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

Note to readers: important updates about the Lincoln Squirrel

news+squirrelDear Lincoln Squirrel readers,

I wanted to let you know about some updates to the Squirrel, including an important email address change.

Emailing the Squirrel

Last October, we switched to a shorter email address (news@lincolnsquirrel.com). Unfortunately, the server for this address occasionally held back messages as spam and I never received them. As a result, we’re going back to the original email address of lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com, so please update your address book accordingly. The “news@lincolnsquirrel.com” address will continue to work until sometime in the fall, when I’ll publish another notice saying it’s being disconnected.

Lincoln Squirrel merchandise now on sale!

What useful item do you get for the Lincolnite who has everything? How about a sweatshirt, lunch bag, sports bottle or drinking glass with the Lincoln Squirrel logo? There’s something for everyone in the family, including babies. Click on “Merchandise” at the top of the Squirrel website, or go straight to https://www.cafepress.com/lincolnsquirrel.

Advertising

We’ve made our web ads larger and reduced prices. The sidebar ads are now 300 pixels wide (the old ones were 230 pixels), and we have more affordable weekly and monthly rates. Click on the “Advertising” page for details.

Want to write or take pictures?

The Squirrel is always looking for writers and news photographers. Maybe you’re a high school or college student who wants to get some published articles under your belt, or someone who has some spare time and likes to write and take pictures. If so, let’s talk! The mission of the Squirrel is to cover news feature stories about Lincoln and its residents, but you don’t have to be a Lincoln resident to write for us. We can’t publish creative writing or stories on non-local topics, but if your idea has anything to do with a person, place or thing in Lincoln, emaill incolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com or call 617-710-5542 and we can discuss what you want to write about, what kind of research or editing help you might need, and so forth. You can also submit photos for consideration in our Lincoln Through the Lens feature.

As always, thanks for reading!

Alice Waugh
Editor, The Lincoln Squirrel
617-710-5542 (m)
781-259-0526 (h)
lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com

Trails get improvements in muddy areas

The Conservation Commission and the Rural Land Foundation recently completed a project to improve the trails  leading off Codman Road leading over to the meadow at Codman South. Conservation Land Manager David McKinnon and summer interns built several bridges and placed “duck boards” over wet or muddy areas.

A main trail starts directly across Codman Road from the entrance to the Codman House. There is parking inside the Codman House stone wall and a satisfying walk nearby. At this time of the year, the ferns are especially luscious in the midst of the pine forests.

New BridgeNew Duck Boards

An early Thanksgiving? (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Harold McAleer spotted these turkeys in the woods off Winter Street recently.

Harold McAleer spotted these turkeys in the woods off Winter Street recently.

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.

Drumlin hosts caterpillar activities on Sept. 12

Caterpillar Celebration_GenJoin renowned biologist Samuel Jaffe at Drumlin Farm a day of exploration and discovery with his “Caterpillar Lab” on Saturday, Sept. 12. Through a combination of photographs, art, scientific study and live animals, visitors will marvel at the variety, beauty and behavior of these creatures. Take a look at giant caterpillars as they inch their way along branches and even get a chance to hold them! All activities are free with admission ($8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children age 2-12, free for Mass Audubon members).

Schedule of free drop-in activities (weather permitting):

  • 10 a.m. — Curious Chickens: Did you know that chickens eat insects? Learn about the ecology behind our egg-mobile and pastured chickens.
  • 10:30 a.m. — Meet a Pond Turtle: Turtles love ponds because of the water and tasty insects that live in them! Join us for an up-close look at one of our native turtles.
  • 11:30 a.m. — Busy Bees: Check out one of our new beehives and learn some of the science behind these fascinating pollinators.
  • 12:30 p.m. — Meet a Screech Owl: You probably know that owls are nocturnal, but have you ever thought about the food that’s around at night for an owl to eat? Join us to find out!
  • 2:00 p.m. — Meet a Songbird: Meet one of our resident small birds and learn why being an “insectivore” is important for the environment.
  • 2:30 p.m. — Cockroaches, Meal Worms, and Crickets, Oh My! Check out the creepy critters in our insect collection and find your favorite.
  • 3:30 p.m. — Exploring Compost and Worms: Do you know the difference between a worm and a caterpillar? Come find out as we explore the world beyond the dirt.
  • 3:45 p.m. — Meet a Kestrel: Watch out, crickets and grasshoppers, here comes New England’s smallest raptor!

Ongoing throughout the day:

  • Sam Jaffe’s Caterpillar Lab (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Caterpillar/Butterfly Crafts
  • Insect Scavenger Hunt

 

Letter to the editor: thanks for support from Peggy Schmertzler’s family

letter

To the editor:

To all the friends and neighbors of Peggy Schmertzler, thank you for the many emails and cards expressing your fond memories of Peggy, condolences, empathy and emotional support for our entire family.

We’re resorting to this method of saying “thank you” to make sure that you know as soon as possible that we received and appreciated your messages. Hopefully, we will be in touch more directly in the not too distant future.

Sincerely,

The Schmertzler, Clapp and Bridgman families

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Domestic violence groups sponsor talk, volunteer training

DV montageLori Hodin, Safe School Coordinator and psychology teacher at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, will be the featured speaker at the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 3 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of the Wayland Public Safety Building (38 Cochituate Road, Wayland).

Hodin will discuss the Courage to Care Program, which is based on the Mentors in Violence Prevention Program (MVP) developed by co-founder Jackson Katz at Northeastern University’s Center for Sport in Society in 1993. Using a curriculum framed in sports terms, student leaders are trained to respond to gender violence and promote positive social change in their community.

Hodin will also discuss the Courage to Care Program’s impact at L-S. In March 2015, the high school hosted its second annual Courage to Care Healthy Relationship Summit, at which the L-S Mentors in Violence Prevention team hosted 13 local schools and 200 students from all over Massachusetts who are trained as facilitators in the MVP Program. The students gathered to generate ideas, share tips, and get inspired to develop safe and strong school communities.

The program is free and open to the public. Join the Roundtable to learn more about how our local schools can empower teens to be active bystanders who intervene and interrupt abuse.

Volunteer advocate training

The Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) is offering a Volunteer Advocate Training program at the Concord Police Department from September 29 through October 17. This 40-hour training session takes place over a three-week period on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Once trained, DVSN Volunteer Advocates provide direct service over the phone and at the Concord District Court to people affected by domestic violence. This 40-hour training is designed to familiarize you with many aspects of domestic violence and to give you the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services.

DVSN is a community-based organization that works to combat domestic violence in collaboration with the police departments of its 11 member towns (Acton, Bedford, Boxborough, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Maynard, Stow, Sudbury, and Wayland), Hanscom Air Froce Base, and the Concord District Court. The Roundatable and the DVSN are separate organizations, although the executive director of the Roundatable serves on the board of the DVSN.

For more information and/or to request a training application, please call 978-318-3421 or e-mail zapsler@concordma.gov. Applications are due by September 22.

“Pony-henge” hits the front page

Harold McAleer's photo of some of the Lincoln ponies having a spot of tea. Click the image to see a gallery of photos in the Boston Globe.

Harold McAleer photographed some of the Lincoln ponies having a spot of tea. Click the image to see a gallery of photos in the Boston Globe.

The Boston Globe has applied its investigative muscle to the mystery of Lincoln’s rocking horses, but the ponies didn’t give up their secrets.

The Globe ran a front-page feature in its September 5 issue about the horses that have accumulated in recent years on a piece of land next to the large meadow on Old Sudbury Road. The horses have taken on different poses, such as a line or racers around the time of the Kentucky Derby, but no one seems to know the how or why of “Pony-henge.”

One of those quoted in the article is Harold McAleer, who has photographed the horses on numerous occasions. Most recently, he sent around a closeup of what might be described as some of Lincoln’s four-legged Tea Party candidates (see above).

The Globe’s web story also included this gallery of photos of the whimsical equine display.

News acorns

paintingCodman arts and crafts festival on Sept. 12

The Codman Estate’s Fine Arts and Crafts Festival will be Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. This annual event features the work of more than 100 artisans, including painting, pottery, photography, jewelry, glass, fiber art, metalworking, woodworking, clothing, food wares, and folk art. Visitors can enjoy live entertainment, food vendors, and Codman Estate tours. Free for Historic New England members and kids under 12, $5 for nonmembers.

Library news notes
  • Saturday hours at the library resume on September 12.
  • Lincoln residents can now instantly borrow free digital music, audiobooks, movie, TV and books, 24/7 from the Lincoln Public Library. No waiting and no late fees. Items may be streamed or downloaded, and new content is added every week. Visit hoopladigital.com, log in with your library card, and start borrowing. See this library web page for details.
L-S Class of ’17 sponsors 5K Color Run

During this event over the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School cross-country course on Saturday, Sept. 19, runners wear white “L-S Color Run” T-shirts and when passing color stations, they get “decorated” with non-toxic colored powder thrown onto the T-shirts. Color Runs are some of the fastest-growing 5K events and fun for the entire family. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and the race begins at 10 a.m. Meet in the L-S parking lot. All ages are welcome for this run/walk—go at your own pace. Proceeds benefit the Class of 2017. Those who sign up in advance online for $35 receive a T-shirt and color bag. Participants can also sign up on the say of the race for $40, but T-shirts may not be available. Checks should be made out to LSRHS Class of 2017 with forms turned into West House or South House at L-S.

St. Anne’s in-the-Fields returns to two services

On Sunday, September 13, St. Anne’s in-the-Fields returns to its two-service schedule with Holy Eucharist at 8:00 a.m. and Holy Eucharist with Choir at 10:00 a.m. For more information, visit www.stanneslincoln.org or call (781) 259-8834.

Two library programs on Isabella Stewart Gardner

Jess Piaia performs in period attire.

Jessa Piaia performs in period attire.

The Friends of the Lincoln Public Library are offering a special two-part program on the life and legacy of Isabella Stewart Gardner.

On Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room, character re-enactor Jessa Piaia will present a dramatic portrayal of Gardner in “A Visit with Isabella Stewart Gardner: America’s First Patroness of the Arts.” The drama is set in 1910, seven years after the opening of Fenway Court, the house-museum which Mrs. Gardner designed and built for her extensive art collection, and willed to the City of Boston upon her demise. A recognized leader of Boston’s emerging salon scene, Gardner, with characteristic verve and candor, relates episodes about her luminous circle of family and friends, relives journeys to exotic lands, and shares other potentially scandalous encounters. The portrayal runs approximately 50 minutes, with an informal Q&A to follow. Free and open to all.

On Saturday, Nov. 7, a guided tour of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum with reduced price admission and bus transportation from the Lincoln Library to the museum is being sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library. The bus will leave the library at 12:30 p.m. The tour is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. and the bus will leave the museum at 4 p.m., returning to Lincoln by 5 p.m. Total cost is $25 per person payable by check to the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library or in cash. Signup at the Library will begin the first week in September. The trip is limited to the first 20 people who sign up.

Campus Master Plan group invites public to sessions

schoolThe Lincoln Campus Master Planning Committee (CMPC), which will complete its work by December 31, invites the public to attend of their meetings and public forums this fall.

The CMPC is is charged with studying the basic infrastructure and physical layout of the Ballfield Road campus and informing the planning for the contemplated school building and community center projects. There are three at-large representatives as well as representatives from the Lincoln Public Schools, Board of Selectmen, Conservation Committee, Council on Aging, Parks & Recreation, the Planning Board, and Roadway and Traffic.

“The community’s awareness and involvement in this project is critically important,” said Committee Chair Carole Kasper. “The Campus Master Planning Study represents a unique opportunity for Lincoln residents to look at the Ballfield Road campus in a truly holistic manner—to examine the different ways in which we use the schools, other Ballfield Road buildings and recreational facilities and determine how we can serve our community better. We welcome the community’s attendance at any of our regularly scheduled committee meetings and also encourage residents to attend one of the public forums.”

The CMPC’s full schedule of meetings and public forums is listed below. All meetings will take place in the Hartwell Multipurpose Room unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m.
2nd floor hearing Room, Lincoln Town Offices

Thursday, September 10 from 5:30-7 p.m.
Lincoln PTO Back-to-School Picnic – Lincoln School green playground

Wednesday, September 16 at 8:15 a.m.

Thursday, October 1 at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, October 7 at 8:15 a.m.

Thursday, October 15 from 7-9 p.m.
Public forum – location TBD

Monday, October 26 at 7 p.m.

Friday, October 30 at 8:15 a.m.
Lincoln PTO public forum – location TBD

Friday, October 30 at 1 p.m.
Council on Aging public forum – Bemis Hall (2nd floor)

Monday, November 9 at 7 p.m.

Friday, November 13 at 8:15 a.m.
Committee State of the Town run-through – Donaldson Auditorium

Saturday, November 14 at 9 a.m.
State of the Town presentation – Donaldson Auditorium

Friday, November 20 at 8:15 a.m.

Monday, November 30 at 7 p.m.

Thursday, December 10
Public presentation of draft final report