What is more quintessentially New England than maple sugaring? It is underway right now in Lincoln, Massachusetts as the unseasonably warm weather in January and February has caused the sap to run early in the town's sugar maples.

I live in Lincoln and this first sign of spring has become a cherished family tradition. Our introduction to maple sugaring came when we first moved to town and cut down a large pine tree that was towering over our house. We immediately got a call from our neighbor: "Unlike many, we love pine trees," he began. My husband and I panicked. Uh-oh, we'd probably offended our new neighbor by cutting down the tree. But then the neighbor continued,

"We use pinewood to power our maple sugar boiler. Can we come by and cut up the tree and take the logs?"

The next day, the neighbor was sawing and removing the huge tree, saving us disposal costs and making us happy to see it go to such a good use. Soon we noticed his homemade sugar boiler smoking away. Coming from the Back Bay we found this amazingly quaint. I thanked him by baking some cookies; what a great community we had just joined.

The tradition of maple sugaring continued as another neighbor with three children set up an organized maple-sugaring operation on our road. I admired this father who took the time to embrace this long-standing New England activity even though he commuted into Boston on the train with me each day. After work he would change into some New England farmer duds and he and his wife would set the buckets out to tap the maple trees. All of the neighbors with maple trees "loaned" their trees to the effort. For added charm, the taps and buckets were the traditional tin type, not the plastic milk cartons that I had seen used in New Hampshire.

The sap only runs for a couple of weeks, and it is a window that cannot be missed. Our neighbors gathered all the kids in the area and piled them into the back of their pickup. They would drive slowly from one tree to the next on the quiet country road and we would all pick a tree and empty its sap bucket into a bigger drum. Then we returned to the truck to bounce and slosh back to their house and transfer the thin, sticky sap into the boiler. A month or so later, we all received some delicious Grade A maple syrup. Not a bad lifestyle in a town 20 minutes from downtown Boston!

Note: A great introduction to maple sugaring is found at a Sap-to-Syrup Farmer's Breakfast at Lincoln's Drumlin Farm March 17-18, 2012. They offer a pancake and maple syrup breakfast and activities and presentations outlining methods of maple syrup production.

So I had just finished my Insanity® exercise workout at 8 o'clock on a recent Saturday morning. I popped out the dvd and the Channel 8 local access station came on. A notice appeared telling interested Lincoln, Massachusetts residents that they could come to the Lincoln Town Offices building (which is about to be seriously renovated) and salvage anything from the building. I wished that I hadn't just finished a workout because my work for the day was about to begin.

I gathered up the family and we all drove over to the building that was originally built in 1909 as Lincoln's Center School. Over the years it was repurposed into the Town Offices, but it still retained its "old-school" flavor, including blackboards, old oak doors, and boys' and girls' matching staircases.

The notice about the Lincoln town offices renovation said that the first-come, first-served giveaway would last from 8:00 a.m. until noon and items had to be taken away during that time. When we arrived, the junker dash was well underway. People had already stuck claim stickers on many items, including a great 1940's Steelcase desk, almost all the blackboards, most window air conditioners, a safe, and even the brass handles on windows.

It must be noted that this really was leftover stuff -- the town was not giving away all its office furniture and equipment, by any means - but it brought out people's acquisitive nature. A town worker had volunteered to help people unscrew hardware and move items. The rule was "no private toolboxes." The poor man bit off more than he could chew with this crowd. People tagged doors, wanted shelving pried off walls, and asked for Venetian blinds to be removed from 15-foot high windows. (That last one was my request!)

My daughter came out with a 6x6 foot map of the Town of Lincoln that shows every bit of conservation land and every lot in town. She wants to redecorate her room around this piece. So if anyone wants to know how much land Parcel #XXXXX has, you can call her! We ultimately came away with a birch slab door to replace one of ours, a metal chair, and the town map.

I commend the town that these things did not just end up in the landfill. But I think they underestimated how dearly Lincoln residents embrace the values of recycling and reusing!

Barrett Sotheby's International Realty is pleased to announce the addition of another Massachusetts Association of Realtors (MAR) award to their portfolio. Awarded during MAR's 2013 Realtor of the Year dinner, Barrett Sotheby's International Realty took home the newest award "Technology Contest: Social Media All-Star."

Barrett SIR owner and CEO, Laurie Cadigan joyfully exclaimed, "We are very proud of the notoriety our Social Media Team has received. Our clients certainly benefit from all of the amazing on-line exposure that we provide locally and that Sotheby's International Realty® provides globally."

Understanding the rapid pace of technology, especially in real estate, MAR decided that having awards for "Best Agent and Broker Websites" as well as "Best Blog" just wasn't enough. Consumers, as technology progresses, are looking to interact more and more with the prospective companies they want to do business with. This year the MAR technology committee decided it was time to honor the top "Social Media All-Stars." The merit for the award was based on which individual Realtor and Brokerage best demonstrated how the use of Social Media is changing their business. The criterion used by the judges examined the effectiveness, total followers, originality, creativity and a demonstrated commitment to engaging and keeping in touch with their consumers.

To see Barrett Sotheby's International Realty in action when it comes to Social Media, like us on Facebook, add us to your circle on Google+, follow us on twitter, pin with us on Pinterest, and watch our channel on YouTube.

Barrett Sotheby's International Realty is pleased to announce that the company has been named to the 12th annual list of Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts by The Commonwealth Institute, a Boston-based nonprofit devoted to aiding women in business. Since 2002, the institute has compiled an annual list of for-profit women-led companies, based on revenues. This year for the first time, the Globe Magazine partnered with the institute to publish the list. There are nearly 200,000 women-owned companies in Massachusetts, employing more than 175,000 people, according to The Boston Globe.

"Each of the women on our Top 100 list," says The Commonwealth Institute's executive director, Aileen Gorman, "has made a significant impact on the Commonwealth's economy and has established herself as a visionary leader of a successful company."

Laurie Cadigan, CEO and Owner of Barrett Sotheby's International Realty, purchased the company in 2007 from Jane Barrett, who started J.M. Barrett & Co. in 1977.

Barrett Sotheby's International Realty is pleased to welcome veteran Realtor and Lincoln, Massachusetts resident, Terry Perlmutter. Terry has over 15 years of experience as a top-producing real estate agent, representing both buyers and sellers. Clients appreciate Terry's technical expertise and breadth of knowledge in the buying and selling process. Her professional background in Social Work and Human Resources has contributed to her strong communication and negotiation skills. Terry is a committed partner and advocate throughout the entire real estate process.

Barrett Sotheby's International Realty owner Laurie Cadigan says:

"We are thrilled to announce the addition of Terry to our team of professionals! Terry's knowledge of the real estate market and her commitment to her clients make her a perfect fit for Barrett Sotheby's International Realty."

Prior to joining Barrett SIR, Terry was a successful agent for Coldwell Banker Real Estate in Weston, Massachusetts with over 12 million dollars in recent sales. Her new office is located at 152 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA and she can be reached at 617.519.5179.

Photographs by Steve Dunwell, Diane Anton, Frank Byrne Boston Magazine March 2014

Two of the Greater Boston towns where Barrett Sotheby's International Realty has offices made Boston Magazine's 2014 list of "Best Places to Live." With analysis of more than 150 neighborhoods and towns in and around Boston, the magazine highlights the "best places for buyers at various life stages". Boston Magazine has built a tradition of publishing themed issues of its monthly magazine throughout the course of each year. With a detailed focus on particular topics, the magazine's writers research categories and present "Best Schools", "Best Restaurants", "Best Places to Live" and more.

Lincoln, Massachusetts was named the best place for "Power Couples" who are defined as those who "crave a swanky refuge close to the action, yet also long for a respite from the social whirl". Click below to see all homes currently for sale in Lincoln.

Carlisle, Massachusetts ranks highly for those with a "Growing Family", defined as "The kids need a dedicated playroom. You need a big kitchen—and you've earned that master suite with the fireplace and walk-in closet. Click below to see all homes currently for sale in Carlisle.

Let Barrett Sotheby's International Realty help find your next home for sale in Massachusetts that is just right for whatever life stage you happen to be in.

It's a glorious time of year to live in New England! Here are some fun local events to spice up your fall.

Nashoba Valley Winery Bolton NVW offers a unique "Vine to Wine" series where guests can see how wine is made from start to finish. Dates for this year's seminars are October 12th, 19th, and 25^th. Call ahead to reserve your spot! In addition, they offer numerous seminars on wine tasting and other fun events in their restaurant serving unique American cuisine. http://www.nashobawinery.com/

Harvest Fair Newton Hosted on 10/18 and 10/19, the town of Newton invites any and all to enjoy the riches of fall! With numerous performances to choose from, it's the perfect place to enjoy face painting, sand art, ethnic and American foods along with so much more! For more information go to: http://www.newtoncommunitypride.org/harvest-fair.html

Looking for something a bit more active? Try the:

Sudbury Halloween 5k and Fun Run Sudbury The fun takes place on Sunday, October 26, with the 5k ($27) going off at 11 and the Fun Run ($12) at noon. What better way to bring in the seasons than with a nice run through one of Massachusetts most beautiful towns! Register by October 3^rd to be guaranteed a shirt. More info here: https://sudbury.ma.us/recreation/2014/08/30/sudbury-halloween-5k-1-mile-fun-run/

Battle Road Trail Lexington/Concord 978-369-6993 This five mile trail highlights the battle of April 19, 1775 and is free to walk. Walk in the shoes of those who fought in the battle which began the American Revolution. Accessible from any point, see a complete map of the trail: http://www.nps.gov/mima/planyourvisit/upload/MIMA%20Park%20Map.pdf

Not in the mood for a walk? Try the Lexington Liberty ride!

Liberty Ride Lexington/Concord For more information: 339-223-5623 Rather than walking, a classic trolley takes you down Battle Road. 90 Minutes in duration, the trail highlights historic sites and attractions throughout the tows.