Wellesley Business Buzz: July Jubilation is on; yard sale permits; ongoing Town job searches

July 19, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

July Jubilation Sidewalk Sale, Wellesley Square

Come join the fun at one of Wellesley’s most-loved summer traditions, the July Jubilation Sidewalk Sale, sponsored by The Wellesley Square Merchants’ Association.

It’s going to be hot, but the Town of Wellesley, Police and Fire Departments as well as the Wellesley Square merchants, are all in favor of proceeding with the event and are working together to take precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of the animals, shoppers and visitors, workers and entertainers. Here’s more information on how they’re going to accomplish that.

Thinking of going into the yard sale business?

If you’re planning a yard sale or a block party this summer, remember to buy your town permit online, in advance.

In Wellesley, residents are required to have permits for yard sales, estate sales, auctions, block parties and other activities. These permits are issued by the Board of Selectmen; please note the specific guidelines and fees for each activity.

Apply for permits online once you know the date of your activity. You may pay by credit card (preferred) or by bringing a check, payable to Town of Wellesley, to the Treasurer’s Office during regular business hours.

Payment is required before your permit is issued. Please allow for at least five (5) days to process your application.

Help Wellesley plan for success

The Town of Wellesley is looking for a candidate for Planning Director to work on issues related to planning, zoning, economic development, preservation, growth and sustainability.

The Director will manage, direct and administer municipal land use planning, zoning, and subdivision control programs within the Town as delineated by state statute and Town Bylaws and Zoning Bylaws while reporting to the Planning Board. Will serve as the Town’s principle professional advisor and resource on planning and development issues, providing technical expertise and professional techniques for the Board and the Town.

Salary up to $111,700 with an excellent benefit package. Here’s the full job posting.

Wellesley Public Schools re-opens Director of Diversity search

Some of the responsibilities of the Wellesley Public Schools Director of Diversity will include formulating a strategic plan to support district diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; deepen community awareness, understanding, and respect for diversity, equity and inclusion; oversee the METCO program; and work collaboratively with the A Better Chance program. More information here.

Wellesley pollen art exhibit: Exclusive world premiere

June 9, 2019 by bbrown 2 Comments

pollen art.

Not sure, but I think I’ve kind of invented a thing: Pollen Art.

(Well, there is this Wolfgang chap who had an exhibit at MOMA a few years back, but he was much less ambitious.)

The exhibit has grown out of a special sort of pain that these fine, powdery microgametophytes have inflicted upon my wheezy lungs over the past week. Rather than succumb to this attack, I’ve chosen to exploit these yellow and green hues in the name of art, using all my willpower to hold off sneezes during the artistic process and ruining everything.

This is all hand-crafted, done en pollen air style in our Wellesley backyard and driveway.

And people think I won’t have anything to do with an empty nest…I can hear the Wellesley of Society Artists calling me now.

pollen art. — Recreation of Wellesley High graduation photo

Oh, and local artist Elizabeth Cohen share this Renoir-esque pooling of pollen on Lake Waban.

lake waban pollen — Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Cohen

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Pictures of Spring 2019, Wellesley

March 20, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Spring’s only job is to be beautiful, and today it rolled into town under blue skies and temperatures that climbed into the 50s. Happy spring, Wellesley. Here are some pictures that prove that fine-weather days are coming.

Wellesley Clock Tower, Spring — Witch Hazel in bloom at Clock Tower Park. The park is looking tidy, with recently raked and edged beds.

Wellesley Spring — A satisfying clump of snowdrops outside the Wellesley College Club.

Wellesley College, greenhouses — Most of the old Welleseley College greenhouses have been razed to make way for new, more energy-efficient greenhouses. Saving the 10-foot high camellia tree, a gift from Wellesley’s founders, Henry and Pauline Durant, was one of the project’s major challenges. Workers built the above cylindrical structure to protect the over 130-year-old tree, which is in bloom now.

North 40, Wellesley spring — This North 40 garden plot was obviously put to bed properly last fall. I am not worthy.

Wellesley North 40, Spring — This North 40 gardener first tidied the raised bed then covered them with hay for the winter.

North 40, Wellesley — The North 40 boardwalk project was approved last year by the Wetlands Protection Committee and the Design Review Board, and will feature a boardwalk and educational signage that will be accessible from Turner Rd., which is located off Weston Rd.

Beebe Meadow, Spring — Beebe Meadow. Nothing says spring like a big pile of mulch. A Beebe Meadow neighbor said that this pile was most likely chipped on-site by a Town crew from trees that had fallen in the Meadow. There are still many other downed trees on the property, possible toppled during last month’s wind storm. Although sometimes mystery tree-cutters take things into their own hands at Beebe Meadow…

Wellesley Hills Library Hearthside historical talk: “Race to the Pole”

March 19, 2019 by admin Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Hills Branch Library presents “Race to the Pole,” a talk by local historian Bob Begin about Antarctica exploration in the 1900s.

In 1900, Antarctica represented the last unexplored and unclaimed region of the world. Great Britain felt it her duty to explore and claim this region for the British Empire. She would sponsor expeditions to achieve this goal. Other nations would also enter the race. Learn about the explorers who risked life and limb to conquer the Antarctic: Scott, Amundsen, and Shackleton. What drove these men?

Ernest Shackleton’s men struggle to free their ship, The Endurance, from the Antarctica ice.

WHEN: Thursday, March 28, 2019, 6:30pm – 7:45pm
WHERE: Wellesley Hills Branch Library, 201 Washington St.

Beyond Wellesley: a visit to Spring at the Boston Flower Show

March 15, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Every year around this time it feels hard to believe that spring is coming. Right now in Wellesley snow is still on the ground, the trees are bare, and the temperatures are not expected to creep even as high as 60 degrees anytime soon. Keeping the faith is a challenge.

The Boston Flower & Garden Show has had no such crisis of faith since 1834, when the event started out in Faneuil Hall more as a country fair than what is today a showcase for backyard suburban paradises. At the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston through March 17, the show’s theme this year is “The Beauty of Balance.” Wellesley’s own Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s Interim Director and President Suzanne Maas serves as Show Chair, and Hannah Traggis, Senior Horticulturalist at MassHort is Vice Chair of the flower show.

Mass Hort also manages all the amateur competitions at the show, which include floral design, amateur horticulture competitions including plant rooms, bay windows, individual house plants/horticulture exhibits, and junior horticulture, Ikebana display, miniature gardens, and photography.

Here are a few pics from my wander through spring bottled up in a vast convention center and put on display for the masses, hungry for a glimpse of what is to come.

Boston Flower Show — Miskovsky Landcape, Falmouth says the goal of their display was to “…create a park-like setting using natural elements alongside supersized hand-painted terra cotta pots. We invite the viewer to reconsider the traditional notions of scale.” Foreman: David Alves; creative team: Bridget Carroll and Heidi Clark.

Joseph Gray Stonework and Sculpture of Pittsfield, New Hampshire notes, “The combination of design, flowers, stonework, flowing water, and sculpture create a sense of peace and balance.” All sculpture hand carved by Joseph Gray.

In front of UU Wellesley on Washington Street, witch hazel in bloom proves that spring is coming to town.

5 things to do on Wellesley’s snow day

March 3, 2019 by bbrown Leave a Comment

Here are 5 things to do to keep you amused or enlighten you on Wellesley’s snow day this Monday, March 4 (well, that is if you get a work snow day, too)

*Send us photos of your snow sculptures and pass along any interesting anecdotes from the snow day: [email protected]

*Go sledding or cross country skiing

*Join our new Wellesley sports discussion group on Facebook

*Cram for the March 5 town election

*Sign up for summer camp

Here in Wellesley: nordic skiing at Elm Bank Reservation

March 1, 2019 by Deborah Brown 3 Comments

A mid-week storm brought several inches of light and fluffy snow to Wellesley, slowing the commute and delaying school for two hours. I might have rolled over and slept in. I should have made moves to shovel the sidewalk and driveway. Instead, I threw my cross-country skis in the back of my trusty Subaru and headed over to Elm Bank reservation at 900 Washington Street for a pristine, virgin-snow nordic skiing experience. Join me on my 45-minute loop through the woods and along the Charles River.