*****Winter 2014*****

 

 

 

Happy New Year 

 

As the old year ends and a new one begins, we all like to recall the good times of the past year and anticipate the good times to come. 

 

 

As I look back over 2013 in the Garden Club I think of all the good deeds we did, all the charitable contributions we made to worthy causes, the scholarships we funded.  But I also treasure the fun times and the learning opportunities the club provided.


 I look forward to more of the same next year.  But the most striking aspect of the Club comes up in conversation again and again.  It seems when members speak of the club the most often heard comment is what an opportunity it provides to work with such a remarkable group of women. 

 

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I would be a very rich Garden Club President!

 

Happy New Year!      Jayne

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Bit of Hope 

With temperatures in the single digits and snow piled all around, a spring plant and seed catalog in one’s mail provides a bit of hope for things to come.  The first 2014 catalogs arrived before New Year’s Day and brought thoughts of spring.

 

 

This year’s Burpee catalog cover features a new tomato called SteakHouse Hybrid as big as a small watermelon.  The description says it will weigh up to three pounds!   Other new varieties for 2014 include a gorgeous pink-red-purple sunflower named Ms. Mars and Bam basil that is flowerless so it doesn’t bolt.  

Park Seed also has a tomato, Heirloom Green Hybrid, on its catalog cover.  Celosia Arrabona Red and Lisianthus Charisma Hybrid are two new flowers offered by Parks.  Our focus on heirlooms usually centers on tomatoes, but Parks includes favorite heirloom vegetable seeds such as carrots, peppers and beans.   

The Spring 2014 Garden Book from White Flower Farm contains an eye popping assortment of annual and perennial plants, shrubs and trees.  White Flower Farm says the arrival of its catalog “is timed to stimulate dreaming, planning and eventual action toward your best garden ever.”  And that it does.  From the spectacular Blue Billow Hydrangea on the cover to amazing containers to climbing roses, this catalog is real treat and will certainly inspire one to get thinking about spring planting. 

If you would like to receive copies of these catalogs, just go to their websites and ask.  Soon your mailbox will contain a bit of hope for spring for you to read and dream about.   

 

Officers for 2014 - 2015 

At our December meeting, which was held as part of our annual holiday get together, we voted for officers for the 2014 – 2015 year of Garden Club activities.  The nominating committee proposed a slate of officers that was approved by all members in attendance.  Our club officers for the upcoming year are as follows:

President:  Jayne Petersen

First Vice Presidents (Membership):  Betty Congelli and Michele Farr

Second Vice Presidents (Beautification):  Rita Chase and Marge Krupa

Third Vice Presidents (Program):  Sally Ryan and Fran Clifford and Amy Lawless

Recording Secretary:  Susan Olsen

Corresponding Secretary:  Sandy  Kirwan

Treasurer:  Arlene DeSocio 

 

October Meeting

 

Kowawese Unique Park was the location for our October 17th  meeting, “Garden Creations and Culinary Delights.”  We assembled at 11:30 a.m. and started the day’s events with a pot luck lunch.  As ever, our members outdid themselves with a bountiful array of tasty specialties.  While we enjoyed desserts prepared by the hostess committee, Jayne conducted our October business meeting.  Members then provided horticultural talks about African violets and geraniums and how to overwinter and root them. 

 

For our program, we divided into small groups.  Each group was given the same container and dried and fresh plant material and asked to create a floral design.  We all had a great time collaborating on the design and chatting about this and that. 

 

 

 

The variety in the final products was interesting to see.  Members delivered the completed arrangements to several schools, the library and the Town and Village Halls so others could enjoy a bit of fall beauty. 

 

 

November Meeting 

On November 20, we met at Munger Cottage for our monthly meeting and program “Bringing Garden to Hearth and Home.”  Members brought plant material and containers to create a traditional Colonial Williamsburg centerpiece or a pumpkin design.  With artistic and creative juices flowing, members produced an array of original and beautiful designs.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lovely array of treats was provided by the hostess committee for our refreshment break, which was followed by horticultural talks about pumpkins and prayer plants. 

 

 

 

The monthly business meeting concluded the evening’s agenda.  We welcomed Ginny Scott as a new member.  Those attending voted to explore the idea of establishing planters on Main Street as part of our ongoing beautification efforts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December Meeting

Our annual December get together, “Holiday Celebration with Friends,” took place at the Mountainville Manor on December 8.  The evening began with a social hour followed by a delicious dinner.  We held a brief business meeting to elect officers for the 2014-2015 year and spent the rest of the evening enjoying the music, dancing and camaraderie. 

 

 

 

 

The festive atmosphere for the evening was enhanced by the lovely centerpieces made by club members.  Nancy Casparian, Carol Drislane, Mary Jane Gisselbrecht, Chic Kennedy, Mary McGlinn and Jayne Petersen contributed designs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The celebration was filled with friendship and warm wishes for the holidays. 

 

District X News 

The Cornwall Garden Club, along with eight other garden clubs in Orange, Sullivan and Rockland Counties, is part of District X of the Federated Garden Clubs of New York State, Inc.  District X held a fall luncheon and meeting on October 9 at the West Hills Golf Club in Middletown.  The event was sponsored by the Artful Gardeners Club located in the Port Jervis Tri-State area.  About eighty club members and guests attended. 

 

 A highlight of the day was the program – an Ikebana Ikenobo demonstration.  It was interesting to learn about the Japanese way of viewing floral design with line, form and minimalism as key elements.  This art form also tends to use leaves and stems more than we tend to do in Western designs. 

 At the business meeting, the executive board voted to consider applications from club members for a yearly stipend of $50 to attend a flower show school.  The board also approved meeting four times each year with the spring meeting being a luncheon.  While all board meetings are open for club members to attend, the fall meeting will be well publicized to ensure all know they are welcome.   

The spring meeting will be on April 9 at the Bear Mountain Inn.  The board’s morning business meeting will be followed by a luncheon.  Since the Bear Mountain Inn is so close to us in Cornwall, we should be able to organize several car pools for attendees. 

 

Sunflower Seeds

 

The following information is posted from and with the permission of the Classic Collection of North American Birds website (www.birds-of-north-america.net).   

 

 

Sunflower seeds are without a doubt the most popular birdseed among the largest group of bird species.  Sunflower seeds come in two types – the smaller variety called the black oil sunflower seed and the larger variety called the (gray or white) striped sunflower seed.   

 

The smaller black-oiled sunflower seed is the overall favorite because it has a weaker outer shell casing that smaller birds have an easier time removing.  The white-striped sunflower seeds were the earlier variety and the most popular seed before the black-oiled sunflower seeds took over.  The black-oiled sunflower seed has a higher ratio of meat per seed than the white-striped sunflower seed variety.   

Birds such as black capped chickadees, nuthatches, juncos, sparrows, goldfinches, all other finches in general, grosbeaks, doves, cardinals, woodpeckers, and red winged blackbirds are all attracted to black-oiled sunflower seeds and make it the most popular bird seed to offer.   

In addition to being used for bird seed, black-oiled-sunflower seeds are grown commercially for their oils that are pressed from the seeds. Margarine is one of the main products produced from the oils, unlike the white-striped sunflower seeds that produce lower amounts of oil and are grown for human consumption.  
 

If you are feeding the birds during these cold winter days, black-oiled sunflower seeds are sure to be popular.  

 

 

Upcoming Events 

Make sure your 2014 calendar includes the following Cornwall Garden Club activities.   

 

 

March 22:  “Celebrating Gardens and Friendships” Spring Luncheon and Installation of Officers at the Powelton Club at 11:30 a.m.   

April 9:  District X Spring Meeting and Luncheon at the Bear Mountain Inn.   

April 24:  Cornwall Garden Club monthly meeting.  Cornwall Presbyterian Church at 5:30 p.m.   

April 25:  Annual Arbor Day Observance 

May 9:  Set up for Annual Plant Sale 

May 10:  Annual Plant Sale