Thursday, Nov. 1 at 2:45 p.m. to celebrate her exhibit “Moments in Nature,” shown in the Bemis Hall gallery through mid-November. Barbara enjoys sharing photos that play on the patience to let nature unfold as you observe, listen and watch and may come unexpectedly in quiet moments. Her photos come from places like Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, along with photos of mergansers and puffins from Maine, and more from Lincoln and local areas.

Lunchtime jazz
November 2 at 12:30 p.m.
At lunchtime on Friday, Nov. 2, the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band will be upstairs at Bemis with a menu of delicious oldies but goodies for your enjoyment. Give yourself a break, join your fellow seniors. Relax, take the weight off, sit back and enjoy the music. Trombone, cornet, clarinet, piano, and drums will be in the house from 12:30–1:30.

Toni Lynn Washington and Sax Gordon Beadle play the blues
November 4 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. 4 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. The performance is the Second 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. Marty Ballou on bass, Bryan Claunch on keyboard and Tom Avery on drums will back up Toni Lynn and Sax Gordon. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in November

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20th anniversary event for Domestic Violence Roundtable

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable will host a dinner and documentary play to mark its 20th anniversary on Thursday, Oct. 18 starting at 6 p.m. at t the Trinitarian Congregational Church, 53 Cochituate Rd., Wayland The play, No More Secrets: Survivor Voices from The Second Step, will feature professional actors as well as actors from our local communities. Among the cast are Joyce Kulhawik, Aruna Pundit, Gail-Ann Simon, and Lynnet Sloa. Tickets for the evening are $25 and may be purchased online at the Roundtable website or by sending a check to Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable, P.O. Box 543, Sudbury, MA 01776.

Last hazardous waste collections for 2018

The last two hazardous waste collection days in the area will take place on two Saturdays, October 13 and November 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the hazardous waste collection facility at 60 Hartwell Ave. in Lexington. All residents must preregister with the Lincoln Board of Health by calling 781-259-2614. The next scheduled collection event will be in April 2019. No latex paint will be accepted.

Commuter rail schedules to change slightly

Effective Monday, Oct. 22, new commuter rail schedules will go into effect. On the Fitchburg line that passes through Lincoln, there are four peak-time trains whose stops are changing by more than five minutes:

  • #406 (inbound 6:45 a.m.) – departs Wachusett 5 minutes earlier at 6:40 a.m.
  • #410 (inbound 8:00 a.m.) – departs Wachusett 10 minutes later at 8:10 a.m.
  • #401 (outbound 6:25 a.m.) – departs North Station 10 minutes later at 6:35 a.m.
  • #419 (outbound 5:00 p.m.) – departs North Station 5 minutes later at 5:05 p.m.

The MBTA adjusts commuter rail schedules twice a year to meet changing passenger needs and reflect system upgrades. Schedules are posted at www.mbta.com.

Workshops at Farrington Nature Linc

Farrington Nature Linc in Lincoln is hosting a series of outdoor workshops in October and November. They will take place rain or shine. Minimum age is 6. Tickets are $30 for an adult-child pair, and $10 for an extra person of any age. Click here to buy tickets.

Primitive fire-making
Saturday, Oct. 20 from 9 a.m.–noon
Starting with a lighter, you will learn the mechanics of modern fire making tools, and we will move back in time and learn about the bow brill, hand drill, and strap drill friction fire making methods. We will then explore hands-on cordage making (rope from plant fibers) learning the history, how to harvest and prepare fibers, and of course make your own. Perhaps the most important ancient skill.

From tree to table
Saturday, Oct. 27 from 9 a.m.–noon
What is there to eat in the woods? Every season and landscape offers unique and nutritious plants to eat and use as medicine. Go on a walk and learn about the most local, organic, and free plants in our area.

Shelter building
Saturday, Nov. 3 from 9 a.m.–noon
It can get cold out there. Do you have the knowledge to keep yourself warm by using only materials found on the forest floor? We’ll learn about clothing selection, things to pack in your survival kit, and how to construct a debris shelter using no tools.

Intro to animal tracking and bird signs
Saturday, Nov. 17 from 1–4 p.m.
Go into the woods with Bob Metcalfe of New England Discovery to look for evidence of the animals around us. Tracking can be a very powerful way to learn about nature while seeing first-hand some of the many connections between animals and their environment.

BioBlitz at national park on September 22

Minute Man National Historical Park (MMNHP) invites all ages to join distinguished naturalists on a quest to document as many species as possible during a BioBlitz event on Saturday, Sept. 22.

A BioBlitz brings together educators, scientists, naturalists, and the public to encourage outdoor exploration and enhance our understanding of biodiversity. The MMNHP event will focus on locating, identifying, and counting as many species as possible within the 1,038-acre park area in Concord, Lincoln, and Lexington. Participants will gain skills in identifying and recording species and a stronger connection to their natural environment.

World-renowned local naturalists Peter Alden and Edward O. Wilson initiated the Biodiversity Day concept in 1998 at Walden Pond, and included MMNHP within the study area. They repeated the event with dozens of experts in 2008, and collectively recorded over 2,700 species within a five-mile radius of Walden Pond.

Concord-Carlisle High School student Liam Beguhn initiated the current event to spotlight the area’s biodiversity on September 22 (National Public Lands Day) and to update the findings by using the iNaturalist app.

The MMNHP event starts in the morning at the North Bridge Visitor Center at 174 Liberty St. in Concord, where guides will begin quests at 8 a.m., 9 a.m., and 10 a.m. Each quest will focus on the guide’s expertise, which will include birds, plants, mammals, insects, reptiles, fungi, and more. After a break at noon (bring a bag lunch), it will continue at the Hartwell Tavern parking lot/park ranger station at 101 North Great Rd. in Lincoln. Guides will begin afternoon excursions from the parking lot at 2 p.m. and wrap up all quests by 4 p.m.

Data collected by participants who want to record findings using iNaturalist will be recorded on the app’s website, and prizes will be awarded to participants for numbers of identifications recorded in the park.

“Thousands of species are here in our community. This event will highlight the wonders of nature and inspire participants to better understand and protect biodiversity,” Alden said.

Questions about the project and program can be directed to Liam Beguhn via Margie Coffin Brown, the Park’s Natural & Cultural Resource Manager at 617-620-2942 or Margie_coffin_brown@nps.gov. 

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Service on Tuesday for Sylvia Kennedy

Sylvia Kennedy

Kennedy passed away on September 5 at the age of 84. Among other things, she was a former president of the Lincoln Garden Club and sacristan at St. Joseph Church. Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 8:45 a.m. from the Dee Funeral Home, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph Church in Lincoln. Click here for full obituary.

Story-telling at Farrington

Join us around the campfire on Friday, Sept. 14 from 7:30–10 p.m. as experienced, competitive storytellers, in a “Moth-like” format, share their 5-6 minute true tales on the evening’s theme, “Rooted.” Fugitive Stories, Farrington Nature Linc’s partner for this event, brings “true stories told live” regularly to several suburban communities. This event is tailored for ages 14+ to enjoy an evening of stories. The storytelling begins at sundown, but you’re welcome to arrive earlier (6:30 p.m.) to picnic on the property. Rain or shine; weather permitting, we’ll be sitting around the campfire. Tickets are $12 online in advance or $15 on site on the day of event. 

Library events

  • Knitting Group — Knitters of all levels are welcome to our knitting group that begins on Thursday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. Drop in; no registration is required. Beginners should contact Jen James at jenjames@gmail.com to see what materials they’ll need to bring.
  • Neurofeedback talk — Dr. Jolene Ross  presents “Neurofeedback: Brain Training at its Best” on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. Neurofeedback is a technique for achieving brain wellness and improved executive function, which includes emotional control, initiation, working memory, planning, organization, and task completion. Ross is a neurobehavioral psychologist with extensive experience in neurobiofeedback treatment, cognitive and behavioral therapy, and behavioral medicine. Sponsored by the Foundation for Wellness Professionals.
  • “Permission to Pause” workshops — Adults and families today are often challenged to find some “quiet time” in our fast-paced society. This two-part series taught by nurse and a health education specialist Catherine Collins, R.N., M.S., on Thursdays, Sept. 20 and 27 at 7 p.m. will provide an opportunity for participants to pause in their busy week to review the challenges that get in the way of quiet time. Simple strategies such as breathing, imagery, muscle relaxation and mindful movement will be reviewed.  A list of resources will be provided to participants. No registration required. Presented by the Friends of the Lincoln Library.

“Forest bathing” workshop for dogs and owners

Certified Forest Therapy Guide Nadine Mazzola will lead a workshop for dogs and their owners on shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing” (gentle walks that support well-being through sensory immersion in forests and other naturally healing environments) in the deCordova Sculpture Park on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 9:30 a.m.–noon. Increase mindfulness and connect to nature using your senses and a series of guided invitations to investigate your surroundings. Your dog will even be your guide. Please only one dog per owner. Click here to sign up ($20 for members, $30 for nonmembers).

Art and drumming at deCordova

Experience Andy Graydon’s PLATFORM 23 project, City Lights Orchestra, as it’s activated by The Harvard Undergraduate Drummers (THUD) on Saturday, Sept. 29 from noon–2 p.m. Graydon created his series of sculptural instruments from discarded street lamps. Rather than casting light, the lamps in City Lights Orchestra are intended to resonate with sound. Graydon based the sculptures on world instruments including Taiko drums and the Indonesian gamelan. THUD performs with nontraditional instruments including brooms, dinnerware, and instruments they’ve built themselves, and their sound ranges from STOMP-style pieces to more classical percussion ensemble music. Free with admission or membership; registration requested.

A tale of two fields (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Two summery views of fields in Lincoln. Top: The Turtle Creek winery grape vines behind the field on Lexington Road (photo by Ken Hurd). Bottom: a deer’s eyes reflect the twilight in a field on Mary’s Way that is destined to be replaced by the Oriole Landing mixed-income housing development once town approvals are in place. “It’s going to be sad to see this field becoming 60 apartments,” said photographer Cathy O’Brien, who lives next door.

Good-chuck charm? (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Woodchucks photographed by Harold McAleer survey the territory and munch, walrus-like, on some tasty blades of grass.

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.