Kingston Garden Club

February 18, 2009

A  G  E  N  D  A

Noel L called our meeting to order at the Redeemer United Methodist Church at 10:40a.m.

Members Present:      34 members and  1 guests

We sang “Happy Birthday” to nine of our February and March  birthday members.

Pledge of Allegiance

Hostesses and Host for the Day: Thanks to Mitzi G, Michael B and Sura J, and to Bobbi W who stood in for Carol M as Hostess Coordinator.  Also a special thanks to Liz J for providing the projector for today’s program.

Hospitality:                   Introduction of guests.

Minutes:                       There being no corrections, minutes of the January meeting were approved as distributed.

Treasurer’s Report:     Diann K reported our bank balance is $5,488.98.

Sunshine Committee:          Nothing to report.

Ways & Means:           Mitzi G reported that $195.67 has been raised, not including today’s items.

Philanthropy:              Madelynne C reported that our Christmas donations of food and toys were much appreciated by the Kingston Food Bank, Sharenet and the Bayside Community Church. Debbie W and Susan  helped to get the gifts distributed. Food bank donations will be collected every month, and Madelynne will have a special container for same.

Web & E-mail:              Noel L reported that Erika B is willing to start a phone chain for those members for whom e-mail is not the best way to get information about the club.

Unfinished Business:  

1.  Plant Sale: Michael B, Mitzi G and Laurie Y reported that we are approaching 2,000 plants already potted for the sale, not including those being dug up now, that gallon size will be the smallest size offered, and that pricing guidelines and popsicle price sticks will be available in March and April. They further reported that volunteers will be needed for the day of sale (sign-up sheet will be passed around in March), and they requested volunteers to approach local merchants with requests to distribute posters and volunteers for moving about 800 plants currently stored at Linda M’s house into the sun in late March.

2.  Quilt: Noel L reported that the quilt will be displayed this weekend at the Kitsap Fairgrounds Quilt Show.  It was already displayed at the Poulsbo Quilt Guild and at Curves where raffle tickets were sold.   It will be displayed and raffle tickets sold at the 3/18/09 Kingston Town Meeting, and at a two-day event at Kingston High School (no raffle tickets to be sold there). If you would like to display the quilt at another group or club that you belong to, let Noel know.

3. Spectrum Students: Noel L reported that she and husband Jim will be the first to avail themselves of the services of Spectrum students for garden work in exchange for a fee plus horticultural education. The fee is $12.00 per hour, $8.50 of which is paid directly to the student and $3.50 of which is donated to the Spectrum Garden Program. This program was set up by Bob Jaball of Spectrum. The students will go through a formal interview process to get some classroom mileage from the program as well. In Noel and Jim’s case, they will be teaching the propagation methods of blackberries which, presumably, will then be dug out and cut by the enlightened student. Sign-up sheet was passed around for people interested in garden help from Spectrum.

4. Booth at Eco-Fest: Noel L announced that we will not have a booth at Eco-Fest this year because it occurs on the same day as our Plant Sale. If anyone feels strongly that we should be represented at Eco-Fest, that person will have to personally coordinate that representation.

New Business:            

1. To-Do List for 2009: Last month’s survey of what members would like to accomplish in 2009 yielded several members interested in visiting gardens in Victoria. Gwen W, our travel coordinator extraordinaire, is prepared to put such a trip together for us, and passed around a sheet to explore our interest level and preferences regarding a day trip versus overnight trip, etc. Gwen will give us more information next month.

2. Informal Garden Tours: If you are interested in offering your garden for an informal tour at any time of the year, please contact Noel L. at the Kingstongc@yahoo.com  email address.

3. Next Year’s Officers and Chairpersons: Let Noel L know if you are interested in being an officer or chairperson for the 2009-10 season. We will need a Secretary and a Vice President. If you are a committee chairperson and do not intend to continue in that role, please try to find a replacement for your position.

Horticultural Tip of the Day: Maxine H gave us a primer on spring clean-up, particularly the pruning of  hydrangeas and perennial fuchsias.   

Show & Tell:                  Michael B displayed a Fascinated Willow Cobra, or Dragon Willow (salix sachalinensis). Ann I shared the fun fact found in Master Gardener magazine that elephant garlic is actually a type of leek. Elaine J brought a sprig of her rhodie “Heatherside Beauty” which is in bloom now. Jerianne H showed us a picture of the world’s largest hanging plant located at a London hotel which weighs ¼ ton, measures 20 x 10 feet, and contains 100 varieties of plants.

Design of the Day:     Liz J created a wonderful arrangement in a pitcher consisting of hazelnut catkins, variegated euonymous, orange colored heather, rosemary, hellebore, and ivy seed pods.

Announcements:

1.    Noel L: If you are interested in having a registered backyard sanctuary, see the link to the National Wildlife Federation on our website.

2.    Bobbi W: Next month’s meeting will feature arborist Jim Trainor, and in April we’ll have a joint meeting with the Indianola Garden Club for a program by Ed Hume (think about bringing friends).     

Door Prizes:         Door prizes and primrose plants which our host and hostesses used as table centerpieces were awarded to 16 people.

Today’s Program:                Heidi Kaster of Dragonfly Nursery presented a fabulous slide show of cool plants that are available now, and also showed us a few of her favorite garden tools.

The meeting adjourned at  11:35 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Annika M for Dawn V

LEMON-COCONUT SQUARES                                                        1 cup all-purpose flour
Heat oven to 350.  Mix thoroughly flour, butter                              1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
and confectioners' sugar.  Press evenly in an un-                           1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
greased baking pan, 8x8x2 inches, building up                                2 eggs
a 1/2 inch edge.  Bake 20 minutes.                                                     1 cup granulated sugar
                                                                                                                 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Beat remaining ingredients except the coconut un-                        1/4 teaspoon salt
til light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Stir in coco-                     2 teaspoons lemon peel, if desired
nut and spread the mixture on the hot crust.  Bake                         2 tablespoons lemon juice
about 25 minutes longer, just until no impression                           1/2 cup flaked coconut
remains when touched lightly in the center.  Cool
and cut in squares.
 
I all ways use butter, and grate lemon rind, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
For copyright purposes I should mention this is from a Betty Crocker's All Time Favorites 1977.

c2009 Kingston Garden Club