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

News acorns – 11/24/14

acornLatest issue of Lincoln Review now on the stands

The November-December issue of the Lincoln Review is out. In it, you’ll read the latest on Route 2 by Dan Boynton, a beautiful and moving memorial of Father Drennan by Sylvia Pelosi Kennedy, and an  interview with exhibit designer Marjorie Hilton, who created the fascinating displays at the Town Offices that put a face on Lincoln’s veterans from the Revolutionary War forward to Vietnam, plus a trip down the Elbe River, an article on the flu season, and more. The Lincoln Review is available now on newsstands in Lincoln (look for Harold Smith’s pumpkin photo on the cover).

Film on architect Oscar Niemeyer on Dec. 4

The Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln present an encore showing of “Oscar Niemeyer—Life is a Breath of Air,” a film about the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Oscar Niemeyer, on Thursday, Dec. 4 from 7-9 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library Tarbell Room. The documentary, made on the occasion of Niemeyer’s 100th birthday, reflects on his long career and prolific output, with a focus on his buildings in Brazil’s capital city, Brasilia. The film includes many images of signature structure—designs that infuse his favored material, reinforced concrete, with exuberant liquidity. In Portuguese with English subtitles. Please stay after the film for light refreshments and informal discussion. For more information, contact Virginia Rundell at vq@verizon.net or 781-259-0201.

A capella night expands to include four groups next Friday

The a capella benefit evening on Friday, Dec. 5 to benefit LEAP (the Lincoln Extended-day Activities Program) will now feature two groups each from Harvard University and Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School: Harvard VoiceLab and the Harvard Callbacks, and Accent and the Acafellaz from L-S. At the event from 7-10 p.m. in Bemis Hall, there will be a cash bar, food provided by Aka Bistro, and a silent auction. Tickets ($20 in advance, $25 at the door) are available at LEAP and the Whistlestop Cafe. Babysitting is available at LEAP during the event. For more information, call LEAP at 781-259-0615.

LOMA acoustic music on Dec. 8

The next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mic Acoustic) evening on Monday, Dec. 8 from 7 to 10 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell room will feature Glenn Pettit, who will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30 p.m. Pettit’s genres include Piedmont blues, folk, jazz and Far Eastern in a style sometimes reminiscent of Tom Waits and James McMurtry. Along the way, Glenn has composed music for off-Broadway theatrical productions and movie soundtracks. His dynamic finger-style playing and song delivery is in full force on his live YouTube cover of Reverend Gary Davis’s Candy Man.

LOMA is a monthly event. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com before noon of the open-mike day for a slot. Names of those who are signed up by 7:15 will be drawn at random. We have a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups playing acoustic-style. Future performers will include:

  •   January 12—Outrageous Fortune
  •   February 9—Peter Fischman and Deb O’Hanlon
  •   March 9—Fishken & Groves (SAMW appreciation night)
  •   April 13—Amy Herrera
  •   May 11—Lisa Martin
  •   June 8—Sam Bayer
Forum on preventing domestic violence on Dec. 9

Please join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on Tuesday, Dec. 9 for a discussion on “What an Ideal Violence Prevention Program Should Look Like” in our communities. The forum will take place at 3 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of the Wayland Public Safety Building (38 Cochituate Road, Wayland).

Since the murder of Wayland teen Lauren Astley in 2011 at the hands of her former boyfriend, 33 other women and girls in Massachusetts have lost their lives in a similar manner, and many more have dealt with nonlethal but traumatic abuse. In Sudbury, Wayland and Lincoln alone, there are a total of 91 restraining orders currently in effect. The December 9 forum will discuss questions such as what new information, skills, communication channels and services we need to provide, and how we can protect women and girls and teach our men and boys about safe and healthy relationships.

State of the Town clarifications and additions

stateofthetown-croppedA November 17 article in the Lincoln Squirrel about the State of the Town meeting originally gave the wrong first name for Dore and Whittier architect Jason Boone and misstated the purpose of a December 2 public forum, at which residents will help the SBAC and Dore and Whittier narrow down the school project options in preparation for a final report in January.

Since the article was published, the Squirrel acquired some of the documents handed out at the meeting:

The original article has been updated to reflect these clarifications and additions.

Residents delve into community center, school project at State of the Town

stateofthetown-cropped(Editor’s note: this article was updated on November 18 to include clarifications and additional document links.)

By Alice Waugh

At the State of the Town meeting on November 15, hundreds of Lincoln residents asked questions and heard cost estimates for two projects that are on parallel discussion tracks heading for Town Meeting in the spring: a school building project and a community center.

The Lincoln School needs millions of dollars in basic repairs as well as improvements such as cafeterias and other upgrades to improve education, while the Council Aging, now in cramped quarters in Bemis Hall, also urgently needs better space, town officials said.

“In both cases, doing nothing is not an option,” Selectman Renel Fredriksen said at the start of the meeting.
[Read more…] about Residents delve into community center, school project at State of the Town

Letter to the editor: The not-so-dulcet tones of autumn

letter

To the editor:

It’s that time of year again, when the leaf blowers are at play.

I won’t belabor the most obvious effect—the disturbing of the municipal peace. Rather, there is another concern regarding leaf blowers—less audible but equally important—which I, as a gardener and naturalist, feel strongly about. It is how they compromise the landscape. Nature intended for leaves to blanket the ground in the winter to nourish and protect the soil. Over time, scouring the ground with what amounts to a gale force wind comes at a considerable cost to soil, and to the very lawns which this whole process is intended to benefit and showcase.

Like many Lincolnites, I take great pride in my garden, but let me suggest another way to honor this endeavor. If you mow and mulch the leaves directly on to your lawn, you will produce the same happy result—minus the noise and plus this bonus: free fertilizer. Any leftover leaves can be raked under your shrubs and trees, providing further benefits—no store-bought mulch required. Furthermore, you can sit back and watch the grateful birds scratch through those leaves for sustenance.

I urge my clients not to confuse their gardens with their living rooms. Stray leaves and twigs are not an insult to good housekeeping. I’m told I’m a bit evangelical on this issue, but healthy landscapes and tranquil autumn moments are a part of the life that has drawn us all out here, and it is in our interest to protect this precious heritage

Sincerely,

Robin Wilkerson (member of the Lincoln Leaf Blower Study Committee)
31 Old Winter St.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrrel.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.

Witchy web (Lincoln through the lens, 11/13/14)

A spooky post-Halloween spider web. —Photo by Harold McAleer

A spooky post-Halloween spider web. —Photo by Harold McAleer

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to news@lincolnsquirrrel.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.

Nature-related news acorns

acornTonight: film on extinct passenger pigeons

Join us on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) offices above the Lincoln Station post office for the first of four environmental films that the LLCT will be showing through the fall/winter months. From Billions to None: The Passenger Pigeon’s Flight to Extinction tells the incredible forgotten story of the passenger pigeon, its unlikely extinction, and its striking relevance to conservation challenges today. Almost 100 years ago on September 1, 1914, the last known passenger pigeon in existence died in the Cincinnati Zoo. A superabundant species of billions that darkened the entire sky disappeared in a matter of decades. What happened to the passenger pigeon? Follow naturalist and author Joel Greenberg on a journey to discover how and why this bird went extinct, and how today the story is more relevant than ever.

Drumlin Farm offers arts experience on Friday after Thanksgiving

Looking to start a new family tradition this holiday season? Come to Drumlin Farm on Friday, Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for “Giving Thanks for Nature and Our Senses,” an outdoor arts experience on the day after Thanksgiving. Follow our map on a nature walk through the sanctuary as local artists give trailside performances related to the “giving thanks” theme. Contribute your own expressions of thanks with family-friendly crafts and activities. Light refreshments will be served. Activities include:

  • Musical performances by the Bob Gadoury Trio and musicians of Lyrica Fest
  • Wildlife sketching with Gordon Morrison
  • Natural sculpture with William Turville
  • A puppet show by Deborah Costine
  • Storytelling with Ron McAdow

Cohosted by Mass Audubon and Musketaquid Arts & Environment. The program is free with admission of $8 for adults, $6 for children (free for Mass Audubon members and Lincoln residents). The event takes place rain or shine. To learn more about other programs, call 781-259-2200 or visit the Drumlin Farm website.

Speakers to explore nature education at deCordova

Nancy Fincke, director of the Lincoln Nursery School (LNS), and Julie Bernson, learning and engagement director at the deCordova Scultpure Park and Museum, will demonstrate the many facets of nature education on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 8:30 a.m. on the deCordova campus. We’ll begin in the LNS classrooms, where nature fluidly exists indoors and out as part of the children’s everyday experience and learning. We’ll then look at the work of several artists in the Museum exhibition who have inspired school, family, and adult programming that encourages personal and community experiences of nature. The deCordova and LNS initiatives work individually and together to bring children, parents, educators, and the general public into deeper understandings and appreciation of our shared environment, with the Walden, revisited exhibition fostering new collaborations with local organizations to expand and deepen this work in Lincoln and beyond.

Join the Sunday Walkers

Most Sundays throughout the year a group of (fairly intrepid) Lincolnites and others take a walk starting at 10 a.m. and then have a potluck lunch together. We typically walk for an hour and a half at a brisk but not strenuous pace, eat more than we probably should at lunch, and enjoy each other’s company. It’s a great way to stay connected with friends and see trails in town that you otherwise might not know about. Anyone interested in joining the email list and receiving the weekly announcements should contact Peter von Mertens at petervonmertens@gmail.com. All are welcome.

Letter to the editor: important discussions at State of the Town

letter

Editor’s note: See this Lincoln Squirrel article for information on the school project and this one for coverage of the community center charrette.

To the editor:

This coming Saturday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the State of the Town meeting (SOTT) in the Brooks auditorium, we will have an opportunity to weigh in on two important projects that are making their way through the town decision-making process: the community center project and a school building project. We will be discussing “pathways” for both projects, but all pathways have certain pitfalls and potholes that must be addressed before we can pave a route that the whole town might travel together.

[Read more…] about Letter to the editor: important discussions at State of the Town

Website offers images of autumn around Farrar Pond

Here are some photos and captions by Alaric Naiman, who edits an online journal about the Farrar Pond area at https://fpond.org with pictures, maps, history and geography of the pond and its environs. Click on one of the small images below to see a larger version as well as the entire slideshow.

“There’s no meditation more enriching than just being (or looking) outdoors, in stillness and presence, with intention but no expectation,” said Naiman, who collects natural views of plants and animals in much the same way that fellow Lincoln resident Norman Levey does with videos on his own website (see the Lincoln Squirrel, October 5, 2014).

The Farrar Pond blog has dual purposes of inviting community around a shared delight for place and encouraging deeper engagement with the nature of that place, Naiman said. “The hope is that more people will look at what’s right in front of them in a slightly different way, and thereby exalt their relationship with our environment… and the dramas are playing out every place in Lincoln,” regardless of whether one might have deep forest, open field or a pond in view, he said.

All are invited to submit photos, tales, reflections or useful information by clicking on the “Participate” link.

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”5″ gal_title=”Farrar Pond”]