"There is a certain slant of light, on winter afternoons...When it comes, the landscape listens, shadows hold their breath..."
- Emily Dickenson

 At our first staff meeting of the new year this week, we shared our New Year's resolutions. I said, "I am going to try to be more "joyful." My colleagues laughed as the day offered little to be joyful about with a matte gray sky and below-zero chill factor outdoors. But as I sit down to write this month's column, it's easy to be joyful.

This month, Jan. 25th to be exact, marks the 100th birthday of Polly Wakefield, a pioneering horticulturist and landscape designer who left her home and garden as a Trust for public enjoyment. Usually on someone's birthday, we focus on the one celebrating the birthday by giving them a gift as an expression of our affection. We think hard about giving a gift that we think the recipient would enjoy and value. In contrast, on January 25th, we will be thinking of the extraordinary gift that Polly gave to all of us

-- this small but beautiful and enchanting corner of the world - a place that at once captures one's attention to its beauty while also providing respite from a modern, hectic world. On that day, we will loudly sing "Happy Birthday to Polly" -- and conclude with an emphatic "Thank you!"

 

 Mark Smith

Executive Director
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Enjoy the glow of the Winterfire!
Saturday, January 11, 5:00-7:00 pm
Join us this Saturday,  January 11 for our 4th annual Winterfire, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. This annual event combines lightscape with landscape to highlight many of the estate's signature trees and garden features against a deep mid-winter sky. After a garden stroll, join others for some hot chocolate and roast a hot dog on an open fire. This is a fun, family-friendly event. Dress warmly and bring a friend! Subject to cancellation due to weather; see www.wakefieldtrust.org for any last minute changes. While this event is free, donations are appreciated, and pre-registration is requested. To RSVP or for more information, call 617-333-0924.
Abbot journal, courtesy of Harvard University Archives, Jim Harrison
2014 Stone Soup and Speaker Series looks at "untold" history - Thursday, Jan. 30, 5:30-7:00 pm 

This month we kick-off our 2014 Stone Soup and Speakers Series, held in the early evening on the final Thursday of each month. These warm and casual programs happen in the mansion house and kick-off with a bowl of tasty home-made soup, followed by a short presentation by a featured speaker. 

The theme for this year's series is "the untold stories in attics and archives," a line that comes from the dedication of our first speaker's book, If Ever Two Were One: A Private Diary of Love Eternal. Brian Sullivan's book is a deeply moving look into romance and tragedy in the life of a Victorian-era Harvard student and his beloved wife, through journal entries, letters, and images of the actual diary of Francis Ellingwood Abbot. Sullivan, a Milton resident and former senior reference archivist at the Harvard University Archives and archivist of Mount Auburn Cemetery, was moved to write his book while doing research in the Harvard Archives, when he found in Abbot's diary a lock of hair, cluster of flowers and a handwritten poem of love and loss.

Sullivan will discuss how this discovery left him spellbound, and will share images from the scrapbooks and journals that inspired him to pursue the project. Click here to read the New York Times article about Sullivan's book.
The following Stone Soup will highlight local history, featuring Maritta Cronin who will share engaging historical anecdotes and memorabilia relating to Milton's Thacher Farm on February 27. Our March 27 Stone Soup will be a slide show of vintage photos of Milton Gardens. The April Stone Soup program will focus on the ongoing exploration of archives and collections at the Wakefield Estate.  While this event is free,space is limited and pre-registration is required. To RSVP or for more information, please call 617-333-0924.
Dottie and chick

Backyard Homesteading Series: Raising Your Own Chickens - Saturday, Feb. 8, 9:00-11:30 am

Our annual Backyard Homesteading workshop on raising backyard chickens is a perennial favorite. This session is designed for people who are interested in learning how to start a backyard chicken coop and grow healthy, productive chickens for years of enjoyment and fresh food. Suggested donation for the workshop is $20; space IS limited so please pre-register by calling 617-333-0924. After the indoor portion of the workshop, there will be a tour of the coops and chicken tractors on site, so dress accordingly.

For more information about any of these programs, visit our website:  www.wakefieldtrust.org or call us at 617-333-0924.
Mary M. B. Wakefield Charitable Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Staff:
Mark Smith, Executive Director - email: mark@dogwoodlanefarm.org
Erica Max, Program Director - email: erica@dogwoodlanefarm.org
Dave Cafaro, Grounds and Building Maintenance - email: dave@dogwoodlanefarm.org
Deb Merriam, Landscape Director - email: debbie@dogwoodlanefarm.org 
For more information, call us at (617) 333-0924 or check out our website at wakefieldtrust.org