Boston Flora

Tag: Old Manse

  • Friday, September 13 – Sunday, September 15, Thursday, September 19 – Sunday, September 22, and Thursday, September 26 – Sunday, September 29 – Nature: A Walking Play

    The Trustees and TigerLion Arts present Nature, the mythic telling of Emerson and Thoreau’s mutual love affair with the natural world. The Old Manse in Concord—where Ralph Waldo Emerson lived while writing his famous essay “Nature” and where he, Henry David Thoreau, and other leading Transcendentalists discussed and debated the issues of the day—provides the most fitting location for a stop on this nationwide touring production.

    Grounded in the story of their friendship, this virtuosic production offers a perspective on their lives that is strikingly relevant, richly complex, and yet utterly simple. Nature is performed outdoors as a “walking play.” A professional ensemble of actors takes the audience on a journey through the natural environment as scenes unfold around them. Bagpipes, ancient flutes, drums and rich choral arrangements are intricately woven into the experience. 

    Nature is an extraordinary, immersive and family-friendly journey that co-mingles story, spirit, and nature, as a means to reconnect its audience with the natural world. This original work is collaboratively created with writer/actor Tyson Forbes, a direct descendant of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

    Performances will take place Friday, September 13 and Thursday & Friday, September 19 & 20 from 5:30 – 7, Saturday & Sunday, September 14 & 15 from 1 – 2:30 and from 5 – 6:30, Saturday, September 21, 1 – 2:30 and 7:30 – 9, and Sunday, September 22 from 5 – 6:30. Please visit www.thetrustees.org for details on times for the final weekend. Member adults $25, member child $15, nonmember adult $35, and nonmember child $20. Contact oldmanse@thetrustees.org or call 978-369-3909. A minimal amount of walking over uneven ground may be expected, and feel free to carry along your own folding chair. Garden Club of the Back Bay members saw the production last year and give it five stars!

  • Wednesday, March 20 – Vernal Equinox Full Moon Hikes

    Join The Trustees on Wednesday, March 20 at one of a number of properties under their care for a full moon hike to celebrate the first day of Spring.

    At the Ward Reservation in Andover, join a Trustees staff member at 6:30 pm on the trails at Ward Reservation to discover what signs of spring have already sprung. Wear shoes that can get wet and muddy, just in case. Flashlights are welcome but not required as we will be using the light of the full moon to guide us. This hike will be approximately 2 miles long. Please wear appropriate footwear and dress for the weather.

    If you are in Ipswich, join a group at Castle Hill at 6:30. March’s full moon coincides with the Vernal equinox and the first day of Spring. Known to Native Americans as the Worm Moon because of the earthworms that come out at the end of winter, it is also known as the Crow Moon or Sap Moon. Always a cause for celebration, we’ll honor the first day of Spring by taking a brisk walk on the beach at sunset and a hike among the dunes of the Crane Wildlife Refuge. Recommended for ages 13 & up. Pre-registration is required.

    In Concord, at the Old Manse, from 7 pm – 8 pm, you’ll share readings from Emerson and Thoreau before taking time for quiet reflection under the full moon and perhaps even hear the sounds of spring. The fire will keep you warm if needed and also provide the hot coals for s’mores that will cheer you at the end of the meditation. Members $5, nonmembers $10.

    At Fruitlands in Harvard at 6:30, a program ($9 members, $15 nonmembers) is entitled Night and Moonlight: A Transcendental Night Hike. We will take to the trails to discover nature by night and explore the elements, sites, and sounds that awaken when the sun sets, pausing along the way to hear and contemplate passages from Thoreau’s 1863 essay “Night and Moonlight.” Thoreau describes, “As for the moon, I had seen her only as it were through a crevice in a shutter, occasionally. Why not walk a little way in her light?” Please note that space is limited and pre-registration required.

    For complete details on all the above excursions, visit http://thetrustees.org Image below from The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

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  • Friday, December 21 – Winter Solstice Celebrations with The Trustees

    Friday, December 21 – Winter Solstice Celebrations with The Trustees

    Various properties managed by The Trustees will host Winter Solstice Celebrations on December 21.

    The earliest event (4:30 – 7 pm) takes place at Long Point Wildlife Refuge in Martha’s Vineyard. Follow the luminaries on a a self-guided trail walk through the woods at Long Point. The path begins and ends at our visitor center where we’ll have a fire pit complete with s’mores and warm beverages to keep you toasty. Trustees members $5, nonmembers $10.

    Join Musketaquid Arts and Environment and the Old Manse in Concord from 6 – 9 pm to celebrate the shortest day of the year There will be a roaring fire, smores, and hot cider to warm us, and music from the Voices of the Earth Chorus. Warm up inside the Old Manse during our free open house.

    If you are in Ipswich, take a leisurely hike through the dunes of the Crane Wildlife Refuge to celebrate the winter solstice. On this, the shortest day of the year, we’ll take advantage of the dark with a stroll beneath the stars. We’ll warm up after our walk with hot cider, rum, and refreshments in the Tavern at the Inn at Castle Hill. The perfect balance to counteract the bustle of the holiday season! Please note: We will be hiking up and down dunes, through soft sand, for approximately 2½-3 miles – a fairly strenuous hike. $32 Trustees members, $40 nonmembers.

    The William Cullen Bryant Homestead in Cummington, from 6 – 7:30 pm, will have a small bonfire to burn the yulelo. You will share some favorite 19th century winter poems and learn about the history of the Christmas tree. Afterwards, enjoy hot cocoa and a 19th century baked treat in the dining room (or stay at the bonfire!). Feel free to bring your favorite poem, too! $5 suggested donation.

    On a different note, Powisset Farm in Dover will host a Solstice Fondue Dinner from 6 – 8 pm. Fondue is a tradition dating to the 18th century, based on the classic combination of melted cheese and wine. Enjoy the camaraderie of cooking at your table as you prepare classic fondue — inspired by the contemporary bounty of the farm — for yourself and your tablemates. Learn about the fondue tradition from our local Swiss food historian. Bring your friends for a delicious evening out in the warm environment of Powisset’s farm kitchen. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Please note space is limited and pre-registration is required. Email powissetfarm@thetrustees.org or call 508.785.0339 to find out if there is space remaining. $40 adult members, $50 nonmembers. This event is part of the Powisset Cooks! program.

    In Milton, at Governor Hutchinson’s Field, from 6 – 8 pm, come together with family and friends on the darkest day of the year, and celebrate the return of the light. We’ll gather around fires to make s’mores, tell stories, and watch a talented fire dancer perform to music. $9 Trustees members, $15 nonmembers.

    For complete details on all these celebrations, visit http://thetrustees.org.

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  • Friday, September 22 – Sunday, October 1 – Nature

    The Trustees of Reservations announces that it will present TigerLion Arts’ critically acclaimed outdoor walking play Nature at the Old Manse in Concord September 22 through October 1. The Old Manse is a National Historic Landmark and popular destination for tourists and literary enthusiasts situated on the banks of the Concord River next to the Old North Bridge and Minuteman National Park. It was built by Patriot Minister William Emerson in 1770, grandfather of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Nature is an original work collaboratively written and created by Tyson Forbes, a direct descendant of Ralph Waldo Emerson who also plays the role of Emerson, and his wife, Markell Kiefer, who serves as the director. The play explores humankind’s relationship to nature through the eyes of two of America’s greatest environmental voices and friends, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, who is celebrating his bicentennial birthday this year.

    Emerson lived and wrote some of his most famous works at The Old Manse, including the first draft of his famed essay, “Nature.” The Manse also served as a focal point of America’s political, literary, and social revolutions. Thoreau was a frequent visitor and guest. Through a series of 11 performances starting September 22, 2017 and running through October 1, 2017, audiences will experience a playful and deeply moving outdoor “journey” among the Old Manse’s grassy meadows and native trees and plantings as scenes unfold through a combination of music, story, and song. The 90-minute family-friendly performance will be presented by an award-winning ensemble of professional traveling actors, including a local chorus led by The First Parish Church of Concord’s Music Director, Beth Norton and child cast member from the Concord community. This is Nature’s first performance on the East Coast after a successful season touring multiple sites in the Midwest in 2015 and 2016.

    Producer and actor Tyson Forbes has always felt honored to be an Emerson descendent and developed Nature to help fulfill a sense of responsibility to share his ancestor’s spirit and teachings with a broader audience. He has long hoped that one day the play would be presented in Concord where their friendship and many works were first incubated. “Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were authors, friends, and radicals of their time, calling on their peers to think for themselves, live more deeply, and be agents of change,” adds Forbes. “I believe their words and ideas are as relevant and necessary now as they were then and I am thrilled to be able to share this story of their friendship and history in Concord, where it all began, for the first time.”

    The professional ensemble cast features Michael Wieser (Williamstown, Jungle Theater, Classic Stage Company, Manhattan Arts Center) as Thoreau; Tyson Forbes (Guthrie Theater, Ordway, Jungle Theater and multiple TigerLion Arts productions) as Emerson; Norah Long (Guthrie Theater, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Skylark Opera, Chanhassen Dinner Theater, Nautilus Music-Theater) as Mother Nature, Emily Gunyou Halaas (Guthrie Theater, Jungle Theater, Park Square) as Mary Moody, Aeysha Kinnunen as Margaret Fuller, Shana Berg as Lydian Jackson, Tony Sarnicki, Matt Sciple, Nathan Gebhard and Andrew Forbes, as well as a volunteer community chorus led by Beth Norton, Music Director at the Concord First Parish Church who will be joined by singers from the church and other members of the community. Addison Boger, great niece of past Garden Club of the Back Bay President Francine Crawford, will play the role of Elly, Emerson’s daughter.  Bagpipes, ancient flutes, drums and rich choral arrangements are intricately woven into the script with compositions by Dick Hensold (2006 Bush Artist Fellow).

    Tickets  can be purchased by visiting www.thetrustees.org/natureplay. Trustees members: adults $20, children $10; Nonmembers: adults $25, children $15. The Trustees are working with multiple local community partners to present educational programming related to the play such as post show discussions and a family theatre workshop, including: The Thoreau Society; Thoreau Farm Trust; The Walden Woods Project; the Concord Museum; and Minute Man National Historical Park. For more information visit www.thetrustees.org.

    Nature begins near the apple orchard at the Old Manse located at 269 Monument Street, Concord, MA. Audience members are encouraged to arrive early to visit the grounds. Picnic meals are welcome and can be enjoyed during the pre-show bagpiping and choral arrangements performed by local community members 30 minutes before the performance begins. Guests of all ages are encouraged to come as the show has somethings for everyone. Guests should dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes, and bring water bottles.  Run time is approximately 90 minutes without intermission. During the play, the audience will walk short distances between four different locations. Portable lawn chairs or blankets are recommended for seating, as there are a limited number of chairs, which will be reserved for those who need them most. The Trustees will also provide transportation for people with limited mobility. In the event of rain, ticket holders may come back for any subsequent performance.

     

  • Saturday, March 14, 12:00 noon – 5:00 pm – Old Manse Landscape Tour

    This Trustees of Reservations tour of the historic Old Manse grounds on Monument Street in Concord explores the evolving landscape, its role in two revolutions, and the symbolism of the Old North Bridge and the Manse as a place of memory expressed in art, literature and history. The event takes place Saturday, March 14, from noon to 5, and the fee is $5. For more information contact 978-369-3909, or email tbeardsley@ttor.org.

  • Green Gift Membership

    For those who have procrastinated, here is a fabulous gift idea which you may execute on line or by telephone, right now, in time for the holiday.

    Over the last decade green gift giving has become increasingly popular among people looking for meaningful, thoughtful gifts that also give back to our environment and our communities. As holiday shopping swings into full force, The Trustees of Reservations and many other nonprofits suggest the idea of a green gift membership a gift that not only that supports a worthy organization, but keeps on giving throughout the year.

    A Trustees of Reservations green gift membership is perfect for someone who loves the outdoors and also enjoys visiting, preserving, and protecting the scenic and historic landscapes and landmarks that define the character of our communities.

    Starting as low as $45 for individual members ($35 for students and seniors, $65 for families), a gift membership to The Trustees provides free access, year-round, to 104 stunning reservations located in 75 communities across Massachusetts. A Trustees gift membership also provides the recipient with significant savings on stays at The Trustees two bed and breakfasts and discounts on hundreds of annual events, workshops, and programs, summer camps, and more all while helping the nation s oldest statewide land conservation organization preserve, care for and keep its special places open for the public to enjoy throughout the year. Trustees gift memberships* include:

    * Free/reduced admission to 104 Trustees properties (including popular destinations like Crane Beach in Ipswich, World s End in Hingham, the Old Manse in Concord, the Bryant Homestead in Cummington, Doyle Center and Community Park in Leominster, Bartholomew’s Cobble in Tyringham, and Cape Pogue on Martha’s Vineyard)
    * Discounts on stays at Trustees bed & breakfasts (The Inn at Castle Hill in Ipswich and the Guest House at Field Farm in Williamstown)
    * Discounted fees for the hundreds of events, programs, lectures and workshop the Trustees offer year-round, for all ages
    * The Trustees Property Guide, a 224-page guidebook to the organization s 104 reservations available exclusively to members;
    * A year s subscription to our quarterly member magazine, Special Places, which will keep you up-to-date on topics and events related to conservation, nature, history, cultural landscapes, and the environment; and
    * For a contribution of $100, The Trustees are also offering a free copy of Edible: A Celebration Of Local Foods. This beautiful 324-page book will delight anyone who cares about delicious, safe, sustainable food being cultivated and grown in our own local communities.
    * This year, with any gift membership order placed before January 15, 2010, you  will also receive a set of collectible, sturdy, and earth-friendly grocery bags featuring wood cut illustrations of Crane Beach and Weir River Farm.   Order online at www.thetrustees.org, or call 978-921-1944 Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.

  • Saturday, September 12, 7 a.m. – Ride for Green 2009

    The Ride for Green, sponsored by The Trustees of Reservations, is a one-day, 125-mile cycling event dedicated to protecting Massachusetts’ natural landscapes and preserving the health and well-being of our communities through local green initiatives.  One-hundred percent of the proceeds raised through the Ride will go toward The Trustees of Reservations’ land conservation fund so that special places throughout Massachusetts can be protected and preserved for everyone, forever. In Massachusetts, more than 1 million acres of land are in urgent need of protection — together we can change this.

    If you are an avid cyclist who loves the outdoors and you are passionate about protecting our natural landscapes, then please join The Trustees on September 12th. Together we will inspire a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future.  The 125 mile, point to point ride begins in Cohasset and travels through Norwell and Sharon before turning north through Dover, Wellesley, Weston and Concord.  It then heads northeast through Tewksbury, Andover, and Topsfield before finishing at Appleton Farms in Ipswich.  The Ride will pass by several historic sites, including Walden Pond, the Old Manse (Emerson’s former home), and the Old North Bridge.  Cyclists will ride by more than eight Trustees of Reservations properties along the way.  There will be two aid stations on the route to restock and refuel. The ride will finish with a BBQ, beer, and music at Appleton Farms in Ipswich.  We expect over 250 Trustees members and other leaders in conservation at the post ride party to welcome riders and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Trustees’ Conservation Council.  Families are encouraged to attend the post-ride celebration.  For more information log on to www.thetrustees.org.