Category: Around Town

The McAuliffe Library now has two new signs.  The lawn sign includes some planets as a reference to Christa McAuliffe as teacher in space.

The road and sidewalk in front of the main doors have been redesigned.  The crosswalk on either side has been  plagued by large puddles on rainy days and because of snow run-off.  Also, the speed of the cars going past the library has been an issue.  The road has been narrowed and the pavement redone to take care of the puddle problem and to subtly encourage motorists to slow down as they pass the library.

Looking good!

Recently there have been some storm clouds over neighborhoods that fear the impact of businesses trying to get permission to do business among them. 

Locating a kennel in a residential area  and a cement plant adjacent to conservation land and dense neighborhoods certainly sound like cause for speaking up in defense of keeping the neighborhood free of unsettling noise, smells, and dust.

Some time ago, other neighborhoods put out signs with the message: “Respect the Integrity of the Neighborhood.”  Not a bad concept.

Slowly but surely we have had to have our old maple trees cut down before they fell over in a storm, or dropped a heavy  branch on a car.  They sheltered so many of our life events. 

Our kids enjoyed a hammock hung from its branches, and its shade while playing in the sandbox and running through the sprinkler.  Many a family meal cooked on the grill was enjoyed on a picnic table under a tree.  Our bunny’s hutch was shaded by a tree.  The trees also provided natural air conditioning for the west side of the house.

Now, our previously cool kitchen is one of the hottest rooms in the house thanks to the sun beating in and we have less shade to relax under.

We also cut down our hedges in the last few years and now have less privacy and more noise from the street.  But the lawn is easier to maintain, and the yard looks bigger.

As we walk the neighborhood, we note that we can barely see some houses due to the overgrown trees.  On the other hand one house looks as though someone had called a tree company, and said, take them, take them all.

Every single bush, shrub, and tree in front of the house, lining the boundary with the neighbor, and what we could see of the backyard was removed.   Only large areas of dirt where the trees were remain.  The house looks naked and now we can finally see it.

What a difference a tree or vegetation makes. 

There’s one house in Saxonville, very well kept, lawn always mowed, but there are no flowers, shrubs, or trees near the house or in most of the yard.  We itch to at least see a pot of flowers on the steps or something.  It is easy to maintain, but seems like an “i” without a dot, as though something is missing.

This past weekend we went to a class reunion weekend.  Wow.  It was an uplifting experience.  We had conversations with people we only knew slightly in high school, but it didn’t matter.  We shared many common bonds, experiences, and viewpoints.

Because of our age bracket, we could share not only parenting stories, but also how we have had to deal with our aging or incapacitated parents, and in some cases, the deaths of spouses and parents.

Many classmates were living in their parents’ houses, and some continued their parents’ local businesses.  Quite a few married classmates or someone a grade or two ahead or behind from our high school.  One married one of our teachers.  Two of our teachers, who got to know each other while they monitored the hallways from adjacent classrooms, married.

So a good percentage of our class attended.  Some were easy to recognize and remember the name, others we knew the face, but thank goodness for nametags.  Some, well, really thank goodness for nametags.

We had skipped quite a few reunions due to shyness, and not being sure about some extra pounds and wrinkles.  But, in the end, it didn’t matter, some looked better, others did not.  Hair, and having some, or not, seemed more defining as far as looks go.

The important thing was being there, sharing old times and talking about then and now.  There was a high level of comfort and everyone was ready to chat with everyone, no icebreakers needed.  It was one of the best times in our lives.  We’re sorry we skipped so many.

While we went to a school much smaller than Framingham’s, we’d still recommend going to a Framingham reunion, because there are so many places and experiences here to  reminisce about and savor.  Not to mention that many fabulous and solid people call Framingham their hometown and a reunion is a great way to reconnect, if only for a few hours.

We welcome notices of class reunions.  Organizers are welcome to post them on the community calendar and to email us notices at info@framingham.com.  We’d also love to receive stories about Framingham’s class reunions.

They’re back!  Or at least they will be, if it doesn’t rain.

Enough donations have been pulled together to fund the popular Friday night “Concerts on the Green” series during July and August and now, thanks to a rainout on July 3rd, the first Friday in September.

They are just about the best free fun in town during the Summer for all ages.

President Clinton once said Framingham looked like America and on Summer Friday nights, it holds true:  people of all ages and nationalities peaceably assemble to listen to a variety of music, play catch and frisbee, campaign for a candidate or cause, fundraise, and meet up with old and new friends and create memories.

Partners in Preservation awarded the Framingham History Center $ 100,000 to repair the windows at the Edgell Memorial Library.

This was because so many people voted in the competition so that Edgell gained fourth place in their competition.  Yeah us!

The old wooden windows are badly in need of repair and replacement, and their battered look is emphasized by the new roof.

Thanks to everyone who voted…but Edgell and other Town-owned buildings still need our support and donations.

Fittingly, a U.S. flag carried in Civil War battles by the 13th Mass Regiment, made up of many Framingham men, has been returned to the Edgell Memorial Library where it will be under the supervision of the Framingham History Center.

It has been on display in the Memorial Building’s main hallway since the close of Framingham’s Tercennial Celebration in 2000.  While many passed by the flag, few knew or realized its historical significance, or value.  Because of the way it was mounted on the wall, it was subject to damage from light and gravity.

Now it is more appropriately displayed and celebrated in its original home since being donated to the Town of Framingham in 1873 by George Brown, whose company provided the funding of the regiment and of the “colors” as battle flags were known.

On this Flag Day, Framingham has its very own historic US flag to celebrate.

For more information about the flag, click here:

http://www.framingham.com/history/300th/civ_flag.htm