Director's Note 12/1/15

December is a short month at Lynden, so this will be a brief newsletter. The sun is gone before we close the gates at 5 pm, though those who stay that late are treated to the most dramatic sunsets of the year. I often feel like I am sitting beneath a vast and expanding ramp of low sky, beginning at the vanishing point where the sun sets in the southwest, and zooming up and over my desk. The cloud patterns can be severe and regular, chalky grey against slate blue, or suffused with oranges and purples seen only in December. It is easy to imagine spacecraft rushing up the runway and taking off over my head, and it is some compensation for fumbling with the sometimes frozen gate locks in the dark on my way home.

We also shorten the month by closing for several days when visitor volume drops to an annual low. We are officially out of the office from December 24 through January 3. Before we depart, we hope to have the winter brochure ready, and if you've been looking at the web site, events and activities for the next several months have begun to appear. We are also keeping our eyes on the ponds for ice skating possibilities; check our Facebook for updates.

We are closing out 2015 with a round of holiday giftmaking workshops. These range from free all-ages drop-ins (Marshmallows, Toothpicks & Buckminster Fuller on Dec. 6; Terrarium Pendants on Dec. 13; our monthly grow workshop on Dec. 20) to more advanced workshops for adults (Tapestry Weaving on Dec. 5--you get to take your loom home with you; Silk Scarf Painting on Dec. 6; Garlic Basket Weaving on Dec. 12). Naomi Cobb helps everyone make leaf print gift bags on Dec. 5, and if you lack the time to make gifts to fill your bag, you could pick up a Lynden t-shirt (designed by Sara Caron) or a set of Lynden note cards featuring drawings by Sarah Luther.

We've added one more Tuesday in the Garden on Dec. 15, the weekly art drop-in continues through Dec. 16, and dogs are welcome once again on Dec. 19. Scott Wolniak's exhibition, Landscape Record, remains on view all month (and perhaps someone on your gift list covets a small Wolniak drawing).

Finally, in order to ensure that all twelve of the months of 2016 are long and busy, we encourage you to donate to our end-of-the-year campaign. Your support means so much to us!